www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.c ... -25355203/

www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.c ... -25355203/

Quote .... "[iI know we will be in Super League in 2012[/i".

Just like Mr Calland comments last season, what a great motivation for all other Championship clubs.

There's a long way to go yet. Seems that Mr O'Connor is smoking cigars already.

We'll see.

I think '2012' and 'franchises' should be banned under the swear filter. We've got a competitive, exciting league with a varying array of days out, grounds to visit and long-standing rivalries, and all at an affordable price. Believe me, that isn't the case in Super League these days.

Sounds like nothing of the sort.
Name me one club that comes close to us in terms of meeting the franchise criteria. We're streets ahead of the likes of Barrow and Halifax.
Are Barrow really going to get to our standard in any other area than playing performance over the next twelve months? I very much doubt it.

We're confident and rightly so.

And if/when you get in to Super League, what happens then? Year after year of trying to tick off-field boxes while aiming for nothing more than an occasional first round defeat in the play-offs? The grass isn't always greener on the other side.

And if S O'C thinks he's put big money in already (fair play to the bloke, he must be mad), then think how much more he'll have to put in when going from a £400,000 salary cap to £1.8million.

Alternatively we may wish to aim higher. With the benefit of a bigger fanbase, playing against our historic big rivals, becoming an attractive club that once again can attract top name stars and youngsters, we have everything in place to support continual and sustained growth in the top flight. Just look at the progress Hull Kr made in 3 seasons.



I think SOC is astute and wise enough to know what he's signed up to.

And look at their accounts, it simply isn't sustainable. I'd genuinely wish you the very best of luck if you were given the chance in Super League, but it really isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Given me Batley and Dewsbury ahead of Cas and Wakefield any day of the week.

Nonsense.If a SL spot was decided by promotion and winning a grand final then you would have a good point but it isn't,it's based on a 'robust' system of criteria of which every detail is scrutinised and all mr o'connor is saying is we meet those standards as of now.

Not really considering all the boxes will already have been ticked and that's why we'll be in Super league! What would be left to tick? 10k crowds & average 8th place in 3 years? Hmmm... I think that will be based on the playing squad in Super League anyway!



Add an extra 3k fans at least... buying shirts and season tickets, programmes (will be back IMO), other merchandise, cup tickets i'd say looking at at least another 750,000 in the pot and add the extra SKY money also.

With a positive attitude like this we can't go wrong. You could say whats the point of anything. Isn't this what Leigh have been doing for years, going out in early play-off rounds? The likes of Wakey, Cas etc. getting in the play-offs is a big thing. We'll have a stronger club because of it.

And yes, SOC has put his money where his mouth is but you've wrote that like he has to find £1.8M of his own money when we go up!.........I don't think so!

The RFL will "let in" who they want... End of... The last round of criteria/license apps proved that..

We'll tick 1 box that you never will - location. We will also tick the 'financially sound' box as well. Widnes may struggle to do that given your recent points deduction and massive loss last year.

I agree you are ahead of the pack at present, but your Chairman's comments are disrespectful and highly presumptuous.

I know for a fact that your forum would be red-hot had our Chairman made the same remarks.

I also know that the comments will be like a red rag to a bull for the Barrow BOD.

As last season showed, anything is possible.

Is right nes.

I still don't trust these suits. They're trying to run a sport like a business. Well it isn't, entirely. If it were, fans of losing teams would simply leave them in droves at the drop of a hat. We put faith in these teams, we get fans going to watch clubs on the bring of extinction getting beat 50-0 every week. Why? If this is a business they are following why wouldn't they simply go to a bigger rival? Because rugby league clubs are far more than businesses.

If Cadburies started putting out horrible chocolate and were dying, you wouldn't buy their chocolate out of loyalty and pride. You'd move on to something else.

There is a lot of loyalty and pride to be traded off in this town. It is a real hotbed of league. But we've not been treated well over the years by one person or the other. We are still the best supported team in the second tier, still a strong club. The RFL will one day gamble too far on the fortunes of Widnes, Fax, and the likes. Take out the bottom cards in a house of cards and what happens?

Stop trying to kid yourself. Barrow will not get a licence for 2012.

It is possible that we won't either, but I'd love to see what the RFL could possibly come up with to deny us.

Certain clubs seem to be putting all their eggs in the performance basket, by filling their clubs with experienced old codgers, in a vain attempt at making up the shortfall within the rest of their bids. This is an act of desperation and will be seen for what it is. It doesn’t actually fulfill the requirements of the 10 point criteria.

It will be either Toulouse or Widnes that gain a licence for 2012, or maybe both.

1 box, I'll give you that. We've got the stadium (rented or not from the council, the council have a vested interest in pro RL in the town and the stadium was built for the rugby team), we've got the community links and we've got the youth structure already turning out first team regulars.

.

There really is no point in trying to once again explain the reason why we posted such losses as it's been explained to you by many people.

We'll just wait to see what this years accounts say shall we? I'm sure they'll paint a far different and more stable picture given that we won't have had to invest another one million to bring the stadium and the infrastructure up to scratch.



Disrespectful to you? A rival fan like you who is always critical of our club? The man speaks with honesty and conviction having heard him say this myself. Maybe you're just a bit too sensitive?



With all due respect your chairman isn't running an operation as slick as Steve O'Connor's. He's every right to be confident. Dishy Des still has a long way to go.



Good for your board, we want competitiveness this coming season is looking set to be better than last year's already. I hope both Barrow and Widnes coming out with all guns blazing when we clash. I really do look forward us crossing swords next year.