From what I witnessed today, Moortown will finish top of the league and based on form, that’s a true reflection of the league. However, this leads to a bigger question as to... what is the point?
Whilst I can appreciate the on field abilities of their players. The reality is the invest has been mis-spent.
The facilities for players are shocking. From what I saw the changing rooms are equivalent to a Yorkshire 4 side in 2002. You can’t swing a cat in the bar... and it would appear even their own players do not come for a beer after. And if they do, there’s certainly a lack of Moortown Shirt and Ties on show.
So whilst I reiterate - Heath we’re out beaten today. In the grand scheme of things - Is Moortown actually a rugby club that’s sustainable over the next 5 years? What is being done for the community?
I feel somewhat silly as I didn't see this post as the start of the thread, I just wanted to thank Heath for the game and apologise for the ten minutes it took me to work out why no water was coming out of the showers. The "cynics" amongst our members would suggest having lots of naked men chasing after me to put their showers on was nothing more than a devious ploy
Sadly, I think this will be my last post on here as I suspect that regardless of what actually occurs in our pre match hospitality, how well the pitch holds up or how fabulous the Theakston's and Guinness is (The Coors not so much), there will never be a lot of love for Moortown on these pages, not helped sometimes by the posts of some of our supporters and worse still the people that can't help but bite.
That being said I would love this opportunity to put right a few misconceptions. I became coach of Moortown in 2007, I was as unpopular as our pitch and it is a fair statement that our players then were as good with their fists as they were at Rugby. That reputation suited my singular view on the game and we were a match made in heaven. Off the field however and despite having to open the windows to let in some heat Moortown was the friendliest club I have ever been in, just my personal opinion.
When the situation arose in 2013, Curtis and I put our money where our mouth was and invested heavily in the Club. Just to be clear,
, That meant buying the land, clearing any debts and investing into the club rooms and pitch. The Land was then leased back to the members for 1000 years at £1 per year. Curtis and I had a quick meeting with the players and supporters and got to work. £70k later on the pitch (trust me it was bad) and a fair few quid installing a new kitchen, electrics (shower pumps included), big TV screens, internet and Sky we feel it is a far cry from what it looked like "back in the day".
So to answer the critique of "miss spent" - A touch over £100k on the pitch and club house has seen us grow from 1.5 senior teams to nearly four, six junior sides to seventeen and three girls teams added to the mix. Moortown is like many clubs, a real collection of different people that come together on a weekend to play Rugby, nothing more and nothing less. Those that run successful businesses will know that often pure square footage equates to revenue ability. Our 2.7 acres which includes the pitch allows us to run a club free of debt with decent facilities but most certainly doesn't pay players, we couldn't afford it even if we wanted to. I know the rumours that go round and believe me a fair few players from neighbouring clubs often call me pre-season asking what would Town think of them joining but once they realise it will cost them £15 per month the texts stop.
That got me thinking about actual statistics (it has been an easy Monday)....... I think when a sugar daddy or mummy want to bank roll a sports team, don't they see instant results? Then of course if the funding stops or the limit is reached they stagnate and consequently fall? There a couple of clubs where this has happened in the Yorkshire region.
In our case, we wanted to create a sustainable pathway for junior rugby but develop any player that is here or walks through the door. As such we invested in coaches, a gym, a pitch, food and great beer. We had 60 training on Thursday, all of whom were fed after they finished, investment miss spent? 13 players dropped down to the third team, all regular second team players as they didn't train! I am sure Julie was glad they didn't as feeding 73 would have had me shot! First and Second teams wear shirt and tie post match as they did Saturday, our Marauders wear a Polo Shirt as they were sponsored to do so. I think the originator of this post must not have seen both sets of players in the "other bar" sat down together, all in No.1's sharing a beer and chatting after an epic battle. He also can't have been invited by the Heath committee for their pre-match Chicken casserole in our small but tidy VIP bar, again investment we see well spent.
I made reference in my post about the lad behind the bar playing for Yorkshire U18's, we've had two this season, one of which played against Heath on the wing and both products of our junior section. Our improvement has been gradual, like our investment, increased numbers and subsequent reinvestment, no "quick fix" here at Town. The way and style we play is NOT down to over recruitment of over paid mercenaries but a well drilled group of lads backed up by youth coming through and the odd antipodean that swaps the quiet life in NZ for a years mayhem in Leeds. So here are a couple of statistics......I would be tempted to challenge other posters to do the same comparisons and see what they find.
We started our resurgence journey in the 2014/2015 season finishing 4th in the League. A game of note was our local rival fixture away to Hegians. We took around 200 spectators and won the game 6-36. Of the team that beat Heath on Saturday some four seasons later, eight players featured in both games. A further four players that were involved against Heath on Saturday were playing in our Under U14's and U17's respectively back then. I think that highlights the investment in coaching and facilities paying off? Players staying season after season, improving individually and as a team with juniors that came to watch that game pulling on senior jersey's years later. West Leeds have proven what you can achieve by keeping roughly the same boys playing together.
I sign off with the actual statistics
2013/2014 - Y2 Finished 12th
2014/2015 - Y2 Finished 4th
2015/2016 - Y2 Finished 3rd
2016/2017 - Y2 Finished 1st (Unbeaten, as did the Second XV and Third XV)
2017/2018 - Y1 Finished 7th
2018/2019 - Y1 Currently 1st
If we get promoted this year great, if we don't we won't be that concerned. As long as we are putting out three teams, winning more than we lose, seeing our juniors come through, a few playing higher level and giving blokes and now girls a break from the mundane at the weekend Town will be a happy place, whether you own a cat you swing around or not
CTJ
