Celtic Crusaders Go Into Administration.

toomevara

Just been announced on the Beeb that the Crusaders have gone into administration. A great great shame for the game in Wales which paradoxically seemed to be on the up. Be interesting to see what the ramifications of this are for the super league....

http://www.crusadersrfl.com/article.php?id=3131

Sounds ominous.

WakeyTyke

If (and it's a big if) the Crusaders can scratch together enough finance to keep the club in existence the RFL, no doubt, will do it's upmost to try to keep a Welsh club in SL.

With the new round of franchise applications approaching quickly, it is to be hoped that the RFL use their head, and not their heart, in deciding whether the Crusaders are a viable commercial proposition for a further 3-years in SL.

As a traditionalist, I would hate to see a club with RL heritage sacrificed in order to briefly prolong another failed attempt at expansion.

amacachi

There has to be some way to keep the club going long-term, it looked to me like they were doing alright attendance-wise compared with other clubs, so I wonder if they just over-extended themselves too early.

Dozen Wicked Words

So, according to the BBC website, the former owners Ian Roberts and Geoff Mossare in talks to buy back the club from the administrators.

Under a new name ? Welsh Crusaders and the RFL stumping up some of the money. Readmitted to the Super League, with a points deduction.


Link to the BBC story

Scary, in such a short space of time, they went £1.25 million into debt. Hopefully any new/renewed team will be more financially sound.

From attendances it looks like it should be more of a viable propostion than any London team has achieved.

Dozen Wicked Words

In the never ending conversation with myself , just to let myself know that Crusaders will be going into the next Super League season on minus 4 points. Heres the link that I saw it on, and may want to look at again, thanks, your welcome.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/super_league/celtic_crusaders/9277648.stm

toomevara

dooferoaks wrote: »

In the never ending conversation with myself , just to let myself know that Crusaders will be going into the next Super League season on minus 4 points. Heres the link that I saw it on, and may want to look at again, thanks, your welcome.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/super_league/celtic_crusaders/9277648.stm

No longer the sound of one hand clapping!!!!:D This whole Crusaders thing, it just gets more and more farcical...I really think given the underlying financial problems they're just piddling in the wind with the welsh outfit and sooner or later its going to go to the wall. I was a massive advocate of expansion but the RFL bent the rules and looked the other way when it came to the bottom line financially, and this was in a time of relative plenty...I have a sneaking suspicion that the suits will be hoping that the crusaders are relegated this season, in time for the next franchise application, get Widnes Barrow/ 'Fax in there and the whole thing can be quietly swept under the table...

toomevara

On a separate, but not entirely unrelated topic, It appears that the proposed Wakefield stadium development is running into trouble. This could have serious ramifications for their SL future;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/wakefield/9287711.stm

Dozen Wicked Words

Castleford and Wakefield would do themselves a favour, at least in the short term, to agree a ground share whilst planning is resolved. I suppose Cas may see this as a boost to their chances of staying in the League though.

I don't think its a particularly fair system where a team can run all over supposed rules and be fairly secure in their position in the league (I would think a Welsh team is fairly bomb proof), while a "heartland" club only just comes up short in whats expected of them is in danger of losing its spot.

None of this encourages traditional areas of RL support to back expansion as an idea. People will see it, with justification, of one rule for one, one for another.

So far, Harlequins haven't had financial assistance from the RFL or gone into administration. Hopefully it will stay that way.

I have said before, but I think an expanded league would be easily feasible, making the league more competitive at both ends. Fixture lists could be worked out to result in no additional games for already tired teams. There probably are downsides I am missing but they have changed so much about the format over the years why not try a bigger league.

toomevara

dooferoaks wrote: »

Castleford and Wakefield would do themselves a favour, at least in the short term, to agree a ground share whilst planning is resolved.

100% agree, but they'd rather cut their noses off to spite their faces as far as I can see. Its a model that has worked successfully in the NRL and in other sports, there's no reason, other than sheer bloody mindedness that they cant ground-share, make a go of it and guarantee both their futures...senseless.

WakeyTyke

toomevara wrote: »

100% agree, but they'd rather cut their noses off to spite their faces as far as I can see. Its a model that has worked successfully in the NRL and in other sports, there's no reason, other than sheer bloody mindedness that they cant ground-share, make a go of it and guarantee both their futures...senseless.

Sorry Toomey but your post is very naive.

Firstly, neither Cas or Wakey currently have a stadium up to SL standard and chances are they wont have in time to satisfy Red Hall for the next franchise round.

In hindsight a shared ground in a neutral area (such as Normanton) could have possibly worked but too much water has gone under the bridge for that to happen. Even if the clubs agreed to it now, time and finance would mean it wouldn't happen for at least 3-5 years.

Without a ground in a neutral venue there is a strong and reasonable belief that the team that plays in their rivals stadium would (with the help of the RFL and Sky) eventually be forced into merger, thereby losing its identity.

Fans from both clubs would rather see their own team play in the lower leagues than support a merged team.

Wakey Trinity have a 139 years of proud history, that goes much further back than the breakaway of the Northern Union to create RL. Cas also has its own proud heritage.

It goes much deeper than the game itself - it is about local pride, heritage and tradition and no organisation or TV station will be able overcome that, by fair means or foul.