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Crusaders join Super League
Celtic Crusaders and Salford City Reds have joined the 12 current Super League clubs in being handed Super League licences.
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Comments
Owen Griffiths says...
I'm from Leeds and I completly understand why many people are disgusted about the Warriors joining the Super Leauge but they have so deal with it. It will make better away trips down to Wales instead of going to Widnes or Halifax. Rugby League needs to bee seen out of Yorkshire and Lancashire and this is a massive oppurtunity for the sport.
Posted 15:29 24th July 2008
Eddie Harrison (leigh) says...
How can Celtic be given a franchise with an extended shed and three fans ahead of Leigh and Widnes, who have state of the art stadiums and 8000 fans? Alan Rowley has the right idea asking how the Crusaders can tick more boxes than Leigh and Widnes. If so many people want to watch the sport in Wales then why move Millenium Magic to Edinburgh?
Posted 16:38 23rd July 2008
Pete Smith says...
I'm afraid Widnes and Leigh will never play in SuperLeague so long as Warrington, Saints & Wigan are strong. The RFL has a clear aim to spread in a geographical sense. In three years time perhaps Toulouse, Leicester, Edinburgh and then Dublin (dreamin' a little here) will come up with something. Widnes and Leigh need a Super League Club to go bust or they have to finish top of their League for the next three years to be considered.
Posted 16:15 23rd July 2008
Joe Catcheside says...
Why publish criteria and then ignore them? Celtic Crusaders have no fanbase, a poor ground, not a single player who's come through Welsh RL grassroots into the top flight, and can only compete on the field because they are allowed to field a team of imports. Widnes and Leigh have exceptional facilities, a deeply embedded supporter base, and consistently provide players to the highest levels of the sport. They get 2000 at home in NL1. In SL they'd average 5000+ and would take at least that many to Wigan, Saints, Warrington, and at least 1000 to the Yorkie clubs. I've seen both clubs crowned League Champions, and Widnes take the World Club Challenge. Stability is the aim, says Richard Lewis. Yet without the SL Franchise, the world knows Celtic Crusaders would fold. What kind of stability is that?? When South Wales has 50 clubs, 100 teams, league coaching in every school, and a top-level team in a decent ground pulling 2000+ to their home matches, then put money into an Elite league franchise. SURELY WE SHOULD KNOW THIS BY NOW?? Paris St German. Gateshead Thunder. Nottingham. Scarborough Pirates. Kent Invicta. Mansfield Marksmen. Carlisle. South Wales. Cardiff Blue Dragons. Nottingham City. Here we go again.... PS... anyone who thinks I'm anti-expansionist can come to watch the Exeter team I coach play East Devon Eagles in Exmouth tonight...
Posted 14:21 23rd July 2008
Alan Rugby says...
well rfu ,wales has a big following of r.l. fans ,the other teams have had their chance for years !now its time for new blood and new ideas , the north took all of good players for years now its time to keep our talent in wales , well done r.l.
Posted 14:13 23rd July 2008
Kevin Sherlcok says...
It¿s like this when Widnes were relegated from super league it cost each club around 200k a year in income! How does that work? Well it costs a club around 120k in transposition costs and hotel fees to travel to the dragons in the South of France. Also Widnes would take around 2000 fans to Warrington, Saints and Wigan and half that again to most of the rest of the League. The Celtic stadium is third rate so is Salford¿s and forget all this about we are going to build a new stadium the year after next honest gov! because construction costs have increased over a third in the last two years and neither Salford or Celtic and lets through in St Helens into the mix because their stadium is second rate can afford to build one! Widnes has built a 20 million pound 13,500 capacity all seated stadium with not one outside open air toilet! Any proper super league fan who travels the grounds will know where they are and which clubs have them!
Posted 13:54 23rd July 2008
Tony Davies says...
EXCUSE ME! I think all you anti-Crusaders mob out there are missing something? If you remember every club had the opportunity to submit an application for a license, and it appears that the Crusaders came up trumps based on the criteria required. It also appears that Widnes' application was not good enough, which is replicated by their current league standing compared to the Crusaders'. It's got nothing to do with past history or just crowd attendances so wake up all those of you living in the dark ages! Well done Crusaders and the Reds and all the best for the future
Posted 13:48 23rd July 2008
Andrew Hamer says...
Chris Fieldsend - "Crusaders and Salford are the best teams in national league by a mile?" That would be why a part time team (Halifax) are one point behind Salford and four ahead of the Crusaders! Like Super League you never let the facts get in the way of a good argument!
Posted 12:54 23rd July 2008
Chris X says...
Crusaders have only achieved over 2000 when all of the local schools are given free tickets to boost attendance. A ploy used by other clubs as well. Let's face it no one is interested in rugby league in south Wales there is no history of the game there unlike in the south of France where I toured as a youngster. The next two years will show the RFL to have made a big mistake and will probably need to bail the club out. I hope they do well but I can't see it myself.
Posted 12:53 23rd July 2008
Allan Rookyard says...
Lionel Williams....spot on mate, i couldnt agree more with (apart from not watching another game) lets face it if you halved Widnes's attendance it would stil be higher then Celtic Crusaders, am a Hull FC fan through and through all my life and i want the game to the biggest and best it can be, but to do that, we need real teams with real fans. Gutted for you Widnes. There should be a new rule stating that if the attendances are below half of what is expected after 2 years there licence should be removws and a new club should come in.
Posted 11:20 23rd July 2008
Chris Fieldsend says...
crusaders deserve a chance crusaders andsalford are the best teams in national league by a mile.All you widnes fans are living off past glories and you were happy when you snapped up all our welsh playersrevenge is sweet for a proud welshman
Posted 11:11 23rd July 2008
Michelle Simpkin says...
I am absolutely astounded at the decision to include Celtic in the Super League. Even though I am a Leigh fan, I can't believe the Rugby League has chosen Celtic over Widnes! and well done to Alan Rowley for having the bottle to say that the Rugby League should hang their heads in shame, I think that just about sums up the whole fiasco. They have broken the hearts of thousands of fans rather that a couple of hundred down in Wales. I believe that they will be shown for the fools they are when yet again Rugby league fails to take off in Wales.
Posted 10:55 23rd July 2008
Martyn Gibson says...
What is with all the negativity here? Change is good and although it is hard to swallow at this moment over time we will see the benefits of the franchise system. Three years is a long enough time for clubs to build a solid base while benefiting from the large amounts of TV rights now received (benefiting both leagues) and preventing the yo-yo administration effect we so often see in football. Where were we ten years ago? Where are we now? The game has improved massively and is an immense spectacle which am sure the 'other' sports envy. A big thumbs up from me for the RFL who have never been frightened of change and pushing the boundaries. We really are our own worst publicity enemies at times - lets be positive this is a massive step and change is good. I am a Salford fan and if we hadn't of got in I would have been gutted for a very short time. When the dust settled I would see three years to get the best stadium, develop the youngsters, build relations with other businesses for sponsorship and have something to work towards in three years time. It's not about short term its about building a product which will be the envy of all the other sports and provide the best entertainment.
Posted 09:44 23rd July 2008
Amanda T says...
Yes the Crusaders are new, but they have proved they are serious and have achieved major milestones in a short period of time. Good on them, and good on the RFL for seeing what the majority of you can not. For those of you that don't like the expansion route that the RFL has chosen to take - get over it and step out of the north England for a change - you might find a better life exists outside of your small-minded world!
Posted 09:25 23rd July 2008
Alex Hollins says...
To say I am upset about this would be a massive understatement. I am devestated. It's 1995 again. It is getting more and more difficult to deny those who say that there are forces conspiring to cripple Widnes and consign them to the history books.
Posted 08:55 23rd July 2008
Alan Booth says...
It's a bold move by the RL to promote the game outside the M62 belt. But, this has to be backed up with an attack on the lack of media coverage by the press and TV companies. For example, ITV news has never given a super league result (apart from the final) in the last five years; There is a total lack of coverage in London both in the press and on TV; You cannot buy a rugby league paper at any of the main London stations. The RL should get the BBC super league show, shown nationally not just in three areas; should use the press complaints committee to get equal coverage with RU in the press; and use legal and parliamentary processes to get RL equally funded by sport England with RU.
Posted 07:42 23rd July 2008
Nikki Bell says...
Flog a dead horse to promote rugby league in communities and areas which aren't interested while murdering interest in areas that have over 100 years history in the sport The RFL have no idea what they are doing and in no way will improve the game during the next 3 years
Posted 07:03 23rd July 2008
Mike Murph says...
I think the inclusion of Salford is an intelligent one, but the appointment of the Crusaders is premature. They don't have the support, stadium or the player base at the moment. If the crusaders fail then potential new fans watching on TV will be put off by half empty small stadiums with no atmosphere. They should be allowed to develop in relative obscurity from the media in the national league. I think by experimenting with clubs in the super league damages the brand. The RFL is a victim of its own hype. the millennium magic weekend has been a failure both years, with little or no impact from the event in the national media. Last years challenge cup final between Saints and the Catalans was branded as 'a huge success for French rugby league'. I was in France watching the game and yes the stadium was impressive but the game was terrible with both sides making basic errors. That along with the poor French coverage of the event actually did more harm than good. The Dragons are marketed as the team for the Catalans. Catalonia is a region that prides itself in being different from the rest of France (and Spain), having their own culture and identity. I think the Dragons are a great idea and are based in a hot bed of league, but if you want the whole of France to follow then I feel you need another French team. Toulouse is a team that can be marketed to the whole of France. A Toulouse v Catalan derby match would eventually draw a lot of interest. I think for our sport to gain more media attention our international fixtures need improving. England v France has great potential for promoting our sport in the northern hemisphere and a second French club would aid that improvement more so then an under developed Welsh side.
Posted 05:44 23rd July 2008
Steve Hill says...
i agree with the new system as a whole, but i dont agree with the celtic getting a place no home grown players no fan base and to that end what as the other teams got to look forward to for the next 3 years liegh and widnes both have brand new stadia and the history the game is dying slowly but the money grabbers get richer its a joke
Posted 03:00 23rd July 2008
Ross Thaddeus says...
as a big salford fan i am over the moon and looking forward to the next 3 years,id like to say all these people that have made a comment,yes celtic was lucky to get it but people on here say how widness didnt get it,i think leigh was so unlucky not to get it to.wakefield have to buckle up now and get plans for a new ground or they can be the ones going down too.Now its a test for leigh widness and featherstone now to see if they can stay strong now for the 3 remaining years.
Posted 01:47 23rd July 2008
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