Stop talking absolute carp! Can I ask this seriously...

IF WIDNES AREN'T NEAR SELF SUSTAINABLE WITHOUT O'CONNOR HOW THE FUGDE IS ANY OTHER SIDE GOING TO BE IN OUR DIVISION???

As for previous mention of Samuel, the proof is in the pudding, O'Connor is still here and is increasingly improving the club in various forms and has in the process of sealing a major deal for land to go towards a training facility for the club. Samuel sold the ground from Crusaders to line his pocket and let them get charged rent they can' afford... think it through a little bit!

Again, you where the one's saying without 200k winnings you were in a mess, also your club budgeted on going X rounds in both cup comps... Not sure what sort of high ground your trying to take here?

We know were we are at the start of 2011 thank you.

I don't think the club said we were in trouble with out the 200k it was speculation on this forum. Where would widnes be if they hadn't been given, was it 2 million gift to give them 1 million profit ? What will happen when he quits widnes and you have a mediocre team loosing more games than you win Again and the crowds fall?

So Widnes lost 1 million and you made a profit despite your major sponsor going under and on 500 less average crowds?

Again... Think about this one?

Interesting thought coming out from this thread - and a scary one. Just suppose we did get the nod in July. How the hell in God's name will we compete in SL? Unless we're backed up financially to some tune all we're ever going to do from day one is struggle to compete. It's not that I lack ambition and fortune does favour the brave but I'm not sure I want to see teams despatching us into oblivion like they did in 2003.

It will only work if we get some backing. A "Steve O'Connor" is not just a desirable commodity - it's a must!!!

This is all speculation, if we did get the nod then the whole club would have to change, at the minute we are Championship outfit with aspirations of getting to the promised land as a result we have to cut our cloth accordingly. I do not think a major backer is the answer and as a club we should be aiming to be self sufficient as a Major Backer cannot guarantee the long term security of the club.

All the noises coming out of the club are very encouraging and surely how we would compete in SL would be a nice problem to have, I just hope the RL give us a fair crack of the whip and take our bid seriously.

Never understood this whole biting thing... someone posts something surely it invites comment.

Halifax are now there or thereabouts off the field (which as we all know is really where it counts this time around). However these developments are all recent. Three years commitment to these areas of improvement will count them in good stead for 2015 as it has for us since our initial knock back.

I think whilst the ink is still wet from announcing the launch of these associations, the creation of this/these youth team(s) etc etc the RFL will act cautiously.

Widnes fans cry more than my 6 week old Baby daughter. And Des wont be happy that Barrow are being ignored.

You have a 6 week old daughter Neil? I never knew, you should have mentioned it on some of your comments mate.

Every single SL club relies on one or a few. A major backer is the only route to a [icompetitive[/i stint in SL.