Had Saints not had an injury crisis Kyle Eastmond would have been playing for us that is certain so I don't think people can argue that we haven't tried to sign quality.

The main problem is that players of high quality are not available during the middle of the season because they are under contract at other clubs who are not willing to let them go.

Admittedly it's a tough one, and i don't think they are growing on trees, but at times i've seen better Championship players than what, at times we've had. What compels the problem is the signings that have been made, have been largely uninspiring, one that should never have been let out of the airport.
We employ enough people at the club that live and breathe RL at all levels to identify players, following game 1 as soon as Mr Glover took over and there was an expression that we could spend money we should have been on it, from lower leagues, reserves over seas or wherever.
Consistently over the years we have seen others dig up these players, the fact that we are not capable when it matters says either there is not the talent to spot it at the club or not the will.
Eastmond, i'm not sure about, he destroyed us on sunday but put him (with a bad attititude, which was reported at the time) into our squad and he would achieve little.
We started off the season with a poor side, which showed guts, we IMO should have doubled our efforts to bring in the right type of players, we haven't and that is a mistake, who's mistake i don't know.

That's not totally the case as far as I'm led to believe. We tried to get him on the cheap by getting Saints to pay more of his wage, typical Trinity style. This may have worked but as you say events moved on as we dragged our feet and Saints needed him and the rest is history.

This was the first time the new regime really started to worry me - this sort of thing is straight out of the Ted book of tricks. However AG was promising a new era and considering our relatively low wage bill and the apparent loyalty of the fans in terms of attendances this was IMO an ideal opportunity to show some intent even if it meant paying over the odds just this once. Not just to us but to the team and to the game, a genuine International class player at BV, even if only on loan is a start.

For me the new regime has shown even less ambition on the pitch than the old one. As far as I'm concerned AG has no excuse, who care what the franchise brings it should have had no effect on what we did this season in terms of bringing in the best available. Yes we were handicapped at the start but that's gone now. Fact is Eastmond was available and we blew it because we are playing at being a SL team IMHO.

Again, by and large i agree, but that quote is absolutely 1000% wrong
The franchise is absolutely a factor, not in our wanting to sign the best, but in players wanting to come to us, that are of a higher calibre.
I think we have been very poor (perhaps unlucky with Moore and his injury) in our recruitment from the takeover.
Everything is a factor, either to the RFL or to us, our past history and our debts, tales of players not getting paid, broken promises, books of tricks, starting to build a team after everyone else, the franchise doubt, the bad PR......
The list goes on and on and on and it all forms somebody's view of us and their willingness to be involved, and that is also one reason behind the huge apathy towards the club from within the city, which is also a hugely relevant factor, but maybe thats for another day........

Think you took it a bit literally, should have said best available under the circumstances we found ourselves in - in whuch case Eastmond fitted the bill IMO.