So NS, what happens if Saints draw Wigan in the first round proper of the Challenge Cup at Langtree screwfix.
Would you class that as an important game?

Each of the clubs season ticket holder is entitled to one free ticket. Could be fun if it happens.

What's with the Screwfix reference? I thought you of all people would see having LP as a dedicated RL facility a positive for the sport? Aren't you too old to be using the trolling techniques of a 9 year old?

We know the ground is not big enough, but will the cladding be finished in time for Good Friday ?

Why is the ground not big enough dearest? How big was Knowsley Road? How often will we sell out 18,500 tickets in order to make the extra few million making it bigger would have cost?

In truth it will only potentially sell out twice, Warrington and Wigan. It's simply not worth going for a 28,000 capacity that we would probably need for just those two games.

As for the cladding, it was gonig to be, but I've asked Eammon for it to be left off the East stand so the Goons can get wet.

What I don't understand is why there is a 'Saints game ticket request' thread on the Wigan forum with people saying they'll pay above the odds, when Saints are still selling tickets on the internet for the game?

Anyone with a bit of loose change could potentially buy a job lot and sell them for mucho profito to Goons who were too dumb to realise they were on sale.

Forget that, it appears the free ticket for the first round has been scrapped this year.

It's no different to the Saints reference to Goons, stade de crust or the piedome, lighten up.

The use of Trailer Park or Standish with Langtree Park, Stains etc. I can understand all of these being used but Screwfix??? That is just very poor, although from you I really don't know why I'm suprised.

Eh? Of course I would you silly little troll... The result of Challenge Cup games are all important as their result matters as far as trophy wins are concerned [iby the very definition of what they bleedin' well are[/i... Do try to keep up...

I travel from Leeds for Matches, and that can be a mare at the best of times, so you have my total sympathy having to come from Northampton. It's not so much the journey there, it's the journey back.

I understand that people are fishing on the back of an earlier thread about the playoffs, but lets face it alot of people struggled to travel the few minutes to Widnes last year, so northampton may not like the system but still puts his money and time where his mouth is.

Anyone who has to travel long distances on a Friday night on Britain's motorway network to watch Saints has my sympathy, but also has my admiration. I can fully understand why people would pick and choose matches to watch. I also concede that the playoffs (especially in their current format) have diminished the meaning of the regular season fixtures.

However...

I wouldn't class them as meaningless. NS states that the regular season games are meaningless friendlies (or 85% of them are), and states this as FACT. This isn't FACT, it's opinion.

Here are a few facts - if you only win the 15% meaningful games (by implication, if 85% are meaningless), you will have accrued 8 league points (27 * 15% * 2) which won't qualify you for the playoffs. Therefore, to qualify for the playoffs, you must win some of the other games, which implies they must have meaning.

Also, there are 4 trophies to play for each season - Challenge Cup, Grand Final, World Club Championship, and League Leaders Shield. To win the LLS, you must have the highest number of points after the regular season fixtures - therefore, in pursuit of this trophy, every regular season fixture is important. That is fact. It is opinion (and admittedly, the general consensus) that the LLS has very little stature when compared to the CC and GF - but it is still a trophy to play for.

In my opinion, the top 8 playoff format does spoil the league (top 5 format was the best system IMHO). Leeds winning from 5th last year was an amazing achievement, but that won't be the norm, and I am pretty confident that this year's GF winner won't come from outside the top 4. However, there is very little difference finishing anywhere in the top 4, other than home advantage for the top 2 - but we showed that home advantage doesn't always count for a lot, as we beat Wigan away (and Leeds beat Wire away). What this means is that a loss in a regular season fixture isn't as crucial as previous years, as long as you earn enough league points in other games. That doesn't make them meaningless - just that they have less meaning

So, in my opinion, the regular season fixtures are not meaningless friendlies. Not stating this as fact, just my opinion.

NS - as I said, I completely understand why you would pick and choose matches - I did the same when I lived in Leamington Spa.

(Back on topic) Forgot to say that I phoned up Saints to get a ticket for my Dad this morning. Only unallocated seating left, and of that, Block B in the North has sold out.