Just to clarify, it was me that made the photobucket thing. a) Everyone bar you found it funny. I would suggest you chillax a bit (yeah, I said chillax

) and b) i'm actually from York which is one of Europes most famous Cities and has the 2nd lowest unemployment rate in the UK (plus I have a job, just to clarify). Not that facts should get in the way



Does that make it funny now?



[size=85(I'd rather live in Sheffield than Halifax though....*runs and hides*

)[/size

I agree I am not a fan of clauses either (except Santa) but until the RFL say that you can't have them they will always exist.

As ESO says when a player signs a contract that should be honoured unless both parties reach an agreement to end it prematurely which in this case must have been the case. Or if the terms of a contract have also been broken by either party in terms of a player going AWOL or a player not being paid etc.

For the Eagles I would assume that a cash settlement would have been preferable but the deal was done as is because one party or the other prefered it that way.

Reported in the Star

[urlhttp://www.thestar.co.uk/rugbyleague/Eligibility-storm-over-Eagles-rival.6534482.jp[/url


Don't agree with the breaking of clause/contract and I would hope that it isn't peer pressure that is forcing him to potentially put his neck in a legal noose. Also bearing in mind does his contract with Fax run into next year? will Fax be solvent next year? will he be looking for a new club? not withstanding burnt bridges how many clubs would trust him with a contract.
This could be a carreer breaking move





But the lad obviously wants to play and feels he has a point to make against the Eagles so it should make for a good game. A good player with a hot head how long will he stay on the pitch!!

A club and a player with no morals,No respect for that club or player,If i was the Eagles directors etc,I would shun them tonight,I hope they do go bankrupt at the end of the season again and Sam Barlow can find another club,It wont be ours!!!!!

Thank you for your well wishes.

No problem,As you can guess i dont like your club or the way it gets run and i dont like the fact how you belittle so called smaller clubs when you should take a leaf out of their book as they are better run and dont go tits up every season with the begging bowl out like yours.Also your fans are rather arrogant and seem to enjoy taking the phiss out of the smaller clubs both on and off the field,A bit like the stupid country mile comment,Your club is a bit of a bully and a bully doesnt like to be confronted and i'll assure you tonight they will be win.lose or draw they'll be no backing down and you know youve been in a game and for the good of rugby and the integrity of the sport ,The Eagles to win.

Well, I expect we'll be playing them on a regular basis.

No chance of Superleague having them in the foreseeable future after this season.

They might have ticked the Grand Final box but the others are empty.

Exactly!

* Don't tick turnover box
* Don't tick the attendance box
* Decided not to bother signing up to the RFL academy programme (unlike Eagles and Fev)
* Too near to Bradford

At least they're not as whiney as Leigh fans though. I wish they'd give it a rest with their "the world is against us" bit.

My view, for what it's worth (and I'm trying to view it without my blue and white specs on) is that it's not about honouring a contract per se, it's more the wording of it ie - do the playoffs count as "the season"?

On our side of the fence, we're short on bodies plain and simple so we need him to play. On your side of the fence, you know we're decimated by injury and it's the perfect distraction to play head games.

Plus it's big money game for the victor and to add to that Radio Leeds was reporting this morning that the clause not to play was only verbal between Sheffield and Sam.

Would Sheffield be making such a song and dance about it if he'd signed for a team you'd be confident of beating, say, in a lower down division? I can't help thinking that it's less about morals and principle and more to with gaining an advantage because your coach isn't confident of beating us.

Thoughts?

PS - I've read a lot about him being a "liability" on here. He might have been in the Red & Gold, he certainly hasn't been in the Blue & White. I hope he does play and it adds to the spectacle. Safe journey over to all this evening

I have to be honest, I'm really not fussed whether he plays or not! Just looking forward to a good game of rugby!

The main problem as I see it is that you are pretty blinkered by your own club, and why not I say.

Okay you dont like our club, but you assume that all fans of that club are against smaller clubs, a point of which you couldnt be so wrong. there are many fans at our club who believe that WE have been bullied for years by the bigger clubs and we need the smaller clubs around us in order to survive.

I think it is fantastic what Aston has one, although his methods are not always smiled upon by other, after being forced into the silly merger with Huddersfield (so that they could have the £1M) and long may you survive. I just wish that the public of Sheffield would get behind them and start to turn up to games, both home and away.

However on the issue of Barlow. If you check out posts there are many on our own board (me included) who say we shouldnt play him, as we cannot afford another negative publicity issue. Thats said if they do play him tonight, believe me I will be shouting him on to do his best against you, as you will probably shouting him on to fluff his lines (if you come along that is).

Fair enough,I just think it's a bad thing in anyform in life in general,If you give your word or sign somthing to say you wont do somthing,It's a pretty poor act as a human being when you go against your word,thats just my opinion,see what happens but if you do win there will always be that question mark hanging over the game,I'm sure your fans or chairman wont be worried,It's just about code of conduct but hey ho.

Agreed, I put a post on our own forum, Its not good for Halifax to do this as its just more bad publicity, also what if we want someone else from sheffield in the future, they are going to be reluctant to release.

However, I must say that in business you have to be ruthless to survive in this climate, many clubs including us are struggleing, but looking at this year it is clearly our own BOD who have caused the problems.

Early exit from Northern Rail cup becuase we did not know a draw would have put us through and rushed a Conversion against Hunslet.
Michael Ostick playing for 2 teams in Challenge cup - results in a early exit.
Stanley Gene sacking - Must honour a five month payment.
Sam Barlow - Just what we need.

It would be nice to see some Eagles fans at the Shay for a change. I see your club as doing very well out of three away fixtures that are shared gates, so why shouldn't you travel & contribute to the funds ?

Very good points,In business you do have to be ruthless but you also need to treat people with respect and if you look after somebody you expect it in return,Rob Worrincy shook on a deal with Mark then joined Fax,Barlow agrees not to play then after his release and the play-off carrott dangling he now wants to (He might not play) I suppose it's more to do with the character of the player,Surely its better for everybody if we all scratch each others back and play fair,But thats life i suppose.

As far as I can see. This game is not legal.

It's a disgrace



Cold night down here but warmed up by the drummers from Sheffield. Quite a vociferous mob. Holroyd showing his youth and bombing you to death



Up the Fax !!!!

You may be at Wire on Sunday, but you'll be in court on Monday. There is a serious case here.

The only people who really know the deal with Barlow are the ones involved , but tonight it was down to one thing , that was Sheffields terrible goal line defence in the first half , any of the top eight would have punished you for it

But you have done extremely well , from An attacking point of view you have only been second in this league to Fax

Keep it up

I dont honestly think anything will come from it now and regardless if it does, it will not effect the club, just Sam who would have made a concious decision to play.

AS FOR ALL THOSE WHO SAID THAT YOU WOULD WIND HIM UP, YOU ONLY WOUND YOURSELF UP AND I THINK THAT COULD HAVE BEEN HALF YOUR DOWNFALL !!!!

As someone who is a qualified official and very familiar with RFL rules, Halifax RLFC have fielded an ineligible player. That is the bottom line. Sheffield will pursue this matter vigorously.

Ah well, whatever will be will be. We've screwed up so many times this year - what's another case lost? We're in the final again. Whoop de doop !!!

You are Mark Aston and I claim my £10

Well, no. Seeing a the RFL said he could play. How did you think that conversation went;

Halifax: 'Hi RFL, bit of a confusion about whether Sam Barlow can play. He's the write-up etc. What do you reckon?'

RFL: 'Ah right, well no he can't play to be honest. But we'll tell you and the media that we said ''we see no reason why he can't play'', but no, looking at that you have certainly got an ineligible player. Umm, play him and see what happens.'

Halifax: 'Oook, but the partyline is you've told us and the media he's ok to play'

RFL: 'Yes'





You can go crazy and sue Mr.Barlow all you like. If Halifax fielded an ineligible player, we'd be thrown out on Monday morning as that's the rules. As it happens, I can't see that happening because the club did the right thing by asking.