Tuesday 24 July 2007

The return from Rovers

Went to Craven Park on Sunday. Rovers really needed two points against Warrington. Sadly, it wasn't to be. Warrington's attack just seemed to cut through Rovers defence, there were handling errors a plenty and the tackling was pretty poor.
The ramifications of Rovers getting relegated don't bare thinking of.

Though I'm loathe to say it - as I've never been a lover of Murdoch (Kinnock's tirade against the Dirty Digger in Campbell's diaries is hilarious) - Sky's money has helped Rovers to finally compete against the black and whites. The return of the ONLY true derby has been a shot in the arm for the game.

Sport and pride in your local team is a social glue that helps to bond the community. You should read a book by Robert Putnam called Bowling Alone. He talks of the importance of building social capital - the networks of friendship, neighbourhood and trust in our community.

Sport and Rovers help to create a lot of social captial. KR does great work in the community - its Playing for Success programme provides an out-of-hours study centre for kids, getting them excited about learning by teaching core subjects through workshops linked to Rugby League.Relegation could really impact on all this good work.

That's why it's so important to get behind the team because if they lose, East Hull does too.
The talk in Crown after the match was that mentally the players aren't at the races. That's why the Salford match is a real four pointer and could decide the season.
It's been some years since I played second row for Greatfield A, but I'm free if you're desparate Justin - and I've heard Cloutie's just as keen...and at 6ft 5ins and built like the proverbial, you'd better have a good resason not to pick him!

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