What has any of what you have written got to do with Widnes winning the “Club Of The Year” award?
Please explain, because I just don’t see a connection at all.

Of course I don’t think all teams are treated the same, but saying that Widnes have only been given this award because of it, really is low. It really is.

What favours are we getting from anyone?

The club have worked hard and built a club worthy of a Super League licence. We have done this on our own, without any help from the RFL and I see no Championship club that even comes close. That is why we are most peoples favourites (whether they like us or not) to gain a licence. You’ve said as much yourself. So it seems somewhat hypocritical to point the finger at Widnes as an example of RFL cheating on it’s behalf – [sizeas if![/size

We’ve all got these in place. Plus you seem to saying that Featherstone should be rewarded for what they might do next year? - incredidible! It just shows how weak your arguement is.

Do you actually know what Widnes have put in place this year as an actual comparison?

I mean. Unless you know all the facts an details, you really have nothing to get on your high horse about. For instance, do Fev have a player pathway scheme, where players are given the opportunity to learn a trade or take qualifications and degrees? This gives players something to fall back on if they don’t make it, or when they retire. That’s just one element which Widnes have put in place. Widnes are running at a profit, the academy are beating the best Super League have to offer, player pathways, a great community program including the ‘Valhalla Foundation’ and even more infrastructure being put in place within the stadium in the form of media hospitality and broacating rooms. TV companies will appreciate it if every club had such facilities, maybe more channels would want to cover the sport if they did.

What you do need to do is get who you think is the best team, out of the equation, because this has happened before. The best team isn’t always the best club and vice versa. The winner of the League doesn’t always get the “Club Of The Year” award. Was you saying that about the club who won it while not winning the league then? Where they the darlings of the RFL, or is it only when Widnes win it while not being top of the league?

It seems to me that it is.

Here’s an admittance of what I’m saying here by one of your own

Correct!

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I never thought I'd see the day when somebody would actually fall for the bait of Frank.

But I had no idea that my assumptions were incorrect as it has never happened before. I have booked a check up at the hospital and no doubt they will run a brain scan.

My sincere thanks to the Widnes poster who may have saved my life. It was so kind of you. Thanks again.

Dear god we can go on about cr*p cant we.

Personally, From My point of view the way the Club of the year should be awarded is base don what a club manages to achieve in relation to their Resources.

And for Me Featherstone was the club most deserving this. Its a great club that has since managed to get itself heading in the right direction, Both on and off the pitch. Widnes Would have been my second Choice, Maybe thats me having my Widnes tinted glasses on but Even with our greater resources we have come on leaps and Bounds as a club.

Batley, Yes they won the NRC but they will be running the same cap as everyone else so smaller clubs getting to finals and being successful will be more common from now on with the smaller cap. Beyond that Cup run i dont see what Batley have done to Justify being in the top 5, Never mind the club of the year.

Sheffield. These would have been a good choice, Moved into a much better stadium and put some real effort into selling some of their games to the people of sheffield, even if the take up has not been great. The High amount of Overseas players and lack of any youth set up would set them back. Not really a contender.

Leigh. A very good turnaround from last season, especially in the earlier rounds with some cracking results making you look like Title Hopefuls. But once your form dipped the bubble burst, and your lack of a decent youth set up and your continual failure to take advantage of your new stadium look bad ( must be one of the only clubs i know of to move into a new facility and suffer from it, Usually about a 30% leap in support. I would make this the Biggest Mistake Leigh have made in recent year's, With proper Marketing The LSV could have been your springboard )

Barrow, No.

Halifax. Far too many problems this season. They have a good talented ( if old ) team but the whole Challenge cup mess, then the stanley gene affair, then the Barlow Mess and again a complete lack of any youth set up ( if im wrong here apologies ) probably Put them just behind the Old Whitehaven club on the list of deserving clubs.

Im in danger of doing every club so i will stop.

In short ( I dont really do short ) Featherstone should probably have won it with Widnes running them close. No one else deserved a shot.

I see it is almost classed as a crime these days to disagree with you Pepe

I'm looking forward to when Widnes are announced as a Super League side then we can get back to discussing onfield matters.

Nothing you will say will convince me that Widnes are "club of the year" but someone somewhere says that they are and well done on the award. I still think it's tough on Featherstone.

The points I made still stand in the wider context of the competition, whether you see them as relevant or not, or can one not have an opinion (complete tripe or not)?

PS I agree with TonyGee on balance of what he and yourself typed.

Now more importantly, who is going to win on Sunday?

I will just pick TonyGee up on one point in his assessment of ourselves.

We ran 14s and 15s teams this year (or was it 15s/16s?) Our Reserves were pretty young - the majority of the squad being 18-20 yrs of age. We did lack numbers to move up though in the coaches eyes although there will be 4 of them in the first team next year, two of which made their debuts this term.

I agree with him about our crowds though, this needs to improve.

why is anyone giving such a massive about widnes getting 'club of the year' who really cares? seriously. think about your lives and what you are doing with them. and i mean this in a helpful way. fev will probably win the league and deservedly so, so everyone can stop ting in their breaches, please.

It beats putting together new bedroom furniture!

at last a widnes supporter who dosen't sound like he's being picked on in the play ground.
well said TonyGee.

Does anyone know exactly how they have judged this? I remember Widnes won this award in 2007 based on their community efforts, but obviously thing must have changed as there is now a seperate award for community. I can only imagine its based on how the club is set up, but can't see how everyone to be so surprised about Widnes getting the award when we don't know what criteria they have used.

Personally, I think everyone is picking up on our poor league form and then saying we don't deserve it. If Widnes would have finished a bit higher up in the division, then we would have had the youth, the crowds, the community department, the finances and the results. Just because form/injuries affected the results of the 1st team, shouldn't affect your suitablility for club of the year - after all who won it last year?

Not really interested in Club of the year as in the bad old days (and I'm old fashioned) it generally meant the one that won things was the club of the year.

However its a small scale award event that rewards off field events these days (seems a British Trait to have a award 'event' for everything ).
Tend to think Fev deserved it based on what it achieved without a rich backer however Widnes appear to have done a good job as well so deserve congratulating.

One thing about crowds from the various comments.........
Are they up or down in the Championship this season for each club ?
I suppose a more accurate assessment of each club is what the Turnover from Gate receipts was this year compared to last (as that gives the true Crowd figure IMO).