Quote: SRC "Thanks for the replies. I have no doubt that the Stobart is a top stadium (hope to visit in 2010).
I just wonder how his finance worked with the owners of the stadium - ie those who make money out of it.
It's a bit like a the parent of a tenant approaching the landlord and offering to build a large extension and conservatory at no cost to the landlord. I'm not doubting SOC did it, but it just seems a bit strange.
I know that some Barrow fans worry about what would happen should Des leave the club. IMO most of that worry has been removed now the club is getting towards being self-supported.
A serious question ..... do Widnes fans fear for life post-2012 (inc the future of SOC) if a SL license isn't forthcoming ?? I think yor biggest threat would be if Toulouse have a belting couple of seasons.
Regarding Barrow, we really have turned a corner and for all DJ's faults he is a very astute businessman who has turned the club from a mid-table NL2 side to a profit making business with a fast growing fanbase and a near £1M turnover. It isn't all down to his money by any means.
Of course Craven Park is our biggest asset and also our biggest achilles heel. There has been progress going on behind the scenes for 18 months now regarding funding for CP development. The people 'in the know' seem very confident that the money will be available from various sources (including fundraising). Whatever happens about SL, the stadium needs to be totally modernised, so sooner or later it will happen. Whether or not it'll be in time for 2012 is anyones guess, but wth our current BOD anything is possible (as 2009 proved).'"
Barrow will not get a licence for 2012. It is also possible that Widnes will be over-looked yet again. If that is the case, we will probably have to lose our youth structures and suffer the same fate as the rest of the lower leagues, and become nothing more than feeder clubs. We will still be debt free and, almost certainly, in a better state than every other club in these leagues. In the long term, however, it could be disastrous for every club below SL. Once they become feeder clubs they will lose that important sense of identity. They will lose all hope and ambition, because they will be prevented from ever reaching the pinnacle of our sport.
The only clubs likely to see promotion will be expansion clubs, who could be dropped in on us from time to time - Although the Crusaders debacle may make even the RFL think twice about promoting clubs to SL that a clearly not ready. The RFL (Richard Lewis anyway) have stated, in a meeting with Halton MP Derek Twigg, that they intend to run the Crusaders from Wrexham and also run a club from Sth Wales in the Championship. So I can only see current Championship attendance levels plummeting to lower levels Championship 1 attendances.
In summary, if Widnes do not get a licence in 2012, they will be up sh/t creek the same as every other club below SL, including Barrow.
