I disagree. I think it was a ridiculous decision to put them in there based on little more than a handful of decent attendances at representative matches and I don't see the point of a comparison between them and a RU side that was built on much firmer foundations.

I don't think that the north east has the same potential for hosting a pro-rugby league side that, for example, South Wales has. They don't have same traditional links with RL that Wales has because of the RU converts and, though there are a handful of amateur clubs, they don't have the same level of participation that exists in Wales.

In the absence of some investor with serious money I can't see RL ever thriving in Gateshead.

I don't necessarily think it was right, so much as the least bad trial (I exclude Catalans as they moved up from the French league and thus were an existing club). I don't see things taking off now though, gone wrong too many times.

This is signature material and ban worthy. And untrue.

Crusaders till I die eh Grendel? You wouldn't know the meaning of the word even though I've seen YOU far more negative about CC on your own board than ANYONE here. You are a hypocrite. An abusive one.

Leighton Samuels is the sticking point as he wants money for his shares Wrexham are willing to pick up 70% of the debt and pay it but not pay for the ownership as its over £1 Million in debt.

Hey he seems to like me, so I'm going with everything he says

Nearly very good that Grendel - no opinion on Steve Fox myself but some decent stuff there for the expansionists of this world.

Now come on lad get your teeth into this S Wales situation and sort out Mr Watkins & Co.

Well surely a CVA would sort out the mess. Is the Port Talbot man interested still?

a cva would mean a 9 point penalty and the loss of the franschise, the only way there is to safegard the club if someone is prepared to buy them out looks like l s has done the same thing that s v did to widnes but the rfl will look after them just to save face

Saints faced administration in 2002. Saints have been around since the start of rugby league. Longer in fact as there was a rugby union club here which converted. Yet we could have been pretty much finished in 2002. However, McManus and his City mate rescued us. That could just have easily happened to Gateshead. Wakefield at present are in difficulties because of unpaid taxes. Almost all Superleague clubs are reporting losses, some (like Saints), year on year. Why should expansion clubs be pilloried because they suffer the same issues as established clubs, but the established clubs are somehow worth saving while the expansion clubs are not?

I don't understand your rationale or that of those like you. To me, who wants to see Rugby League played everywhere, the expansion clubs are as valued as the established ones and just as much support - from all clubs' fans, from the RFL, from other interested parties - should be given to expansion clubs as to the established clubs.

After all, we were all expansion clubs at one time. When the Northern Union was formed, who was to say that so many clubs would still be around today? It was a risky move to break away like that. It may do flatcappers well to remember our roots and just how much effort it will have taken to keep alive those clubs who are around today, especially during the 1970s and 80s.

It was not rationale , it was him stating what would have happened , they were losing money , if they had carried on they would have lost more money , nobody is trying to put down any new clubs , but we can see what is in front of us , yes long established clubs are struggling , so does that make this a good time to introduce new ones ?

Have heard today that the Crusaders look like moving lock stock and barrel to Wrexham where the money man there is Geoff Moss who heads up Elegant Resorts in Chester.
Newport could not raise the cash however they are looking to play three or four games in South Wales however it stills needs Leighton Samuels to sell the shares and the problem is Wrexham are willing to take most of the debt but not pay for doing so
Two are in the frame for a new Championship 1 side in South Wales one being a former director of the Ospreys who has fallen out with them.

Do you think , that if leighton samuels would have GUARANTEED A CASH BOND LIKE Steve O Connor at Widnes offered the rl that he would have walked away as easily as it looks like he is going to? and also ,what if steve o connor put up the cash to buy CRUSADERS move them to Widnes and then change the name . From what ive seen ,its not impossible!!!

The reason why Saints survived and Gateshead didn't was for the very reason that you outline - that Saints have been about since the 1870s and they are built on firm foundations.

Whether that meant money men prepared to stump up the cash or a grass roots movement starting up a new club to replace the failed company, there was always likely to be a thriving pro RL club in the town.

Compare that with Thunder - they had no significant financial backing, no white knight riding to the rescue and too few fans to relaunch a viable club outside SL (although all credit to the determination and loyalty of the few hundred supporters who have been trying to keep the flag flying since then).

In the absence of a sugar daddy and/or a well established RL culture in the area, Gateshead were always doomed to fail at the top level.

You can knock SV all you want but has any RL club ever boasted a more extensive selection of jeans than Widnes had when he was in charge?

£2,877,228 worth to be precise (excluding VAT, of course).

You have got a serious social disorder to come out with such bile and to interpret a reasonable and balanced opinion with such foul and vitriolic abuse. I suggest you seek psychological help immediately.

The game certainly won't miss such neurotic and disgusting 'fans' like you. Shame on you for wishing death upon someone, you are a sub human life form. Wither away soon and crawl back to the gutter where you belong, we don't need trash like you.