What a pilchard you are J20

I'm sure there is more to be honest, (although Marsh hasnt played yet and Dean played one game). Whilst I know nothing about how many dual/loan players Barrow have had (and not too fussed!) Widnes have had to do this due to the ridicuolous injuries we've had this year. The signing of Dean and Marsh comes on the back of Toa having a serious knee injury.

I don't quite see what the 'slating' of having dual/loan players means to be honest, it's all within the rules and actually been quite smart in my opinion. If people are indicating that Widnes can't develop their own players, just look at our under 18's. (Currently in the top 4 academy teams in the country) We can't throw them in and because of the salary cap we can't make the first team squad any bigger, therefore have we had a choice?

Dean=1 game, I,Anson 15 mins played till got injured.Netherton permanent now.Only really Ben Davies got alot of games out of the dual players.We have kept to the rules so i wish you stop whinging. Marsh has not played yet .

First of all, this thead was started by a Widnes fan having a pop at the number of Barrow loan players for our match vs Batley. I put him right.

Regarding Widnes loan players, we all know that you have had an horrendous amount of players missing (so have Barrow by the way), but your 'reasons' for recruiting so many loan players doesn't stack up. At the very start of the season you set your stall out with a full quota of dual reg players. From your post, you seem to think that loan players don't impact on the salary cap - anyone over 21 does count - be they permanent contract or loan.

I'm sure that you Widnes fans would be screaming blue murder if Barrow had used AT LEAST 8 loan players this season. And I'm also sure that you would be banging on about the lack of a youth stucture at our club.

seriously what is the issue of having loan/dual reg players?!!! i wish people would stop going on about it. IT IS IN THE LAWS OF THE GAME!! so why on earth are people being so petty?

I'm sure 'us Widnes fans' probably would have a go because there is a lack of youth at your club! We're the only Championship club running a very impressive under 18s.

You say our excuses for having loans players dont stack up? What excuses are they? As I previously said, we had a number of injuries and playing 17/18 year olds in this division isn't realistic. What does Cull do until players are fit to return? Sign new players for the season and then have too many when everyone is back fit, or be sensible and sign players on loan/dual reg who can come in and do a job. I think the fact that we got to the cup final is testiment to the job Cull is doing.

James Webster leaving left a big gap, both on the cap and on the pitch which I don't think we've recovered from yet. So no problems signing players short term. We're getting players back slowly but surely now, hence only Davies and Ainscough playing last Sunday in the cup.

Incorrect! It wasn't having a pop at Barrow using loans it was mentioning them bagging Widnes for playing two! No need to be so defensive

Added I don't think Widnes have used more than 4 loans in one game (I think that's the rule anyway?) and the reason we have needed more loans is that the likes of Farrell impressed that much and with 1 / 2 injuries Wigan wanted him back and now a key 1st teamer!

Edited for accuracy

I'll admit my bad in thinking Bauer was a loaner

Do you run a Reserve Team ? Nobody would expect many U-18's to make the step up.

As I said before, Widnes fans would be up in arms if another major competitor had fielded 8 (or more) different loan players over the course of the season.

No we wouldn't not under similar circumstances

Yes we do, another credit to the club to be running yet another team. That's where we got the likes of Mullaly, Hulme, Houghton, Kelly, Craven from etc. How many young kids do you expect us to put out?

There is absolutely no way we would be up in arms like some of you are. It isn't based on the fact that we have so many loan and/or dual reg on our books at all. That's nothing. It's an irrelevance because if we're in the rules and we have 13 on the pitch there isn't a real issue to complain about. It's simply an overreaction to the strength of our club in light of the coming license bids. We're being over scrutinised and no matter what challenges we face and how we face them somehow we are always either not working within the spirit of the game or rules or worse we are cheating.

If you'd had an injury list like ours, you'd have turned to more loan signings.