Hi everyone, just gotta say I'm proud to be a rugby league fan. I am a fan of Crusaders but I must say, that I have followed league for 20 years or so. I just wish people would give us a chance to try and make a go of it. I look on here and see both positive and negative posts towards us. But please give us a chance to prove ourselves. Rugby league is growing in Wales at a good pace. In North Wales alone quite a number of teams have formed, which must only be a good thing for the game.
What are your thoughts ?

The intelligent, educated, thoughtful fans who recognise the importance of expanding the game and particularly in developing the Welsh international team will be fully behind you.

However many of the numpties on here will take every opportunity to criticise and denigrate every positive step that you take.

Untill you have a team of 17 pure Welsh players have won several trophies, crowds of 10,000 and being around for 100 years and have the cheshire part of the M6 renamed as the M62 western section you are flogging a dead horse looking for support on here.

Ignore them and get on with building RL in North wales.

Basically you are the love child of a completely ill conceived attempt by the RFL to bring a South Wales SL club through from start to finish in 3 years , once that is out of the way , I think you'll find most RL fans wish you well , occasionally they will vent their anger in your direction , citing your failings as the reason their club isn't in SL

You will have to live with this , and to be honest , I don't think you will survive long term , is it your fault ? , no it is the RFLs for attempting to force things upon people who are/were clearly not ready

Having said that all the best , I hope you do survive at whatever level you find sustainable

Well Starbug let me tell you that I got into rugby league in the 1980's watching the Welsh players at Widnes. Following on from that I've been to lots of Warrington, Saints, and Wigan games. Challenge cup finals and Grand Finals. When Celtic Crusaders were given a SL licence I was chuffed to bits. Now that they are actually in my home town, I not only follow them to every game , home and away but actually run the supporters club too. We may not have the biggest support but we have a great bunch , who support them through thick and thin. And with that behind them, they have a chance.

I'm certainly a pro expansion supporter and actually think the Crusaders club CAN work given time. A noisy bunch they are too.

The only expansion club that seems to be working is Catalans Dragons.

The team that finished bottom last year?

Not a dig at Catalans but that's an awful example.

Why's that then ? Coz they're doing well this season. Or because RL is growing in France ?

As you live in Wrexham you're in a better place than anybody to comment. Do you believe rugby is growing in Wrexham with the move of Crusaders to there? Is there a growing interest in Wales with people converting? Or is there simply die hard fans?

Right , I'm being honest here. The support this season has dropped off a bit. Some of this is down to poor results, some down to the financial situation at the football and rugby clubs. But what I have seen in the last 12 months is rugby league really taking off in Wales. Not only South Wales. With the Scorpions, but the Valley Cougars won today, also.the academy sides in South Wales are doing well. But nearer home, we have a new North Wales Crusaders team now along with a few new local teams, which to me shows how much the game is growing in Wales.

Coming from a location steeped in rugby league heritage already made it easier for them to become an expansion 'success', admittedly.

I don't think people are particularly against Crusaders and the majority of rugby league fans would like to see them become a success. I tend to find a lot of people criticise Harlequins more (as seen on here).

Catalans are not anymore an expansion club than Widnes will be.

I always considered Wales a massive untapped potential for RL, i only they had agreed to mover over back when we split!

Sadly the Crusaders are just another example of poor, illconceived, poorly planned and badly fiananced attemp at expansion of SL.

Wish you all the best, and las I hope for London, I hope you eventually become a strong club that drives the development of RL in Wales.

The thing is , the actual results on the pitch are irrelevant , it is all down to money , is the Crusaders Club able to attract enough support , both fan and sponsorship to survive , even if you finish at or near the bottom of SL for the next 10 years , I ask this quite simply because that is the dilemma clubs outside SL face , we have to somehow generate enough interest with little to offer our fans in progression upwards

unfortunately the expansion of superleague, and the expansion of rugby league seem to have become one and the same in many peoples eyes.

rugby league is the game: this should be spread far and wide to as many people as possible, be that playing, watching etc

superleague is merely a competition: teams should be there when they are good enough.

i am also proud to be a rugby league fan.

It certainly seems to have in the eyes of the RFL , if it is a case of less geographical spread , less money , then say so , so we all know exactly where we stand

Exactly. The sport of Rugby League has expanded exponentially in the last 15 years or so – now being played across the whole of the UK by people who play because they love the sport. This year, the Rugby League conference will see 18 leagues contested by over 120 clubs

1,678 teams took part in the Carnegie Champion Schools competition this year (22,369 more school children played in the competition this year than when the competition was the re-launched in 2002)

The Student Rugby League now has over 100 teams playing across 16 leagues

We need not measure the success of the expansion of Rugby League merely by the Super League competition but when teams like the Crusaders have dedicated and passionate fans like WxmChris then there is certainly much to be optimistic about

I am also proud to be a Rugby League fan

It's the greatest game of all, watched by the best people. I've witnessed in the last couple of days the type of person that goes watching football, and seems to be creeping into yawnion with the Sale Sharks lot and RL supporters blow the lot of them out of the water. Okay there's the odd idiot like the Leigh fans witnessed at Fev (which Fev fans condemmed), but the weekend before when the 2-300 Barrow fans were in the middle of the Leythers it proved to me that RL fans are the greatest of all.

I hope RL does kick on in Wales and London for the good of the game.

Personally I hope Crusaders become a successful side with the game growing at a decent pace.

Good luck mate and I hope you entice a few more locals to your games.

Poor crowd today seeing as Wigan were the visitors.

Maybe but in time they will grow their crowds if they get an half decent team to follow.

[size=200RUGBY LEAGUE IS A NORTHERN SPORT[/size

Castleford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Hull FC, Salford, Leigh, Wakefield, Warrington and Widnes have all posted lower gates in Super League than Crusaders did today... all with a little bit of head start with regards to forming a solid foundation in the local fanbase catchment area. Despite what people may spout on these boards, they are doing OK and need a period of stability now to establish themselves

When will people learn that Catalan Dragons are NOT an expansion team as RL has been played in the area for god knows how many years.

Barry do you go and watch any RL?

If RL means Romford Ladies then yes, he's there every weekend peeping through the bowling green ladies locker room.

Thats exactly what people dont seem to get. They honestly seem confused about why Crusaders arent getting 10k+ every match already. For an entirely new sport, in an entirely new area the crowds they have been getting have been superb, right now all Crusaders need is time.