All but signed and sealed, the Celtic Crusaders will be playing next season in Newport.

I suppose I can manage the 40 minutes each way to home matches, but it seems somehow wrong to take us out of Bridgend.

Moving to Nedquarters is a gamble IMO. I understand the ground is cheaper to rent, but that Leighton Samuel agreed a 5 year contract to play at Brewery Field and will have to pay BF AS WELL as Dave Parade. Though I have to be honest, having supported the Celtic Warriors through the WRU vs Samuel debacle, his word is not worth a penny.

He gave his word he would stick with the Warriors no matter what. When he was baling out he gave his word he would not allow us to be closed. In the court case after we were closed he gave his word the truth would come out. When the case was settled out of court he also allegedly signed a gagging order. Now to the Crusaders. He signed a 5 year deal to keep matches at BF. He gave us his word he was not abandoning Bridgend. He gave his word we would have a new stadium by 2013. Now we are moving to the heart of darkness.

Well fair enough, I guess it's a case of like it or lump it. But mark my words.

The welcome most travelling fans got at Bridgend will be markedly different in Newport. Ask anyone who's been to see Newport RFC about the "welcome".

The attendances will not rise significantly. Those fans that didn't travel from Newport to come see us will similarly not travel the few minutes to see us on their doorstep either.

We will never, repeat NEVER get our new stadium. The language has already changed from "We WILL have a new stadium in 2012" to "We HOPE to have a new stadium by 2012".

Well this is where I stand. I have no choice so will travel to Dave Parade, but the SECOND the new Stadium falls through, I'm done.

I support the TEAM. Not the CLUB.

Nothing like positivity eh?

Grendel can you provide a link showing such an agreement?

I hope you can make it here for home games Grendel as we need all the support we can get.

I would like a brand new stadium to move back into as soon as possible and would be happy to move to Bridgend.

In fact thinking about it, the Huddersfield game will be very emotional as we have seen the club rise to where it is today on that ground so the last home game will be a bit of a choker.

Nice avatar crucru

Grendel you have my greatest sympathy.
I have followed RL for years and indeed watched Welsh Conference...remember that when Bulls played Irish? .. before that was changed. I am a casualty of Warriors. Unless people were there they have no idea of how it changed us... no longer do we take promises for granted we want to see proof of any plans and ideas.
I hoped I would never see the day when I read that Celtic would leave BF.. but here we go again...same old story, same faces, same words.
I wish you well at Dave Parade. To be honest I have found them great. Go with a positive approach and meet them half way. They will turn up just to see what it's all about... up to you to keep them LOL.
The whole thing is indeed a gamble... but hey this is summer rugby ..go and enjoy. The clubhouse food is great but you need to be sharp off the mark, everybody there eats as fast as possible!!
You'll just have to rename yourselves the "Moving Army".

regards
[i26boots[/i

so this is the plan b? I can see why you might be a bit hacked off grendel. I've just had a wager with my son that leighton samuels will be involved with celtic no more than 2 more years. Then i read your post! Doesn't make happy reading if you are accurate in what you write.
The celtic club is on it's @rse and there appears insufficient alternative investment available to keep the club bouyant at this time which means LS is having to keep it going himself. The newport gamble is a big one.
If interest in the club does not materialize in newport, given LS' history, its likely not even the rfl could prop up the crusaders IF he went awol!
He's made a fortune so can't be that bad in his decision making, however naive his business operations look from the outside.
Regardless on any other thoughts about the game,i have always held the belief that a period of stability, sustainable growth and continuation of putting down firm foundations and youth structure in the nls would be much better in the longer term for celtic. If ls did pull out that might be the only option to keep th club alive, the irony being, it could be the club's salvation.

This is sounding like Fulham/London Crusaders/Broncos/Harlequins part two.
Where next when this little venture fails? Swansea? Cardiff? Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch?

Now I've had a chance to cool off a little, I must admit i'm still a little narked at the move, but Newport isn't the end of the world. I WILL continue to support the team. was never not going to (?! - i think that makes sense).

But I will not believe we are coming back to Bridgend in 2012 until I am actually standing in my spot (I've already mentally booked it) in the Island Farm stadium. The arrangements of the club are not exactly covert, but guarantees of continuity seem worthless and cut no ice with me.

I hope a good number of our current squad survive the out of season cull. I hope John Dixon remains and I hope we get good new players in and compete better next season.

I will even come to enjoy going to Dave Parade - for two years!

I won't walk away from the Crusaders, but I just get that gut feeling that the club may just walk away from me (and Bridgend).

And whilst I'm at it, it seems that the "official supporters club" forum "Crusaders till I Die" (Which should be renamed "Crusaders till we're losing badly at half time" if the Bradford match is any barometer) appears to be imploding.
Several supporters on there - who like myself - are a little narked that after doing the hard yards through the lower leagues LS is shifting us to a Union club that contributed financially to destroy our last top level rugby club. Posting such things seems to result in threads being locked because they annoy the site moderators. I mean I know TB from "Londinium" does the same on here, but mostly it doesn't happen.
It seems fair game to slag off the Brewery Field and Bridgend Ravens (the other team that plays at BF), but to express dislike of the move to Rodney Parade or to have a pop at the unpredictable assclown that is Leighton Samuel get insults and rage from one of the moderators (you know who you are Andy) and locked threads or defensive postings form the others!
I fear for my team (repeat TEAM) I really do!

bloody hell grendel. It appears that you engaging in some diatribe with myself has resulted in you becoming infected with my persecution complex!

You are kidding right???


Have you checked the ladder since the start of the season???

Barrold,

You ARE aware of leagues below superleague are you?

Could everybody type more in one post?