Can't see how that would be in Sky's interests, as they'd lose the advertising revenue generated from screening the game and would no doubt still have to foot the production costs. If the Beeb or ITV wanted to screen live Super League games, then they'd have at least put in a bid at the last negotiations, regardless of how little their chances of winning (the two could at least compete with each other for the highlights package).

because they are a bigger club with double our fanbase, plus the main reason they lost out was because of historical financial issues, all sounds ironic now that Crusaders cash man has bottled it!

Only Leigh fans (and apparently Jonathon Davies) think Leigh DESERVE a place in SL. Most RL fans think Widnes should be in SL or at least that they have as much right to be in SL as any of the existing clique.

Once the RFL are able conqour the whole of Lancashire & Yorkshire and strive to have RL played regular in the local schools of area's such as Bolton, Blackburn and Burnley alongside healthy amateur sides, then I will happily support their expansionship initiatives into Wales, London etc

Well the game will never expand i have always said it as football and union too strong in other areas.When will the rfl listen.London attendances are not that great for a capital.

The game can expand but lets get the roots right or like a weak tree it will topple over.

ahh confucius say

He does mention leigh first but he also says "especially" Widnes not that I'm splitting hairs

But I think we're all in agreement that if our club's finances went to the wall the RFL wouldn't go to half the efforts they are going for the Crusaders. While everyone is wrapped up in this fiasco at the RFL I wonder how much help Keighley are getting. A proper heartland club who are being neglected really in favour of this circus.

If commitments and guarantees are broken it should be the same rules for whatever club regardless of location. Noble has now said that he is going to fill the the clubs quota of 14 overseas players. And there was me thinking franchising was to develop youngsters for the international stage.

What's happening with the visa irregularities enquiry?

The whole thing makes my blood boil

well if it goes of fans then both clubs should be in from past super league attendances we bettered 3 existing super league clubs and we where poor also all the widnes fans talk up their club and a lot of Leigh fans talk our club down maybe if we talked our club up more the rest of rugby league world might belive it as they do Widnes that went bust not long ago.

whats was Leighs average attendance when they were in SL last time and what is it compared to the teams youve mentioned?

Ok will widnes do as that is my club.

just short of 5k if my memory serves. Better than Salford and Broncos. Wonder what our crowds would have been if we had won a few more than 2 games.

Yes widnes went bust but it was in completely different hands to the ones it is now. It annoys me the constant harping on about how we were rather snookered a couple of years ago. So were London Broncos/Harlequins. Only difference being the RFL bent over backwards to keep them at top table. But in Widnes' case it was given as the reason they couldn't go in to super league. One rule for one, entirely different for another. The club has never been run better than it is now and the entire set up just belongs in super league! Holding a fiasco that occured under a different watch against our current chairman who has been dignified and levelheaded throughout was, and still is, a travesty.

But lets be fair you wouldn't have known or cared about that fiasco had you won that GF game and got in SL. You are now proving your worth off the field.

Well there wouldnt have been a fiasco if we'd have won and gone up

We put all our badly laid eggs in one basket and got shown up.

Fair enough. It was a terrible move made by terrible business people.

What the holy hell that has to do with the present is beyond me. We have more wealth than we have ever had. We are making investments in our future. Making improvements. Surely that should outweigh a badly judged past risk?

In any other walk of life, an organisation that nearly bit the dust forever, only to work hard to get back to some sort of steady ground (this is the RFL after all!) would be commended and not have past wrongs rammed down their throats.