Newport Gwent Dragons 2016/17 thread

[Luckless Pedestrian]

First topic message reminder :

Seeing as no one else has set one up, I thought I'd start a 2016/17 season thread for the mighty Dragons.

The Dragons website doesn't have a straightforward list of the squad members, so the best I can do is a link to the page:

http://www.newportgwentdragons.com/Teams/Squad/Dragons

Fri, 05 Aug 2016      Rygbi Gogledd Cymru 1404 Parc Erias, Colwyn Bay F
Fri, 12 Aug 2016        Cardiff Blues Rodney Parade, Newport F
Sat, 20 Aug 2016        Ealing Trailfinders CCBC Centre for Sporting Excellence, Ystrad Mynach F
Fri, 26 Aug 2016        Exeter Chiefs Rodney Parade, Newport F

Fri, 02 Sep 2016        Ulster Kingspan Stadium, Belfast GP12 BBC N Ireland
Fri, 09 Sep 2016        Zebre Rugby Rodney Parade, Newport GP12
Sat, 17 Sep 2016               Munster Rodney Parade, Newport GP12 Sky Sports
Fri, 23 Sep 2016        Benetton Rugby Treviso Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso GP12
Fri, 30 Sep 2016        Glasgow Warriors Rodney Parade, Newport GP12 BBC Two Wales

Sat, 08 Oct 2016        Scarlets Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli GP12 S4C
Sat, 29 Oct 2016        Ospreys Liberty Stadium, Swansea GP12 S4C, Sky Sports

Fri, 04 Nov 2016        Connacht Rodney Parade, Newport GP12
Sat, 12 Nov 2016        Leicester Tigers Welford Road, Leicester AWC
Fri, 18 Nov 2016         Scarlets Rodney Parade, Newport AWC
Sun, 27 Nov 2016        Edinburgh Rugby Rodney Parade, Newport GP12 S4C

Sat, 03 Dec 2016        Leinster Royal Dublin Society, Dublin GP12 S4C
Mon, 26 Dec 2016        Cardiff Blues Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff GP12 BBC Two Wales

Sun, 01 Jan 2017        Ospreys Rodney Parade, Newport GP12 BBC Two Wales
Fri, 06 Jan 2017      Benetton Rugby Treviso Rodney Parade, Newport GP12
Sun, 29 Jan 2017        Newcastle Falcons Rodney Parade, Newport AWC

Sat, 04 Feb 2017        Gloucester Rugby Kingsholm, Gloucester AWC
10/11/12 Feb 2017        Munster Thomond Park, Limerick GP12
17/18/19 Feb 2017        Connacht The Sportsground, Galway GP12
24/25/26 Feb 2017        Leinster Rodney Parade, Newport GP12

3/4/5 Mar 2017             Glasgow Warriors Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow GP12
24/25/26 Mar 2017        Ulster Rodney Parade, Newport GP12

7/8/9 Apr 2017      Zebre Rugby Stadio XXV Aprile, Parma GP12
Sat, 15 Apr 2017      Scarlets Rodney Parade, Newport GP12
28/29/30 Apr 2017        Edinburgh Rugby Murrayfield, Edinburgh GP12

Sat, 06 May 2017        Cardiff Blues Rodney Parade, Newport GP12

[Stone Motif]

Why not? Because if you want games not to be called off, you don't take them somewhere like Ebbw Vale in the depths of winter, that's why not. It gets nippy up there, as you must know yourself.

Yes, I know how cold it gets, not different to Newport. But at least the pitch retains it's green grass. It does not have massive problems with drainage, it has a capacity of 8,000 which is more than enough to fit you all in, and it gives RP a chance to recover from being raped by 3 different teams playing there. I would have thought that moving some of the lesser games up there during the winter months would be a no brainer. It's not that much difference in conditions to Newport mind.

The way you are going on, you would swear that I am suggesting you go and play in Norway. I am only suggesting you go 30 miles up the road. That does not make much difference in the weather.

Has it got corporate boxes? Live TV facilities? What do Ebbw Vale want to charge? As you will know from your own 'regional' high jinks, they may not want the region to play there.

[Stone Motif]

Apart from the fact 'someone else' would likely be 'having a go' with less money and more or less the same squad if they were lucky, you can't just chop new parties in to the existing competitions.

The threat that someone else could come and have a go should be real, unless there is no improvement. The regions have been formed for over a decade, that should be long enough to get things right, what incentives are there for teams to improve otherwise.

I do not want to see another decade of abject waste. Shape up, or ship out. RGC1404 are making huge strides in the Premiership. In a few years they will be ready for the move towards regionalism, and the worst performing side should make way for them.

Huge strides in the Prem - guffaw - my four year old is making huge strides at nursery but doubt he can write his thesis yet. NGD Would put 60 on RGC in second gear.

[LordDowlais]

So now the Dragons are to blame for the way regional European structural funds are administrated? Fair play you are plumbing whole new levels of thick as f6ck this year, fair play.

Oh I have heard it all now. I am thick, yet I am not the one spending my hard earned money on the same rubbish week in week out in the hope that things will get better.

I will tell you what, you keep throwing your pennies into the toilet, and keep calling me thick, I will just keep laughing at you.

I am the thick one, yet you are the one who is giving money to unambitious bad managing team of failures every other week, feck me you could not make it up.

[LordDowlais]

If your aim is not to have matches called off, moving them somewhere colder during the winter months isn't the greatest idea.

LP, I like you on here, I'm of the opinion that you are passionate and knowledgeable about rugby. But you seriously need to learn about the climate of our small country, it's not as if I am talking about going to share a ground with Enisei-STM, I am saying to go a few miles up the road for two or three of the lesser fixtures. Trust me, the climate in Ebbw is not that much different to Newport.

[Stone Motif]

So now the Dragons are to blame for the way regional European structural funds are administrated? Fair play you are plumbing whole new levels of thick as f6ck this year, fair play.

Oh I have heard it all now. I am thick, yet I am not the one spending my hard earned money on the same rubbish week in week out in the hope that things will get better.

I will tell you what, you keep throwing your pennies into the toilet, and keep calling me thick, I will just keep laughing at you.

I am the thick one, yet you are the one who is giving money to unambitious bad managing team of failures every other week, feck me you could not make it up.

Yes you are thick. What makes you think I spend any money at Dave Parade? I've made my dissatisfaction with the current set up well known. You're the doughnut who wants to flush Wales most successful carpet business down the bog supporting a poorer funded region in the biggest sh!t hole in Europe.

[LordDowlais]

Has it got corporate boxes? Live TV facilities? What do Ebbw Vale want to charge? As you will know from your own 'regional' high jinks, they may not want the region to play there.

Well, you need to decide what is best. Playing rugby in a swamp, or not ? What would be the best idea ? Throwing Newport FC out ? Re-laying the pitch with some other surface ? Changing the roof over the Hazel terrace ? I am sure you could squeeze the mass army of Newport Gwent Dragons fans in Eugene Cross Park. But one thing is for sure, something needs to be done about the playing surface at RP, it's embarrassing to Welsh rugby.

[LordDowlais]

Yes you are thick. What makes you think I spend any money at Dave Parade? I've made my dissatisfaction with the current set up well known. You're the doughnut who wants to flush Wales most successful carpet business down the bog supporting a poorer funded region in the biggest sh!t hole in Europe.

I rest my case.

What a prize plum.

Well at least I get to watch rugby being played on a decent pitch.

I've made my dissatisfaction with the current set up well known.

To who ? Us lot on here ? Go on, you tell us.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

If your aim is not to have matches called off, moving them somewhere colder during the winter months isn't the greatest idea.

LP, I like you on here, I'm of the opinion that you are passionate and knowledgeable about rugby. But you seriously need to learn about the climate of our small country, it's not as if I am talking about going to share a ground with Enisei-STM, I am saying to go a few miles up the road for two or three of the lesser fixtures. Trust me, the climate in Ebbw is not that much different to Newport.

Location Details
Newport
Location: 51.9822, 0.2156
Altitude: 60.0 m above mean sea level

Location Details
Ebbw Vale
Location: 51.7771, -3.2048
Altitude: 298.0 m above mean sea level

That's from the Met Office. That difference in altitude matters in the winter.

I went to the Welsh school in Trevethin. The pupils that lived in Blaenau Gwent got sent home early every winter because there was snow on the way up there. The only time the pupils from Newport got sent home was if they were forecasting snow for Trevethin, and we'd be stranded, not because there was snow forecast for Newport.

[Guest]

why doesn't Newport have access to that sort of funding ? I will tell you why, it's because your shambles of a management will not commit the same money towards the funding. There is a serious lack of ambition at Newport Gwent Dragons, the fans deserve better.

I'm taking about Newport Council in response to you saying that Methyr Council (or perhaps WEFO/Europe) funded your pitch to the tune of £500k. Newport COUNCIL does not have access to Heads of the Valley funding like Methyr does because we're not in the head is the valleys! Jesus wept.

[Stone Motif]

Yes you are thick. What makes you think I spend any money at Dave Parade? I've made my dissatisfaction with the current set up well known. You're the doughnut who wants to flush Wales most successful carpet business down the bog supporting a poorer funded region in the biggest sh!t hole in Europe.

I rest my case.

What a prize plum.  

Well at least I get to watch rugby being played on a decent pitch.

I've made my dissatisfaction with the current set up well known.

To who ? Us lot on here ? Go on, you tell us.

Yeah schoolboy level rugby, on a lovely pitch. What is incorrect in my statement, Andy?

My season ticket stopped getting renewed some text ago and I made sure NGD knew the reason why

[Guest]

On climate: I've just returned to work today and my colleague from Ebbw Vale/Nantyglo was talking about snow they had over Christmas, which I was genuinely shocked about as all we've had in Newport is rain and a bit of frost. Believe me LD it is genuinely colder the higher you get. And valleys go upwards from the coast (Newport) to the top (Ebbw Vale/Brynwamr).

[LordDowlais]

why doesn't Newport have access to that sort of funding ? I will tell you why, it's because your shambles of a management will not commit the same money towards the funding. There is a serious lack of ambition at Newport Gwent Dragons, the fans deserve better.

I'm taking about Newport Council in response to you saying that Methyr Council (or perhaps WEFO/Europe) funded your pitch to the tune of £500k. Newport COUNCIL does not have access to Heads of the Valley funding like Methyr does because we're not in the head is the valleys! Jesus wept.

We got that funding because our owner committed to spending the same amount as well. It is meant to be used by the community , along with youth clubs and allowing the public access to use, our owner has payed towards it as well, thus it was a joint venture. There is no reason why your owners could not do the same thing as well, if they showed some class, and ambition, and actually cared about the community that their club represents. You are right, Newport does not have the heads of the valley funding, but your council has access to more funds than ours do, you just need somebody in charge who will make that leap of faith. Not the chancers you have there now.

[LordDowlais]

On climate: I've just returned to work today and my colleague from Ebbw Vale/Nantyglo was talking about snow they had over Christmas, which I was genuinely shocked about as all we've had in Newport is rain and a bit of frost. Believe me LD it is genuinely colder the higher you get. And valleys go upwards from the coast (Newport) to the top (Ebbw Vale/Brynwamr).  

Yes I know all this, but it is not like the North Pole up here. In fact, I doubt we will see that much snow in the next few weeks. Also, we have had NO snow up here, perhaps a little bit of sleet, but snow, no way. I would suggest your colleague, or you, are stretching things a bit.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

You live in Ebbw Vale do you, Dowlais?

[Stone Motif]

On the pitch - I've checked and regardless of Kingsley's masterly plan to drag Swansea down to our level, seems it's entirely up to the ref if the match goes ahead. So it's the WRU official who made the call to embarrass Welsh Rugby, the dastard.

[LordDowlais]

You live in Ebbw Vale do you, Dowlais?

No I live about 8 to 10 miles away in Merthyr, it's a little bit higher up, and I have not seen any snow at all over the festive period.

Also, I have been over to the Brewers Fayre on the 27th of December and spent some time in the festival park before hand, despite a bit of overcast cloud, it was quite mild.

[LordDowlais]

On the pitch - I've checked and regardless of Kingsley's masterly plan to drag Swansea down to our level, seems it's entirely up to the ref if the match goes ahead. So it's the WRU official who made the call to embarrass Welsh Rugby,  the dastard.

Kingsley wanted the game to go ahead, he said so, Tandy did not he was livid. Now I wonder why they were so polar opposite about this ?

[Luckless Pedestrian]

You live in Ebbw Vale do you, Dowlais?

No I live about 8 to 10 miles away in Merthyr, it's a little bit higher up, and I have not seen any snow at all over the festive period.

Also, I have been over to the Brewers Fayre on the 27th of December and spent some time in the festival park before hand, despite a bit of overcast cloud, it was quite mild.

Location Details
Merthyr Tydfil
Location: 51.7483, -3.3804
Altitude: 175.0 m above mean sea level

Location Details
Ebbw Vale
Location: 51.7771, -3.2048
Altitude: 298.0 m above mean sea level

That's more than 'a little bit higher up'.

[Stone Motif]

why doesn't Newport have access to that sort of funding ? I will tell you why, it's because your shambles of a management will not commit the same money towards the funding. There is a serious lack of ambition at Newport Gwent Dragons, the fans deserve better.

I'm taking about Newport Council in response to you saying that Methyr Council (or perhaps WEFO/Europe) funded your pitch to the tune of £500k. Newport COUNCIL does not have access to Heads of the Valley funding like Methyr does because we're not in the head is the valleys! Jesus wept.

We got that funding because our owner committed to spending the same amount as well. It is meant to be used by the community , along with youth clubs and allowing the public access to use, our owner has payed towards it as well, thus it was a joint venture. There is no reason why your owners could not do the same thing as well, if they showed some class, and ambition, and actually cared about the community that their club represents. You are right, Newport does not have the heads of the valley funding, but your council has access to more funds than ours do, you just need somebody in charge who will make that leap of faith. Not the chancers you have there now.

Except due to the farce of regional rugby, the Dragons don't have any asset to secure such an investment against. You really don't get this stuff at all Andy. You think Merthyr CBC gave pie boy the younger that money stuffed in the 4rse of a commemorative Andy Powell Grogg?

[Stone Motif]

On the pitch - I've checked and regardless of Kingsley's masterly plan to drag Swansea down to our level, seems it's entirely up to the ref if the match goes ahead. So it's the WRU official who made the call to embarrass Welsh Rugby,  the dastard.

Kingsley wanted the game to go ahead, he said so, Tandy did not he was livid. Now I wonder why they were so polar opposite about this ?

Yet neither of them made the decision so not relevant at all.

[LordDowlais]

You live in Ebbw Vale do you, Dowlais?

No I live about 8 to 10 miles away in Merthyr, it's a little bit higher up, and I have not seen any snow at all over the festive period.

Also, I have been over to the Brewers Fayre on the 27th of December and spent some time in the festival park before hand, despite a bit of overcast cloud, it was quite mild.

Location Details
Merthyr Tydfil
Location: 51.7483, -3.3804
Altitude: 175.0 m above mean sea level

Location Details
Ebbw Vale
Location: 51.7771, -3.2048
Altitude: 298.0 m above mean sea level

That's more than 'a little bit higher up'.

I think you are confusing the "highest point" with Ebbw Vale. There is a spot on the A465 as it passes through Ebbw Vale, called the Highest Point, and that would suggest that indeed Ebbw is quite high up, but the town is about 2 or 3 miles from there. But I drove passed that sign not but a few days ago, and it was bathed in sunshine, not very warm, but it was not snowing either.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

I'm using the Met Office website, Dowlais. Maybe they're confused.

[LordDowlais]

Except due to the farce of regional rugby, the Dragons don't have any asset to secure such an investment against. You really don't get this stuff at all Andy. You think Merthyr CBC gave pie boy the younger that money stuffed in the 4rse of a commemorative Andy Powell Grogg?

No they gave it as part of a wider community scheme that Stan Thomas also paid into. It is you who just does not get it. Sadly, because of the cowboys you have running your beloved team, it will cease to exist within the next decade, perhaps less. They are not prepared to invest in it.

[Guest]

why doesn't Newport have access to that sort of funding ? I will tell you why, it's because your shambles of a management will not commit the same money towards the funding. There is a serious lack of ambition at Newport Gwent Dragons, the fans deserve better.

I'm taking about Newport Council in response to you saying that Methyr Council (or perhaps WEFO/Europe) funded your pitch to the tune of £500k. Newport COUNCIL does not have access to Heads of the Valley funding like Methyr does because we're not in the head is the valleys! Jesus wept.

We got that funding because our owner committed to spending the same amount as well. It is meant to be used by the community , along with youth clubs and allowing the public access to use, our owner has payed towards it as well, thus it was a joint venture. There is no reason why your owners could not do the same thing as well, if they showed some class, and ambition, and actually cared about the community that their club represents. You are right, Newport does not have the heads of the valley funding, but your council has access to more funds than ours do, you just need somebody in charge who will make that leap of faith. Not the chancers you have there now.

Excuse me Dowlais but it is not just Newport Council's team, surely? Is it not meant to be regional rugby? So surely the collective councils of Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Monmouthshire, Newport and Caerphilly should be pooling funding into this? It does, after all, represent all of their communities. Maybe this is where the problem lies? Easy for Merthyr to get Merthyr investment for a Merthyr team. Far harder for the dragons to get a council to invest in something that spans multiple county boroughs. Very messy.

[LordDowlais]

Well, there you go then Griff. There even more chances to get funding off other councils.

But it does not matter does it ? No matter how many councils you approach, unless you owners match it with their own money, you will get feck all, and thats the problem.

[Guest]

Well, there you go then Griff. There even more chances to get funding off other councils.

But it does not matter does it ? No matter how many councils you approach, unless you owners match it with their own money, you will get feck all, and thats the problem.

Firstly, other councils won't pay for a stadium in another area. I'm very confident of that. Especially with the council cut backs (Newport council just announced another budget cut along with the £48m of cuts they've already made), which is why I'm surprised Merthyr found £500m. Thats why I suspect its Objective 1 funding. So this points to one of the problems with the regional concept. The regions cover make believe administrative areas so getting councils to fund things cross border is a huge challenge.

Secondly, it is utter boll*x to say that councils will ONLY invest if the owners invest. You've made that up!

[Stone Motif]

Except due to the farce of regional rugby, the Dragons don't have any asset to secure such an investment against. You really don't get this stuff at all Andy. You think Merthyr CBC gave pie boy the younger that money stuffed in the 4rse of a commemorative Andy Powell Grogg?

No they gave it as part of a wider community scheme that Stan Thomas also paid into. It is you who just does not get it. Sadly, because of the cowboys you have running your beloved team, it will cease to exist within the next decade, perhaps less. They are not prepared to invest in it.

Righto genius, and without touching on the other issues where Griff and LP are giving the schooling - most private and certainly any significant public investment would need some forms of land charge, restriction or mortgage to secure it, particularly where some public benefit is meant to be generated by that funding. What in your view is the way to negotiate this hurdle for a company that does not hold any property or other asset?

[Stone Motif]

why doesn't Newport have access to that sort of funding ? I will tell you why, it's because your shambles of a management will not commit the same money towards the funding. There is a serious lack of ambition at Newport Gwent Dragons, the fans deserve better.

I'm taking about Newport Council in response to you saying that Methyr Council (or perhaps WEFO/Europe) funded your pitch to the tune of £500k. Newport COUNCIL does not have access to Heads of the Valley funding like Methyr does because we're not in the head is the valleys! Jesus wept.

We got that funding because our owner committed to spending the same amount as well. It is meant to be used by the community , along with youth clubs and allowing the public access to use, our owner has payed towards it as well, thus it was a joint venture. There is no reason why your owners could not do the same thing as well, if they showed some class, and ambition, and actually cared about the community that their club represents. You are right, Newport does not have the heads of the valley funding, but your council has access to more funds than ours do, you just need somebody in charge who will make that leap of faith. Not the chancers you have there now.

Excuse me Dowlais but it is not just Newport Council's team, surely? Is it not meant to be regional rugby? So surely the collective councils of Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Monmouthshire, Newport and Caerphilly should be pooling funding into this? It does, after all, represent all of their communities. Maybe this is where the problem lies? Easy for Merthyr to get Merthyr investment for a Merthyr team. Far harder for the dragons to get a council to invest in something that spans multiple county boroughs.  Very messy.

Especially where two of those Councils cross the convergence/competitiveness divide, not that any of that would matter to a thick as mince carpet salesman from the 4rse end of hell who probably just voted to give two fingers to the arrangement from which said corner of hell derives any serious investment, including his precious stadium, like the rest of his ingrate fellow townsfolk...

[Guest]

Let's not forget the dodgy deals that nearly got the Parc y Scarlets and Liberty into trouble:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-25559959
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-25390697
http://m.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/stadium-probe-called-scarlets-liberty-stadium/story-25953139-detail/story.html

It seems that the liberty was not funded by the owners of either the Swans or Ospreys. And it is owned by the council. Parc y Scarlets was largely paid for by the council with some loans to the Scarlets. But the way they did it was dodgy so I think councils will think twice about that in future.

[LordDowlais]

Looks like you have resigned yourself to the fact that Newport Gwent Dragons are a dying beast stone. All the other regions seem to have found the necessary investment, yet here you are saying that it is impossible for Newport Gwent Dragons to do the same, it looks like the writing is on the wall then.

Feck me, even if semi pro clubs can get this impossible funding, and Newport Gwent Dragons cannot, then things really are bleak.

Never mind, when the WRU nominate RGC1404 as the 4th region to play in the Pro12, and Dragons have gone jubblies up, at least you can say you saw this coming years ago. In the mean time, I will be telling all the Dragons fans to stop crying, get on with it and support your region, Cardiff Blues, I will also remind you that you had your shot at being a region and you failed, so stop whining.

[LordDowlais]

Let's not forget the dodgy deals that nearly got the Parc y Scarlets and Liberty into trouble:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-25559959
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-25390697
http://m.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/stadium-probe-called-scarlets-liberty-stadium/story-25953139-detail/story.html

It seems that the liberty was not funded by the owners of either the Swans or Ospreys. And it is owned by the council. Parc y Scarlets was largely paid for by the council with some loans to the Scarlets. But the way they did it was dodgy so I think councils will think twice about that in future.

So what you are saying is then, is that the councils DID fund those regions ?

Do me a favour will you please Griff ? Tell stone motif about this will you ? He thinks it cannot be done.

[Stone Motif]

Looks like you have resigned yourself to the fact that Newport Gwent Dragons are a dying beast stone. All the other regions seem to have found the necessary investment, yet here you are saying that it is impossible for Newport Gwent Dragons to do the same, it looks like the writing is on the wall then.

Feck me, even if semi pro clubs can get this impossible funding, and Newport Gwent Dragons cannot, then things really are bleak.

Never mind, when the WRU nominate RGC1404 as the 4th region to play in the Pro12, and Dragons have gone jubblies up, at least you can say you saw this coming years ago.  In the mean time, I will be telling all the Dragons fans to stop crying, get on with it and support your region, Cardiff Blues, I will also remind you that you had your shot at being a region and you failed, so stop whining.

Answer the question Andy or do one, you came on here giving it the big un. It doesn't take much even for a clever clogs like you to see the obvious way investment into Rodney Parade can be generated.

[Stone Motif]

Let's not forget the dodgy deals that nearly got the Parc y Scarlets and Liberty into trouble:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-25559959
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-25390697
http://m.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/stadium-probe-called-scarlets-liberty-stadium/story-25953139-detail/story.html

It seems that the liberty was not funded by the owners of either the Swans or Ospreys. And it is owned by the council. Parc y Scarlets was largely paid for by the council with some loans to the Scarlets. But the way they did it was dodgy so I think councils will think twice about that in future.

So what you are saying is then, is that the councils DID fund those regions ?

Do me a favour will you please Griff ? Tell stone motif about this will you ? He thinks it cannot be done.

No he doesn't you thick fool, read what Griff has written. It cannot be done without the security of an asset, hence Swansea CBC owning the Library and Carmarthen having a charge on P's.

[LordDowlais]

Let's not forget the dodgy deals that nearly got the Parc y Scarlets and Liberty into trouble:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-25559959
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-25390697
http://m.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/stadium-probe-called-scarlets-liberty-stadium/story-25953139-detail/story.html

It seems that the liberty was not funded by the owners of either the Swans or Ospreys. And it is owned by the council. Parc y Scarlets was largely paid for by the council with some loans to the Scarlets. But the way they did it was dodgy so I think councils will think twice about that in future.

So what you are saying is then, is that the councils DID fund those regions ?

Do me a favour will you please Griff ? Tell stone motif about this will you ? He thinks it cannot be done.

No he doesn't you thick fool, read what Griff has written. It cannot be done without the security of an asset, hence Swansea CBC owning the Library and Carmarthen having a charge on P's.

Well why cannot that happen with RP ?

Ospreys never owned the Liberty Stadium, yet they got funding.

[Stone Motif]

Let's not forget the dodgy deals that nearly got the Parc y Scarlets and Liberty into trouble:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-25559959
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-25390697
http://m.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/stadium-probe-called-scarlets-liberty-stadium/story-25953139-detail/story.html

It seems that the liberty was not funded by the owners of either the Swans or Ospreys. And it is owned by the council. Parc y Scarlets was largely paid for by the council with some loans to the Scarlets. But the way they did it was dodgy so I think councils will think twice about that in future.

So what you are saying is then, is that the councils DID fund those regions ?

Do me a favour will you please Griff ? Tell stone motif about this will you ? He thinks it cannot be done.

No he doesn't you thick fool, read what Griff has written. It cannot be done without the security of an asset, hence Swansea CBC owning the Library and Carmarthen having a charge on P's.

Well why cannot that happen with RP ?

Ospreys never owned the Liberty Stadium, yet they got funding.

No, Swansea Council built an asset they retained ownership of. The Ospreys got diddly squat except the opportunity to hang on to the shirt tails of Premiership football. Are you getting this yet?

[GavinDragon]

Why not? Because if you want games not to be called off, you don't take them somewhere like Ebbw Vale in the depths of winter, that's why not. It gets nippy up there, as you must know yourself.

Yes, I know how cold it gets, not different to Newport. But at least the pitch retains it's green grass. It does not have massive problems with drainage, it has a capacity of 8,000 which is more than enough to fit you all in, and it gives RP a chance to recover from being raped by 3 different teams playing there. I would have thought that moving some of the lesser games up there during the winter months would be a no brainer. It's not that much difference in conditions to Newport mind.

The way you are going on, you would swear that I am suggesting you go and play in Norway. I am only suggesting you go 30 miles up the road. That does not make much difference in the weather.

Has it got corporate boxes? Live TV facilities? What do Ebbw Vale want to charge? As you will know from your own 'regional' high jinks, they may not want the region to play there.

Some of their fans do, some don't. But crucially, the committee appreciate they are not set up to host professional rugby. They are a well semi professional community club and the pinnacle of rugby in Blaenau-Gwent.

[GavinDragon]

So now the Dragons are to blame for the way regional European structural funds are administrated? Fair play you are plumbing whole new levels of thick as f6ck this year, fair play.

Oh I have heard it all now. I am thick, yet I am not the one spending my hard earned money on the same rubbish week in week out in the hope that things will get better.

I will tell you what, you keep throwing your pennies into the toilet, and keep calling me thick, I will just keep laughing at you.

I am the thick one, yet you are the one who is giving money to unambitious bad managing team of failures every other week, feck me you could not make it up.

Yes you are thick. What makes you think I spend any money at Dave Parade? I've made my dissatisfaction with the current set up well known. You're the doughnut who wants to flush Wales most successful carpet business down the bog supporting a poorer funded region in the biggest sh!t hole in Europe.

I'd have thought you would still be watching NRFC?

[GavinDragon]

This thread really sprung into life in the last two days.

[Guest]

Let's not forget the dodgy deals that nearly got the Parc y Scarlets and Liberty into trouble:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-25559959
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-25390697
http://m.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/stadium-probe-called-scarlets-liberty-stadium/story-25953139-detail/story.html

It seems that the liberty was not funded by the owners of either the Swans or Ospreys. And it is owned by the council. Parc y Scarlets was largely paid for by the council with some loans to the Scarlets. But the way they did it was dodgy so I think councils will think twice about that in future.

So what you are saying is then, is that the councils DID fund those regions ?

Do me a favour will you please Griff ? Tell stone motif about this will you ? He thinks it cannot be done.

You said councils will only fund if the club owners put in half. I'm pointing out that that is factually incorrect, as demonstrated by developments down west. The Ospreys didn't 'secure funding'. And they didn't put in any funding. The council funded the building of a stadium for Swansea City and the O's get to use it too. That's not going to happen for Newport County football. And I doubt you'll see that sort of splurging by councils for a while with austerity measures in place.

[RiscaGame]

Priceless

[RiscaGame]

Never mind, when the WRU nominate RGC1404 as the 4th region to play in the Pro12, and Dragons have gone jubblies up, at least you can say you saw this coming years ago.  In the mean time, I will be telling all the Dragons fans to stop crying, get on with it and support your region, Cardiff Blues, I will also remind you that you had your shot at being a region and you failed, so stop whining.

In the meantime, our region is still NGD. You really are a beaut. I find it hard to believe that people find time in their day to respond to somebody as pigheaded as you. It's a pretty pointless exercise, urinating in to the wind whilst you are on full on bluster mode again.

It sums you up when you hold one opinion and more than one disagrees, yet you are right.

[LordDowlais]

No, Swansea Council built an asset they retained ownership of. The Ospreys got diddly squat except the opportunity to hang on to the shirt tails of Premiership football. Are you getting this yet?

Yeah, ask yourself how long Swansea have been  a premiership club, and how long Ospreys have been playing at the Liberty.

[RDW]

Mr Motif won't be able to reply for several days. I don't know why you Welsh bicker among yourselves so much but if you could avoid the snidey digs and petty name calling at the end of each post that would be super. Also worth reminding you all about the foe feature on this forum if you don't get on with someone - the majority of bans that we dish out could be avoided by just ignoring someone!

[Guest]

RDW,
It's a Dragons thread, but of course in the interests of freedom of speech and publicly shared forums obviously anyone can post on any thread. I often do on Scottish threads, Scarlets threads, Blues threads, etc. But this thread in particular seems to be a great place until a certain poster comes on and derails it! The Dragons fans are quite happy chatting about the team, our rubbish pitch, the new supporters club, our random team selections from a coaching team we lost faith in a long time ago, etc. But having 1 poster constantly calling for your team to be liquidated, disbanded, struck off, demoted, or one of the other million terms used, just turns the thread to mush. I don't want to put him on ignore as it doesn't stop him posting guff. He's like a wasp at a picnic.

[RDW]

I understand your frustrations Griff. There's not a lot we can do about people who are just being annoying (or expressing an opinion that most other people disagree with) but when they overstep the mark and start verbally abusing people then we can intervene. All I can say is for people to report anyone that does that and we'll keep an eye on things.

[IanBru]

[LordDowlais]

OK Griff. You will have to explain to me then.

So, you and the rest of the Dragons supporters on here are allowed to speak amongst yourselves, about how rubbish the whole dragons setup is, thats all fine, yet if I want to raise my concerns that we keep on having failure season upon season, then I should be banned ? Is that it ?

Why is my opinion less validated than any of yours ? Just because I think failure should be mandated, just because I do not like failure, I am not allowed to have the opinion on it ? Is that it ?

[Guest]

It's the way you go about it Dowlais. It seems deliberately antagonistic rather than rational discussion. There's no middle ground with you. If Merthyr get a new pitch then, unless the Dragons follow suit, your position seems to be that we need to be shut down. Life isn't that easy. I'm pretty sure Merthyr wouldn't have got the new pitch unless Stan Thomas had decided to invest. That's a bit of luck for Merthyr. If he'd been from Newport then he might have invested in the RP pitch. Sugar daddies are few and far between. It's great for Wales and great for the area that this guy came along and is willing to splash the cash, but if other areas do not have such luck then I think it's a stretch to assume that they have no ambition, should be 'disbanded', are run by idiots, etc.

By the way, the council didn't fund the £500k for the Wern pitch. They administered the money, but it came from coal mining. This is great, and an excellent way to fund stuff, but I'm not sure we have such a community fund in Newport (certainly no coal mining) to tap into to for a pitch.

[LordDowlais]

It's the way you go about it Dowlais. It seems deliberately antagonistic rather than rational discussion. There's no middle ground with you. If Merthyr get a new pitch then, unless the Dragons follow suit, your position seems to be that we need to be shut down.

No Griff, you have it all wrong.Seriously.

The state of the pitch at RP is just one of a whole word of c0ckups that have been made within that setup. The whole thing stinks. What gets me the most is though, that things are being allowed to carry on this way. You keep harping on about Merthyr's new pitch, and how they got funding, Merthyr are not the only semi pro club to sort this aspect of their structure out, why don't you look at how Pontypridd managed to do it ?

If I were the WRU I would seriously be questioning why we should be nominating Newport Gwent Dragons as a representative of Welsh pro rugby in the Pro12.

The thing is, people like yourself seem unwilling to accept the fact that things could drastically change unless things improve. The WRU own RGC1404, it is a very real possibility that the WRU could decide to put their eggs into that basket and chose to put that team in the Pro12. This should be the reality, to both the fans and the cowboys running Newport Gwent Dragons.

Einstein's Theory of Insanity. Albert Einstein was quoted as saying: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” This is what seems to be happening with your region. The more we put up with this failure, then the more insane we all are for just accepting it.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

The state of the pitch at RP is just one of a whole word of c0ckups that have been made within that setup. The whole thing stinks. What gets me the most is though, that things are being allowed to carry on this way. You keep harping on about Merthyr's new pitch, and how they got funding, Merthyr are not the only semi pro club to sort this aspect of their structure out, why don't you look at how Pontypridd managed to do it ?

If I were the WRU I would seriously be questioning why we should be nominating Newport Gwent Dragons as a representative of Welsh pro rugby in the Pro12.

The thing is, people like yourself seem unwilling to accept the fact that things could drastically change unless things improve. The WRU own RGC1404, it is a very real possibility that the WRU could decide to put their eggs into that basket and chose to put that team in the Pro12. This should be the reality, to both the fans and the cowboys running Newport Gwent Dragons.

Einstein's Theory of Insanity. Albert Einstein was quoted as saying: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” This is what seems to be happening with your region. The more we put up with this failure, then the more insane we all are for just accepting it.

Dowlais, will you do me a favour? Post this as a new topic. It might be worth discussion and of interest to other posters. But we've got a game on Friday, and I'd rather get talking about that rather than how diabolical we are and how great it would be if we were shut down.

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