Clydesdales Forced to Fold / Aspley Broncos

[Teegy]

i cannot find an article yet but the Toowoomba Clydesdales have had to fold because of the Broncos pulling out of the teams agreements. needless to say this is terrible news for the QLD cup if the Grand Finalists and Minor premiers cannot afford to field a team.

[Robbie_Dee]

That would really suck if it happens, they're Toowoomba's best sporting team!

[Teegy]

That would really suck if it happens, they're Toowoomba's best sporting team!

it has happened Robbie. it is official that the Clydesdales will not be in the QLD cup next year. i will post an article ASAP

[Future Star]

Poor Toowoomba

[Teegy]

from http://www.wintv.com.au/

CLYDESDALES FOLD
End of an era

The Toowoomba Clydesdales' could be on the verge of folding, after being forced to withdraw from the Queensland Cup.

The board today announced it can't afford to take part next year.

It follows a meeting with the Broncos management.

In a written statement, Chairman Frank Martin says after closely examining the club's fiancial position, the board has decided it can longer keep operating.

It's unclear when the Clydesdales will take to the field again.

Its trademarks and legal entities have been given to the TRL for safekeeping.

The Broncos have given the club fifty thousand dollars to meet its financial debts for this year.

i have to say that the Broncos should be giving alot more than $50,000 considering the clydesdales have been the reason they have such good juniors ATM. without TMBA they would have never had the success that they have had

[DIEHARD]

No! This can't be for real!

We can't lose Toowoomba!!

They can't just fold like that, give us a chance to fight for them!

I haven't heard anything about this. I hope its completely false. But the frightening thing is that it is in the realm of possibility...

[TitanBSHS]

thank god, dont really care.. dosent effect the titans badly

[Future Star]

thank god, dont really care.. dosent effect the titans badly

You'd care if you played for them...

And Toowoomba has had the best Juniors for a while up in QLD, anyone who slips beneath the radar of the Broncs, could be picked up by the Tites or the Cow's.

[kioli]

Surely they could just move down a few grades and at least keep the club alive in some form like the Sydney clubs do? I really don't want to lose another old club like Valleys...

[DIEHARD]

thank god, dont really care.. dosent effect the titans badly

You would care if you were any sort of rugby league fan.

How the loss of a major club in one of Queensland's major cities and population centres as well as one of the finest breeding grounds for rugby league talent, does not bother some people amazes and disgusts me.

Surely they could just move down a few grades and at least keep the club alive in some form like the Sydney clubs do? I really don't want to lose another old club like Valleys...

Absolutely mate, it breaks my heart to see clubs fold, of any description let alone Queensland Cup clubs!

The loss of Valleys Diehards is one of the blackest stains on Queensland rugby league history!!!

My nickname isn't only attributed to my personality and favourite movie, above all it represents MY club, Valleys Diehards forever!

[Queenslander]

Man this is a huge loss for Queensland RL. Last I heard the Clydesdales were going to put up a brave fight and carry on for at least a couple more seasons. Its a shame that the team I support (Broncos) had a non-deliberate hand in it. It would have been good if the Broncos could keep the Clydesdales as a feeder club, however it appeared that the Broncos had got enough out of their relationship with the club and had to move on.

[Lennox Titan]

Very dissapointing if true. I know in my area the NRRL(old group 1) clubs continue to die due to lack of finances and player numbers. Lismore Workers (Milton Thaidays old club) are dead, South Lismore as well and looks like Grafton Ghosts are gone next year. Country clubs will continue to go under while the NRL sits with its head in the sand. They have much more important issues to deal with getting rid of videos from Youtube.

I wonder if the Broncos decision has anything to do with the new youth comp coming in. I know they were opposed to it because Toowoomba was there reserve side and they didnt want another.

[Grimmace]

Broncos lose stablemate Clydesdales

December 06, 2006 NRL premiers Brisbane Broncos need a new stablemate after feeder club the Toowoomba Clydesdales announced it had dropped out of the 2007 Queensland Cup.

The Clydesdales, who lost this year's grand final to Redcliffe, have withdrawn from the competition for financial reasons.

Despite another $50,000 injection from the Broncos this week, the club says it's still $100,000 short of being able to fund a team next season.

Broncos squad members not selected for the NRL side have been chosen for the Clydesdales.

Brisbane managing director Bruno Cullen said the Broncos hope to announce a new feeder club shortly.

Broncos football manager Andrew Gee and head coach Wayne Bennett had been looking at options for another feeder club.

"It didn't make sense to have this club up there running at what was looking like a $250,000 loss for the year," Cullen said of the Clydesdales' finances.

The Clydesdales won the first Queensland Cup in 1996.

They hit hard financial times in the late 1990s and were rescued by the Broncos who provided funding and players.

Several of the Broncos 2006 NRL premiership-winning side such as Sam Thaiday, Dane Carlaw and David Stagg had stints in the blue and red of Toowoomba this year.

The Clydesdales won their second Queensland Cup in 2000, but were beaten by the Redcliffe Dolphins 27-6 in the 2006 grand final.

Former Clydesdales promotions consultant Leonie Brunner was last month appointed as the club's CEO, the first female given such a position in the Queensland Cup.

AAP

[DIEHARD]

Dire financial status forces Clydesdales to quit Qld Cup

TOOWOOMBA rugby league officials are moving swiftly to make sure some of the region's best footballers don t abandon the Darling Downs after the Toowoomba Clydesdales announced they would not be part of the 2007 Queensland Cup competition.

The club's dire financial state was cited as the reason for the decision.
There has been continuing speculation about the depth of the Clydesdales' financial worries for the past few seasons. However, yesterday s announcement still came as a surprise to Toowoomba Rugby League chairman Noel Davis, who described it as a massive blow.

"It's important now that everyone works together," he said.

"Because it's not something that has happened in the past." Davis said he would meet with a squad of footballers who were registered with both the TRL and the Clydesdales in order to make sure they remained in what was one of rugby league s most prolific rugby league player nurseries.
"I've spoken to the board today and it's important we get some incentives in place to keep these players in Toowoomba," he said.
"But I think we'll lose three or four straight away.

"It's important we create pathways and opportunities for these players to play representative football so they have the chance to progress through the rugby league ranks. The Clydesdales have been aligned with the Brisbane Broncos for seven years, a relationship that has helped keep the club afloat.
However, Clydesdales chairman Frank Martin said a meeting this week with the Broncos' hierarchy, who had pledged to support the club in 2007, showed their help would not be enough to keep them financially viable next season.
"The Broncos gave us a cheque for $50,000 after the meeting so we can meet all our creditors for the 2006 season," he said.
"This decision has not been made lightly.

"I have sat down with our CEO and tried to cut all costs to the bone, discussed these matters with the Broncos and our major sponsor Clive Berghofer and my board, but we still have a shortfall of about $100,000 after Clive s and the Broncos' commitment." The Clydesdales' proud place in Australian rugby league history dates back to the early part of last century.
Traditionally, they were a representative side made up of players from Toowoomba.

The Clydesdales won the first Queensland Cup in 1996 with a full roster of Darling Downs players before falling into financial hardship in the late 1990s. The Brisbane Broncos came to the club s rescue in 1999, providing not just financial support but also players. Many of the Broncos 2006 NRL premiership-winning side such as Sam Thaiday, Dane Carlaw and David Stagg had significants stints in the blue and red of Toowoomba. The Clydesdales won their second Queensland Cup in 2000. They were favourites to win their third title in 2006 after taking out the minor premiership by 2 points. However, they were thrashed by the Redcliffe Dolphins 27-6 in the grand final.

Source: http://www.thechronicle.com.au

[DIEHARD]

Question now...

Will the QRL admit a new team. (Unlikely at short notice.)

Or go ahead with a 10 team competition?