Quote ="SaintsFan"Fine. And maybe Widnes will get in next time around. That doesn't mean to say Celtic Crusaders will or should not be in Superleague. They have two more years at top flight. If they come through this debacle unscathed and if they recruit wisely (they certainly have more time than last time) then if they meet the criteria they shouldn't be ejected from Superleague just to let Widnes in.
I'm quite sure all clubs in the heartlands would consider themselves justified to take up a Superleague spot, if only because they've been around since the year dot. But that isn't feasible unless we go back to the old system of one league. So there has to be some distinguishing criteria and if there are heartlands clubs - well followed or not - who don't meet that criteria then they cannot be in Superleague.
Gateshead is still going. I could have sworn I sat watching Saints play them just a couple of months ago.
Return to me in two more years and let's see whether what you say is justified.'"
Gateshead is a re-formed club, the original Thunder were
absorbed by Hull, read your SL history, same as Sheffield with Huddersfield.
Widnes do meet the Criteria, they were denied by their recent financial history and yet Richard Lewis had promised them that it would not go against them. He went back on his word, fact.
Also Celtic were promoted from NL2 to NL1 on false pretenses as they had some of those now deported/banned players in that side that came up in 2007 to play in NL1 in 2008.
In case you didn't know you had to be in NL1 to apply so by definition they should be kicked out the comp as they would not have been in a position in 2008 to even submit a SL licence application, let alone have it accepted.
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