2011/12 Season Preview
I wonder...
By Nigel Vickerman
May 23 2006
Well here we go again and I must say I’m really looking forward to the forthcoming 2011/2012 season. I was recalling my feelings the other day when we were relegated from the Premiership way back in the 2005/2006 season
The initial mass exodus of players was a major cause of concern at the time but, as was pointed out at the time, those players we had at the club were barely managing to keep us in the Guiness Premiership. So the decision taken by the club was obviously the right one.
2006/2007 season was enjoyable with our young side playing some very entertaining rugby in National Division 1 (as it was then called). The fact that we only managed promotion because the Premiership powers that be increased the number to 14 teams and ring-fenced the league was at the time fortuitous, but as we all know we have since gone from strength to strength. The impact of ringfencing ( which I always thought would happen) was clearly an initial benefit to our young side for the first few seasons. However, as a result of ringfencing we have seen the more established clubs with all the money cut back on spending huge sums on overseas players. They don't need them to ensure their survival, and this has resulted in a much more even playing field.
Ringfencing is now not a concern to Leeds Tykes because, as we have been able to model the Rhinos academy, our conveyor belt of talent coming through, means that our only concern is where we finish in the top four.
That said, this season, we really must get that European Cup into our cabinet, and I’m hoping we can take it one step further after our losing in the semi-final and final over the last two seasons.
It is hard to believe that before we were relegated we were only attracting crowds between 4,000 – 6,000. Although we had sell-outs last season for the European Cup quarter & semi-final, we still need to try and increase our average gate of 14,000.
Here’s hoping for another good season, come on you Tykes!!!