bloody hell mathers !

I'd heard something on the grapevine about them having dodgy visa applications a while back. Can't remember the full details as I was half cut and I tend to dismiss rumours because most of them are a load of rubbish. Anyways I'd heard the players weren't even employed by the club, they were employed by some local factory where they'd turn up for about 2 hours a week. Not an expert on immigration rules so I would guess they were on the worng kind of visa. Either they were on a holiday visa that expired as they couldn't get player permits or a works visa which was deemed invalid as they weren't doing any work.

Of course all of this could still be a load of bull but it makes some sense and adds up with today's announcement.

If you not in superleague you end up bitter unfortunanetly some fans do not know what is like as they not care if they are in already.I am disappointed my team widnes are not in but i believe we just got to get behind our team and pray we get in next time.

I hope Celtic use this as a spur to go onto greater things. Too right they should blood some local youngsters, and they should continue to do so next year as well. They're protected for another two years, so why the hell not?

As employers they could get fined: www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/p ... 455997.ece Ouch

As employers they could get fined: www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/p ... 455997.ece Ouch

Exactly mate!! Yet we're the easy touch when it comes to dealing with real illegal immigrants, accept some sob story and never send them back!! Yet a few RL players with visa irregularities are treated like criminals and deported!

Yet more example of the governers of our country purporting to be tough on issues by making examples of those guilty of minor offences as its easy, while the serious issues are swept under the carpet!! The height of irony.

Fear for Celtic though, their 1st season almost exactly replicates PSGs second season and i fear it will be dead before it starts. Its like history repeating....Ground issues, no support, illegal visas, financial difficulties, and sitting at the bottom of the league after being battered in all but a handful of games. Im all for expansion but Catalans are the model you need, build a flagship club to bring together a region with already a decent infrastructure, not just plonk a team wherever the cap fits and is seen to be best for the game!! If we wanted to create a new club they should have gone for a Cumbrian Rep club and fed in top players from barrow, whitehaven and workington, getting the fans of each club interested in the cumbrian team with promotions etc to get their support, in much the same way as catalans

Dear oh dear. Whatever anyone's views on the UK's immigration policy (and I feel they should be kept away from a rugby forum - there is an unpleasant undertone to some of the comments on this thread), we have to see that illegal means illegal. There is no "not really illegal" - something either is or isn't against the law. I quote from the BBC article linked to above"As the result of an intelligence-led investigation into possible immigration offences among players at Celtic Crusaders, we can confirm that six Australian nationals have been served with papers confirming that they are illegally present in the UK.'"

I'm sure I heard something on the radio recently that the RFL had sent some staff down there to help the club on the admin side of things, is this where the " intelligence " came from ?

Maurice would have sorted out something like this, no problem

I'd have thought so aye, every job I've had involved proving that I have the right to work in the UK by giving my national insurance number. As mentioned already, it's daft, they're doing nothing wrong coming here to play rugby and don't deserve to be banned from the country at all. Hopefully Celtic will use this as a catalyst to blood new players and improve the game in Wales.