Crusaders' future in more doubt after winding-up order is delayed

[josie andrews]

Crusaders' hopes that petition would be dropped are dashed
HMRC disputes administrator's claim that debts had been met

The uncertainty over Crusaders' future was prolonged today when a winding-up order was adjourned for a week rather than dropped as the Welsh club had predicted.

The hearing provided the first confirmation that the club have applied to go into administration, with a lawyer for the administrators telling the court that the debts owed to Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs and other creditors had been paid.

But Matthew Smith, counsel for HMRC, refuted that, and the court therefore refused to drop the winding-up petition as requested.

Ian Roberts, the Crusaders chairman, refused to comment, or even to confirm that the application for administration will be heard on Friday.

Earlier the club had issued a press release announcing that two more members of last season's squad, Peter Lupton and Frank Winterstein, had signed new contracts until the end of 2012.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/no ... -adjourned[/url]

[exile in Tiger country]

Let's see how the RFL get them out of this one.
I heard arumour that the Crusaders will fold with massive debts and then start a new franchise as "Wales Crusaders"

Bring in Widnes NOW!!

[ancientnloyal]

with gate's of 1,000 against Castleford it's amazing how one can cope. Get rid for christ sake! RL wont work in Wales, or London... how much more time do we need?

[cpwigan]

Hopefully it will be resolved. Quite interesting how fans are saying they have had enough time, throw in the towel. Most RL clubs have had a century and are still not much better, some worse.

[GeoffN]

Hopefully it will be resolved. Quite interesting how fans are saying they have had enough time, throw in the towel. Most RL clubs have had a century and are still not much better, some worse.

Quite agree. It would be a shame if their problems led to Wakey (or Cas) surviving in SL. As you say, both those clubs, and many others, have had a long time to get themselves sorted.
Given time, there's massive potential in N. Wales to expand RL's credibility on the world stage.

[ancientnloyal]

I can't see a big enough catchment in north wales to sustain a super league team with an average gate of 10,000. Wrexham is a poor economic place not much money to splash on rugby. Im not saying places like Wakefield or Castleford are great but London has been given nearly 2 decades on and off.

[stevethegas]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and it's easy now to see that the experiment in Wales wasn't the success the RL had hoped for. Maybe a franchise into the National League might have worked better, and yes I do feel immense sympathy for Widnes who lost out to this experiment. But the point is that this is where we are, and this is where we have to progress from - not some theoretical position when a Welsh side didn't get a Super League ticket.
However, 13 a side is developing in Wales and it seems more people are playing than ever before (both in Wales and nationally) and that's no bad thing.
It's still good in France in spite of the intervention of the Vichy Government. What a pity it seems now that the Rugby League didn't sell their ideas into Wales, Scotland and France even better 100 years ago. Because, as we know, it remains the greatest game and far better than the amateur version we left so very far behind.
Whether or not any individual club is a success only time can tell, but the marketing into London, France and Wales has enhanced the profile of League. It is given greater prominence in the national press - yes only a bit - but better than once.
So don't let's give up on Wales yet. Wrexham's economy is no worse than many of the Northern towns with long histories of playing League, and it needs the spark and the chance, not abandonment.
How long will it take? - I'll let you know in a decade (or two).

[exile in Tiger country]

It is all well and good saying give them a chance, but not at the expense of established clubs.
Lets face facts, the Stobart stadium is better than the majority of SL grounds and already exists.
The whole expansion thing is forced on the RFL by SKY trying to increase advertising revenue.
If an area wanted RL, there would already be amatuer sides playing the game, kids would want to play it, they would have school sides etc.
Playing a team of Aussies and Kiwis whilst loaning 90% of your home country players to a lower division club in the area where you were supposed to bedeveloping the game does nothing to enhance or develop anything except ridicule.
If we stay a Northern game, so what? It's still the best sport in the world.
Crusaders out now :exc:

[cpwigan]

It depends what you are happy with.

[cpwigan]

http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... 14442.html

Bad news. Hopefully they can maintain RL in NWales.

Castleford and Wakefield must be overjoyed.