Possibly they should all sign Canadian players! Oh wait a minute.

Where is the evidence that the Canadian High Commission are "stepping in"? All the original post says is an unsubstantiated claim that TWP is "working with" TWP. That's very different.

In life, a criminal record makes things difficult. Just ask Alexis Sanchez. The Canadian authorities will not and should not change their policies on admitting people of bad character into their country just to appease RL so it is up to our clubs to manage that situation - either apply for the right visa in good time (using the support provided by TWP if necessary), rethink their recruitment policies, or acknowledge that employing people with a criminal past comes with downsides..

Oh, and give it a rest with the "backbone of the game" nonsense. The amateur community game is the backbone - L1 and the Championship, with its badly run clubs holding out the begging bucket, is more like the flabby beer gut of the game.

The problem that many 'poorly run' Championship clubs face (and indeed SL clubs) is that the squad they end up with, late in the season, can bear little similarity to the one they started the season with, when the fixtures became known. I believe Batley (and they are not a 'poorly run' club, in my opinion) had eight players unavailable through injury, one suspended and a couple who couldn't get time off work. They then fill in the blanks, with what they can get.

'Criminal records' (including, I believe, motoring offences, by the way) are not necessarily the number one priority, when employing a player. I wonder how many current SL players have a 'criminal record'? The newspaper article stated that SL clubs involved in the 'Middle 8's', were concerned that some of their players would be refused entry into Canada. That would suggest that 'criminal records' are not just restricted to 'poorly run' Championship clubs.

Good post Alan, it's just that the poster above you is a top snob.

It's not "snobbish" to expect things to be better.

Hey stirer i only see one club with the begging bucket out this morning

So SL don’t have badly run clubs then?

Traveling to Canada is extremely straightforward, any club in danger of playing in the middle 8’s competition should have sorted their own players visas out months ago.

I never said they didn't. My issue is with this "backbone of the game" self aggrandisement that so many posters around here seem to partake in. If that really is the backbone of the game, it's no suprise that the rest of the body is weak.

Maybe the experts on here could tell me how long it takes to get clearance to visit Canada if you have a criminal record? Batley worked closely with the immigration service provided by TWP but still couldn't get clearance for one of their players.

If players have a criminal record that’s their own problem. They would have faced similar problems playing in the World Cup or the Denver Test. It is not Toronto’s fault if players at other clubs have criminal records.

Obviously its incumbent on clubs to get paperwork sorted ASAP and not leave it until the last minute. Apply for visas for all players and staff at the start of the season and make sure all dual reg and loan clubs are doing the same. In fact it's in the interests of all clubs to do it anyway. It might be an extra expense but it can't be ignored.