I for one hope that Widnes turn it around....the game needs strong clubs and Warrington benefit from a strong local rivalry.

I agree and I can't stand Widnes. The difference here is that if they go down they could quite easily fold they wont galvanise like HKR did recently and that can't be good in anyone's book, can it?

Sure, a 'luminary' like Jonno might not be able to contain his joy if the roles were reversed, but, we need more and better competition not less. I get that say TWP might come in and do that, but, IMO a 12 team premier division is too few and the likes of them, Toulouse, London, Halifax together with Featherstone Leigh and Bradford should be pushing for and being ready for the top not scrapping it out at the bottom of our sports 'barrel'

That said, IF they go down they deserve it but I won't be laughing.....too much

Looking at it selfishly, it does us (the club) no favours.
1500 Wids turn up, spending their £23 turnstile money, that's £35,000 the clubs coffers are down.
We won't get that with Toulouse, Toronto, Cats or London.

Expansion is good in many parts, yet it has many cons, too.

Yes, we'll titter at Jonnothegreat, for his general muppetry, but the fact is, another old name will be teetering on the brink. Bradford and Fax show no sign of making a return soon. Leigh and Salford are on dodgy ground.

Let's make no bones about this. Widnes are where they are, for one reason. THEY'RE POOH. They've won 3 SL games, this season, the last one being before the clocks went forward. It's their own fault. Survival of the fittest, etc. They had 23 opportunities to sort it out, so no sympathy from me.

In my time of watching us, we've had 3 scrapes with relegation. There'd have been street parties in other towns, HAD we gone down. Wigan went down in 80 (and should've in 06 but for them cheating), and we laughed.

Tough.

Wire vs Widnes one of the few games with an edge in the season, together with Wire/Wigan and Wire/Saints. Collectively our big ticket games.

I get the expanionist dream, but there has not been one sustained success. Catalans were already a well established side in an RL heartland.

I'm really worried about our game it cannot afford teams like Bradford, Widnes etc to be lost in the doldrums.

I doubt we would get the same compassion from our scouse neighbours if the situation was reversed. Let's just rejoice in them losing sleep and worrying themselves sick before they just escape relegation by the skin of their teeth.

I don't want Widnes to get relegated, but why don't their fans turn up for home games?

An average attendance of just over 4,000 is pitiful.

Widnes population is 60,000.

Warrington's population is 202,000.

Statistically they do better than we do in generating attendance from local population.

Yes but don't forget that many Widnes fans live in Warrington, very few vice versa. On my last trip home from the council house after our derby there were almost as many Widnes cars turning off at Penketh as Wire fans.

£35k sounds like a lot of money - and I certainly wouldn’t mind it in my back pocket, but it’s part of a £7m total revenue for the club. Those Widnes speccies in isolation provide just 0.5% of our anual revenue. A drop in the ocean really?

The only way an overseas club like Toronto or Toulouse can add real value to the competition is a domestic paid TV deal that they can add to the pot. IF they can supply that, the Widnes money would pale in to comparison.

Personally I think a two tier competition would seem the right one, with 24 professional clubs spread between them. But that can only be achieved with a French and / or NA TV deal.
Personally I think the likes of Widnes and Salford are displaying all the traits of a second tier club at present.

I hope Widnes stay up as our neighbours. I don't get involved in unclassy topics(unless it's Saints). That's all I'll say on it.

Hope Widnes do stay up but can't see it...they will probably be replaced by Toronto which is right really...agree with the posters that say Widnes offer more than cats London Toronto etc...as for johnno at least he's still sticks around even tho his team are bobbins unlike the saints lot.as anyone heard anything from them or are they on the missing persons list..

Not a very bright idea wishing disease & pestilence on you nearest & dearest especially when they help the club to some of its better gates. A very inviting idea all this overseas expansion but unless it leads to expansion within those countries you are just left with an expensive to run superleague propped up by tv money.

I find Widnes' current plight very sad - nothing to laugh at for me. I remember the Sorensen, Offiah days and it's sad to see them getting a few thousand and looking to be heading out of top flight. Like others have commented - I can't see them coming back any time soon. It feels like the soul of the club has gone and people are just giving up on them. It's a shame as they have some good youngsters. I always thought Betts did a good job and kept them up with little panic but I get the impression the fans have had enough of just surviving.
I never understand why expansion has to be an either or - surely the idea should be that we build on the heartlands and add to it with clubs such as Toronto to create a diverse, vibrant competition. But that would require some strategic thinking - hopefully Elstone and co can start to bring this type of thinking.

whereas I lack Complete Class.

I care not one jot if they go down ...I didn't last time and the time before that and I wont again,

They have been out of Superleague longer than they have been in it. they have only competed in 11 seasons in the entire 23 year history of superleague.

While they were in the second tier we were wining Back to Back challenge cups and a League Leaders shield...seriously did we care about them then ...dont get all misty eyed on me now.

there is Something about Widnes that is completely soulless I don't know whether that's because I know the Town and its a dreadful hole with no discernible Town Centre. But the club just seems to be a huge nothingness.. They did try with the Bobby Robson charity tops for the magic weekend,but the plastic pitch was the only time they have ever been mentioned for something...!!

Thats why Johno the great is raking up a trophy win that had a zero year History when they won it....completely meaningless team....

should be replaced by Bradford sharpish......