Could you Really give Celtic a SL franchise ???

[whitehavenRLforever]

This  Tuesday is D Day and I for 1 won't be surprised if Celtic are 1 of the 14 but they simply don't deserve it.

Its  not  the  fact  we  beat  them.  There  ground  doesn't  look  up  to  SL  standards.  The  empty  spaces  must  be  an  embarrassment  for  a  potential  SL  club.  Is  there  really  any  interest  in  RL  in  Wales.  Even  the  pitch  looked  a  bit  like  a  paddy  field.

No  doubt  the  decision  has already  been  made  but  if  Celtic  are  in  then  its  a  sad  day  for  RL

[haven09]

i dont think many if any of those celtic players could play sl, st.helens or leeds would put atleast 50-60 on them and even the poorer sides like cas and wakey would put 30-40 on them

its a rugby union ground, its a good thing haven fans were there today because the attendance would of been poor and no noise coming from there fans

they dont produce any homegrown players.

[Boxer]

I believe they will play in cardiff if they get a licence and the SL money will mean better players

[Flannerz]

I think I might be reading into things too much but going on what I've seen today, I don't think Celtic have got a franchise. I believe Widnes and Salford have and here's my thinking behind:

1) For starters the magic weekend is no longer to be held in Cardiff. Some would argue that it could indicate that Celtic will be granted a Franchise so they need to have it in a neutral location. On the other side of the coin, maybe the RFL can see that there really isn't the support in South Wales for Rugby League so they are going onto their next area, Scotland?

2) Apparently the clubs found out yesterday who has got a franchise, but it isn't being released to the public until the announcement on Tuesday. If that's the case then it might that explain the lacklustre performance on show by Celtic today. Yes Haven played well and produced a fantastic result, but I can't help but think Celtic were poor. Maybe they had found something out that had taken the wind out of their sails?

3) When John Dixon was interviewed at the end on S4C he looked extremely disappointed and he seem to find it hard to put into words. I wondered at the time whether it was because he had just lost a tight game against a side that had beaten his team convincingly earlier in the season, or whether he was disappointed because of the bigger picture.


All will be revealed on Tuesday morning, but I'm going to go with Widnes and Salford. Knowing the RFL though, it'll be Leigh and Tolouse

[Boxer]

I suppose you could draw those conclusions and all logic says no to the celtic crusders but if the RFL dont give a franchise to celtic they are effectively giving up on expansion.

Not saying its right but celtic will not have the investment they have now forthe next 3 years , they will quite probably fold without SL.

Also the sky factor and what they want. will count

For me its between Salford and Widnes fro the second spot.  Prefer Salford personally becasue i object to widnes going bust and splashing the cash but i think that salfors will lose out on the stadium front.

Celtic and Widnes is my bet

[HWL]

Agree with most of Boxer's points BUT I feel Celtic are nailed on to get a place in SL as the RFL will be under pressure from their paymasters---SKY!
Also think Salford will get the 2nd slot as the only Manchester based team--"Wigin" are Greater Man.
Sorry to our Widnes based Haven fan, Chemical Chris, but with Wire being Chesire based it all adds up!
El Tel.

[haven09]

i think flannerz 5 directors of clubs found out yesterday they said on super league extra so the press guy was going to make phone calls to try and get hints of whose in and whose not

[i hate town]

i hope the welsh dont get in and fold and rot in nl1 lol

[cbandg01]

If Celtic did under perform a bit yesterday, then another reason for that may have been that they HAVE got SL status and all of the present team now know they are out of a job next year.

Bottom line is that NONE of them are SL class, and two magnificent haven performances this year have confirmed that simple point.

Don't think you will see Celtic win any more hard games this year folks !!!

What's going on this week with SL status is all to havens advantage for the rest of the season, as we have a team who now play for the shirt and pride ... it's took a while for them to get it together, but now they have it I hope they hang onto it for the rest of the season ..... TEAM SPIRIT and PRIDE mixed in with a bit of Cumbrian cussedness and Kiwi nouse.

Money can't buy that my friends !!!

[farawayfan]

i think they will get in SL but i dont believe they deserve it for 1 minute.
if not they will have to get a complete new team coz i cant see them gettin the funding for next year for all those aussie gits.
look at catalans firts couple of seasons, they were poor,getting tonked every week but the rfl stuck with it and as they say the rest is now history

[Flannerz]

look at catalans firts couple of seasons, they were poor,getting tonked every week but the rfl stuck with it and as they say the rest is now history

Good point that. Catalans are one of the sides to beat in SL now and I reckon that their great form this season has added a bit more fuel to Celtic's application. It's a very tough one to call!

[Rob_Haven]

I suppose you could draw those conclusions and all logic says no to the celtic crusders but if the RFL dont give a franchise to celtic they are effectively giving up on expansion.

Not saying its right but celtic will not have the investment they have now forthe next 3 years , they will quite probably fold without SL.

Also the sky factor and what they want. will count

For me its between Salford and Widnes fro the second spot.  Prefer Salford personally becasue i object to widnes going bust and splashing the cash but i think that *******************salfors will lose out on the stadium front.************

Celtic and Widnes is my bet

havent salford got permission to build a new stadium?

[Blackie]

Any news on Whitehaven new stadium yet?

[haven lad 06]

Come back in a couple of months when there will no doubt be another story in the haven news along the lines of "building work will start soon we're just waiting for the fella who drives the digger to get out of bed" 

[haven09]

Come back in a couple of months when there will no doubt be another story in the haven news along the lines of "building work will start soon we're just waiting for the fella who drives the digger to get out of bed" 

get out of bed. more like get his HGV licencse