Just heard a solid rumour that one of the two serious parties interested in taking over Crusaders RL is the Bridgend based business consortium that offered to take them over originally.
Could we be looking at the rebirth of the Celtic Crusaders back in the club's home town?
There'd be no Samuel or Turner this time around, so no reason it couldn't work.

I imagine that the other is the current owners in some other slightly different configuration.

A North vs South tug o' war on the cards?

I don't see what is wrong with all clubs getting off on AN EVEN FOOTING, you seem to think Snowie that the beneficial treatment that you perceive the Crusaders and poss catalans get is unfair to you and the club you support in the Championship. To be honest I don't think there is such a thing as an LEVEL PLAYING FIELD whatever the RFL does as the Cru have to build and establish themselves in an area with no RL tradition and try to achieve what clubs in the North have been building for the past 100 years and more. If we had no help or involvement from the RFL then we prob wouldnt stand a chance, when initiatives to get RL going in Wales happened before, it was the lack of assitance from the RFL that brought about their downfall. They are obviously going to great lengths this time that it does not happen , unfortunately we are in harsh economic times and probably the poorest region of the entire UK to obtain funding from.Unfortunately, if we had no help from the RFL right now, we could not survive and RL will be permanently stuck along the M62, that might suit you , it might not, but for the development and prospeority of the game ,nationally and internartionally , it is the way forward.

The RFL need to come out and lay its cards on the table so all the clubs know how its going to work out. You may think it harsh on the Halifaxs ,Leighs and Widneses of the world but its not going to be long term. That would help us all.

The one thing the Cru need more than anything is the best people to do the job, and apart from some of the coaching and support staff, the majority of the Financial Operations has been a JOKE and at worst, AN ABSOLUTE BLOODY DISASTER!!

I don't see them back in Bridgend. For a start the ground isn't up to SL standard, which I seem to remember was one of the flatcapper grouses when the club were given the license, even at the start the support wasn't as good as the Racecourse and also would they actually be able to get an agreement to play there?

The last thing the club needs right now is a tug of war Grendel, though that's not to say it won't happen. I don't think there is the infrastructure and support in Bridgend , either from the local population or more prominently with the local authorities, up in Wrexham they seem to bend over backwards to help the club out which has led to better crowds,support and funding , none of which we had in Bridgend.

Not sure it's fair to say there's no infrastructure in Bridgend Rob. Consider where the majority of the Welsh Crusaders and the Scorpions come from. Where the Conference teams are situated, where the best RL school in Wales is, where up until the end of this season the Crusaders youth team was based, where the Welsh team still trains etc.

As regards support, well two words Leighton Samuel. He would not be around. Support could and would grow.

HOWEVER, the other teams (the M62 11 anyway) seem to like that the team is on their doorstep, so I'm sure the RFL will kowtow to whichever arrangement brings them the greatest short term gain whilst not abandoning their pretence at "expansion".

Either way, I am neither for nor against this proposal. Just sharing a rumour I heard. I believe it has credibility, due to its origin. Spongebob feels it deserves personal abuse. I leave it to you the fans of Crusaders RL to choose whether you believe it or not.

i wonder if rfl will tell crusaders the same as they told Blackpool that they cant go into administration & get ride of all debt & come back in the league debt free i dont think so because its a super league club !!! if rfl really are wanting to expanding the game why were Blackpool not aloud to renter the league debt free like other clubs have been aloud to do !!!!

hmmmm

You clearly are not aware of the different approach adopted by the RFL regarding Blackpool.

In Blackpool's case, the RFL told them they would not allow them to go into administration and re-form. The plan that Ralph Rimmer talks about was that they had to come up with a plan to pay all existing creditors 100% of their money. The club obviously could not do this, or put forward a credible plan to do so, and so were expelled.

Which is the complete reverse of the situation regarding Crusaders (and other clubs such as Whitehaven, Gateshead & Keighley recently I may add).

This is not a criticism of Crusaders, merely pointing out that the RFL have changed their MO somewhat in Blackpool's case. There may be other reasons for it that haven't been made public, but on the face of it it appears that Blackpool have been 'singled out'.

Any news from your meeting with the RFL and the accountants?

you see the situation at batley regarding monies owed,and do have to realise that the rfl is just a dogsbody to sky!!! they wont let crusaders or quins die without a fight,but will allow lower teams to drift away,co sky aint interested enough at that level.Batley have said they will pay their debts,so that they can register their squad with the rfl.will crusaders be denied registering players also? i have no real grind over crusaders,but all teams should be treated the same.