So unless the Border agency has a major change of heart - it seems likely that Bird will only be able to play Catalans home games. If that is correct then I would think that would be more trouble than it is worth.

I don't know about that.

I'm fairly sure different procedures will apply when they know someone is only going to be in the country for a couple of days, as part of a travelling sports team, as opposed to being allowed leave to settle here.

[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/catalan/7904670.stm[/url

And as a decision on a specific individual has already been made, which decided, apparently, that his presence here is not conducive to the public good, his only proper route would be to appeal that decision.

And whilst I don't know enough about the Immigration Rules to be absolutely certain, despite what the artricle cited above suggests, I'd be extremely surprised if it is even possible for another person in the Border Agency to override the decision already made at that level. It would be an appeal by the back door, plus it would mean there was nothing to stop a person attempting to enter again and again until they found an official who let them in.

If his presence is indeed deemed not to be conducive to the public good, then I don't see how it makes any difference if his presence is only to be for a few days. It either is conducive, or it isn't.

[url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sportbulls/sportbullsheadlines/4175374.Hood_gives_UK_system_the_bird_/Hood not happy[/url

Different type of Visa I think .. He will enter the country as a short term visitor and not as a resident, He will be playing the away games too.

Maybe so, but it could well have saved the Bulls a lot of adverse publicity if Bird does get convicted. I still think this is the best for the Bulls.

so . now you want him convicted and deported back like a convict

The Bulls should have known better than to try and sign him in the first place, but then again they are not really any good with legal situations are they?

If he can't play for one Super League club he shouldn't play for any otherwise it becomes a restriction of trade issue.

My thoughts exactly. Would this not be covered under EU competition laws and the RFl are now in breach of that?

Bird is an Aussie, therefore he does not have any automatic right to ply his trade in the UK.

Bird is an Aussie, so no club outside Australia (or any countries Aussies are free to live and work in without restriction) has any right to employ him to ply his trade for them.

Amazing as it may seem, the law of the land overrides the rules and regulations for the playing of a game, if France has lower standards than we do then that is their problem.

I'm sick of harassment in Australia - Greg Bird BANISHED Cronulla star Greg Bird last night finally broke his silence about a controversial move to France by declaring: "I was over the constant harassment in Australia." Bird, 25, yesterday modelled his new Catalans jumper in the southern French city of Perpignan and is set to debut for the club on Sunday morning (AEDT) against Castleford in Super League. Angry at his critics yet excited at playing again, Bird opened up to The Daily Telegraph, saying from France: "I'm just relieved to be over here and back in a football environment and back around a team again. I just want to play footy again. "I'm enjoying it over here away from the constant harassment. I was over the judgmental people (in Australia). www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 66,00.html

I'm sick of harassment in Australia - Greg Bird BANISHED Cronulla star Greg Bird last night finally broke his silence about a controversial move to France by declaring: "I was over the constant harassment in Australia." Bird, 25, yesterday modelled his new Catalans jumper in the southern French city of Perpignan and is set to debut for the club on Sunday morning (AEDT) against Castleford in Super League. Angry at his critics yet excited at playing again, Bird opened up to The Daily Telegraph, saying from France: "I'm just relieved to be over here and back in a football environment and back around a team again. I just want to play footy again. "I'm enjoying it over here away from the constant harassment. I was over the judgmental people (in Australia). www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 66,00.html

Well he shouldn't be, for the reasons set out in this and other threads, and by Hood.

His passport will state NOT ALLOWED in UK He could be stopped entering the Country I feel for your supporters in my Opinion he should not be allowed to play in S/L if the other 13 Clubs could not sign the player The RLF should have backed Bradford over the incident ..Catalan want to play in S /L and take the money ..there should not be rules for one and rules for others ..I for one hope they turn him back if he try to enter the UK

Totally agree, it should be the same for all clubs playing in the same league.

If the situation was reversed I'd have few qualms about nicking him off Catalans and I have no problem with their actions at all. What I do have a problem with is the UK immigration authorities, as their actions here seem clealry counter-productive to the common good. Bird is a skilled worker and close to a sure thing to get people spending money, which I thought was something the Government was in favour of. Thanks to the UKBA he'll now be doing that in France.

The RFL should have ruled he cannot play. With salary caps, quotas, etc it is supposed to be a level playing field and giving Catalans the right to sign him makes a mockery of RFL rules and regulations. London lost a great player in Julien Rinaldi due to the RFL mess not being sorted out about European players and their place in SL, lets not see another cock up. I feel for Bradford because these discrepancies mess up their team formation like Rinaldi errors messed up London. By the time the decisions are made it is to late as most good players have been snapped up. Keep Bird out of SL he was kicked out of Cronulla so why should we have him here.

But if he's a "bad lad" that's ok?

Is that proven yet, no it's not.

Not proven, but being charged with a serious offence indicates that his presence in the UK may not be desirable.

My point was, irrespective of national laws, that it is still a ristriction of trade over the other 13 clubs in Super League, which IT IS. And restriction of trade can be, if neccessary, governed by the EU. Although they could not change the visa situation they could rule that: any party must be made available to the whole structure and that there should be no regulations, national or otherwise, to prevent this.

This would not change the visa laws it would just mean that if your not eligible for one Super League club your not eligible for any. The governing body would be the one's at fault for allowing such a situation to arise in the first place.

Have a nice day

And if I didn't make it clear before The EU court overrides any party states national law.

No, not in the case (yet) of our border controls on aliens - which Bird is, French visa or no French visa.

Easier said than done but we should move on from this one

I think the club probably have, it's the fans I think, feel cheated over the whole episode.