Been there but refuse to spit the dummy. I love RL and as much as i want a home town team to support I still enjoy wayching the amateur game, the kids and the NRL on TV. RL has a history of poor management, if fans walked away everytime something happened they didn;t like the game would be long dead by now!

what are you moving on to, RU?

if so heaven help you.

Tell that to Baz.

i lost my RL club and came back a stronger fan.

I think he's already said in original post that he's leaving both codes

edited for accuracy!

Would those berating the RFL as the supposed villains in this piece like to put forward proposals for what they could have done to prevent this move and retain a SL club in South Wales - other than throw a shedload of cash at it and hope it comes off?

Or is it just easier to sit back and blame everything that goes wrong in the sport on the RFL rather than looking at why rugby league is still a small-time, small-town game?

made sure the financial modelling wasn't built like a house of cards?

And how would that have retained a SL club in South Wales? If the RFL hadn't been happy with the financial side of the franchise application and refused the Crusaders, do you think Leighton Samuel would have stuck around for another three years in a semi-pro competition?

It would have been a lot easier for a South Wales based consortium to pick up the pieces once he had cleared off.

Try reading the original post.

Can sympathise entirely with the original post, and have felt like jacking it in myself over recent years, the sport truly does feel like a circus. In fact, I dare say if it wasn't for the fact I've spent the past 17 years of my life watching Leigh every weekend, I'd have buggered off. In the past I used to watch a Super League game (live, not on the TV) every weekend, either at Saints, Salford, Warrington or Wigan, whereas this past two years I've barely even watched games on the telly.

Well said.

I will support rugby league no matter what.

I was a rugby league fan before in an armchair capacity and will continue to watch the game live where I can. Some people prefer to turn away from the game, others prefer to keep at it and keep going. Each to their own but I'm still supporting our club and hope they get rid of Mike Turner so we can run it with a bit of efficiency. If Wrexham isn't working then I hope they have the sense to get the club back to South Wales as soon as possible.

Half of me wants to get my season ticket back to show solidarity with the South Wales based fans and half wants to stay behind the club.

I am also not sure whether I just want to save money and get behind the Neath club even if it is a feeder club to Crusaders. I would much prefer it if the club was independent and based at Bridgend as I feel Brewery Field Limited were the best people for the job, but if that is the best opportunity to watch rugby league then that is about my easiest option.

Not sure what to do. Crusaders offering money on season tickets back in letters by all accounts. Can think of a lot to respond with and will cross that bridge when the letter apologising for the move come through the post.

Would you watch both clubs, or just one or the other? Personally, I think you should chuck your weight behind the South Wales side and support your region, though if they are to be 'linked' with Wrexham Crusaders then it would kind of defeat in the object in my eyes.

That's the problem, it seems to be a development club for Crusaders so it is good but it will have a glass ceiling stopping the club from succeeding, so to speak.

As long as Mike Turner is dropped by the Wrexham club, and if he isn't straight away I'm pretty sure he will be when they see what he is about, then all the people who couldn't run Crusaders down here will be gone.

I am thankful in a way to Moss for buying us but less happy about the relocation. In a way giving my season ticket back would be harming his club and not protesting as such against the real cuplrits Samuel and Turner. As you say the links with Crusaders and the Championship 1 Crusaders would mean supporting the development club would also be supporting Crusaders indirectly.

I think I will go and enjoy my Super League while I can without thinking too much about it. I'll also try to catch the development club down here as I feel this is where most of our young players will come from, no doubt, and want to support that.

I've thought too much about all of this these past few months and when it is official it will be a big relief for me either way. I have felt like my head is going to explode lately with all the rugby league stuff going on in it. I won't be sticking with Crusaders and rugby league for the owners or the RFL in any way though but for the game, the players and most of all the fans. The fans are what make it what it is and I want to be part of that.

See you in 2010.

Exactly the problem that we face in the Championship. Not sure whether you'll agree with this, but I think the people of Neath won't get behind a club that is seen only as a feeder to one based at the other end of the country. They need to be a separate entity of their own and harbour their own ambitions rather than effectively operating as a Crusaders reserve side.

Not neccersarily if most of the crusaders fans started supporting the neath club the rfl would be forced to relocate the club to south wales within a season or two.

In which case you'd be left with just a Super League on it's own again. If the RFL are serious about having two clubs in Wales, then they have to operate on a completely separate basis.

Hopefully the rfl in such a case would keep a championship side in north wales. With the two clubs being linked the sl side needs to suceed, but i really cant see it surviving in north wales.

Blackmail from a wealthy benefactor is hardly a solid reason for offering a franchise. If it was evident that Crusaders were so dependant on one person, then the RFL should've demanded a guarantee similar to the one offered by Stephen O'Connor at Widnes, as a condition of the franchise.

It is clear that the SL application was built on the financial backing of one man. In a case like this I would expect A) for the club to have some reserves in the bank B) to show they had sponsors lined up C) that they aren't reliant on gate receipts for a large chunk of their income and finally, and most importantly in a scenario like this the financial backer guarantees his backing for the life of the licensce ie 3 years or if he pulls the plug he has to pay back the RFL grant paid out over the period of time ie in this case 1 year. The RFL is "investing" the grant in the new club and as such deserves some security of tenure of the financial backer.

Exactly why the two clubs need to be separate, and then only the individual clubs are responsible for how they progress, rather than having to rely on each other.

I very much agree, but these are the cards that have been dealt

I second that im sticking to our beloved rugby union, being an armchair fan of Wrexham Moneychasers and wire and will try and get to 1 or 2 wire games.

We have blown our chance to start league down here lot are people are annoyed and wont back either team now.

All the union told u so are having a field day down here..!!

Im disgusted by the RFL I ive decided im having a rant! Im not putting a letter in the paper cos that looks like moaning. Im not writing to the RFL cos I any of them can read, they will be too arrogant to take anything on board. Im going to rant on here cos the vast majority of poster will get my point and my frustration.

Since I was a kid our great game has given me so much;
Most people I know, I wouldnt have met unless I was into RL
Ive played amatuer RL for 22 years
Ive played lower grade pro for a good few years
Ive coached academy at 3 clubs
Ive coached an age group international team
Ive been on amazing trips to numerous countries with countless memories
Ive worked for professional clubs
Ive been a Cas fan throughout and jumped with joy and cried in despair.
RL has given me so much so why am I fed up with it?

Answer, its run by idiots

Ive been so many places where the game is new, from Middlesbrough to Moscow and Philadelphia to Runcorn and every time its the same. People LOVE our game. The problem is we make a cock up of everything, make ourselves look stupid and we end up having to defend our love of our game! Im sick of explaining madness to new people to the game.

Gateshead were let down
Crusaders were let down
Fans are USUALLY let down

Why do I find myself asking..................?
Why do Sale Sharks manage to serve beer quicker and more efficiently the Cas?
Why do we promote as a BIG event a half empty stadium?
Why does a GROWING game have fewer teams at consecutive World Cups?
Why does the World Club Challenge never go anywhere else but Leeds or Bolton?
Why dont new clubs get extra money and support to ensure they are sustained? Also we do we rush them when they are not ready?
Why does EXPANSION mean there are FEWER places for well established clubs?
Why if I want to buy a team shirt in June, do I have to be a wrestler or a midget because human sizes have all sold out and no more are coming in?
Why dont things ever go the simple way in RL? Why did the 11th team go down in 2006? Why could Leeds pick who they want to play in the play off?

The usual answer is a lack common sense and logic everytime and our game has none. None at all.

I used to go the every Challenge Cup final, every international, even decent looking games with two teams I dont support. Now I dont even make every Cas game. Cos im older, have choices to make and have recognised the disgraceful leadership shown in my beloved sport.

Patience is thin. It wont snap, as there will always be youngsters I will watch, teach, coach, but paying my money for the pro game, certainly beyond Cas is becoming a luxury I can live without.

Shame on you RFL.

Thank you - feel better now!