These conspiracy theories make great reading, we get the additional quota and nothing else - everybody has their views on the rights and wrongs of this, so not really worth going over old ground.

I fully respect that everybody has an opinion, but if you are going to enter the debate at least get your facts right.

As has been stated, a lot of the Aussies are on EU passports and these players are available to all to sign - we just happened to get in first - there is nothing to stop any other club doing the same.

We have also suffered with the UKBA rules - we have been blocked from signing 3 players who played in this country last year (two for us and one at Skolars) - no bending of the criteria.

The cost of these players is also often misunderstood - quite simply, it is cheaper and easier to get overseas players to base themselves in the North East, than it is to get UK players to uproot homes and jobs.

Since receiving the additional quota, Thunder have always made enquiries about UK based players, but some of the figures they ask for are ridiculous.

We had the same quota earlier in the season when you stuck 70 on us and nobody said a word.

Unless people can back up their conspiracy claims - the claims have no credence.

It is a shame that a great game yesterday is ignored because losing fans can not take defeat at the hands of "the likes of Gateshead".

Gateshead fans will continue to hold their heads up at every game and wish fans of opposition clubs the best for the future in the greatest game - even if that clearly not reciprocated.

Therin lies the problem , much easier to get Aussies on a holiday for a few months who can be employed cheaply quite often on community work than getting people to give up hard to find real jobs and then start again up in the North East

other clubs can. Fax and Fev can sign as many aussies on Kolpak ruling as they like. So long as they have a current Eu passport, they qualify to play in this country. Fax, should they wish and finances available, can have 17 Aussies playing for them next sunday!

The fact that this is not the norm in the championship would suggest that they'd come at a premium.

I thought the ruling had been changed as of this season to players being 'federation trained' so they couldn't just be signed on an EU passport?

Thought that was the reason Henderson had to leave Cas & Rinaldi Quinns

Having an EU passport makes you exempt from the Federation trained ruling as does coming from a Kolpak nation or if a player has played for a team for 6 years..

Still not answered how can you on 200 or 300 fans afford them?

Backers.

How do you think Harlequins haven't sunk without trace?

Nowt wrong with backers.

Indeed , even councils

Backers. Money men. Yer Steve O'Connors and yer man from Wales - what's he called? Leighton Samuels. That type of person. A backer. How hard is that to comprehend?

It would appear that the RFL will pay for community staff, who conveniently double up as players for the club. I have no idea if its true, but it certainly sounds possible that Gateshead are profiting 1st by getting players paid for them, but also the quota sitiuation i.e. access to more funding and more players than the rest of the clubs.

It kind of reminds me of what was going on at Celtic - I'm not if it was a joke but someone did say last year that the address for the RFL community development in Wales wasThe Brewery Field, Bridgend - Wouldn't surprise me one bit if it was true. I wonder just how many past and present Celtic players have been paid for by RFL money in the name of community development? Could be zero, might be a lot, I don't think you'd get a straight answer if you asked the RFL would you?

Not brewery field

But it is based at at the same address as a co called Dekor uk , which as I'm sure many people know is Leighton Samuels company , Mr Samuels being the owner of Celtic Crusaders

I stand corrected and apologise for my insinuation

Who funds the trust ?