There is always going to be a big gulf between a full time league and a part time league.

A strength of Widnes is that (it appears) they have the financial muscle to put together a full time squad, and rather than in the old days of promotion and relegation they have had three years to prepare for it, and around 10 months to put it together.

The demography of the town has changed since the 70's and 80's, as well as not getting into SL.

Halifax are currently bottom of the Division due to some players having left because they had the salary cap dispensation last year due to contractual obligations.

So you are going to watch us getting smashed next season --- you are privy to our potential signings, then?

This £300k thing is a misnomer from the off.

Fax, Barrow and the rest of the contenders for a SL spot spent their £300k on seasoned, good pro's with the aim of ticking the box - Fax & Barrow ticked the box but had no real academy back up or a consistent line of youngsters being introduced to the 1st team to prepare them for games at a higher level.

Widnes ticked the box while having a youth structure in place - one which proved as good as and more often than not better than most Superleague clubs last season.

Some of these youngsters were promoted to the 1st team squad and acquited themselves very well but ultimately if they are regularly playing against the older pro's then they will be taught a lesson or two along the way. It's called development.

Widnes spent/spend their £300k on a mixture of youth and experience and also invest heavily in the youth set up - a policy that will pay dividends in the long term. Other clubs spending their £300k on older pro's and decent players at Champonship level would have a more difficult job in building a competitive SL side as they will have pretty much no 1st teamers to take to SL and also no youth set up to provide sustainability in the longer term.

Widnes will not have to build from scratch whereas other clubs pretty much would have to.

How is that? Because it produced more players? What level are those players playing at now? Which SuperLeague clubs in particular are you talking about?

I'm not saying that widnes don't have a good youth structure but I've seen it posted a few times that it is some sort of wonderful example of the concept without anything to back it up. Until it starts producing SL quality players then you cannot sensibly compare it to SL clubs.

He mentions 'last season' which would infer on the pitch performances. Your right the key is bringing players through but the way the academy performs can't be completely overlooked too.

Also how do you define SL quality? Just a player in a SL squad playing say 5 games a year? Or someone who is actually a first teamers who makes a big contribution to the side? E.g. Is Lee Mitchell SL quality just because the club he came through at are in SL? Are the likes of Craven & Flynn at Widnes nit because they came through our academy?

Quote: Ian 77 Redux "How is that? Because it produced more players? What level are those players playing at now? Which SuperLeague clubs in particular are you talking about? I'm not saying that widnes don't have a good youth structure but I've seen it posted a few times that it is some sort of wonderful example of the concept without anything to back it up. Until it starts producing SL quality players then you cannot sensibly compare it to SL clubs.'" www.therfl.co.uk/matchday/results The results in the link suggest that we are producing as good, if not better quality youngsters than Superleague clubs. You are right to suggest that the proof of the pudding is how far these kids go but as these results prove, we are punching above our weight in such exalted company. It will take some time to see whether these youngsters make it in Superleague but that is what the structure is about - producing youngsters who will develop into SL standard players and the club have done it in such a way that these kids will be ready when Widnes are in SL. That's pretty good structured development if you ask me. P.S. Widnes have also produced Steve Nash who played for Salford in SL (admittedly now back in the championship), Adam Sidlow and a certain Richie Myler - not just SL quality but England quality .

Quote: Ian 77 Redux "How is that? Because it produced more players? What level are those players playing at now? Which SuperLeague clubs in particular are you talking about? I'm not saying that widnes don't have a good youth structure but I've seen it posted a few times that it is some sort of wonderful example of the concept without anything to back it up. Until it starts producing SL quality players then you cannot sensibly compare it to SL clubs.'" www.therfl.co.uk/matchday/results The results in the link suggest that we are producing as good, if not better quality youngsters than Superleague clubs. You are right to suggest that the proof of the pudding is how far these kids go but as these results prove, we are punching above our weight in such exalted company. It will take some time to see whether these youngsters make it in Superleague but that is what the structure is about - producing youngsters who will develop into SL standard players and the club have done it in such a way that these kids will be ready when Widnes are in SL. That's pretty good structured development if you ask me. P.S. Widnes have also produced Steve Nash who played for Salford in SL (admittedly now back in the championship), Adam Sidlow and a certain Richie Myler - not just SL quality but England quality .