Thats what they all say!

No wonder I get such a reputation with all these misquotes!

Let's not forget that they've also finished 3rd in the league and made other playoff finishes, along with challenge cup final and semi-final appearances in recent years. If anything they've been inconsistent and endured some poor seasons, but in 2006 we knew the rules at the start of the season and whilst they were unfair (and sucked big style), and we gained a huge number of league points for a relegated team, there were still too many games where we underperformed and didn't get the result we should have. Then there was the whole Wigan salary cap thing too, but that's another (very old and put to bed) story.

We finished bottom ourselves in 2008 before finishing 7th in 2009 - that's an example of how a club can develop when protected from relegation and Catalans proved that in subsequent years from 2006. It's just a shame that it was at our expense.

As Binks says they are producing their own players, have a strong fan base and are financially sound. Compare them with other 'expansion' clubs and they blow them out of the water in each of those categoroies. Granted they bring very few fans to games out our place, but so do Crusaders and Harlequins. We have to consider the fact that French Rugby League isn't yet strong enough to support a premier competition like Super League. The presence of Catalans in our league is helping that and perhaps one day we'll see a competitve French Super League, after all the Perpignan area is a hotbed for the game and that's the reason Catalans (as an expansion club) are a success whilst others have failed.

Cusaders enter Administration!!! Confirmed on BBC 5 Live and George Riley Twitter www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... 14442.html

Cusaders enter Administration!!! Confirmed on BBC 5 Live and George Riley Twitter www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... 14442.html

also confirmed on sky sports news! super league to extend to 15 clubs to save them imo!

well well well, blackpool been kicked out for going bust, i just wonder eh

Entering into administration is an automatic points deduction isn't it? I wonder if the RFL will make an exception

Really?



Looks to me pretty much the RFL were bending over backwards to help the Panthers. Sorry, they only do that for clubs in SL that people don't like, don't they?

"In going into administration, the club will [ualmost certainly[/u be deducted six points if they do start the new Super League season after breaching the Rugby Football League's insolvency regulations."

My emphasis in that quote. Even a [icaveat[/i from the journos around points deduction. Anybody have a link to the SL rule that states that there WILL be a points deduction for going into administration?

In the BBC article it cites their "achievement making the play offs" which is notable, but against a business model they couldn't afford, that isn't an achievement - Leeds United anyone.

Cas may have a modest squad with modest achievement, but we cut our cloth to what we can afford, thats the point here surely? Anyone could make the play-offs every year if they spent a disproportionate amount compared to their income.

Sad news for the Crusaders, hopefully the RFL treat them as any other club, but knowing RLFans, most will claim they're giving them preferential treatment whatever happens

Oh, and as an aside, it is an indication the RFL should probably revert back to the 50% of turnover (I think?) rule as part of the salary cap.

Is it? From what I've read - and I'll admit that details are sketchy - the issue seems to be inherited debt from the Leighton Samuels years rather than any indication of spending on players being out of control …

who said i didnt like them ? again as usual you assume too much, but crack on, think what you like

Leeds United was a total different kettle of fish, would we have done well in the CL that year we would have been one of the biggest clubs in the world right now.

Ah, if that's the case then I guess it's not. I wouldn't say I've got any/all the facts. Just wary of how clubs go into administration so rapidly.

How is it a different kettle of fish? You didn't do well in the CL, therefore the gamble that was made by the chairman/club didn't pay off and Leeds are where they are now due to that gamble (well helped by it).
I believe Peter Risdales quote was "We lived the dream" as Risdale resigned to the fact that he had gambled with cash Leeds didn't have and had to start selling their assets (Jonathan Woodgate in that case).

Mind, I don't agree with dropping the 50% rule.

First reaction is the sport will lose all credibility if they award another franchise to Crusaders (or whatever they will call themselves next year) at our expense when we continue to give local youngsters a chance in the side and made a small profit last year.

If they do i wouldn't go to any event organised by the r.f.l ever again

Had the RFL not rushed Crusaders in to SL then this might not have happened. Had they given them support and guidance for a few more years then they may have been ready for THIS set of franchise applications with a CLUB that is ready for SL. Anyone can throw a team together that has the potential to make the top eight for one season. But it's about attracting much more than a big name coach. Firm foundations need to be sorted, which the Welsh club have obviously struggled with given they still aren't sure where their home should be. These foundations go right through to the board and include fan base, sponsorship and much more. It's easy to look back and say "i told you so" but many people feared this would happen right from the off. Not everyone wanted to see them fail but anyone who points out their troubles will be tarnished as anti-expansionist. Annoyingly yet again, the sport i love looks extremely silly to the rest of the world when these kinds of things happen. How the RFL will cover this one up i'll never know, but it wouldn't surprise me if they do.

Correct Marshman on so many levels.

Indeed. I wonder how TB will counter these sobering thoughts??

Easy peasy marshy, they will make another stupid decision about keeping the welsh joke going (its so good for the game , you know , having 1122 at a superleague match), then stick their heads in the sand and talk through their a rses as usual.

GOD HELP RUGBY LEAGUE

how convienient is this rule change for the RFL I don't buy the excuse of the image rights cos there was no mention when wakey were in trouble www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/rug ... again.html Its about time we as rugby fans stood up and told the RFL that we are sick of them making our sport a laughing stock

how convienient is this rule change for the RFL I don't buy the excuse of the image rights cos there was no mention when wakey were in trouble www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/rug ... again.html Its about time we as rugby fans stood up and told the RFL that we are sick of them making our sport a laughing stock

You couldn't make it up could you? The RFL are a bunch of crooks.

The RFL are a bunch of crooks because a meeting of SL clubs voted for a rule change?

Before we all get on our high horses, should we check out how Cas voted on a) this rule change and b) the decision to keep SL 2012-14 at 14 clubs, knowing that at least one of those would be a club currently in the championship, and one current SL club would definitely not get a franchise?

Because remember: there are two bodies that decide on the size and entry critera for Super League: the RFL and SLE - which means the clubs themselves (it used to be just SLE).

Everybody gets all self-righteous about "the RFL", but they're not the sole people responsible here.

As a report of a slightly better journalistic standard than you find the in [iSun[/i spells out:



(my emphasis added: as for the - why didn't anyone mention image rights when Wakey were faced with a winding up request from HMRC - err, that's when the meeting happened)



And, fwiw, I'd expect any governing body worth its salt to help a club facing off-field difficulties stay in the comp, as they tried but failed with Blackpool as I hope they're trying with more success with Crusaders.

If we fail to win a franchise next June, it'll be because, despite three years preparation time, we couldn't get a good enough bid together: and we won't lose our place to save an 'expansion' club, we'll lose it to let in a traditional heartland club - the sole thing we should be concentrating on is our own SL bid, not hoping for the death of another rugby league club to save us from our own supposed or feared problems.