Nik,

Oldham have never been bailed out by the RFL. Our debts have been paid successfully over the past 6/7 seasons in full. Other clubs have either gone into administation or 'reformed' without punishment. The Oldham club in its present form is a 'new' club since 1997, and when started, did so from the lowest possible professional division. We were never 'promoted' because of geographical location, nor help financially by the RFL.

And the point is that there are repeated calls for the RFL to step in and save you 'as they have done with London etc'. The other point is that neither London or Crusaders have never been saved by the RFL either, despite what the naysayers would have you believe.

As for being promoted on geographic grounds, the fact that you can't get more than 3 men to come down with their dogs shows that sadly there is actually more interest in RL in London and Wrexham than there is in Oldham. And yes, I am well aware that the same could be said about Leigh too.

Oldham have paid off all their debts with interest I hacent to add. The RFL allowed London to reform and stay in SL, leaving a huge debt. Again, it happened to Widnes. Oldham did reform in 1997 and start in the lowest possible pro division. Again, rules for on and rules for others.

How much money have the RFL invested in Gateshead this year?

Yes, the RFL cannot bail clubs out, but they have financially helped other clubs out, yet other clubs were left out in the cold.

The game is run by many agendas, and could you imagine the penalites imposed on Leigh if they would have had illegal players working for the club as in the Celtic case?

Actually London teams have been 'bailed out' by the RFL at least twice in their recent (25yrs) history and before that also.

more interest in RL in london and wrexham ahh?

how many teams RL play in London? how many RL teams play in Wrexham? how may teams play RL in Oldham?

I'll guess that Oldham have as many teams playing RL than both London and Wrexham put together.

RL isnt all about the pro teams.

Ill predict now that within 5 years teams in Oldham are still playing RL where as for Wrexham well??

Exactly Fred, I totally agree with you.

Oldham is a hot bed of talent, as is Leigh (on its own right and not with Wigan), and to me, these are the clubs that more important than the likes of Quinns, Wrexham etc. Let the frogs sort out their competition out and increase the quality pool of players with the help of the NRL and SL, but keep them out of the British competitions. Bring them in within a Heineken Cup setting.

Yes, by all means expand the game, but do not do it by mugging an already fully fledged club and area that produces quality talent.

I'll don my Flat Cap and whole heartedly agree with you!