Your fans rightly challenged and refuted those claims.

When its justified and correct I am happy to take it on the chin.

When its malicious gossip or sniping, I, like many Widnes fans feel the need to challenge it and set the record straight.

As far as I'm concerned, they've got off lightly. 8 years should have been a lifetime ban, their trophies in that period taken off them.'"

Tell you what. I'll run it.

A couple of years ago I stayed in the same hotel as a group of Barrow fans , for the cup final. We had a good laugh, but 1 of them was a mate of Dessies, or so he said, and he predicted that this would happen back then.

Actually they all said they were just enjoying while they could before it went tits up. They told me then that there were backhanders and sooner or later they would get caught out, mainly because Des thought he was untouchable and not very inconspicuous.

How hard can it be to be honest & straight?

These are the rules, you all abide by them or else!!!

But as the governing body we have decided there are certain clubs that don't have to abide by these rules.

Fine with that, just make it plain to all clubs & fans this is the case, rather than the underhand crap we have had for the last however many years

Exactly. If you're going to give clubs dispensations and exemptions. Don't lie about it. Stand by it and justify it. People will still complain but at least they'll have the truth.