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Bob Brady informed me many years ago that they had a problem with water at a particular part of the pitch. When they dug down and investigated it was a a large concrete "pond" that had filled up over the years and wasn't draining. I can't remember whether they demolished it or simply put drainage holes in the bottom but it did the job whichever it was.

I can hear it now from Saints "you wouldn't want to stand in his way of playing in Super League would you", we'll do a pre-season friendly and promises some loan signings next year!

He is on loan at Wakefield from Salford but as those two teams were playing each other he had a free week-end. Mossop was injured and Escare just slotted into the gap left by Mossop. I agree with above comments too big for us today.

John Spoor used to accept them for sale to collectors with the funds going to the club

I did misread your post. Again though in theory a nice idea but in reality a non-starter if you look at how the local authority have handled sports pitches, the leisure centre, Park Vale running track etc.

In theory a great idea but just ask the clubs who have sold their grounds whether they wish they could turn the clock back. If the local authority own the ground you can get nowhere without a serious financial backer - see Leigh for example.

I hope they are wrong but from what I see on other sites the bookmakers have us at 100-1 and bottom favourite for the Championship.

Hopefully the board will have been having such "speculations" for the past few months and the players themselves will have been weighing up their options.

I feel that we need a couple of big forwards to deal with the demands of the higher league. We have two promising local half-backs but to thrust them into the championship and expect them to thrive is a bit of an ask. We need to find an experienced half back to lead the team and move us round the field. We need to stop up and be competitive at that level. Some of the current squad simply won't cut it at that grade of rugby and it calls for pragmatism rather than any feelings of loyalty to players who have done O.K. this season - against what in the most has been none too impressive opposition. Tough decisions to be made but the business case is that if we go up and cannot compete then the attendances will drop below 1,000 again. Of course who we let go will depend on who we can get in.

Two of Ritson's tries were down to superb off-loads from Miloudi - highlights of the game for me. He really seemed to be enjoying his return from injury and if he keeps performing like that will a firm fans favourite.

One word sums it up - DISCIPLINE, a regular theme for the Raiders. With due respect to Town I don't think they'd have got in the Barrow half without our consent donation of penalty kicks. On at least two occasions we had them struggling in their own 20 and let them out with needless penalties. Thought of another word FRUSTRATING.

Great display by the Raiders. 1,950 is a very decent crowd. Spoke to Jono Smith when he came off. He looked in great pain when they were trying to relocate his dislocated finger on the field - no wonder it was actually broken. The beer garden initiative looks to be paying dividends, hope there is good weather for the football Euros and the club builds on the success they have had with beer sales. Our pack will stand up to any team in this league and probably the one above. Great effort by the team.