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Title: Doncaster Dragons Subtitle: Lakers Announce Kit Change Author: John Wright  ID & Publication: 20050911010 ~ The-Villager.co.uk  Area: Doncaster  Subject: Sport (Local)

The newly named Doncaster Lakers Rugby League club have announced a change of club colours, from the blue and gold that the Dragons and former Doncaster RLFC have played in since the club was formed, to red and black. The change is part of a branding strategy which will blend with the red and white colours of Doncaster Rovers at the new Lakeside stadium, which both clubs will have as their new home in December 2006.

During a recent survey, a large majority of the general public were not aware who Doncaster Dragons were, where they played, or what colours they played in. Many who were aware of the Dragons thought that they were still the perpetual losers of the past, rather than being one of the top 20 clubs in the UK. The most memorable occasion recalled by some was the showing some 20 years ago, on Yorkshire Television, of ‘Another Bloody Sunday’, a documentary which showed the club in the worst possible light, holding the record of the longest losing run in the history of the game. The public of Doncaster seem aware of the presence of a Rugby League club in the town, but feel they will never be a top flight club, and that attitude is reflected in the current average crowd at Belle Vue of just over 1,000.

‘Doncaster Council have invested £32 million in the new stadium, and it is my responsibility to make sure that Rugby League pays back some of that investment. I understand that those people who have supported the club over the years look back with affection at the old days, and it is right that they should do so, in fact without those supporters, Rugby League would not exist in Doncaster. However, all the professional advice I have been given points to the need for a total re-branding of the club, including a change of colours. I had been persuaded by supporter pressure to stick with the old blue and gold colours, but at a recent meeting at the RFL headquarters in Leeds, I was advised that, although the change of colours would not be popular with some, it was without doubt the right decision, so in future the new Doncaster Lakers will play in Red and Black,’ said the Doncaster Lakers Chairman, John Wright.

Wright is adamant that the only way for the Lakers to maximise on the opportunity afforded by the new stadium is a totally new identity for the summer sport of Rugby League in Doncaster. He has promised to emulate the match day experience of major Super League clubs, such as Leeds and Bradford, with a day at the Lakeside being a truly family affair.

‘Rugby League has moved forward in leaps and bounds over the past decade, you only have to watch the top Super League clubs on TV to see the just how they provide an exciting day out for all the family, yet the Rugby League experience in Doncaster has changed little over the past 50 years, and that has to change if we are to fulfil our potential in the new stadium. I have set aside a considerable budget to make a day at the Lakers one for all the family to enjoy’, said Wright.


Editors Note

I'm sure the latest announcements from the Doncaster Lakers (nee Dragons) will have a lot of people talking - so if you have anything to say, please drop us a line. From next month all articles will be posted under the new heading of Doncaster Lakers.

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