Indeed. They were simply outclassed by a better side.

Taking the rest of the season off to celebrate was a bit much though.

I always thought that the term Scots-Irish was only used by Americans to describe Ulster Protestants? These people also produced most of their presidents and early military leaders, such as Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson ect...

I can't understand why you are using that term, or why you seem think they all live in Scotland and eat haggis?

You are right it is a predominently American nomenclature.

Ulster Scots or even better Ullans is more prevalent in Northern Ireland as is one of the languages of the British Isles.

I hate to say I told you so but....

Hold on.....I want to be ready for this......




[size=150Yeah....I told you so![/size




Feels good...

Salford should never of been in, in the first place, Widnes should of been in for sure. Leigh should of been in also, just cannot figure out who it would be instead of. Widnes should be in for sure though, if they were a top 8 team they would get crowds over 10, 000 as all the fans would go back.

Widnes shouldnt be there instead....come on, lay off the coolaid brother!


Widnes said they were ready to be promoted, lost the NL1 final, and then went bust the following day.



No....thats not a Super League ready club. They should have been expelled from the RFL all together!

They're in a much stronger position now though and O'Connor guaranteed half a million in a pot if anything were to go wrong. I must say, with Salfords ground now being put on hold it appears i'd rather have had Widnes in who are ready.
On the other hand i'm really impressed with Leighs new ground, they really need to tap into the Bolton market for me though or compete with Wigan for the juniors. For me that's their biggest stumbling block. Wigan and Warrington on your doorstep.

Not sure if you're on the wind up, but I'll bite anyway. It's not better homes, it's rugby league. The stadium was one aspect of the criteria for a super league spot, not the deciding factor. The finances of both Leigh and Widnes have been shaky in recent years and neither have exactly set the world on fire on the playing front. You might even argue that justice had been done as it was the two teams who finished top of the NL1 and competed in the grand final that got the SL spots.

Having said that, Leigh and Widnes do have super dooper stadiums.

Well what a damned shame that the RFL makes decision and not you, eh?

Imagine – the RFL had all the criteria and the franchise applications and the facts (such as financial situation) to study, and you didn't.

But still it's you who know "for sure".

Shame that Widnes have such dismal fans, though. You'd think that real fans would support the side regardless of what division they were in.

Absolutely. No 'real clubs' attendences drop when they're relegated.

Wouldn't know


Mind you, Widnes are doing OK aren't they

Surely they are a shoo in for SL next time

I seem to recall Fulham bouncing between the first and second divisions a fair bit

Fulhamcrusaderbroncoquins....if you don't mind

Dead right , Huddersfields crowds went up when they were relegated

You're right – it was such as stunningly logical and well-argued contribution from odemwingie that I should have fallen over backwards to admire it.

Should have been a shoo in this time!

It was just his opinion. I've no doubt it differs from yours.



Do you actually think this pernicious little dig at Widnes fans is a [i'stunningly logical and well-argued contribution'[/i?

I'm sure you do

Source?

It was indeed. And I replied with an opinion. It's how debate and discussion works.



Ah. It was too subtle for you? Fair enough.

I'll attempt to spell it out in the simplest possible terms.

Let's look at what odemwingie posted [url=http://viewtopic.php?p=13782498#13782498here[/url, shall we? It'll help you by quoting.



On the basis of odemwingie's post, Widnes crowds are not what they would be if the club were in the upper realms of a higher division.

Are you following up to this point? Good. I'll continue.

If that's the case, then odemwingie quite clearly suggests that a number of people who would attend Widnes matches [iwere[/i they in a higher position in a higher division are not interested in attending matches now.

Why? Real fans attend matches regardless of the division a team is in and the position in that division a team is in, don't they? Otherwise they're known as glory hunters, aren't they?

Get it now?

Dump the chip off your shoulder and you might even be able to see that it wasn't a little dig at all – just a quite clear and logical interpretation of odemwingie's comment.

In fact, to take this to its logical conclusion, according to odemwingie's post, it's the RFL's fault for not giving Widnes a franchise that is stopping them getting crowds of 10,000, as "all the fans would go back".

Along with the almighty Halifax RLFC!!

Who? Who the hell are they? - I didn't see them mentioned on Boots 'n' All. Pfffffft.

Nice bit of spin there, Meatball.

However odemwingies’ suggestion [i‘if they were a top 8 team they would get crowds over 10, 000 as all the fans would go back.’ [/iWas fair enough. Maybe correct, maybe not, but it’s fair enough comment and not entirely unreasonable.

Your little joke, would be fair enough if there was no other club that wouldn’t lose support after several years in the lower leagues, but there isn’t is there?



In isolation I would accept it, but certain clubs seem to be fair game on this board and I doubt you would have made such a pithy remark if odemwingie had been talking about say……Toulouse.

Nothing to do with logic and everything to do with your zest for expansion, an attitude that drives you, and others like you, to ensure that anyone who dares say anything positive about clubs such as Widnes, Leigh, Hull KR etc, are immediately shot down by some snide remark or other, often by your good self.

Your remark lacked both analytical sense and humour. So it was either a swipe at Widnes fans, or you’re not as funny as you think you are. Imo it’s a case of both.

I think tbh were done here Pepe. I've been something of a passive observer for a while and were not welcome here any more. even threads not remotely touched by our fans can be turned against us.

Witness this one for example, although there have been plenty of others.

You've just been highly patronised, not because you are thick. You are one of the most knowledgable and reasonable fans on here. What people fail, FAIL to acknowledge that in Widnes, RL is the life blood of the town. It means far far more to us than certain other areas. The clubs existence isn't just a punt by the RFL or some businessman.

But it wont remain so if were treated like outsiders and small time so much by fans and organisers alike. Football will gain more and more of a foothold here.

There is one reason only you have been talked down to like that, it's your location, and were better off leaving them all to it because our name is mud no matter what we post.