The problem is, they didn't. They were only allowed to talk to players in September, same as every other club. So unless they fielded a team of antipodeans, they were always going to struggle to raise a team of the right skill level for this season because there was no flexibility on the rules for recruitment of British players. And their coach was recruiting from a Championship perspective, which would have been harder to do (assessing what level of skill the players need to compete). Furthermore, how many top dog players want to go to the new club on the block? Relatively few I should think.

The staff will have a better idea of the players available and what standard of player they require this time around.

Thats a little naive.
They can't officially talk to players, but everyone knows that agents and clubs are in talks for months.

My point was though that they had no advantage over other clubs in spite of being told of the decision concerning their licence in the March. So that lead in time made no difference to them.

Good point.

From what I hear on Try Time SO'C - or maybe Betts, I forget - was saying that they had two main problems with recruitment: that some of the available players were wary of coming to a team that was going to struggle, when they could be paid the same or more at a club with more chance of success; and that some of the available players (Aussie journeymen, I shouldn't wonder) were asking for inflated salaries to come to a club where there was so much work to be done. So they went for players they thought would work hard to get the club up to SL speed, and would be willing to go through the struggling early days. Some of that recruitment has worked well (e.g. Ah Van) - some not so much (Moore).

They're not doing great, so far - but I think it's too early to chuck out licensing.

I'm happy widnes got back into SL because of what had gone on in previous years but after borrowing a few players for a month to win the NR cup and buy a tick in the box they did a grand total of nothing to improve on the pitch for the next two and a half seasons. They were pitiful in the championship.

They did nothing to develop their first team squad over the last year or two so anyone who saw them regularly in that period won't be overly surprised to see them getting whacked now. You can't buy a side in 4 months but you can spend a year or two investing and developing a half decent one and then strengthen it in the close season ready to hit SL running.

But, they didn't, they got the tick early doors and sat back making great strides off the pitch which are commendable, but nowt on it. Watching Leigh who were and still are miles behind them on so many fronts put 100 past them in two games after they were awarded their SL place was an embarrassment to the sport.

I agree 100% but all the above was done to tick all the boxes that the RFL required to join SL.

Yes, we all know that a RL club has to be run as a business but you also need to hang onto the basic concept that it is also a sport and part of the entertainment business and if you don't entertain then you have a failed business even if you manage to balance the books.

I don't blame Widnes, I blame the system. We all know that the old system had it's faults but so does the current system and it certainly needs a rethink.

Couldn't agree more.

I dont think it helped promoting a team who were obviously not even the best tesm in the league they were in. saying that they've got 3 years to try and improve.

I could have sworn I read that the RFL have already said a Championship club would be put into SL in 2015?

The crux of the problem, IMO.

Granting a licence to a Championship club on the basis that it's the "best" (on and off the field) club in the Championship without considering whether it is more suitable for SL than any of the current SL clubs is a nonsense.

All licence applications should be submitted at the same time and judged on the same criteria. If an existing Championship club is one of the top 14 (or however many clubs are required in SL) applicants, they're in. If not, they miss out.

But then we’re back to the old chestnut of comparing apples & oranges.

There would have to be some ‘weighting’ of the process, otherwise the incumbent clubs will win hands down.

In the current climate of pandering to the big money backers, promote the team with the wealthiest backer/ biggest bank balance.
Our game is becoming less and less like a sport its just down to cash.
Whatever happened to the top team winning the league and the bottom team getting relegated, plus the top team from Div 1 getting promoted.
I know that the situation is far from straight forward but the game is disappearing up its own
It seems strange to have a salary cap sysetem that still means clubs are going into admin, or that a wealthy backer can distort by adding a disproportionate
lump of cash.

I don't think they have. Anyone post a link?

I'm sure they haven't.

It depends if circumstamces change. They certainly did for Celtic. They certainly would if Hughes walked away from London.