I cant see Celtic being a success, it was a mistake to fast track them when they are not ready and wales is not ready, now its too late

problem is we have been here before, I though the mistakes like paris had been learnt from in the way catalans were introduced, turns out they hadnt

you cant put a team in an area with little or no history when there are no local players or fan base!

people assume its only expansion if the clubs are further away from eachother, expansion should mean expanding the number of people playing who can play for the european international sides, if you reduce the numbers in the heartlands by increasing them in other areas that is not expansion!

Disagree with that. Wales could be a big plus for league in terms of fans, players and - very importantly - extra revenue as the sport has a wider appeal. I guess the RFL felt they had to take the opportunity now, which is fine but IF Celtic disappear the whole game will suffer. I would hope that there is a heck of a lot of work going on to make sure they survive.

Take a Break.

And we're not talking Womens weekly magazines either.

OK.














Geddit? Women's magazines? OK? Ah, forget it.

I don't see that this is a problem with them being fast-tracked. Just a problem with poor running of the club.

people seem to forget that were the extra teams added to last years 12 decided by a more traditional top 2 finishers then Celtic would still have been promoted regardless of franchises.

Franchises have given them a solid chance to work on a long term, rather than having them in Sl for a year before they drop out.

Getting one that doesn't look like Harold Shipman will be a start

How will bringing in players not good enough for other clubs and who will only be around for one season at the most help create a presence in the area?

Are fans going to identify with and support players who are on loan from other clubs in the same way as they will with those who have been there for some time?

So Celtic have 6 star players deported after Saints have already played them twice and Leeds have yet to play them. Leeds now play them with a severely depleted side thus putting Leeds in the driving seat for the league leaders shield.

If Leeds finished top I'd be embarrassed to claim the trophy as it's a hollow victory. If Leeds dont finish top then it's even more embarrassing.

Such vagaries of a league season show exactly why a "first past the post" system is not the best way of determining the Champions whatever the bottle-less Saints players may think.

Leeds played Huddersfield's first choice squad twice, St Helens will be playing an understrength Giants tonight.

It all evens itself out over 27 rounds.

I can't imagine what state Jon Wilkin will be in should Leeds finish top.

He will cry whilst we will "whoop".

Celtic don't have 6 star players, HTH.

I await his excuses with more than a passing interest.

HAHAHAHA

Then all the times saints have finished top since 05 are invalid because of how wigan bent over to get but raped against saints, yet played leeds like their lives depended on it.

Not quite - for the game at Headingley none of the England representatives played, so neither team was at full strength.

Whilst blaming the weather and cameras in the dressing rooms!

I realise that but it was the same for both sides (McGuire and Hall/ Moore and Crabtree from memory) and my point stands that these things effect all teams about the same over the course of 27 rounds.

I thought 3 of the players deported had hardly featured for them this season?

You have obviously missed the point that when they won promotion to NL 1 in 2007 and then subsequently finished in the top 2 last season in NL 1 they had players that were in the country ileagally

Said the bitter flat capper

Not until Nov 08?

Thats the point , they are being deported because they were playing RL for money without the correct visa before nov 08 , since then they have had the correct visa

So they have been fine playing in SL , but not in the NL's

Where does it say this? I was under the impression that they were only illegally over here since last November, since the rules were considerably tightened.

knowing full well that these players did not have the correct Visa's to play RL in this country for money between 2006-2008

Where does it say this?

I'm not saying you are wrong or anything as I haven't yet seen that report, but I just don't think that's right.

EDIT - It's ok, I've seen it in our local paper now.

Well that's even more of a cock-up than I first thought.