Saints, Warrington and Wigan don't count then?

Huddersfield
Bradford
Leeds
Cas
Wakefield
Hull
Hull KR

Hull and KR are only 1 hour from most of the above.

Add Halifax and you might as well get Emmerdale to Sponsor Super League.

The elevation of Widnes to Super league is a foregone conclusion and it's pointless debating it although i disagree with Vikingman about the squad we've put together and his unecessary swipe at the personal behaviour of a man he knows very little about. Vikingman - that's squad's been put together to entertain the fans of Halifax RLFC in 2010 - not to fill the gap until a SL squad is signed up in preparation to 2012. That squad will put Halifax at the top of the pile next year - in my opinion.

I think the key debate next year will focus on the current clubs under threat in Super League and whether the RFL will have the balls to kick anyone out. I think that, come 2011 there will be more clubs that pass the RFL's licence criteria than there are places available. In those circumstances how do they choose? The[i subjectivity [/iof the whole process will be shown up in big neon lights in 2011.

No doubt it would be Wakey, Salford or Cas who came down, if any club from our league was to go up, we could take their place

True your squad has been assembled to entertain but it's short term thinking. pressure is on next year and lets see if your squad can handle it. As for Calland well lets just say he gives us Widnes folk a bad name.

VM is only reacting to the incessant trolling from some of your fellow Halifax fans. In that light, he’s every right to say what he thinks on the merit of both clubs.

If you’ve put your hands up, in surrender of a future licence in 2012, then that’s up to you and your club. Personally, I think Halifax have recruited a bunch of over-the-hill ex pro’s, to win as much as possible, in a vain attempt at trying to make up were they are lacking everywhere else in their 2012 bid.

That’s the sad reality imo.

Why is it short term? Do you really think many of your squad will survive the Super League shopping spree? The Championship squad of a club in 2010 will resemble nothing like the squad that will compete in SL in 2012 and that's a fact. I do concede your point about the youth set up. We had one and it bore little fruit despite sweeping all aside with three titles. A rethink is needed by the club as to how to develop a meaningful reserve grade(s). As for the Calland comments - i see what's happened - you've succumbed to the baiting on your board by a Fax fan and dragged yourself down to the level of personal insults. Perfectly understandable.

....yes i've just seen it.

Privately i'm glad. Ticking boxes and finishing sixth will put me to sleep. We're behind the eight ball in terms of a 2012 licence so i'm glad our club have decided to entertain and play Rugby League. The time for ticking boxes will have to come in 2014.

I disagree for starters about a championship squad not assembling a super league squad come 2012, that is the whole point of bring through at least 5 or 6 players from your own academy setup.

Flynn/Mullally/Kavanagh/Hulme/Grady/Houghton should all be ready to step up to Super League come 2012, you will have i would say another 6 who might make the step up to Super League. depending on recruitment for the start of the 2012 season. Clubs will know the decision well before this time so it does give you the chance to recruit well for 2011. Halifax if given the nod would have to recruit an entire squad.

The constant trolling on our own board has become a joke, every thread is commented on by a Halifax fan and it's rather annoying. The constant bigging up of yourselves is also bordering on the comical as you havent won anything for years and now your suddenly gods gift on the rugby field. I do my fair share of friendly trolling but nothing compares to the idiotic Halifax fans.

So you've written off Widnes' squad totally?

Will there be a guaranteed place for a Championship squad after 2012?

I doubt it. By then most of the lower league clubs will be nothing more than feeder clubs imo.

Well - it aint me. I stopped posting on your board weeks ago for that very reason. I think they're getting they're own back for past deeds mr Vikingman



Unfortunately the more you feed the more they eat.

No not at all but it isn't overly spectacular and i honestly think that ours is better - just in my opinion. You may be right about 2012 and beyond but quite frankly what's happened in Wales this week means that not even the RFL have a figgity clue what they're doing about Rugby League - short term or long.

Hope your not counting me in that. I enjoy a good debate as much as the next person, and the boards would be boring if there was no one to disagree with. Ive posted on other boards for years and will continue to do so.

Usually its pretty easy to flick through posts by people who add no worth to the topic. Also as much as i like winding you up VM, i do respect your opinion and your love of the game.

I love my club more than i love the game i think so when anyone dishes a bad vibe out it fecks me right off, banter is banter but constant stupid posts (mainly were u there in 87 and his idiotic side kick Swell) spoil many a thread.

Littlerich is actually very much missed from the board and we all hope Santa delivers his (widnes) season ticket as promised in his recent letter. As for Florimo his avatar probabaly sums him up, nice guy but a bit of a pain in the at times.


anyway enough of this, merry christmas.

....... ah yes - everyone gets an unwanted Christmas present or two. I'll put the ticket with the M&S Woodspice set and the Turkish Delight - Santa loves a recycler

Shame on you.......got to look at the overall picture.



I am however feeling the love.

Jeez do M&S still do that Woodspice stuff? i dont get many unwanted gifts anymore, except last year when i got the loudest ticking clock ever (still haunts me now) that and the 300 different deoderants i get.


Christmas is awesome though and Wire on boxing day just caps it off.

Wait until you approach 40. It's deafening

Widnes are favs to go up to SL but for me Fax still have some way to go and I am not sure going up to SL will benefit Fax as will struggle to compete with the Big Teams or with The Sugar Daddy teams like Huddersfield. Realistically the game is buggered with the Franchise Nonsense. Maybe the idea is good but in reality its very bad for the game as a whole. I am a Rugby League Fan first and want the game to grow and not be stuck in the North of England. However fast tracking teams through is a bad idea. Let teams progress naturally. All teams should be treated the same from Blackpool to Leeds to Catalans. Rugby League is a Sport for all-but all things need to grow at its own pace. Clubs need to look at what they are doing and is it worth getting in to debt to play in a Comp that is frankly a Joke in my opinion. If clubs want to spend money on Academy teams good. If a team does not want to do that than thats also fair enough. But trying to compare clubs and grade them is not fair as each club as its own circumstances. Lets go back to P & R-and Barrow should be in SL this year with the Welsh lot in the Championship.

I am suprised that a business man of SOC's stature has paid for a new gym and seats in a stadium he doesnt own.

And your right - you have made the losses of a SL club....but in the Championship. Well done for that.

Lets hope you do get in in 2012, if you dont will SOC take his money out? Do the RFL actually want a team from Widnes in the top competition? Look at the past.....not in the original SL,.....Dumped for the French......Celtic and Salford being chosen above you.....hmmm could it happen again?

He's not there to make money out of Widnes. He just wanted to improve the infrastructure of the club in order to strengthen the bid and the club itself as a whole.

It's a wonderful thing to have a man like that in charge.

No we wouldnt, but thats down to peoples opinion of players. As for the players you have stated - Maybe Flynn and Kavanagh might be good enough. The others arent regulars in you team at the moment. If they were going to be ready for SL they should be ready for the CC now shouldnt they? Will all of them be in your first team when the season kicks off?

And its a good job based on the losses you announced!

Those losses, as well you know, was part and parcel of the improvement of the club’s infrastructure, as discussed above. It is a direct investment in the future of the Widnes Vikings and has not put the club in debt by a single penny.