"Indeed, the club have got a big job in the off-season to persuade people to buy a season ticket/pass/whatever."



Good. If there has to be a renewed and also improved marketing strategy, we are moving forward.

Spot on, Chico. Spot. On.



We [ihave[/i played some good stuff this year, and I believe the coaches are doing a very good job with what is at their disposal. So the usual natural turnover of players at season's end does not overly concern me. We have replaced better players than Holdsworth, Gleeson, et al in recent years. Seventeen points and an 11th placed finish is disappointing after some decent early season form, but not a million miles away from where most would have predicted pre-season. And let's not lose sight of the fact that we were never in serious danger of being near the very bottom of the competition.



But on all other fronts this end of season feels very different. The 'Promised Land' is far from proving the utopia we were all hoping for over the last decade. Yes the U20s have done excellently well but they will be disbanded due to the change in the Junior set up next year. And so what exactly do we have to cling on to? Where is the good news going to come from?

Is it just my perception, or are we as a club, habitually awful towards the end of the season? Anyone got any stats (I'm looking at you KOTS)?



Even though we've finished above Widnes and London, I'm sure their supporters are feeling more positive right now because their teams didn't give up once the playoffs were out of sight (although I reckon Wakey were probably below us when we decided we weren't making the

Sadly you're correct, here are the last 8 games from the past 4 seasons



[u2012[/u

W - 1

L - 7

For - 158

Against - 298

Pts -2



[u2011[/u

W - 2

L - 6

For - 138

Against - 266

Pts - 4



[u2010[/u

W - 3

L - 5

For - 133

Against - 299

Pts - 6



[u2009[/u

W - 1

L - 7

For - 150

Against - 238

Pts - 2



Just 14 points out of a possible 64!!!!!

By anybody's standards, that is absolutely appaling!

I agree the attacking rugby I've see this year is on a par with when Gregory was in charge but then the defending has been as woeful at times as I have ever seen. For all the good work Sean Long has put in going forward I think one of our most needed bits of investment is someone to sort out the defense, there must be a coach in the lower leagues who is defensively astute who we could get on board. Don't think anyone would doubt that with a more robust defense there would have been a better points total this season.



I am it appears one of the few who doesn't dislike the new stadium, OK I fully agree that it is soulless compared to the Willows but don't forget the Willows had a century + to develop that soul and character. I have no doubt that in years to come Barton will develop one in the same manner. I think the area and experience will improve when the other projects around the site are completed and think that Sale playing there will speed things up and hopefully with a year round market prompt a decent sized chain to open something nearby giving everyone a pre game focal point.



I'm not one who believes the scare mongering on here and I will only except tales of how close we are to going under when this is confirmed, I personally think there are to many people with a vested interest in the club to allow this to happen. Is money tight hell yes but it is for most people and certainly only the chosen few sports teams in the UK have escaped a double dip recession without feeling the pinch. Are we still trading? YES are we playing in a bright shiny new stadium YES, have we got a bunch of extremely talented kids on the books YES - all reasons for optimism for me.

But the fall off in the second half of the season is inevitable if you don't have the resources to put together a squad big enough, and with ALL the players good enough, to cope with the inevitable injuries.

There lie some sorry stats. So the last eight games from the last four seasons reads.



played 32

won 7

lost 25

for 579

against 1101

points 14

+/- -522



Winning less than a quarter of the games played, more worrying is this season is no differnt to the Mcrea era.

I reckon with around 8 games to go its then the players realise what a bunch of ***** the supporters are and then the rot sets in.





Though of course it always has to be the supporters who are fault doesn't it

It will take a long time to get rid of the stigma McRae brought in.

His 5 drives and a kick percentage rugby bored us all to tears and drove a lot of fans away.

I still blame management for giving him a 4 year contract but that is history now.

With all the McRae buys almost gone it is a new start for Veivers.

I have watched some great games this year and actually enjoyed the rugby on display, it is only the last 8 games that really soured it for me.

That is not the coaches fault but the players.

Well, the season's over. Despite the all the negativitiy from myself and others, our finishing position was actually better than I expected. Before a ball was kicked, I confidently predicted a season long battle for the wooden spoon with Widnes.



However, as others have previously stated, it is clear that we have a lot less to look forward to than every other club in SL. What are the chances of making the signings we need to significantly improve for next season? Virtually nil I would suspect.



Good riddance to Patten and his mate, but Moon will be a big loss, Smith and Gleeson were average SL players but sorry to see that Adamson's potential will never be realised with us.



In Matt we trust! Was there ever a bigger let down? (Apart from the last season / game at the Willows). We're left with a rented stadium with a dominant partner from the land of Kick and Clap, the usual far off promises from JW and the Board, constant rumours of administration and lack of potential investors.



Happy off season folks...................................!

Vievers wanted another coach at the start of the season along with long,and was told he would not get one.