Official West Hartlepool RFC

Has your rant disappeared ?

Why has it gone? It was true!! Why should everyone tip toe on eggshells?????????????

I disagree, Peter, I don't think it was a rant at all. It was an excellent post and some very good points were made. BUT in naming a person who does not contribute I can see why DP decided to delete the post.

I commend Mr Lightside for bringing this out into the open - we shouldn't have to keep tiptoeing around the issue. For once Quinny is right!!!!

Whilst I am obviously biased to some extent, it is surprising, to say the least, that not a single player from the U17s troubled the County team sheet last season, for example.


Stan - not sponsored by the Rat Race

Its a shocking situation when Both Rovers Under 16 and West u16 just make up the numbers to play, often complemented by u15,s.
Billingham have a huge squad and often bring 30 + to a game. Quiet a few are Hartlepool lads which is a real shame, for town rugby
Rovers I believe have just had a very promising player Ryan F poached and you guessed it off to Billingham. Everyone wants to be apart of a winning team, but the victory must seem a bit hollow when you've only played 20 mins all season but your on the team panoramic photo. These players also don't get any development due to lack of playing time.
Its all a bit pants really

I had no choice but to delete a post by a regular poster who changed his name to post libellous comments about an individual. I gave done him (and the club)a favour to be honest.
There is concern over some of the things mentioned here but they are being addressed on a formal basis by the club and it will not help those discussions to have vitriol on here.
As far as county selection is concerned I am sure the County officials would be interested in any proper evidence which indicated that undue pressure was being exercised.

Fair point, DP.

Although on a legal note, comments that are true are not libellous! A bloke in a pub once told me this.

" any proper evidence which indicated that undue pressure was being exercised." This is the problem really. There is tons of evidence out there - but it is difficult to prove. However, anybody looking at the situation would easily uncover some unusual selections.

You have to prove the "truth in court." Hearsay doesn't count.

I liked Hearsay! Shame they disbanded...
Back to the point in question, I am with Stan on this one and everyone knows what is going on and it is totally wrong and should not get away with it

As a club we need to focus on investing in our future players . If we can make the west M&J section an enjoyable place to learn good rugby through quality coaching and great facilities,(new club house,)we'll attract all hartlepool players (a large resource).If we can produce teams at 13-14-15yrs old who are beating local rivals easily why would an individual player want to drop down to a lower quality of rugby to "play County".currently from ages u7 up to u16 can all field a team with most able to put out 2.no other hartlepool club can claim that.

Irregardless of what is or isn't happening "Conecollector" is right.

We need to continue to put the hard work and effort into making out M&J section the talk of the North East again. We are on the right path and I agree the new clubhouse will no doubt attract more players for our Mini's and our Women's Section.

We need to focus on the level of quality coaching all our teams get from U7's right up to Senior Rugby and always look to way we can improve and create an environment where the younger children especially feel safe and can develop.

We have some excellent coaches in our M&J Section you only have to see that on a Sunday morning and seeing how much the children are enjoying their rugby.

i am struggling to make sense of this discussion> >>I do detect hypcocrisy though>>>didnt you go up the leagues off the back of pinching players from other clubs???>>>

As part of the coaching set up at Billingham 16's, you speak complete rubbish. We did not 'poach' foreman or anyone else for that matter. Any player who comes to us has expressed interest and we are happy to take on player's of any capability and again, do not poach anyone.

With regard's to our number's and game time, don't make comparison's with our capabilities to give fair game time to each and every player we have at our disposal with your own inability to do so. We have lot's of player's yes, but they all get game time at the weekend one way or the other. As for development of player's, before winning come's skill development and with 3 of our player's now representing Falcon's 16 and in the academy only 3 year's after taking up rugby show's that myself and my fellow coach find player development come's before anything else. If you asked any player we have in our team, you will find that they are made to feel welcome and part of a 'family' and not just a team. They are the best of friend's and this bring's our boy's closer together as a bunch of young men. As coach's we give up 2 nights a week to train and Saturday/Sunday morning's also and the boy's recognize this and are thankful

This year we have had 12 player's represent Durham County and 5 play for Falcon's and Tri-counties. This show's the quality we have in the team and don't need to go and poach anyone or give anyone a reason to come, but to just play an exciting brand of rugby which we coach and which is highly successful.

So before you go around slinging insult's such as we go out poaching, you maybe need to look at why these player's are wanting to come and join a successful team.

'Rovers I believe have just had a very promising player Ryan F poached and you guessed it off to Billingham' ??

As for the 'staff member' who's information are you going off? I can vouch he doesn't 'poach' anybody however they see a lot of Billingham player's there and head over once they have experienced the coaching and the quality of what they are taught is of which you can't get anywhere else around.

If you keep repeating it, you might eventually believe it!! NOT

Wow, astonishing answer. Head in the sand. Blaming other's. why don't you look at he real reason's why people leave and then try sort it out. If that was the case of 'staff member's' convincing people, then why do no player's go to Mowden for the big buck's or better still, stay at west, im sure as coach's you's would be telling player's how they could improve with west?

Ok Quinney, you clearly actually know nothing. There IS a Mowden player on the staff, 2 actually hence the Mowden comment. Once again, too narrow minded to listen to anyone and believe what you've been told. Have you spent time in the college? Know the in's and out's? I thought not.

Happy New year too :)

Sorry i can't comment any more on this i have just been told!! What is the point of a message board if you cannot discuss things on it??

At no point have i named any one in person in what i have said and i am only saying on here what other people are saying elsewhere

You may as well close the shop really if you cannot talk about things on here!!!

Annoyed doesn't come close to how i currently feel on this censorship

Lets just see what happens to our very successful Under 17`s/Jr Colts side.

This will settle the matter.