Widnes Vikings

[Bomb Jack]

An afternoon which began remembering the life of Chris Percival ended with celebrations, on and off the pitch, as Widnes Vikings became Academy champions

This fact must be the jewel in our crown for our Super League bid.

I'd much prefer our Club to put their money into this type of structure than signing over paid SL cast-off's for our First Team.

http://www.widnesvikings.co.uk/article.php?id=2725

Edited September 20, 2010 by Bomb Jack

[dallymessenger]

i think this is more important news for the club than if they had won the championship final.

ive little doubt once promoted into SL, like hull kr, widnes wont be leaving it anytime soon.

[Bomb Jack]

i think this is more important news for the club than if they had won the championship final.

Try asking fans of Fev, Barrow, Fax & Leigh

[Viking Warrior]

the club has ploughed a lot of time and money into the academy, which for me was exactly the right thing to do, as bomb jack said, it's far far better to go down this route than bring in ageing players for a quick fix. this has also got to be a massive box ticked when you consider that to win this title they are the only non super club in the valvoline championship and have beaten every other team in the competition.

[dallymessenger]

Try asking fans of Fev, Barrow, Fax & Leigh

widnes have done everything the RFL has asked of them, those clubs havent.

the turnaround from last time when the club went into administration off the back of a do or die shot at promotion to now is amazing really.

good for the game

[tonyXIII]

Well done, Widnes!

You planned your SL application perfectly. Priorities identified, start ticking them off. Ground - check. On-field performance - check. Junior development - check. It is an object lesson for every club.

[West Country Eagle]

I'd much prefer our Club to put their money into this type of structure than signing over paid SL cast-off's for our First Team.

Quite right. Widnes, Fev and Sheffield (the latter two are joining the Academy comp next year) have the right idea; Halifax and Leigh do not.

[Bomb Jack]

Quite right. Widnes, Fev and Sheffield (the latter two are joining the Academy comp next year) have the right idea; Halifax and Leigh do not.

And Barrow ?

Edited September 20, 2010 by Bomb Jack

[bowes]

And Barrow ?

Their reserves packed in midseason

[Bulletproof]

Quite right. Widnes, Fev and Sheffield (the latter two are joining the Academy comp next year) have the right idea; Halifax and Leigh do not.

The trouble and the challenge of course is for those teams who do make the effort to have their players protected - or are compensated for those poached in some way. Without having the carrot of super league it can be very difficult to entice players to stay with you even though you're the ones who have put the effort and resources in so far. Widnes are having difficulties in that respect, the one thing we can offer our more promising youngsters is a good possibility that we can offer them super league in the near future. But I've heard reports of Warrington coming in and offering many times more than we were paying to promising youngsters, how can we compete with that?

Put all the work in today, gone tomorrow to consolidate the strength of someone else who is already at an advantage to you. What's the point?

As I say, something to look in to.

[Bomb Jack]

Their reserves packed in midseason

I was actually talking about their Academy, if they have one ?

[Bulletproof]

I was actually talking about their Academy, if they have one ?

I think bowes was helpfully chipping away at the surface. Successful first team - no reserves, no youth.

[bowes]

I was actually talking about their Academy, if they have one ?

They have Barrow Laikers in the National Youth League but nothing professional

[BroncoFan]

Hopefully they will be rewarded with Gerrard, Craven and possibly Kelly in the England Academy team.

[Bomb Jack]

I think bowes was helpfully chipping away at the surface. Successful first team - no reserves, no youth.

Yeah, i knew he was............

[Bulletproof]

Yeah, i knew he was............

Apologies mate. Wires crossed.

[1976PMJwires]

Great News

Happy days another box ticked for the other glamour club

Super League glamourous derby not far off now

Edited September 21, 2010 by 1976PMJwires

[Allan Marsden]

Hopefully they will be rewarded with Gerrard, Craven and possibly Kelly in the England Academy team.

I think Gerrard is too old now.

Craven will be a certaintly. An outstanding young player. Probably a 6 at that level. He certainly stood out recently when Wigan U18s beat Widnes U18's.

Great Wigan production line BTW the U18s

[Bomb Jack]

I think Gerrard is too old now.

I think he was talking about Alex Gerrard, not Chris

Great Wigan production line BTW the U18s

Pity you couldn't keep hold of them...........

[Marv Woodburn]

They have Barrow Laikers in the National Youth League but nothing professional

Not this year they don't mate they packed in too, more stirling work from the raiders junior development.