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Thame’s Valley Falcons!
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fatbear View Drop Down
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Points: 3336 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fatbear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jan 2026 at 09:45
Originally posted by Paul10 Paul10 wrote:



I would say Chinnor are doing a good job at the moment in attracting support from the surrounding area, as the people I have spoken to this season have traveled from Banbury, Wycombe, Didcot, Marlow, Maidenhead, Abingdon, Aylesbury and Wallingford. No-one from Oxford though.......

People who have an interest in rugby know about Chinnor, those who don't have an interest don't, and in my view, a change of name isn't going to change that. Just my opinion.



I'm not sure if it was implied or not but those Ox/Bucks places mentioned all have clubs who most likely have history against Chinnor and know what the club is about.

Oxford, of course, has the Quins who are trying to follow Chinnor up the league.
[/QUOTE]
Think Quins are heading in the other direction !
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JZSmith2 View Drop Down
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Originally posted by SweetChariot SweetChariot wrote:

Have you read the article? 

The logic for the proposed name change and rebranding is quite clear on the part of Simon Vickers, who I believe has been involved with Chinnor RFC for decades. 

This seems to be about broadening their reach and developing greater interest levels, fanbase and potential sponsorship opportunities beyond Chinnor, Thame and Oxfordshire itself to encompass the wider Berks, and Bucks area also. The potential to bring many more thousands of people to the fold (not to mention potential players) could only help the club to kick on, with talk of a bigger ground in the future also. 

I admire Vickers' drive and vision, and it makes a great deal of sense to capitalise on a far larger area, especially as Chinnor are now the top rugby club in the Thames Valley, following the demise of London Irish a few years ago, with the next best placed team in the region being Rams who are currently a mid-table Nat 1 side at present.

Yes Bill I did read it and as with many things I totally disagree with your views.
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Points: 137 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SweetChariot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jan 2026 at 12:08
Originally posted by JZSmith2 JZSmith2 wrote:

Originally posted by SweetChariot SweetChariot wrote:

Have you read the article? 

The logic for the proposed name change and rebranding is quite clear on the part of Simon Vickers, who I believe has been involved with Chinnor RFC for decades. 

This seems to be about broadening their reach and developing greater interest levels, fanbase and potential sponsorship opportunities beyond Chinnor, Thame and Oxfordshire itself to encompass the wider Berks, and Bucks area also. The potential to bring many more thousands of people to the fold (not to mention potential players) could only help the club to kick on, with talk of a bigger ground in the future also. 

I admire Vickers' drive and vision, and it makes a great deal of sense to capitalise on a far larger area, especially as Chinnor are now the top rugby club in the Thames Valley, following the demise of London Irish a few years ago, with the next best placed team in the region being Rams who are currently a mid-table Nat 1 side at present.

Yes Bill I did read it and as with many things I totally disagree with your views.

Ah yes, JZSmith2 resorting to name-calling. There can be no truer sign of a lost argument or weakness and lack of ability to contribute constructively to a discussion. 

To agree to disagree is absolutely fine with me, however name-calling on an online forum is utterly pathetic. That's all I can say on the matter as it detracts from the actual point of this topic thread.
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Points: 140 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JZSmith2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jan 2026 at 13:53
Originally posted by SweetChariot SweetChariot wrote:

Originally posted by JZSmith2 JZSmith2 wrote:

Originally posted by SweetChariot SweetChariot wrote:

Have you read the article? 

The logic for the proposed name change and rebranding is quite clear on the part of Simon Vickers, who I believe has been involved with Chinnor RFC for decades. 

This seems to be about broadening their reach and developing greater interest levels, fanbase and potential sponsorship opportunities beyond Chinnor, Thame and Oxfordshire itself to encompass the wider Berks, and Bucks area also. The potential to bring many more thousands of people to the fold (not to mention potential players) could only help the club to kick on, with talk of a bigger ground in the future also. 

I admire Vickers' drive and vision, and it makes a great deal of sense to capitalise on a far larger area, especially as Chinnor are now the top rugby club in the Thames Valley, following the demise of London Irish a few years ago, with the next best placed team in the region being Rams who are currently a mid-table Nat 1 side at present.

Yes Bill I did read it and as with many things I totally disagree with your views.

Ah yes, JZSmith2 resorting to name-calling. There can be no truer sign of a lost argument or weakness and lack of ability to contribute constructively to a discussion. 

To agree to disagree is absolutely fine with me, however name-calling on an online forum is utterly pathetic. That's all I can say on the matter as it detracts from the actual point of this topic thread.

How terrible to be called Bill eh Bill? 

You may also wish to consider whether your patronising initial comment contributes constructively to a discussion but I suspect you won't.
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FHLH View Drop Down
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Points: 5871 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FHLH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jan 2026 at 14:09
Not to be confused with Thames Valley Harriers near Wormwood Scrubs.

Anything to broaden the appeal of a club must be good, existing supporters will come anyway and new ones may be encouraged to come as well as players moving into the area. 







Edited by FHLH - 17 Jan 2026 at 14:10
"My father told me big men fall just as quick as little ones, if you put a sword through their hearts."
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Points: 137 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SweetChariot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jan 2026 at 14:40
Originally posted by FHLH FHLH wrote:

Not to be confused with Thames Valley Harriers near Wormwood Scrubs.

Anything to broaden the appeal of a club must be good, existing supporters will come anyway and new ones may be encouraged to come as well as players moving into the area. 


Agreed FHLH, you've hit the nail on the head.
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islander View Drop Down
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Points: 8026 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote islander Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2026 at 15:31
Originally posted by FHLH FHLH wrote:

Not to be confused with Thames Valley Harriers near Wormwood Scrubs.



Nor indeed with Thames Valley Royals, the provisional title for the merger proposed by Robert Maxwell between Oxford United and Reading football clubs in the 1980s. The idea was short-lived and unpopular...
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fatbear View Drop Down
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Points: 3336 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fatbear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2026 at 16:06
Originally posted by islander islander wrote:

Originally posted by FHLH FHLH wrote:

Not to be confused with Thames Valley Harriers near Wormwood Scrubs.



Nor indeed with Thames Valley Royals, the provisional title for the merger proposed by Robert Maxwell between Oxford United and Reading football clubs in the 1980s. The idea was short-lived and unpopular...
The only other phrase with Thames Valley that I think of is Thames Valley Police, and the cases of Morse, Lewis and Endeavour !

Midsomer Murders is filmed in Thame and the surrounding areas, so perhaps Midsomer Murderers RFC ?!
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Points: 5871 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FHLH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2026 at 17:39
And Thames Valley Buses will get you to the ground
"My father told me big men fall just as quick as little ones, if you put a sword through their hearts."
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Points: 2816 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Member728 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jan 2026 at 07:40
Not sure I agree after all is this not an example of TV franchising
Seriously though not sure it would attract more people just ask Doncaster supporters whether they  go to watch Yorkshire Carnegie
Chinnor congratulations on a fine run 
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Points: 3702 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KnightsBoy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jan 2026 at 09:18
Originally posted by Member728 Member728 wrote:

Not sure I agree after all is this not an example of TV franchising
Seriously though not sure it would attract more people just ask Doncaster supporters whether they  go to watch Yorkshire Carnegie
Chinnor congratulations on a fine run 



They have re-branded again, now called Leeds Tykes, and the answer is no we didn't start going to watch Yorkshire, nether did fans of Titans, Hull, Sheffield etc.  the crowds they got were dismal.

But it has been said earlier that the Chinnor situation is different to the one at Leeds due to the Thame valley area not having the rugby clubs in the area.  I don't know the area well enough to know if this is true


Edited by KnightsBoy - 20 Jan 2026 at 09:24
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fatbear View Drop Down
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Points: 3336 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fatbear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jan 2026 at 13:05
Originally posted by KnightsBoy KnightsBoy wrote:

Originally posted by Member728 Member728 wrote:

Not sure I agree after all is this not an example of TV franchising
Seriously though not sure it would attract more people just ask Doncaster supporters whether they  go to watch Yorkshire Carnegie
Chinnor congratulations on a fine run 



They have re-branded again, now called Leeds Tykes, and the answer is no we didn't start going to watch Yorkshire, nether did fans of Titans, Hull, Sheffield etc.  the crowds they got were dismal.

But it has been said earlier that the Chinnor situation is different to the one at Leeds due to the Thame valley area not having the rugby clubs in the area.  I don't know the area well enough to know if this is true
There are plenty of rugby clubs in the Thames Valley Region but not many in the higher levels of the Leagues. Rams are in National League One, Henley and Oxford Harlequins are in National League Two East. Bracknell and Maidenhead are at step 5 
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