Cant believe some of the utter rubbish coming from some of the barrow clowns yesterday and idiots from other clubs coming on this board saying we will offer nothing to superleague. Idiots yesterday at the game saying that we have cheated ouy way into Superleague (didnt know we were a superleague club) and that the RFL are looking after us.

So what exactly do Barrow offer that we dont;

A hell hole stadium with no running water in the bogs behind the sticks - Lovely that.
No youth set up
A poor fan base
A mouthy chairman that wont even put his hands in his pockets to update the floodlights.

I suppose this is what Franchising has caused. Rightly or wrongly what happens on the pitch is a distant 2nd. Do we deserve to be in SL for what happens on the pitch, no way, do we deserve it for what goes on off it, hell yes. We are the only club in the championship who meet all the criteria, thats not Widnes's fault, these are the rules that have been set and thats a fact.

Don't worry about them lot! The other week when we one there was a guy saying to me were only good as we are so close to Wigan & Saints they give us all their youngsters... Needless to say we had 0 loan players in the squad that day!

Look, I feel this issue needs to be put to bed once for all, or atleast the slight fued developing between small pockets of widnes and barrow supporters. I am fully commited Barrow fan and was at Craven Park last night. Firstly I would like to commend the Vikings on such a great lively and vocal away crowd they brought through to Cumbria; they contributed to a great atmosphere.

These "Barrow clowns" you refer to are a minority and a rarity, I can assure you. I know for a fact that your club is in a much better positition to apply for SL next year than we are, as do the vast majority of our fans. I am also aware that our facilities, both internally and externally do not meet the level of facilities that you are available to at the Widnes ground... you speak with such an alarm it puts me under the assumption that you believe this news to the fans of Barrow Raiders.

Perhaps this post has been stimulated by the dissapointing nature of your teams performance last night? I personally I enjoyed the match simply because of the performance, there was no malice or melicious feelings towards your club due to the obviously more advanced position you are in regarding the franchise system.

I wish you luck next season, at whatever level you shall be playing your rugby league.

ALSO SENSITIVE & PARANOID.....!

Some of your fellow fans seem to think you are SL there's a thread titled such.
Question for you do you go to watch your team or are you there because you have a better ground & like to brag about it?
Let's be honest playing wise you're not really up to much .

Thanks Fekafan,

I believe the majority of fans from all clubs recognise that Widnes are guilty of nothing more than finding out what criteria the Rugby League require to be fulfilled to qualify for Super League and fulfilling them.

I think a voluble minority are coming on here to try to upset Widnes fans out of

A) Ignorance and or

B) Resentment.

We didn't make the rules, we just worked to them, that's smart business.

We don't know for certain that we are in Super League, I won't believe it until it is formally announced.

No worries mate, I'm not saying that all Barrow fans are like that, here at Widnes we have some idiots too. These people at the match I am referring to were not kids but grown men and women, maybe it was a bit of resentment to the percieved position were in. Although I feel we are front runners for a franchise, the majority of fans know all too well how the rl operate, the last team they will do any favours for are Widnes.

Its fine, personally I hope and expect Widnes to be promoted to Super League next season. There is no doubts that you are in a better position that any other club and are ready to compete at the top flight once more.

I just dont want supporters of other clubs to begin to believe all Barrow fans are all arrogant, loudmouth clowns who believe we should be in SL and nobody else.. that isnt the case whatsoever. Unfortunately some of these 'clowns' were in attendence last night, I apologise!

It was a pleasure to have you down CP.

There's more to Widnes than a nice ground you know.

Sooner we get back to promotion & relegation the better.
I know there is more to widnes than a decent ground.just as we know ours is nowhere near. If you don't like it don't go there it's simple really.

I agree, promotion and relegation is the way forward, maybe the team getting promoted should be immune from relegation for a year to give them an opportunity to build a decent side. The step up from part time to full time is massive, But at the same time keeping aspects of the franchise system, like stadia, youth delevopment as key ingrediants of the promotion application which it was before.

As fans 1st and foremost we want a winning team, if you can do that playing in nice new stadiums with decent facilities and bringing your own youngsters then thats even better.

From an outsiders point of view can you please tell me what Widnes, the playing team, have done over the past few years? I know you managed 5th this year but how did you fair last time out and what have you won / finals reached to aid the franchise bid?

I know (or at least heard) about the administration from a few years ago but from recent news you've come back from that stronger than ever. Your stadium put's most current SL teams to shame and from what I have read you have a very sound "business" behind you.

There aren't many other teams that tick the boxes outside of SL so you are by far in the strongest position so with Harlequins, Catalan and Crusaders its an educated bet that that's 4 of the next licences sorted.

All the best for the off season and the beginning of next and I hope to see you in 2012 all being well.

"We hate it when our friends become successful" as the Bard of Davyhulme put it.

To echo fekafan, please just ignore the more inflammatory posts, as you have said yourselves they are just trolling. I defy anyone to honestly deny that Widnes are the most suitable candidates for an SL franchise by quite some distance. You saw what the RFL wanted and have acted on it brilliantly, I doubt there's a fan of another club on here who can honestly say that their wouldn't love to be in Widnes' position right now. I will admit that I am a bit jealous and suggest thats what is motivating the trolling, any anger over the franchise system should be directed at the RFL not Widnes.

Great support from you guys on Sunday, just unlucky for you that Des Johnston's strategy of sacking the coach and bringing Dave Clark back for the playoffs appears to be working again this year

Cheers mate.

I can honestly say, the people I met in Barrow yesterday seemed sound. Its just a few idiots, one of which wasn't even there yesterday, who have been acting up. No doubt some of our lot could be more diplomatic true.