www.skysports.com/tv_show/story/ ... 87,00.html Well, blow me Phil C....you have finally woke up and smelled the coffee. I have a lot of time for Phil Clarke, but is he really this surprised about how totally p****** off the rest of RL because of Celtic Crusaders??

www.skysports.com/tv_show/story/ ... 87,00.html Well, blow me Phil C....you have finally woke up and smelled the coffee. I have a lot of time for Phil Clarke, but is he really this surprised about how totally p****** off the rest of RL because of Celtic Crusaders??

If Im not mistaken this was discussed at length on here a few days ago Paul, Clarkey has a point but is he trying to feather his own nest?????

I think he makes a very valid point about the 'level playing field'.
When CC were admitted to what is now Conference level they were allowed to have more overseas players than other clubs and other preferential treatment. Regardless of the visa issue, this means that they had more acces to foreign players and resultingly were able to win NL2 in 2007 and be promoted to NL1 and satisfy more of the criteria for a SL franchise.
Would we be where we are now if we had been able to sign 10 aussies and play without fear of relagation? It's a hypothetical question but it all arises out of the preferential CC have received throughout their short existence

No he is playing devils advocate. How the hell can the RL wash their hands of this affair. They openly say that all they needed to see was a tick in a box from Celtic that the visa was ok and in the next sentance say that the players only needed a working holiday maker visa to play in the lower leagues knowing that Celtic were being pushed into SL and using the same players. My 10year old son would spot that mistake. Are they asking us to believe after all the rules and bull they come up with that they didn't spot this. Phil is right and is concerned about the picture that the rest of RL is conjuring up from this debacle. It stinks and someone needs to hold their hands up. But this is the RFL. One more thing is the new ground for Celts and it being a centre of excellence for Wales. Thats even more help from the RFL. If it ever happens.

the RFL Board are to blame for allowing Celtic to be promoted. It should have been Widnes or us.

not a phil clarke fan... but name and shame all phill good on you

Wonder what notice period Sky have to give him

well said Phil, speaking up for the common man.

...and thats how we are seen by the lofty idiots at the RFL. Nigel Wood still hasn't replied to my email, even after I sent him a second one thanking him for confirming the thoughts I put to him in the first email....by not replying. I have no idea why he hasn't replied

The RFL got what they deserved. You allow a weaker organisation to leapfrog over other candidates who were better prepared (Widnes & Leigh) then suffer the consequences. Celtic weren't ready for SL. They still aren't and they still won't be in 2012. This is what happens when you try and artificially create a SL franchise in an area that isn't ready for it. It is to be hoped that there are enough "heartland" clubs left when the RFL eventually abandon they're "artificial" experiment.

Well they are slowly wiping out the North West/Lancashire, just look at the top 2 divisions now. They'll see Celtic OK though, Noble plus two high profile players from Wigan with at least one of those three paid for by the RFL

Agree you would have thought "Paris" would have learned them a lesson.