Quote Graeme Smith="Graeme Smith"I think what annoys people is the perception you have of yourselves as being a 'big club', which in everyone else's eyes other than your own, you are not.
There is no deference towards Halifax from Batley of indeed any other club I can think of. I'm 35 and Halifax have been, other than one fire alarm inspired Grand Final victory, mediocre in my memories.
What I do remember (and these are all factually correct) is you attaining just 3 points in a SL season, a last minute win in a play off against York to avoid further relegation, begging buckets at the Shay and being booted out of the Challenge Cup for fielding an ineligible player.
This season you'll be remembered for not being overly gracious when rejected for SL, and then it coming to light that your helicopter-delivered application was so wide of the mark that it couldn't actually be judged upon by KPMG.
Having looked at Wikipedia for two minutes, your last real success in the 'big league' was a quarter of a century ago, and was followed by non payment of players, transfer embargo's due to financial mismanagement, nearly going into liquidation and the proceeds of selling the Shay (for £1.5 million) being sucked into paying off debt rather than redeveloping a council owned ground.
To put it simply, no one understands why you've got such a massive opinion of yourselves.
I'd be interested to get a serious response on this other just being labelled 'bitter' of 'jealous', which I certainly am not.'"
How long exactly have you been a fan? Well in the last 25 years Fax have achieved
1 Challenge Cup Final winners (1987)
1 Challenge Cup final Runners Up (198icon_cool.gif
1 Regal Trophy Runners Up (1990)
1 Northern Rail Cup Runners Up (2011)
1 League Champions Trophy (1985)
1 Championship Grand Final Runners Up (2009)
1 Championship Grand Final Winners (2010)
1 Premiership Runners Up (1986)
1 2nd Division Premiership Runners up (1991)
Charity Shield Winners (1986)
Charity Shield Runners up (1987)
What has Batley achieved? You won a Cup that is treated by many as a joke even coaches. Now looking at the record over the last 25 years Fax are easily the most successful side outside of SL. Infact even looking at the past 5 years with 3 Final appearances and a win we are with Featherstone the most successful sides.
Lets see what average crowds you lot get over the years
2011 HALIFAX= 2096 (3rd in the League) BATLEY= 1098
2010 HALIFAX= 2509 (2nd in the League) BATLEY= 1058
2009 HALIFAX= 2325 (2nd in the League) BATLEY= 895
2008 HALIFAX= 2217 (3rd in the League) BATLEY= 1030
2007 HALIFAX= 1959 (4th in the League) BATLEY= 1120
So Crowd wise Fax in the past 5 years alone have been one of the big clubs regarding attendances whilst Batley struggle to get more than a 1000. That means Fax have more money coming in through the gate!
Lets see the League Positions
2011 HALIFAX 6th BATLEY 3rd (Batley)
2010 HALIFAX 2nd BATLEY 7th (Halifax)
2009 HALIFAX 2nd BATLEY 8th (Halifax)
2008 HALIFAX 3rd BATLEY 9th (Halifax)
2007 HALIFAX 3rd BATLEY 8th (Halifax)
So only one season have Batley finished higher
If ail to see how Batley fans can get so upset when their club has not won or even reached as many finals as Fax have and never will. Batley get around half the crowd Fax do and have far less money as well yet they seem to think Halifax are not bigger than themselves. Try looking at the facts that Halifax alongside Featherstone are the most powerful clubs on and off the field in this league with Widnes gone. The likes of Batley are smaller and will remain so as Featherstone and Halifax are simply bigger clubs with more power and pull in way bigger crowds and sponsorship money. Batley fans get that chip off your shoulder and enjoy your most successful period since probably 100 years ago!
