newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugb ... 134656.stm

newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugb ... 134656.stm

Please not another Gateshead one season disaster!

I really hope they stick with it, I think the bid is showing up to be as weak as alot of us feared but for the sake of SL expansiona nd RL in WAles fingers crossed they can make it a success.

Available players for next year are now being signed up and announced, it would be nice to hear of Celtic signing one or two decent players.

Chris Walker done deal, ok i know he' sh*t!

But you all know Dixon never announces his signings until 3 weeks before the season, and he announces them as one group.

We all know it hasn't really been working out of Brewery Field and so it's a common sense business decision. It does however make me doubt the lengths the RFL went to when making sure the Crusader's SL bid was water tight. Of course, nobody wants another GatesHull situation but we're at risk of something perhaps even worse; the London Crusaders/Broncos/Harlequins effect.

One thing that bothers me is the urgency with which they're looking to make this a permanent switch to Newport. It suggests it's kind of essential, if not critical. The obvious next concern is whether they can make it work in Newport but judging by their first effort, I'm guessing their method is not so much build a solid strategy, but suck it and see

Our 'close working relationship' with Harlequins RU has put us on the best footing we've had in Super League. If Celtic have the same positives in moving to Newport, I'm all for it.

I think Newport could work better than Bridgend.

It will be interesting to see this next season if we do move.

Am I reading the same article?

I read it as, yes it's a bad year financially but it is that way for everyone, no real panic. No mention of Newport, new players or acvademy players coming through.

So why speculate about next years' venue/squad off the back of this non-story?

Quote ="belgianxiii"Am I reading the same article? I read it as, yes it's a bad year financially but it is that way for everyone, no real panic. No mention of Newport, new players or acvademy players coming through. So why speculate about next years' venue/squad off the back of this non-story?'" news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 135198.stm

Quote ="belgianxiii"Am I reading the same article? I read it as, yes it's a bad year financially but it is that way for everyone, no real panic. No mention of Newport, new players or acvademy players coming through. So why speculate about next years' venue/squad off the back of this non-story?'" news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 135198.stm

And what effect would that be?

The roaring success that is Capital Rugby League, with it's nomadic attributes. i thinks that's what oxford-pie-eater is hinting at. Obvious isn't it, or are you just preparing to chomp on a juicy wriggly worm?

Forgive my geographical ignorance here, but how many of the Crusaders fans will attend at Newport? Is there a strong Newport fanbase, or is the core from Bridgend? A quick Google map search claims a distance of 30 miles, which is similar from Widnes to Wigan....

And look at Wigan's fixture at Widnes last season. Of course, some boycotted the fixture in protest to Ian Lenagan, but the crowd was halved by staging it away from the JJB Stadium. Would Celtic lose support at Newport?

Relocate em to Widnes.

Mmm, if that is so then why couch it in such language?




Me? Think you've got me mixed up with someone else

To be honest, there's not much to lose - at this early stage. Who's to say more from Newport won't attend than local Bridgendeners? ........and there's Cardiff, Swansea and Aberystwyth to try out before we start condemning them all to hell.

So you're saying they have to build from the bottom up, again. It is an absolute must that Celtic retain their regular support as they search for more.

what is the core support though?

couple of thousand at most - if they can get that in Newport, and more, then they should do it.

I agree. I was being a tad sarcastic and wholly unhelpful



A core requirement of "supporting a team" must be for a fan to have an affinity with a club. This takes time to build up. I would say that it is rare to get hooked after half a season although as i type this statement, this is exactly what happened to me in 1984. A sea change at Halifax saw 11 Australians come over and totally change the perspective of fans at Thrum Hall (ie, we were no longer crap). I thought a similar event would have happened with London Broncos when they got to Wembley but sadly the bug didn't catch.

For Celtic, the move at this early stage wouldn't be so disasterous as they are still finding their feet in the big league. If it takes two or three moves to find their home then so be it if the outcome is to be a positive one. Their biggest battle is changing the hearts and minds of the populace who's first sport is Rugby Union. That's a tough ask.

2k is better than nothing though. 2k at Bridgend and the same at Newport could provide the Crusaders with a solid fanbase to build upon. The point is that the club needs to do all it can to prevent the regulars from walking away. Obviously, the hardcore will follow them no matter where they play, but there will be plenty of fair-weather fans who will not want to make 60-mile round trips every other week.

I think the rfl made a mistake by putting Celtic in this season

IMO a better option would have been 13 team league (with by week) this season, with Celtic joining in 2010 on a 2 year licence. This season Celtic could have been given a bigger Championship budget (with strict criteria on playing youth players) and allowed longer to develop and recruit staff.

quite the contrary rich, TGG has taken off in the capitol, the amateur game is as strong as most areas, and the quins are developing a good stream of quality players from their academy.

seriously, the crusaders are in the wrong place, wrexham would be a much better base due to the fact that there are quite a lot of RL fans in north wales who travel miles each week to watch the likes of saints, widnes, wigan and wire.

Aye, shame we can't generate a stream of bums on seats though.

Which in itself is a reason [inot[/i to have it in Wrexham, as the fans in the area already have existing loyalties to RL clubs and I'm not convinced many would change clubs purely because one turns up on their doorstep.

I agree, Celtic should have done another season in the championship instead of being fast tracked into superleague.
What I would like to know how they met the parameters for a superleague franchise on no club structure, no support, no sound finance. I think they should be at the back of the queue of Widnes, Halifax and Others.

No thanks , they were doing far too much damage to our credibility as a competition

Much like Toulouse and Gateshead are now