Who are 'Celtic'?

If you're talking about 'Crusaders Rugby League', you may want to consider that we are currently playing in a ground that will be fully redeveloped by 2012. So, if we don't get our own shiny new stadium, we have a contingency plan.

You may also want to consider our development system. Our Under 18's won the National Youth League last season (and have only lost one this season), our Reserve team won their league the previous season. Then there's the small matter of Elliot Kear, Ashley Bateman, Lloyd White, Gil Dudson, Ben Flower, Geraint Rhys Davies, Lee Williams and Lewis Mills. All products of the Crusaders short four year stint as a club, all Welsh, and all European Champions.

I'd hate to see Wakey or Cas out of SL by the way, I liked both sets of fans down at ours, and enjoyed my only away trip this season up to Wakey, but stop posting such drivel.

Very true, how can Lewis decide someone is going down before any applications have been put in. It hardly sounds like that the powers to be will viewing the applications neutrally. If I was the chairman of several under threat SL clubs I would be seeking legal advice in anticipation of the worst case scenario.

I really wish we would scrap the franchise and bring back P/L. At the end of the day it's a competition, things should be decided on the field of play, not behind closed doors by a few business men.

The RFL have been clear from the start that it was likely that a team would be demoted - unless the SL was being expanded - subject to suitable clubs from the champonship applying. all SL clubs know this and accept it. No legal action is likely.

In Harrogate this week the SL clubs will have the chance to discuss the Licence procedure etc. If wakey have a probem with it I am sure they will raise it.

A club , which will be decided by the franchise applications

Just in the same way that what was the point in Widnes applying last time when after assurances to the contrary that their previous financial problems would not be held against them , they were the reason given for them not getting a SL place

Touloooooose?

Why ? they finished next to bottom with a team full of 4th rate aussies...mind you they would fit in well in super league on that point alone

If Salford were to stay in SL I would only be happy if they were to move from Salford to here; www.sportcity-manchester.com/pages/arena.asp with a view to increasing the capacity of the arena. Its in Sportscity, so the facilities there are phenomenal! Its next to the Eastlands football ground, so it would tap into those who know that iconic venue. My own view, though controversial, is that Salford should change its name to Manchester with the move. Being a resident of Manchester I know that the residents of Manchester will not go to Salford for a sporting event and little or no people know about the City Reds because it is in Salford. If RL is to successfully tap into the Manchester connurbation it needs to embrace the Manchester identity, which includes a move to a Manchester-centric venue and it needs to have a venue that has world class facilities.

If Salford were to stay in SL I would only be happy if they were to move from Salford to here; www.sportcity-manchester.com/pages/arena.asp with a view to increasing the capacity of the arena. Its in Sportscity, so the facilities there are phenomenal! Its next to the Eastlands football ground, so it would tap into those who know that iconic venue. My own view, though controversial, is that Salford should change its name to Manchester with the move. Being a resident of Manchester I know that the residents of Manchester will not go to Salford for a sporting event and little or no people know about the City Reds because it is in Salford. If RL is to successfully tap into the Manchester connurbation it needs to embrace the Manchester identity, which includes a move to a Manchester-centric venue and it needs to have a venue that has world class facilities.

This is, of course, an untruth.

What they were told was that going bust 6 months before would not prevent them submitting an application. No one told them that their application would get special treatment and the clear licence criteria (including the one about a proven financial record) would be ignored in their case and their case alone.

Makes me laugh all these 'glass half empty' merchants who doubt Widnes's ability to get a 10k average in time.

When were last a real force in the top flight, we hit an average touching 8.5k in two successive seasons. Since then the town and it's suburbs population has grown by some 10,000 and also the town's average house price has rocketed making it likely there is rather more disposable income knocking around.

10k? Give us a chance and we'll show ya...

Toulouse and Widnes in. Wakey and Crusaders out.

The success of Widnes and the calibre of players you could put in that team over many years should have drawn crowds of well over 10k for many years ,Not just two imo.

Link

In that regard, St Helens should be averaging 20,000.

But they aren't. In fact, they're barely average 10,000 themselves.

Does it matter?

Get a grip, what do Harlequins offer that Crusaders don't?

Nothing , in fact less than what the Crusaders offer , at least they will help us get another country to a better level