Off! Number Seven wrote:
Pepe
I am not going attempt to defend any proved breaches of RFL operational rules by Barrow, however...
You talk absolute blank, even other fans of your own club recognise it as demonstarted on another thread. You are a bitter, spiteful and vindictive, even regarding issue which have little bearing on your own club.
There was nowhere near 46 players on the books at Barrow in 2009, it was actually half that number, hence the signing of Allen, Ballard, Coyle, 2Bobs and Halliwell 2/3rds of the way through the season as we were struggling to field a team when the offer to sign them came. As for the quality of signings that year, Luisi was the first to arrive 4 games into the season, then Catic in May and finally Rooney and the players mentioned above in July. Rooney making only 9 appearances and Allen et al 6. in the 2009 season. The club finished the season with 27 contracted players.
I believe the breaches so for relate to payments to players for community works which they were not actually doing. That may not be as uncommon as you think, however when you have an individual willing to tell everything he can (real or not) to settle a score with the chairman the consequences must be faced.
There is no precedent anywhere in RL for awarding a title to a club by default when the title was stripped from the original winners.
And finally, do you think it the act of a responsible governing body to impose fines that could put clubs into adminstration? A points penalty in line with the offenses is expected and appropriate, applied both this season and next if warrented. However the current financial climate means any significant fines could see Barrow (or many other clubs) be heading for administration. Is this what the game needs?
Personally I will await the findings of the RFL investigations and outcome of the hearing with the comforting thought that your opinion is absolutely worthless regarding this matter
You're entitled to address this post but don't get around the swear filter. Chris. There were indeed 46 players on Barrow’s books. They had them in the squad section on Barrow's official website, with all their pictures and everything. It was a simple process to count them, so I did, and there was 46.
I wouldn’t like to see Barrow go into administration but, if Dessie Boy is willing to get them into that situation in the first place, by stuffing envelopes full of money and handing them to players to avoid the cap, then he should pay the price and do it for the RFL too. This sort of thing devalues the sport, and is so blatantly unfair to every other club in this league that it could have cost them fans and money too. The fact that you actually won the Grand Final makes the situation far worse. If I were a Halifax fan I would be fecking fuming at this news. A massive fine must follow, in order to prevent other chairmen from attempting the same thing. Barrow can then re-group and lick their wounds in Championship 1 and try to gain promotion, and glory, honestly this time.
I don’t actually agree with the salary cap as it stands but, while it’s here, I will take a very dim view of those clubs that dodge it. I don’t care if there is no precedent for handing the title to the cheated club – because that is what Halifax are – I believe they should be awarded the title for 2009. At the very least, Barrow should lose that title. If they don’t, it would set a terrible precedent. As we know, because of the Melbourne Storm, this does happen.
I don’t care if you think I’m bitter, I stand by everything that I have said. Your clubs’ chairman is a complete joke and a disgrace.
