Dave Parkinson ventured to the launch of the Co-operative Championships at the Manchester Evening News Arena. Here are his thoughts and an account of the event.
I got to Manchester at 11.50 this morning and parked the car on the old brewery site opposite the Arena before making my way under old, dark and damp railway arches, down the side of the Arena and then through old buildings that make up Manchester Victoria Railway Station. It was pretty busy and I momentarily joined the throng of people shuffling hastily between platforms. While glancing around the face of Leigh skipper Robbie Paul looked back from a poster advertising the ongoing cup competition.
I followed the signs for the Arena and was surprised when I passed a fast food outlet to see lots of young people sitting round, outside entrances and exits to the venue.
Little did I know that Lady GaGa was performing in the city in the evening - gee these people still had a long wait!
My destination was not the Arena itself, rather a bar area called simply "The View". I was greeted by a pleasant chap and then guided to four seperate people through the myriad of corridors, stairs and stairwells, following signs for "CO-OPERATIVE LAUNCH THIS WAY". I was obviously on the right track, no that was the other launch I went to a few weeks ago!
Anyway, I reached this nice bar area, a long room with a seating area to the left and after announcing my arrival to Nick Boothroyd and Craig Spence of the RFL, I plonked my computer and myself down in a corner. I'd read the RFL briefing that three young actresses were to be at the event and wondered what to expect.
A big flat screen TV above the bar played SKY highlights of Championship 2009 games, it was very entertaining and I even saw Leigh on there scoring tries and tackling!
After a bit of mingling with fellow journalists, catching up on gossip and observing various players arriving such as (from memory) Andrew Thornley (Whitehaven), Stuart Donlan (Leigh), Gareth Moore (Batley), Austin Buchanan (Dewsbury), Mark Smith (Widnes), Dave Larder (Halifax), Brendan Rawlins (Keighley), Phil Wood (Rochdale) and Paul Smith (Swinton), the three actresses all of Corrie, or former Corrie fame, Michelle Keegan, Helen Flanagan and Lucy-Jo Hudson also arrived before an RFL spokesperson explained the format of the event
Lucy-Jo Hudson then gave Rugby League the thumbs up, speaking of her love for the sport and telling the room about her brother "Super League player Ryan Hudson from Castleford." I don't mean this to sound cynical, it really was nice to hear her speak about such things.
The players were then led off to pose for a whole posse of photographs with and without the celebs who were accomodating to requests and Co-Operative branding was well to the fore, as you would expect to be fair at any event where a major sponsor is putting in a big investment.
By this time a couple of coaches were knocking around the room and I chatted with John Stankevitch about amongst other thing, the goings-on at Rochdale Hornets, the progress of former Leigh players, modern refereeing and old video sessions with Ian Millward at St Helens.
I also chatted to Paul March of Hunslet, more of which you'll see on here in the next couple of weeks and also the Leigh East programme for their historic Challenge Cup game against his side.
Buffet lunch was served and as the players came back in their twos and threes there was constant pen activity and clicking of recording devices as the journo's got their stories and asked their questions.
The theme for this years Championships is "League for All" with results from recently revealed viewing figures putting Rugby League top of the tree when it comes to female audience share - 35% compared with 29% for Premiership Football and 25% for Ashes Cricket.
Liz Matkin, The Co-operative Group’s Head of Sponsorship, commented: “We’re delighted to have Helen, Michelle and Lucy-Jo involved in championing women’s interest in Rugby League.
“These stats show that the sport really does offer something for everyone and we’re proud to get behind a sport which brings so much to the community – whatever gender or age!
“Being good for everyone is the heart of the Co-operative’s core business as a community retailer. We look forward to another exciting 2010 Co-operative Championship season.”
The launch started to disperse and in the knowledge I was due back in work for 2.30pm, I did the same making my way past a larger crowd of GaGa fans on the way. Championship Rugby is almost back on the map and in just a few days Leigh take on Barrow in the season opener at the LSV. Hopefully in the words of a famous Irish comedian "it's a cracker".
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