Quote: Nat (Rugby_Aholic) "If Widnes get a franchise next time around in my opinion it will be as big a disgrace as Celtic last time. Out of all the Championship clubs there is only one category where they are the clear leaders; attendances and even then they operate at less than 40% capacity of the ground.
Their finances are one of the worst in the league, their turnover massive but their profit small. They have gone bust in the last three years and the only reason they exist is due to a money man.
They are sandwiched in-between two of the top teams in SL at the moment.
Their only achievement was the NL Cup Final and they were carried by the loan players they had.
Their supposed strong youth system is producing players that are getting beat almost every week in the Championship. Second rate Saints and Wigan players are keeping the majority of them out of the squad. If they did get into SL I am sure they would buy a team but how would that be any different to Celtic or Catalans?
I know we also suffer from all these issues but nobody is calling us dead certs for a franchise!'"
Please, if i may take that post apart and show you up for the idiot you are clearly trying to be.
Where do we start, hmmm.
Lets compare the two set ups shall we.
Stadiums. The shay: Nice new stand, One crappy stand, 2 average end stands.
The Stobart Stadium: All seater Stadium, used for internationals, Semi finals, And will be hosting SL next season.
Wow, you got us there.
Crowds: do i need bother, we are having a terrible season yet our crowds have not yet plummeted to the depths you are peaking at. Well done.
Finances, Fax: Reputed to be struggling and scraping by on poor crowds, No cup runs and just basic income. Nooooooo
Widnes: Multi millionaire owner, Best crowds in the division with probably the biggest shirt sponsor in the division. 2 Final appearances and decent showings in the C Cup. Running a successful merchandise shop in the town . Approaching if not exceeding £1M turnover.
Damn got us again.
Youth. Fax: gotta admit when Stanley made his breakthrough for you i thought Wow, he's a big kid he will make an impact when he's not much older. Unlucky for you he found out you didn't run a proper academy set up and had no one his age to play with at the club. Its only right he leaves for pastures new.
Widnes: I admit we are struggling here, Only running teams in every age group and ranking above most SL clubs at all levels including being the current leaders of the 18's league i can see how we fail to impress you.
On the pitch, Fax: Wow, your great. All that silverware you have won over the last 3 years is enough to make anyone jealous. I mean there was the thingy win, oh and that famous night somewhere... And not forgetting the magic day at the nines!. Wow how can we compare.
Widnes: I have to admit here we are not worthy, only 2 cup finals appearances with one victory to our name. We should be ashamed, of the 3 finals we could have appeared in ( not including the CC final ) we have only managed to get to two of them. We are junk.
Then lets look at the general way our clubs are run. Widnes are a benchmark club that works exceptionally hard in the community. We run academies at all levels and all our players are taught about what to expect from life outside of Rugby league. We have a steady board and backroom staff with a chief exec and a rich chairman who loves us. We play by the rules and have not been expelled from any competitions this year, yes sir, not kicked out at all.
Fax: Lets see, we have players launching claims against the club, competition expulsions, no youth set up and a real lack of success on the park. Honestly?
I mean it can get tiresome defending Widnes on here for, in essence, doing everything the RFL expects clubs to do. We are bound to be running a small profit margin if any in this division, we're running how many full teams compared to everyone else in this division? if Fax were running so many academy teams it would destroy you with your current crowds. Im sure people post this crap without engaging their brains.
Name me one other club that has a national TV program Run by them for them? We have Boot's N Widnes every Wednesday on sky sport's.
So lets try this from another point, someone care to point me to a Current Championship club that can compete with what Widnes offer and are doing right now? Anyone?
