ChrisB

He's highlight EXACTLY what SOC has done?!? Strange that as the fan is not someone that has any reason to see the accounts as they are being prepared and they are not available for public scrutiny yet. The main fact is that they WILL be available for public viewing soon enough. This isn't like pulling an attendance figure out of thin air. These figures can and will be checked so let's wait for them to come out before you start conjecturing that there's wrong doing.

Well done Fev...fantastic achievement from a club in our division.

Tony, thanks for the response... Firstly let me say that despite what the poster above thinks I have no axe to grind with Salford. In 2008 Salford won the GF and was rightly put into SL. Secondly I do want them to remain in SL for 2012 because I enjoy the games between the two sides. I also think in their case that the Willows is being harshly criticised. I realise that the club needs to move due to the high costs of maintaining the place but it is one of the best examples of a RL stadium still in use and is still in very good nick IMO. I think people have a tendency to be overly critical of the place because it is not one of the new prefabricated looking stadiums that are popping up in the game. Secondly... it is a decent looking squad that Salford seem to be putting together. If they do get the ground and build on the players that are arriving in 2011 could they do a Warrington?

It wasn't intended to be John. I was wondering whether Salford's squad building for next year (Franchise decision year) was intrinsically linked with the stadium's progress. They are throwing some money around when in the past they have shied away from this? Fair question if you ask me?

Much like the Red's new ground will be if and when it gets built. Well the last time we got close was when we were in SL.. Looking forward to seeing much the same thing again in 2012.

Is it conjecture that the majority of the funding is coming from the council? Is it conjecture that all councils are being asked to drastically reign back spending?.. (In Bolton they are looking at closing Leisure Centres the cuts are that bad). Personally I wonder how the council could justify spending somewhere in the region of

With the majority of the funding for the stadium coming from the council and loans from the North West Development Agency does the stadium look a little bit ropier again. All councils are being asked to heavily cut spending. Could this be one of the projects that is shelved. The NWDA have been told to re-assess loans which have not yet been released... which I believe the City of Salford stadium falls into that category. With all this uncertainty... could this be an attempt by Salford to try and play themselves up the league and away from SL expulsion if they announce further delays in the stadium being built.

:lol: You could be right.

I don't know why Janners... but I expected more. You're last post was a poor poor effort. Mad ramblings really. If you aren't going to put the effort in then I won't either. See you in 2012.

it's up to them... if they want to do that then fine. They don't owe anyone anything. They feel like if the RFL overlooks us this time then they always will and that isn't an unreasonable assumption considering our suitability. We have done a lot more than that. We have positioned ourselves so that we are probably a better bet than a few of the clubs in SL. Toulouse would be the obvious choice to go into SL if it wasn't Widnes. But this decision would be against everything that the RFL promised wouldn't it? Not retreated from anything. Like pretty much everyone else. Which would make any decision not to include us seem peculiar and unfair. So this sporting rivalry.. it extends to all teams? you want all teams to be thrashed and relegated? Or just Widnes? I can guess the answer. Couldn't care less about your team. You've been in existence for about 5 minutes. If you carry on then fair enough. If not..who cares? If anything it's a fairly local game for me to attend in 2012.... if you still exist!! I care less about your team than you do mine obviously.

How are we acting like arrogant kids! No one's demanding to be let in. We deserve to be in. You yourself have said as much. We have done EVERYTHING asked by the RFL. That is why we sit as the only club in the Championship that currently can apply for a franchise spot. If the RFL turned around now and said you aren't going in, Toulouse are!! Would we not have reason to be miffed. All the money spend on renovating an already excellent stadium, the tens of thousands of pounds being spent on youth players for our future. I don't pretend that the RFL hate us.. we have been unfortunate that there have been numerous run ins over the years that have ended with Widnes sucking the wrong end of an egg. As for your attitude about Widnes.. it doesn't surprise me. The club that should have got in ahead of yours the last time around is about to show how wrong a decision that was. If your club's still in existence then obviously!

Not in the eyes of the RFL... that's why teams are sitting pretty for 3 years. You need a Holistic view on things these days.

Just to add.. It's also not true that we get nothing from the concessions or the match day packages. The agreement we have with HBC on the rental of the ground is very favourable. They sit on our board and want us to achieve as badly as some of our fans do. We are incredibly lucky to have them as landlords and it is an arrangement that will be in place for many many years to come.

Why? A snub for Widnes in the next application process would be the RFL blatantly saying your face doesn't fit and won't fit. Especially with clubs like Wakefield, Castleford and Salford in there who are really no better suited to life in SL than we are or offer anything more than we would. Especially as we've danced their little dance for the last three years. With our history with the RFL I wouldn't blame anyone for saying I've had enough. Who want's to be associated with a sport that doesn't want to associate with them?

Sounds sensible.

It's the absolute trooooth mate. Was a good day indeed. If all clubs worked on their match day experience like Batley a few more fans might be attracted back through the gates. Too many haves dissing the have nots these days.. franchising ripped the soul out of this sport.

Lots of 'Yeah Widnes have ......., but they might not in the future' talk there Mick. The reason that many would turn their back on 'the game' and the governing board (rather than the club) is that the club has strived to fulfil the criteria laid out today and have by the looks of it four out of five green lights. The fifth might be turned on shortly. We are the best candidate for this set of applications outside of SL. If the RFL opted for another team other than Widnes it would be nothing short of a disgrace and contradict everything they have said.

Probably worth mentioning at this point that a poll of favourite away trips for fans of Championship clubs would probably feature our good friends from Batley at the top.

Just wanted to say I hope everything goes well for Morro and he's back playing really soon. Top top lad and player.