WORRYING TIME FOR THE EAGLES

SHEFFIELD EAGLES 18 SWINTON LIONS 29
CHAMPIONSHIP @ OLYMPIC LEGACY PARK
10 JUNE 2018 --- 3PM
These are worrying times for Sheffield Eagles following on a week in which Director of Rugby and 'Mr Sheffield Eagles' Mark Aston warned of ever rising costs since their return to the city the club have won just once at their new base and have now suffered a disappointing loss against bottom side Swinton.

SHEFFIELD EAGLES V SWINTON LIONS

This game was the classic 'four pointer' and with Sheffield having secured a19-18 win at the Lions at the start of April this was their chance to put a little bit of space between the two sides as the bottom clubs already find themselves in a dog fight to avoid relegation to League 1.
Relegation looks a real non starter for Eagles as a club, but clearly on the cards performance wise and Mark Aston has this week declared how costs have rose three fold since their return to The OLP and a drop may not be sustainable.  Of course like any club whether that be football or any other sport the chicken and egg situation applies again Eagles need more supporters through the gate, something they probably expected when they returned home, but often the floating fans won't come to watch a side who have won at home just once this season.  Lets make it clear the club have a loyal band of around 700 fans but even with the visiting supporters today they still returned the lowest gate in the Championship.  This is the blogs fourth game out of seven at home this season to see Sheffield and without a win in that batch it does get a struggle but of course with two of those games being against big spending Centurions and Broncos it was with anticipation of a win against Swinton today that three of us paid with programmes and other add on's around £55.  The cost is probably about right for the league but there is a need to attract back the old fans who probably left the club during their recent nomadic times it is too be hoped that some wins on the board will soon come and attract back their investment.  Maybe the club can look at a one of £10 admission for a select game that is well promoted to encourage old and new fans to attend a game of rugby league now it is back in Sheffield.
Sadly Eagles are not unique as an array of sporting sides are going through the same frantic need for investment indeed in rugby league this last week as seen Whitehaven working with their fans and community to find enough financial input to get them through the remainder of the season and with Bradford Bulls now residing in League 1 there is of course no club safe.
I hope the Eagles can find that investment required or the appeal for a more understanding cost base at The OLP can be found but more than anything in a sport that I have developed a interest in over the last few seasons its is to be hoped the Eagles can find a sequence of wins that staves of the threat of relegation, brings back the missing spectators and rewards their loyal base of current fans in what is a magnificent game.
The game then just a minor mention Eagles lost!  A dozen each at half time by the end of a poor second half they had lost 18-29 and Swinton had secured the 2 points that cancelled out the same hard earned number of points two months earlier at Heywood Rd.
The friendly side of the game was further supported today both sets of fans mingling together during the 80 minutes and the blog was pleased to catch up with referee John McMullen, for a quick chat, who as we mentioned in the Keighley blog a few weeks ago we had first seen in his National Conference League days.