Celtic Crusaders in administration

[rayvon]

Double trouble
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/celtic_crusaders/9149935.stm
It amazes me that we were denied a place due to previous financial difficulties, yet both owners of Celtic appear to have done dodgy dealings with no consequences 

[Rickp]

The RFL should kick them out. Ever since its conception this club has done nothing but bring bad publicity to the sport. But we all know that won't happen. They'll hang around for another year, go into Admin again, get another bail out from the RFL & still will be allowed to apply for SL & still get in. I can't wait to hear Dickie Lewis's reason for allowing them to continue. It'll probably be along the lines if the sport of Rugby League(Sorry the sport of SuperLeague) is to flourish we have to have a team in Wales & London. So although we didn't let Widnes up because of their Administration last time, this time its different. We need Welsh RL to survive or SL will perish & die never to be seen again. So until we get a fanbase of over 2,000 at any venue in Wales we will continue to plough all the money the RFL makes as proffit into flogging this Dead Horse.

[John]

Once upon a time there was an owner of a failing football side relegated from the League and with financial problems.  An injecton of cash was required to ensure the continuance of the football club.  So the owner thought I could introduce another professional sport along with which comes a substantial amount of cash from the governing body.  So he did! - and the naive governing body of the other sport agreed to all his demands because they wanted to justify the money that they in turn were recieving from elsewhere.  The owner knew that using standard accounting procedures he could use some of the cash recieved from the other sport to pay some of the football club's bills for at least a year and if there were still financial problems after that he could simply put other sports team into administration at no cost to himself.  So he did (allegedly).


The moral of this story is:     When you run a sport be sure you are competent enough to deal with sharp business practices of new club owners.

The sports fans comments a were - We told you so!

[mick george]

The RFL should kick them out. Ever since its conception this club has done nothing but bring bad publicity to the sport. But we all know that won't happen. They'll hang around for another year, go into Admin again, get another bail out from the RFL & still will be allowed to apply for SL & still get in. I can't wait to hear Dickie Lewis's reason for allowing them to continue. It'll probably be along the lines if the sport of Rugby League(Sorry the sport of SuperLeague) is to flourish we have to have a team in Wales & London. So although we didn't let Widnes up because of their Administration last time, this time its different. We need Welsh RL to survive or SL will perish & die never to be seen again. So until we get a fanbase of over 2,000 at any venue in Wales we will continue to plough all the money the RFL makes as proffit into flogging this Dead Horse.

The precident was set by this decision but i am sure the RFL will get around it. There is no way that they can deny Administration as they have been punished by a points deduction.
I wait with baited breath for the reason that "it is different from Widnes's circumstances".

So in theory, Wakey will keep their place and Crusaders be given the boot or both will be ousted but i doubt if any of the options will happen.

I was never fussed about Crusaders but now i am ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,galaxying Cheats

[BEANO]

This is the article on their website


In response to recent stories and rumours that have appeared in the media, Crusaders RL would like to issue the following statement...

"The Crusaders did not go into administration last night as was reported in some areas of the media. The club appreciates the concerns of supporters but we are not currently in a position to comment any further on matters. The club will make a further announcement regarding all the issues in the near future. We hope to clear these issues up as soon as possible and we thank fans and supporters for their patience."

[John]

And a spokesman said: "We have been constantly firefighting the debts and just couldn't go on once this writ came in."

Interesting.  If that quote is correct why have things suddenly changed and they are NOT in administration? Could it be that Tricky Dicky et al are making some 'special' arrangements?

[reg warner]

I tuned into Radio Wales' breakfast programme by mistake.  They were talking to Trevor Hunt and Adrian Hadley.  The presenter of the programme said that someone from  Radio Wales had spoken to Leighton Samuels who stated he had not issued a writ against the Crusaders although there had been "some toing and froing" between him and the club.

[Ratboy]

Not many words to say to be honest.The sport wont expand and the RFL=Joke.

[rayvon]

I tuned into Radio Wales' breakfast programme by mistake.  They were talking to Trevor Hunt and Adrian Hadley.  The presenter of the programme said that someone from  Radio Wales had spoken to Leighton Samuels who stated he had not issued a writ against the Crusaders although there had been "some toing and froing" between him and the club.

Hes got some galaxying cheek hasnt he?
He wound up the company, due to debts, irregularities with Immigration etc and now trying to get money back? Should tell him to go galaxy himself......

[Sandgroper]

According to the Mail the RFL are considering what to do.  Could support the club until 2012, pay it's debts or something to keep it afloat. Or draw the line now and promote us a year early!

We should require a 'free' year in view of the lateness, if we are offered anything!

[down the pub]

Wrexham Evening Leader report from today

RUGBY league is staying in Wrexham.

That was the hard-hitting message from Crusaders’ chairman Ian Roberts today as the club was served with a winding up notice.

The legal move against the club has been brought by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The case is due to be heard at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on
November 10.

Mr Roberts said he wasn’t currently able to comment on the matter. However, he said a meeting of shareholders to discuss the issue would be taking place later this week, probably on Thursday afternoon or Friday morning. The venue had yet to be decided.

Asked whether he had a message for Crusaders’ thousands of fans Mr Roberts said: “It is the will of the Rugby Football League and the shareholders to continue Super League Rugby in Wrexham.”

News of the winding up petition has stunned fans of the Crusaders, including supporters’ club member Ian Hunter of Borras Park.

“I have already got a season ticket for next year, I’ve paid £150 for it. I phoned the club to ask them what’s going on regarding the courts but the man who answered said that everything was OK,” said Mr Hunter.

“It is very unsettling. The Crusaders has built up a loyal base of fans and I think the club does have the potential to really grow.”

A spokesman for the Rugby Football League, based in Leeds, confirmed his organisation was in discussions with the Crusaders but added he wasn’t able to comment further.

A spokesman for the HMRC said it had a strict duty of confidentiality which meant no comment could be made on individual cases.

She added: “HMRC does not aim to wind up companies, but rather to collect as efficiently as we can the debts that are due.

“We take a sympathetic approach to both individuals and businesses that have genuine short term difficulties in paying the tax they owe. In these cases HMRC will aim to come to an arrangement with them to give time to pay and so avoid taking action that might lead to an otherwise viable business being declared insolvent by the courts.

“HMRC only initiates winding up or bankruptcy action where it believes this really is the best course of action to protect the interests of the Exchequer; we do not take such action lightly.”

- The Crusaders face the possibility of further courtroom difficulties from the Rugby League Players Association (RPLA) regarding claims of unpaid pension contributions for about eight overseas players, a number of whom are no longer with the club.

RPLA sports secretary Geoff Burrow said his organisation was preparing to take legal action against the Crusaders over the matter. Mr Burrow added he was currently trying to find out more information regarding the winding up petition.

i take that to mean continue whatever the outcome - and with tricky and co at the helm anything is possible. do crusaders have the inside track on something - i.e. whatever it takes the rfl won't let it sink

[Sunny]

Wrexham Evening Leader report from today

RUGBY league is staying in Wrexham.

That was the hard-hitting message from Crusaders’ chairman Ian Roberts today as the club was served with a winding up notice.

......Asked whether he had a message for Crusaders’ thousands of fans Mr Roberts said: “It is the will of the Rugby Football League and the shareholders to continue Super League Rugby in Wrexham.”.....

Notice that the RFL are stated as wanting to continue SUPER LEAGUE in Wrexham - not just RUGBY LEAGUE.

We, you and I, the average Rugby League supporters that is, will continue to fund Crusaders whether we like it or not via the RFL.

It doesn't really matter what sort of a mess they get into, they will get bailed out.

Sad but true

[J20]

Exactly, why do we all even bother? No wonder so many have been lost to our game already for the sake of what? Basically expansion clubs can do what they want pay no attention to basic admin or any rules! Then you have other sides trying to make a go of it in the Championships trying to get fans in and reach the top and if something goes wrong then it's 'sorry not our problem'.

The RFL is so self obsessed with SL they are failing to see that the 'pro' game below us dying off at a worrying speed. Do they care? Or are we just getting in the way if their all so great plans?

I really worry. If the world cup goes belly up again we could be finished as a top class 'pro' sport forever. That is the sad reality!

[rayvon]

Cheadle has been a bit quiet on this topic... Thought the rfl didnt bail any clubs out....?

[Peter]

Notice that the RFL are stated as wanting to continue SUPER LEAGUE in Wrexham - not just RUGBY LEAGUE.
We, you and I, the average Rugby League supporters that is, will continue to fund Crusaders whether we like it or not via the RFL.
It doesn't really matter what sort of a mess they get into, they will get bailed out.
Sad but true :(

The obsession that firstly Uncle Mo and continued by his acolytes Lewis and Wood had about expansion of the game is one that the RFL will continue to subsidy. Logic and experiences will not come into it. We had the London experience in which the casual outsider would think that there has been a plethora of clubs in the London area, and the Welsh experience which indicates the same. The root of the word "expand" means from within rather than the opposite.

Crusaders is moving north, and if they started a new club in between Wigan and St Helens would the RFL consider that the game was expanding?  After all, it is only just over 30 miles from Wrexham!