: Wed Aug 19, 2009 8:00 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

My point was simply that bearing in mind your own standing last season - regardless of the ifs and buts of why you were there - SOME of your fans whinging about the Crusaders looks, to the outside world at any rate, very silly given that the franchise system saved your own club from relegation.

Lets not forget we were having the same thing said about us last season when we finished bottom.
Other fans were saying cas should'nt be in SL blah blah.
Do tell me why cas fans in your opinion should'nt have an input on the CC situation on an open forum.
All fans have different opinions, imo its good to hear them all and the reason why.
I dont know you saints fans in your untouchable ivory tower. Oh not so ivory this season though is it

: Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:08 am  

thotspur wrote:

Which 3 matches did they win? Will the losing clubs now be trying to get the points back because Crusaders fielded inelligble players?

Bradford, Wigan and 1 other team - Salford?

: Wed Aug 19, 2009 11:36 am  

Fully wrote:

Bradford, Wigan and 1 other team - Salford?

Correct

: Wed Aug 19, 2009 11:39 am  

thotspur wrote:

Which 3 matches did they win? Will the losing clubs now be trying to get the points back because Crusaders fielded inelligble players?

They've not fielded ineligble players in those games. They were fielded in previous years.

As I remember the use of holiday and student visas to sign players in the lower leagues was widespread. This was outlawed at the start of this year and thus a number of lower league sides were unable to bring back players that they had played quite happily in previous seasons.

I suspect the players in question probably played under such visas but it's now become apparent that they weren't studying or were employed for more hours than permitted.

It would be naive to suspect that no other club has flouted the rules in the same manner. I'm sure some of our players in 2005 and 2007 would have been recruited on similar visas. However, it's the Crusaders who are the ones that are caught and pay the price. I wonder if similar "intelligence-led investigations" are prompted at other clubs.

[tb]

: Wed Aug 19, 2009 11:48 am  

I feel dirty doing this, but According to the Excess Skipper Jace van Dijk, full-back Tony Duggan, half-back Damien Quinn, centres Josh Hannay and Mark Dalle Court and second-row Darren Mapp all pleaded guilty. It is understood they hid their intention to play professional and semi-pro sport when applying for holiday and student visas. full story

I feel dirty doing this, but According to the Excess Skipper Jace van Dijk, full-back Tony Duggan, half-back Damien Quinn, centres Josh Hannay and Mark Dalle Court and second-row Darren Mapp all pleaded guilty. It is understood they hid their intention to play professional and semi-pro sport when applying for holiday and student visas. full story

: Wed Aug 19, 2009 1:19 pm  

RFL statement on Celtic Crusaders



The RFL has asked the UK Border Agency for a copy of its report into alleged discrepancies in the visa applications of six Celtic Crusaders players.



The RFL is also speaking to Celtic Crusaders about the matter and feels it would be inappropriate to pass specific comment until further details are available.



The RFL would like to point out that the awarding of visas is an issue between players and the UK Border Agency, not the RFL. For clarification, the governing body would not refuse a player’s registration if the UK Border Agency approved a player’s status and the appropriate documentation was provided.

: Wed Aug 19, 2009 6:51 pm  

Hughies sister wrote:

RFL statement on Celtic Crusaders



The RFL has asked the UK Border Agency for a copy of its report into alleged discrepancies in the visa applications of six Celtic Crusaders players.



The RFL is also speaking to Celtic Crusaders about the matter and feels it would be inappropriate to pass specific comment until further details are available.



The RFL would like to point out that the awarding of visas is an issue between players and the UK Border Agency, not the RFL. For clarification, the governing body would not refuse a player’s registration if the UK Border Agency approved a player’s status and the appropriate documentation was provided.

are we talking forgery here???

: Wed Aug 19, 2009 7:54 pm  

poppys mum wrote:

Do tell me why cas fans in your opinion should'nt have an input on the CC situation on an open forum.

Where have I said they shouldn't? That's just silly. I simply expressed my own POV, on this open forum, that some - some - Cas fans, the Cas fans who were condemning the Crusaders out of hand, may want to remember that the franchise system saved them from certain relegation. I don't know what the big steam up is all about. It's a fact. And because of that fact, they came across as hypocritical (which I also said).

However, other Cas fans have been very sympathetic.

: Thu Aug 20, 2009 7:47 am  

swifty62 wrote:

are we talking forgery here???

No, they had the appropriate documentation issued by UKBA. However, the documentation was issued as a result of false information being provided.

: Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:23 pm  

tb wrote: Unfortunately, that's where the doubt appears to come in full story What promotion winning team? There was no promotion. Crusaders, like us and everybody else, are in SL because of a franchise application – not because of what they did in the 2008 GF. The 2007 NL 2 promotion winning team , the promotion they had to achieve to be in a position to apply for a licence These players were all involved at that point Not passing judgement , just the facts

tb wrote: Unfortunately, that's where the doubt appears to come in full story What promotion winning team? There was no promotion. Crusaders, like us and everybody else, are in SL because of a franchise application – not because of what they did in the 2008 GF. The 2007 NL 2 promotion winning team , the promotion they had to achieve to be in a position to apply for a licence These players were all involved at that point Not passing judgement , just the facts