The RFL's PET PROJECT has turned around and bit them in the bum, laughable sheer comedy again from Red Hall, we await the next episode when it comes down to not 'expeling' those SL clubs that don't match the Stadium debacle.

It's a joke and once again makes our game look amateurish. CC should lose all their points and be relegated (franchise withdrawn) with immediate effect. They have cheated their competitors in SL by playing illegal players and cheated at least one genuine team, which may or may not have been us, the chance to play SL rugby as well as bringing the game into disrepute.
As for their supporters, while I do have some sympathy for them, they should be looking at the people responsible within their own club.
As for the RFL - shambolic, again. Several team have been affected when it comes to signing foreign players, ourselves included, when Visas are denied and they do play a part in the application process. The Greg Bird situation springs to mind after he was denied a visa to play here and then signed for Catalans anyway. They need to put clear rules in place and apply them across the board so there can be no accusations of favouritism.

Pity the government aint as quick to get rid of all the paedophiles, murderers, rapists, and drug dealers this country gets saddled with.


As for the RL, its just bloody typical, theyve gone to such lengths to get a welsh side into SL, they ignore everything else and now theyve ended up with egg on their faces.....again. I do feel sorry for the Crusaders fans though.


RL is the greatest game in the world, great players, great fans....but as with the British Army in WWI...its a matter of lions led by donkeys...the game has been dragged back and impeded by the administration for years.

The RFL should relegate Celtic and promote the Grand Final winners this year (assuming that they fullfill the applicable criteria). What a good idea!!! - Promotion & Relegation.

The promoted team should then be given 2 guaranteed years in Super League before the franchise applications for 2012.

Probably the same one that told us Joe Williams was eligible to play for us!

Thats actually quite a good suggestion. Doubt it will happen though.

They should relegate em and promote us as an apology!

And only relegate one team from championship!

Thats the spirit

Bad news for the game.
A positive out of this is some Welsh players will get a baptism of fire from this by given a chance. Though seems strange a developing sport in Wales can't bring in foreign experienced players to help. JVD being given boot is a head scratcher in itself.

Predictable to see all the happy gesture signs on this mb.

Franchises done by the RFL should always be open to legal questioning from now on to ensure fair play as its blatantly obvious no checks have been done on the goings on of the club in South Wales (lets not forget the ground is now- after 1 season - not deemed fit for SL and some of the comments attributed to that clubs owner suggest he knew Celtic was SL bound) and any 'no right of appeal' should be questioned in public.

Lewis's position (as the head of the RFL) has to be questioned as his judgement is clearly very easily swayed without investigation of facts.

Sad for the Celtic enthusiasts, they and every other RL fan deserved some honesty in this whole sorry debacle.

Spot on - but cant see it happenning.

The RFL HAVE to act and punish or else the game will be in greater turmoil than it already is.They cannot brush this under the carpet - no excuses.

Will they demote their beloved?

I feel sorry for no-one

Wasn't the rfl league helping to run them over the last 3 months ? I seem to remember some statement from them to that effect a while back?

Not even the fans? They've travelled long distances week after week to watch the crusaders get beaten repeatedly. I think most of us know that isn't an easy thing to do. Obviously most leythers disagree with the way that Celtic have been fast tracked but its hardly the fans fault and it must be frustrating to see your club in such a state.

I think the RFL's official line will be that Celtic have committed an offence, but there is no punishment in their Operating Rules, to fit that offence. (Remember Jamie Thackray playing two cup ties, whilst ineligible? Well, that was the outcome, or lack of it, then)

They should not have fans watching super league in the first place.

Let them enjoy the championship

Typo corrected.

I reckon the RFL will HAVE to act.
This is the biggest RL scandal for as long as I can remember.

I must say the way CC were fast tracked was nothing short of disgusting but as you say it's not the fans fault and I do feel for you, it's hardly your fault that RFL a spineless and clueless!

Ahh the words of a certain Ch Exec certainly ring true now

When franchising came in I said it would reduce attendances at games in the top 2 divisions.

We will have 5 coach loads going to Gateshead next Sunday. Why ? You would have to be daft not to be able to answer that. Free or not you are going to spend 6 hours travelling just cos it,s free ? We fans know and next week we,ll be there to watch our team in the stadium that doesn,t exist.Get him back on TV to explain that.

I'm a Leigh fan pal

Just sympathising with the Celtic fans who have been dumped in SL which at the moment is way out of their depth, and then having to change grounds and now this. Can't be good for the fans.

Be fair frank. you know, and I know that even though them 5 coach loads will travel to Gateshead that they would not have been had they not been free. Great effort by all concerned to get coaches on, but fact is how many would we have taken otherwise.
Our home attendances don't reflect this great interest in relegation and the big battle we have ahead. I don't want us in a relegation fight anyway as I think it should be 1 going down only - being replaced by the best team in Ch. 1. I would have said that b4 season started too.
Also the competition is about over a season, not that elusive do or die game (Wakey v Cas) that may or may not happen.

Leigh should not feel agrieved for not getting into SL - we should thank the RFL for that one. We was nowhere near ready. We was the one club out of Widnes-Salford-Celtic that relied on SL money the most. I thought RFL was silly stating our stadium wasn't up to standard as such at the time......again I will lift my arm up and say fair enough they was right because we all know we wasn't playing in the stadium at the time, and we all know the teething problems we have had and still are having at the LSV.
Also I thought RFL had no backbone by not putting Widnes in SL instead of Wakey/Cas/HKR etc....I'll hold my hand up on this one as they are contributing to the competition. I bet Bradford wish P&R was back so them teams that are replacing them near the top would be in the usual revolving door of relegation battles instead.

Its a real shame with the circumstances at Celtic at the moment, and hopefully they won't get put to the sword like we did back end of 2005. Don't agree with how Lewis explained the reasoning for Celtic being put in SL, as it seemed like a wind up but the RFL had to give the sport a boost in Wales and made the decision that most people would have done that wanted the sport played by a bigger population. The rewards are massive if clubs like Quins/Celtic take off in years to come. Much bigger than having 6 SL teams servicing a small area, and basically getting nowhere profile wise for encouraging rest of country to play PT/FT.



Unfortunately open or not there would be disappointed club chairmen, who see things very differently to others. If you don't believe me look back on the VT for the differing opinions of who should be in by fans. You can't have a position where legal challenges could be an option as you could end up with season being unable to start. Clubs have to accept the decision is final simple as. Wouldn't work otherwise surely.
Don't see problem with moving grounds if it can work - hopefully it will.
Also can't see what you are saying re Celtic was SL bound b4 decision. I thought Celtic had to be in NL1 to be able to qualify. They was also, along with Salford one of top 2 teams in NL1, which kind of rubber stamped their inclusion.