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"It saved the Falcons from potentially going the same way as Worcester Warriors, London Irish and Wasps ......

But in sport, timing is everything. And in rugby, taking over a club team in August leaves you well behind the eight-ball."

this explains the current position for me

It will take a while to get all the new arrivals playing together sadly I envisage another season struggling at the bottom.

From a seperate BBC article on Worcester

"Worcester rebuilt a squad from scratch last summer and have already begun recruiting heavily for next season."

so we better not be last next year

Fully expect next season to be a damn sight better than this.

Looks like we'll have coaches in place to strengthen and develop players rather than being thin across all areas.

Regarding the playing squad, a fairly level out and in so far, but the quality is vastly improved. Imagine theres's £ available for the right persons.

The futures bright.

Seriously?

Why has it gone so badly? You've got to be kidding me. Give them a f*%king chance! It was effectively the same squad.

They've done the work in the background bringing players and coaches in for next season, planning the stadium etc etc...

Seriously Poor uneducated journalism



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:05:27:12:37:24 by Geordie.

Agree - we were on a hiding to nothing this season (although I do think hanging onto Dimes for a bit might have helped).

The time to start judging is from next season, when we can hope for incremental improvements.

All clubs, (nearly) all of the time, look to improve and develop. If we are to finish, say 6th-8th in the league, there'll need to be 2/3/4 clubs who, relative to us, have not improved. It's tight in a 10 team league.

As stated, excited for next seasons (and those beyond).

Quote:

Geordie
Seriously?
Why has it gone so badly? You've got to be kidding me. Give them a f*%king chance! It was effectively the same squad.

They've done the work in the background bringing players and coaches in for next season, planning the stadium etc etc...

Seriously Poor uneducated journalism

yeah i bet Adam is popular inside KP

I'm like anyone here, frustrated at the results and maybe a few other things that could've gone better with room to improve upon. But to say it's gone badly... We're alive and kicking, and we're not sweating about our survival. That's pretty good if you ask me.

Why do people read shite like this.......furthermore why even bother to post it Aidan? I for one, did not need to read the article......

Quote:

aidanb
From a seperate BBC article on Worcester
"Worcester rebuilt a squad from scratch last summer and have already begun recruiting heavily for next season."

so we better not be last next year

Relegation via a play off has been scrapped. [www.bbc.co.uk]

If Wuss were to be promoted in 2027 no team would be relegated.

Quote:

DavidKidd
Why do people read shite like this.......furthermore why even bother to post it Aidan? I for one, did not need to read the article......

I needed an article to keep the forum alive
It promotes discussion
It gives us an opinion based on what others think


Many many reasons.

But it keeps us all talking

Quote:

aidanb

Quote:

DavidKidd
Why do people read shite like this.......furthermore why even bother to post it Aidan? I for one, did not need to read the article......

Many many reasons.

But it keeps us all talking

Fair enough.....it does that

Some people seem to think that success is assured because we've been bought by an Austrian drink and sports marketing brand, but there has been precious little since they acquired us to justify such blind optimism. I've no issue with fans who choose to believe that, but I remain to be convinced.

The players that are coming in don’t convince you we are headed in the right direction?

The GM who is recruiting these players, with a proven track record of a dynasty in France, doesn’t convince you?

Multiple coaches with actual high level first team coaching experience, doesn’t convince you?

It’s not blind optimism, it’s seeing what is coming in is clearly better than what we’ve had and currently got.

May as well pack it in cantabrian and go follow something else?

I recent years we have lost Blamire, Davison, Pepper, Chick, Stephenson and Radwan
All Academy development
If you add those players to next year’s squad we have a decent side. It will take a number of years for players to develop to that standard but hopefully now they will not leave for a better payday. When we give the current academy time to develop then we will complete but it will take a number of years

Seems perfectly reasonable article to me. I’ve had several mates ask the exact same question. “I thought you’d been bought out and had loads of money, why are you still rubbish?”

Of course there’s an answer which we all understand, but there’s nothing wrong with writing about it.

Just read the article....... garbage...... an idiot could understand why we've struggled this season...... I expect improvements next season and becoming competitive the season after

I think the article is absolutely fair enough. We are a lot worse than we were even last season with an eye watering points difference. Thr article is poorly researched though- fairly sure poor Elizalde will not be starting at 15 for us, poor bloke.

I completely agree with you, Cantabrian. I am also unconvinced - and yes, I appreciate the whole club might have gone under and i know that being taken over by an energy drink and naffly named after said energy drink is preferable to that, before anyone posts a reply!

It feels like a bit like that newspaper in Milton Keynes that only carried "good" news sometimes!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:05:28:09:49:03 by Marco19819.

Ok, I was not going to say anything but......how far ahead do some of you look? This season was determined by the official date of the takeover. I might be wrong but it was down to just a few weeks between the announcement and the start of the season. There were no pre-season games (that I can remember). We recruited a number of players on 12 month contracts WHO WERE AVAILABLE......as long as there was no relegation this season then the plan is on track. The only thing with any certainty we knew was that we would finish bottom.
The Falcons as they were, for years have been run on a shoestring by owners who probably had too much love for the club than was good. We could have been relegated in any of the previous 3 seasons but fortune favoured us. This season was never more than a gateway to next season.....when hopefully the fun begins.

Most of our squad knew before Xmas they wouldn't be here next season.

Louie Johnson released from Sarries.

Thoughts?

Like Haydon-Wood, was promising when at KP, but hasn't really fulfilled that promise

Quote:

aidanb
"It saved the Falcons from potentially going the same way as Worcester Warriors, London Irish and Wasps ......
But in sport, timing is everything. And in rugby, taking over a club team in August leaves you well behind the eight-ball."

this explains the current position for me

Same here. Next year is a different prospect.

Quote:

DavidKidd
Ok, I was not going to say anything but......how far ahead do some of you look? This season was determined by the official date of the takeover. I might be wrong but it was down to just a few weeks between the announcement and the start of the season. There were no pre-season games (that I can remember). We recruited a number of players on 12 month contracts WHO WERE AVAILABLE......as long as there was no relegation this season then the plan is on track. The only thing with any certainty we knew was that we would finish bottom.
The Falcons as they were, for years have been run on a shoestring by owners who probably had too much love for the club than was good. We could have been relegated in any of the previous 3 seasons but fortune favoured us. This season was never more than a gateway to next season.....when hopefully the fun begins.

Honestly don't think we are worse. Yes the points difference and table make a case for that but when everything else is considered in the whole look what our prospects were last year to this:

All our remaining decent players were off - Blamire, Radwan, Chick etc. We didn’t sign anyone. The players we had coming off contract weren't resigned. There were no season tickets (though that appears the same). There was no merchandise. There were no pre season games.

We were basically waiting to call the receivers.

Yes ok. Some of us hoped we might get lucky and finish better this year. I was one. I like to think it was wishful thinking, but being honestly reflective it was nothing short of delusional....

The article essentially asks why our self delusions were wrong. But hey, it got us clicking and we're all talking about it, so it did its job anyway!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:05:29:06:05:26 by Kwa444.

This season was merely a place holder for next season while getting lads gametime.

It appears that forward passes aren't an issue any more unless they are really extreme

If this game was properly referred it would be 15-10 to Sale at 50 mins.

Stupid article.