Another shot in the foot? www.widnesvikings.co.uk/article.php?id=4545

Another shot in the foot? www.widnesvikings.co.uk/article.php?id=4545

Strange to make the decision to inform them after only 4 games of this league season played

I'm sure that will improve their performances no end!

Tell me about it

Has Des from Barrow taken over The Chemics then?

Not quite sure what the point of announcing this so early in the season is. Are they still going to be playing this season - or dropped and still paid their contract salary?



Its going to be an odd season watching Barrow, Widnes and Halifax scrapping to avoid relegation (the 3 applicants for SL by the way)

Anyone who’s been unfortunate enough to be under a redundancy situation will tell you it’s better to at least know where you stand than have the continuous threat hanging over your head, at least these players know their position and being professional players that shouldn’t stop them from performing in the mean time, in fact it may kick them into highlighting to other clubs how good they are.

They've been released with immediate effect. Madness. www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.c ... -28547988/

They've been released with immediate effect. Madness. www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.c ... -28547988/

Just also seen on the widnes site that they have got Joe Mellor on Duel Reg from w*gan. Is it mandatory to have some w*gan connection to be involved at widnes? Seems crazy that widnes have been (quite rightly) banging on about their fantastic youth system for the past 3 years and then as soon as they get the nod for SL they decide to blood w*gans youngsters for them instead of blooding their own!! Instead of playing L.Tomkins, Crosby and Mellor why not play their own lads like Lunt, Houghton and Gore?



From the sounds of it they stuck in a youngster at full back on sunday and he was their best player, so why not promote more ready for SL?



Don't know who is in charge of all these Duel-Reg decisions but they seem to want to make them into the Widnes Warriors.



However I must say that by all accounts Mellor is supposed to be a massive talent.

Now will they find a way around the salary cap to get away with the paying up of these players?



Thackery a good attacking talent NOT a playmaker as Betts and Cullen were trying to make him into, Netherton yes not the best of players but competant, Gerrard is a loose forward not a half back Bettsand Cullen have played him there, James Ford has he really ever been given a chance is he a full back or centre it would seem the coaching staff there haven't a clue where to use him - is there a pattern developing here?



As for their dual reg signing all talented players but a hooker and a half back??? players the team gets to rely on and whom can be recalled at a whim?? strange decisions.



As Cpl Jones once said 'DON'T PANIC' too late they have.

But it doesn't matter they have the 'golden ticket' firmly in the back pocket.

Quote Leyther_till_death="Leyther_till_death"They've been released with immediate effect. Madness. www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.c ... -28547988/'" Pretty damning comments from Betts. Will at least be a wake-up call to the rest of the squad. Interesting relegation battle at the Shay this week, especially as only one side can get relegated!

Quote Leyther_till_death="Leyther_till_death"They've been released with immediate effect. Madness. www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.c ... -28547988/'" Pretty damning comments from Betts. Will at least be a wake-up call to the rest of the squad. Interesting relegation battle at the Shay this week, especially as only one side can get relegated!

Relegation battle

It's at Widnes. It will be interesting to see the reaction of the Widnes players. Obviously something needed to change, we'll see if this is what was needed.

Quote Leyther_till_death="Leyther_till_death"They've been released with immediate effect. Madness. www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.c ... -28547988/'" I'm in utter disbelief... WTF is going on!!!

Quote Leyther_till_death="Leyther_till_death"They've been released with immediate effect. Madness. www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.c ... -28547988/'" I'm in utter disbelief... WTF is going on!!!

Was hoping they'd keep Thackeray...he's been worth a few points for us this season!

Denis hasn't exactly given them a good reference, has he?



[i"We needed to see who could handle that added pressure and unfortunately some of the lads couldn't, so they will be leaving the club."[/i



I wonder whether, when S O'C writes Denis's coaching obituary, he will give him such a glowing reference?!

Is someone trying to keep his money in his pocket? As for the salary cap unless they have agreed to leave for nowt the payoff of the contract will still count. At the end of the day none of this matters in the big Widnes picture, it just makes a mockery of the Championship, due to the early announcement. I hope no special dispensations are given just because you are destined for SL.



I hope the media have a field day with our once great sport, because it is no longer great nor is it a sport

Maybe thats why we've brought in players who don't count on the cap as replacements.

They haven't had contracts terminated but are 'free to leave.'



(that's in relation too salary cap).



Haven't you heard of constructive dismissal? that wouldn't hold anything in a court of law.

So don't DC players count on the Salary Cap. If thats the case then fill your boots, you will no doubt defend your club owner and the rugby league anyway. You have just crapped on 4 players. This did not need to be done now, as your performance in the Championship does not matter one jot

Are you 100% sure of this?

The playing side has nothing to do with SOC. The problem is with the coaching staff. They are just about as incompetent as you can get. These four players have been used as scapegoats by them to save their own skins.



Oh, and dual-reggers don’t count on the salary cap. Just as well, because that’s their only option now, other than drafting in half of the academy side.



You’re right about results not mattering anymore. Leigh were relegated and then reinstated by the RFL, remember?

That decision was nowt to do with results, that decision was made because Gateshead had in the words of Nigel Wood gained an unfair sporting advantage and to relegate us from a non relegation positon was unfair on us. Simple as that.



The decsion being made in March has effectively damaged the championship division, although the solution could be that Widnes withdraw from the competition now. Unless of course you want the constant ridculing from other teams fans for the rest of the season. I see SOC wants the 1.2 million from Sky PLUS 1.4 million from you, the fans, good luck with that one



What does it matter drafting in the academy team, your results don't matter.



I noticed the other day Mark Flanagan was being linked with you and reading an article on Brit players I think the phrase used was 'I haven't heard much about Mark Flanagan for months' surely you can do better than that

Demon no point telling us all this mate, were not happy at it all... Whatsoever!

Recent performances might indicate that they have already withdrawn from it!

recent results - including a 76-12 stuffing of York.