Quote ="Hugh Mann"As I said in my previous post I am struggling to differentiate between Crusaders position and Whitehaven's position. Crusaders were in SL and could not financially carry on at that level so withdrew their application. The owners could not or would not pay the debts that had accumulated so they liquidated the club. A new company was then formed to revive Crusaders as a new club and they had to apply to the RFL for membership to the RFL. They have now been accepted in to the RFL and told they will have to start again in Championship 1.
On the other hand Whitehaven were a Championship team with financial difficulties and they were relegated to Championship 1 at the end of last season. They took the decision to go in to administration and dissolve the club but instantly formed a new club and applied for membership to the RFL. This was granted and they had to start in Championship 1 BUT they were also given a 9 point penalty.
I know Crusaders had a points penalty whilst in SL but, as someone else has said, that was from last years misdemeanours not their current financial problems, so where is the difference? It is these sort of discrepancies in the way the RFL operate that get peoples backs up.'"
But the thing is, do Crusaders currently HAVE on going financial problems? Yes, they had trouble every off season in SL, but that was more down to them trying to run before they could walk and their chairman promising the RFL the moon on a stick.
If they go into administration AGAIN, then yes they should start next season with a points deduction. But if not, then it's unfair to hobble them.
Personally, I'm hoping to see the Crusaders, or another Welsh club, back in SL one day just as Catalans came into SL. I just hope they can do it properly, build up a strong following and help push RL towards being a national rather than a regional sport.
