It's one of the easiest sayings going. However who's money do you want to use to speculate? And who will underwrite it if it doesn't work?

Maybe the club could do a Poll on social media of a descriptive shirt (no pictures) and see which fans like best?

Bloody hell underwriting what. It was an idea put forward that I agreed with. Many of the things suggested could be self financing. AS for one of the easiest sayings going I think of a few more, but will not bore you with them.

I think we understand that the club is still watching the pennies and are not out of the woods financially, however if we are going to rebuild the image of the club and attract more fans at the same time then something different and new needs to be done!

If people just see us bumping along the bottom then they won't find us much more attractive than we are this season, which crowds have proven, isn't attractive enough.

A Heritage shirt, an adidas shirt, promotional events whatever we do is highly unlikely to be free so speculating is the only way. If we can't afford any speculation then that's fine because I for one don't want us to overspend again.

If it is to be an image and support based rebuild based on results alone then we have to accept it but must also accept that it'll be painfully and frustratingly slow.

Could be self financing ?? What happens if it isn't? And that's a genuine question?

Unless you find someone who is quite willing to throw money at the club knowing he will never see it again, then frustratingly slow will be the way. I haven't got that money. Would always step aside for someone has. Said that right at the outset. And they've not exactly being forming a queue to reveal themselves have they? Wasn't there 4 mystery investors as soon as JE went? (Falls off chair)!

It would probably be an idea to make sure it would be self financing before arranging any kind of event. It could also make a few quid as well M C if its put in the right hands to organise.

Really don't see what posters can find issue with what Daddycool is saying. The renaissance of our club is going to be based on sound business plans that don't involve spending money we don't have. Speculating to accumulate is all well and good if it comes off. He's merely saying, what if it doesn't come off? Well, we're back where we were 12 months ago and there'll be plenty on here calling MC for all he's worth for poor business decisions. Guy doesn't seem able to win.

Well said man !

Kev the guy is a winner and his efforts are appreciated .i feel sure the vast majority of fans realise its going to be the long game. However If the club want to forge new relationships with the wakey public in general that's going to take time and some kind of investment. If we were having this conversation in the wake of a community stadium would the club adopt the opinion that if you build it they will come.

Who's got an issue?

No ones complaining, they're just throwing out ideas but no ones criticising DC for taking the sound, safe financial decisions, in fact a large number of posters are praising him and his approach so how does he seem unable to win?

This is kinda what I was getting at by underwriting. I don't think you can ever be sure something of this nature is self financing. And going back to my original point, it was a reply to a comment about taking a knock financially. We just aren't in that kind of place. We need someone who doesn't care about losing money trying to revitalise the club.

The other thing I would say is that we need to stop using the word investor or investment. That sort of says some sort of return on investment. Very very difficult if not impossible in the world of rugby league. Anyone putting money in, needs to know it's pretty much lost money. And without one of those, the club must stand on its own two feet. Even with one, I would say the club needs to be sustainable going forward because if that sugar daddy disappears for any reason, where does it leave the club!

I'm sure I recall you saying on the radio that you were looking into a opening a marketing role at the club. Is this right and is it still the case?

Is there any chance of dropping Wildcats from the club name (and I concede a marketer would probably want to retain the wildcat for such purposes if they don't appreciate how strong a brand Wakefield Trinity could be?

Yes we are looking at a marketing role and no I don't see us dropping the wildcats name, not that I've given it much thought

When I said "take a knock financially" I was referring to the deal on the kit only i.e. go with a manufacturer that costs us more in the short term in order to access greater gains in the long run. As I semi-explained afterwards, When taking the whole picture into account it may have worked out that the club made a greater profit. I was however unaware that we still had 2 years left with Macron which kind of makes the whole conversation irrelevant but the principle remains valid.

Let me clarify myself a little,

If the disconnected fans throughout the City were encouraged to buy a brand name shirt, like the adidas one in my example, they may also go next step, reengage with the club and come to a game.

If the fashion conscious youth of Wakefield are suddenly presented with a Wakefield Trinity shirt that they feel proud to wear either as a fashion item or as a fan they may also be motivated to go the next step and attend a match.

If Wakefield have one of if not the best shirts on the market then non Wakefield fans maybe even non RL fans might be tempted to buy one in much the same way that fans buy NRL shirts.

If existing fans were ever likely to spend more in the shop they are most likely to do it when we have an iconic shirt which will stand the test of time as the original adidas shirts have.

If we could construct an offer to season ticket holders whereby they received discounts on merchandise allowing them to buy both home and away shirts then the extra value that represents could encourage a few more to buy a season ticket.

If any or all of this were to work then we'd have more people in the stadium spending their money on beer, pop, burgers or whatever. Not only that but bigger crowds create better atmospheres and in turn encourage others to attend in future.

If after all the negative headlines of previous years, Wakefield Trinity get into bed with a company which carries the kudos that adidas do and make the absolute most of it through the press then that in itself would turn heads and help us rebuild the tarnished image of the club.

If potential sponsors of the club are out there, they may like the idea of having their brand on an adidas shirt, it might be the catalyst for them to spend money with us or if already a sponsor more money.

Now I know I'm in danger of sounding like Rudyard Kipling (not) and if my grandma had testes she'd be my granddad and I take the point that we are not in a position to make such speculative moves. Equally I now understand that we are tied into a deal with Macron so all of this is hypothetical at best but the principle is still sound.

In short my suggestion of a "knock" was on the merchandise deal in isolation but was said with a net "Gain" being the ultimate result.

Finally, I think the current BoD have done and are doing a great job and I wouldn't want to take any risky financial decisions that put the club in jeopardy.

A lot of ifs in there that you have recognised.
And in no way was I having a go at you.
I've just heard over the last couple of months people suggesting to me that financially we are secure and more unbelievably, that it can't have been quite that bad in the first place!! Let me tell you it was as bad if not worse then described. We have made decent progress but there is still a lot to to financially before we can relax.

Slow and steady is fine by me. I've seen too much boom and bust at Wakefield. We can all do our part even if it is just by pestering a mate to come with us to games.

I know that DC, I just felt the need to explain myself better.

Being around the club, I know (I think I know) how bad it was and how close we came to dropping off the cliffs edge.
People and supporters I talk to in the North stand and around the city have nothing but admiration for the job you've done and would rather we build slowly and continue to punch above our weight than live on false promises with our head in the clouds.

As things stand, I wouldn't want to re-sign with macron. It's just one of those things we have to get through. We must spend a minimum amount with them. Thus I have to give this priority when looking at retail sales because there is only so much people can spend. So although for example I could say make 10k on adidas shirts if I have to buy 20k of macron stuff that I then cannot sell, it's self defeating. Complicated stuff but just the situation we find ourselves in

I think inflation has cought up with that story I always belived it to be 3. (Still one of my fav all time trin rumours).

Are they the same ones that were waiting in the wings for Ted to go?

Always thought they were the figment of someone's wishful thinking.

How about some kind of heritage committee that worked with the club with two clear aims.
1. To further the good name of Wakefield Trinity
2. To look at ways how point 1. could lead to additional income for Wakefield Trinity.
Lots of good people with good ideas on here that could all benefit the club if the club are interested.

Personally, I think we need to improve our off field gear next year. Me and a group of 3 friends (19-21 years old) all wear rugby training gear for the gym and sunny days. None of us have any Wakefield training gear because the designs are too plain. We must of spent around £400 between us on NRL gear because the tops and vest are fancier looking. I'm sure that is £400 that the club would rather have and we would rather have spent the money on Wakefield.


Now I have got no proof and I haven't done any research but I assume that most "real" fans buy at least 1 of the kits each year. This should give us a guaranteed/minimum amount of shirt sales. I have no problem with having a heritage home kit, it appeals to the "older" fans. However, I feel that the away kit should be more "alternate" and stylish, this would attract the younger customers who have no memory links to the heritage kit. Basically, I want to spend more of my money at the club and to do this, they need to tap into my desire to wear the products

...and beach towels!!
We go on holiday on Monday and I've lost count the amount of times I've asked in the shop or on the website why we don't sell them with no reply!