Save London Skolars Gofundme Page Please help

We want to save and stabilise the club. Any donations greatly appreciated. Raised £800+ in less than 24 hours. Pls also feel free to share in your network.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/skolarsrl?utm_term=RV58ByYGP

London Skolars was formed in 1995 as the Student RL Old Boys by a group of ex-student players based in Hackney. It later moved to its current home New River Stadium in 1997. After having great success in the London & SE leagues, Souther Conference and National Conference the club applied and joined the semi-pro ranks in 2003. 

The club has always operated a vibrant local London RL pathway and has run 2 senior teams and multiple age groups youth teams developing players for all levels of the game from Superleague down to the amateur ranks. Even this year the clubs U14s won the London junior league.

Largely due to the reduction in central funding dropping from circa £100k to £15k the club has found the business model of travelling from Cornwall to Cumbria impossible to maintain and the Directors could no longer sustain the losses the club has been making. Other clubs like Newcastle's demise also shows Skolars aren't alone. The money coming into the game from sources such as Sky seems to be getting lower every cycle and whats left being concentrated at the top of the game in the North.

The Directors and major stakeholders decided to take the tough decision to step back from League 1 and regroup in the Souther Conference League. The application for the SCL went in last month. The business model needs to change but the club will need some help financially in order to transition successfully into SCL. Costs will be greatly reduced as will revenues but the club wants to maintain its pathways, facilities and as professional environment as possible for current and future players. To help myself and a few long term supporters felt we would do our bit by trying to raise circa £10k to help the cause. The club wants to make the Skolars the place to be if you want to play RL in London.

1000s of players have come through the clubs ranks and most had a superb experience over the 28 years of the clubs existence. Many would not have had teh chance to play RL without the club existing. Coaches, supporters, sponsors and all stakeholders I would love to believe have been enriched by the clubs impact and would feel moved to get behind this appeal. The Borough of Haringey has also been enriched by the club a professional sporting pathway for them & also teaching many kids in the borough the positive impact of playing rugby league. We really need to keep rugby league in Haringey.

Some great names who have been involved in the club over the years include Joe Mbu, Dennis Tuffour, Jermaine Coleman, Ade Adebesi, Neil & Paul Thorman, Desi Williams, Tuoyo Egodo, Jarred Bassett, Iliess Macani, Joel, Jonathan & Junior Kpoku Dan Hindmarsh, Dylan Skee, Gav Gordon, Ady Spencer, Mo Agoro and many many more. Many lads have played Superleague & the club has had its fair share of internationals as well.

Please remember your fond memories of the Skolars, how it impacted you and in some cases helped you in your lives and careers. What ever you can spare no matter of the amount will help the next generation benefit and help the club not only survive and prosper.

Myself and 2 others will manage the money raised and work with the club to make sure its well used and we will report back on how it is at a later date. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

This has to be worth a donation - it would be a terrible shame if Skolars weren't able to continue in the Southern Conference.

Sad that it's come to this, but I've pledged.

This isn't just about saving the club; it is also about the sport having a presence in one of the most populous areas of the UK. For the future health of the game, we need to keep a foothold in the capital beyond Broncos. The club has done an amazing job linking with the local community and raising the profile of the game. Please help if you can.

Donated. Love the Skolars.

The disinterest evident in the RFL’s short statement when Skolars withdrew from League One spoke volumes. I hope it works out in the SCL, and hopefully can look forward to the Anglian Vipers travelling to the New River for a league game in the next few years. 

3 hours ago, Futtocks said:

Sad that it's come to this, but I've pledged.

dont be pessimistic I think this is a chance to stabilise and rebuild. Skolars are a microcosm of L1 travails tbh. they will come out stronger im sure. unlike most London clubs they have a base, facilities and lots to build on. 

2 hours ago, EssexRL said:

This isn't just about saving the club; it is also about the sport having a presence in one of the most populous areas of the UK. For the future health of the game, we need to keep a foothold in the capital beyond Broncos. The club has done an amazing job linking with the local community and raising the profile of the game. Please help if you can.

totally agree. £1150 already within 24 hours. 25+ donations. superb, shows there is plenty of support and love 

53 minutes ago, Eddie said:

The disinterest evident in the RFL’s short statement when Skolars withdrew from League One spoke volumes. I hope it works out in the SCL, and hopefully can look forward to the Anglian Vipers travelling to the New River for a league game in the next few years. 

sounds great. I agree on RFL. if they cared they would have sent a small team down to explore all angles to save the clubs existence. instead it was a passive help from sympathetic ears in Leeds but it was more tell us how we can help versus lets get stuck in.

1 minute ago, IM2 said:

sounds great. I agree on RFL. if they cared they would have sent a small team down to explore all angles to save the clubs existence. instead it was a passive help from sympathetic ears in Leeds but it was more tell us how we can help versus lets get stuck in.

The RFL are not there to run the clubs themselves. They're also not based in Leeds

This is interesting. a list of some of the players who have played at the club. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:London_Skolars_players

Including Harry Smith and Mike McMeeken who both starred for England in the Tonga series. Not bad. 

Just now, DoubleD said:

The RFL are not there to run the clubs themselves. They're also not based in Leeds

didnt say any of that. I said they could have helped more. also I didnt say they were based in Leeds I said the people the club talked to were in Leeds. there are lots of examples of governing bodies putting a team together to help clubs in crisis. idea isnt to run the club but help them get through a crisis. dont forget clubs including Skolars are shareholders of the RFL so as shareholders they are owners of the RFL not members, 

Dare I say that Me Hughes at London Broncos and his actions between 2021-22 as well as at the start of the 2022 season is in more than a little someway involved in this current situation.

If he has an ounce of decency about him he'd sign the cheque for £10,000 now.

Before their "Viking raids" on the Skolars, London were full time but as they needed to find part time players locally and quickly, they ravaged their neighbours and left the carcass to rot.  

33 minutes ago, IM2 said:

sounds great. I agree on RFL. if they cared they would have sent a small team down to explore all angles to save the clubs existence. instead it was a passive help from sympathetic ears in Leeds but it was more tell us how we can help versus lets get stuck in.

Do you think the club may ever go back into the semi pro ranks, or is it amateur RL from now on? Incidentally I think the amateur game is great and the Skolars being in the SCL will give that comp a tremendous boost which it needs. 

37 minutes ago, Londonbornirishbred said:

Dare I say that Me Hughes at London Broncos and his actions between 2021-22 as well as at the start of the 2022 season is in more than a little someway involved in this current situation.

If he has an ounce of decency about him he'd sign the cheque for £10,000 now.

Before their "Viking raids" on the Skolars, London were full time but as they needed to find part time players locally and quickly, they ravaged their neighbours and left the carcass to rot.  

lot of truth in that but suspect David didnt even know. probably his CEO etc more to blame. 

27 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Do you think the club may ever go back into the semi pro ranks, or is it amateur RL from now on? Incidentally I think the amateur game is great and the Skolars being in the SCL will give that comp a tremendous boost which it needs. 

id hope so but I think the games finances need to improve more but I think the club can thrive in the amateur game and bring some of the standards it has had for nearly 20 years and employ them. I loved the old London league and SCL days. 

1 hour ago, IM2 said:

didnt say any of that. I said they could have helped more. also I didnt say they were based in Leeds I said the people the club talked to were in Leeds. there are lots of examples of governing bodies putting a team together to help clubs in crisis. idea isnt to run the club but help them get through a crisis. dont forget clubs including Skolars are shareholders of the RFL so as shareholders they are owners of the RFL not members, 

And what would that ‘team’ do that the club can’t?

10 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

And what would that ‘team’ do that the club can’t?

help

1 hour ago, DoubleD said:

The RFL are not there to run the clubs themselves. They're also not based in Leeds

No, they are there to promote the growth and development of the game throughout the UK. Not nod sympathetically as the drawbridge of the north is pulled up

48 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Do you think the club may ever go back into the semi pro ranks, or is it amateur RL from now on? Incidentally I think the amateur game is great and the Skolars being in the SCL will give that comp a tremendous boost which it needs. 

Has any club every stepped down to regroup and actually come back up?

Just now, IM2 said:

help

You’ve already said they provided ‘passive help’

16 minutes ago, Midlands hobo said:

No, they are there to promote the growth and development of the game throughout the UK. Not nod sympathetically as the drawbridge of the north is pulled up

They have many more hats than that. The biggest being the governance of the game which is under fire from the legal challenges and as a consequence insurance costs have skyrocketed which massively impacts the RFL’s bottom line and therefore their capability to provide support to other areas of the game 

2 hours ago, DoubleD said:

They have many more hats than that. The biggest being the governance of the game which is under fire from the legal challenges and as a consequence insurance costs have skyrocketed which massively impacts the RFL’s bottom line and therefore their capability to provide support to other areas of the game 

The RFL have a website. It is worth consulting. It provides a lot of information. I wish people would consult it more often .

There is a section entitled ' Get involved ' with a Club support section. Now that the Skolars have moved into the Community game they will  perhaps find some  assistance there. John Mcmullen at the RFL will do a health check for them and provide practical advice. He is the RFL 'go to' officer as National Clubs Manager.

The Skolars should maybe look at their legal status. They have accountants in director capacity. If they were a charity or a CASC , as a considerable number of community rugby clubs are ,then they would have opportunities to source  public funds and obtain rate and tax reliefs.

To start with the Crowd funding sought here would have got a  probable 25% ( £2.5 k ) boost...........

3 hours ago, DoubleD said:

You’ve already said they provided ‘passive help’

secret is in the first word. what was needed was proactive help. anyway not arguing with you. you carry on with your view mate and we will beg to differ

I don’t understand how Skolars as a community grassroots club are in any different position from any other grassroots club and the costs of participating in the amateur game in London and the South East.

So what is this money actually for and how will what it’s funding, become sustainable so the club aren’t reaching out for future public funding.

Surely the club, having made to step away from the professional ranks, needs to change its revenue and cost structure to be sustainable as a grass roots club.

To be honest, I have always found Skolars to be a halfway house without the necessary backing or leadership to succeed at the professional level and by this fundraising scheme alone, I am not convinced the club is well placed to shift its model to become a sustainable grass roots amateur footy club.