Last night's forum

I was very impressed, I must confess, by what I heard yesterday evening, good to see so many people there. Hard to know where to start really: Irving Weaver seems a good guy to have as owner: level-headed, pragmatic, realistic, calm and approachable. I feel as though we are in safe hands. The new ground saga has, finally, been put to rest, its Wetherby Road for the foreseeable future: the business of the lease expiring in 2 years is a worry though. Tad Nowakowkski is plainly working hard to raise the club's profile in the town: not sure about the police van at every game however: a little bit Orwellian (and redundant!) perhaps. Good to hear fixture lists are going to be posted around the town again. Not sorry to hear the reserve team idea has been scrapped: reserve teams seem increasingly irrelevent these days.
A good start for the new regime, now bring on Tadcaster and Alty in August!

Thanks, Paul - any update on player ins and outs and ambitions for 2011/12 to report on?

I did actually ask Irving about this: how did he see the next couple of years: stability or do we still push for promotion? He implied that the 'dream' of promotion was still there, but I suspect that making sure we stay where we are will be the main priority. I have no problem with that. Individual players were not discussed in detail, although Chib got quite a few mentions, and Simon was quite open in saying that he hsd/was trying to persuade him to join, but that Chib has an agent now and is looking for full time football. Again, fair enough. Irving, interestingly, did say that our budget was 'not the highest and not the lowest' in the league, but just above half way. I would hazard a guess that maybe we have about the 7th or 8th biggest budget. He did then look across at Simon and John and say: 'now its up to these guys to deliver'!
Simon also said that he has got 15 signed up and needs three more...watch this space! Simon also acknowledged that he had got things wrong the first 18 months in using too many players.
Bill, who seemed pretty downcast, did say that before the 'crash', Neil Aspin had had a £4000/£4500 budget which was going to be reduced to £1500...no wonder he left!
A fascinating evening (still going on when I slipped out to get my train, and really very encouraging.

Hopefully we can ask him anything at anytime in the season

Sounds really encouraging! Seems that the club has a real structure now! Cant wait for the season to get underway

Just a couple of other points:

Irving mentioned a makeover of the club website, which will include a forum. That's got to be good. Think how much, ....I was going to say 'resentment', could have been avoided by a couple of answers from the club, rather than us having to speculate, because no-one, except occasionally Alan, admitting that they read it, and commenting.

Speaking of Alan, he's left the club, as far as his official role is concerned. Interesting comments from Irving...and Bill!

Refreshment facility in the stand to re-open.

Improved links with the community...and Stray FM - for up to date information.

Improvements to the bar, introduction of SKY.

Players and management to visit the bar after matches, to talk to fans.

Could I just ask a question? ...If our future is to be at Wetherby Road, and I'm fine with that, could we be told what the plans/negotiations etc were that led to the various statements along the lines of...'announcements about the possible new ground will be made shortly ..' etc

I'm not critiscing at all, but if the deals are dead...we might as well know what they were. If they are still on the back burner then that's all the club have to say...I don't think the new regime would want to tell us one thing, to then have to say, in a few months time, ..'well, actually we told you we were staying at Wetherby Road, but we've been secretly planning....'

Anyway, like I say, I've no critscism of the new set up,and it's all very, very encouraging!

It would be nice to know how far we got in the talks about a new ground. Maybe in the fullness of time. Claro Road must have been a live option (the famous photo of Bill and Alan outside the ground on the front page of the ADvertiser). Would have been a perfect solution: lots of space for a new ground, training facilities, you name it. In a rational world the rugby club and us would have sorted out an agreement to share the site, but that all in the past now.