Barlow Cant pay no matter who they take the matter too. He knew the clause when he left Sheffield and signed with Halifax - Under no circumstances is he allowed to play against Sheffield in the 2010 season. FACT!!!!
It is a shame for Barlow, but i think good management by Mark Aston, you guys would be the same if the tables where in your favour.

I'd injure myself lacing my boots!

Just for reference:-
Since I've watched rovers

Jan 73 - 9300 for cup match v Salford
Wire 73 V Rovers - 15600 of which a phenominal turn out from fev
76 v Leeds in the cup again - 12200
77? Widnes - again in the cup 9k(ish)

Notice - the day we won the league in 76 - 2936!! - the league ave that year (albeit at a time when RL was really struggling was about 2300 if memory serves me correctly)

83 - Fev/ponty/knottla/goole/selby were bled dry on the day of the challenge cup final!! (really it was the same in 67 & 73 but of course I can't reference that!!!

88 - 9k for Leeds in the opener.
Games against Wigan and cas have sinced stretched the place to capacity, but I take your point - 6.7k is your lot nowadays!

Since 95 we've towed - and towed a lot!!!!

BUT, - Our 2007 ave was something like 1100 for the league prog - but the club sold approaching 5k tickets for that day - and loads paid on the door or got tickets direct from the RFL - as they already have done for the 26th!

There are more examples - I've selected a few!

Yes - 5-6k is realistic

To be honest, it would help Sheffield if he plays. He's a liability and our lads know how to wind him up.

Should be a good game. We've been in decent nick the last few weeks, but in our last two encounters against Fax we've been useless. I've predicted the Eagles would lose the last three weeks and been wrong… so I'm going for Fax

Seriously, though, it should be a good game. I don't think anyone at the club (bar Tubby) thought we'd get this far, so the fact that we have is a bonus.

Whoever wins, it would be nice to see Fev brought down to earth in the final

Jeez - you've already been thrown out of one competition this year and you want to keep pushing your luck.

Hopefully theres no mention of play offs, only league season fixtures.... Fingers crossed, we need fit players, options, Barlow has to play if he can. Personally i think the league is over, and unless it specifically mentions eliminators then we should be alllowed to play him.
Michael Steele and the RFL owe us one here i think.

League's not over, 2010's not over.

After embarrassing the RFL four months ago, why do you think they "owe you one" ?

While its unlikely that Sam will play, Justthebasicfax makes a valid point in that the wording of any documentation could be crucial. Although it is believed that he cannot play in the league programme in 2010 there might well remain a loophole if the play offs are not covered or mentioned in the agreement, i know its pedantic but....we will see!

Regardless, its not just about one player, whoever wins will have to be up to it from 1 - 17, hopefully that will be Halifax.

I have noticed that alot of the home games i have been to this year are quieter than last year by along way. We dont seem to shout and sing like we did last year, Now and then we have a sing but i think for 80 minutes on thursday it needs to be OOOOhhhhhhhh HALI HALI and drown out that damn drum !!!!

I have to say i dont know which way this is gonna go but i will be there regardless cheering my heart out and hoping we can make it 2 years on the bounce.

Ah - that rules Barlow out then. He's number 27.

Chatting to a Sheffield player on sunday and he said no way will Mark Aston let Barlow play

It might not be up to him, if the play offs are not mentioned in the contract.

However we have to accept that if that was the deal then that was the deal and we shall have to live with it.

I agree, A contract is a Contract, If i was Steele, i would leave it be, You never know when we might want to buy some more players from sheffield, they might not look to kindly in future if we try this one. Also as well as Barlow has played this year, i would not like to see him lose his disciplin on the pitch 'cause of Sheff players niggling at him and ending up losing a man.

Best decision, leave Sam out if we can ( if we have enough fit other players ).