Re: Planning Approved!!!!!!!!!! : Sat Oct 23, 2010 12:12 pm  

J.T wrote:

Squeaky bum time in Widnes it would seem.

Squeaky bum time? haha


One team is certain to come up and Widnes are overwhelming favourites to come up. We find out in March if we are in and by that time you may only have a couple of bricks in the ground.

That aside, whether we replace Wakefield or not, i think its great it has been approved for you guys. Another modern state of the art stadium can only be good for British rugby league.

Re: Planning Approved!!!!!!!!!! : Sat Oct 23, 2010 12:36 pm  

I don't think it's squeaky bum time in Widnes as I believe their super league status is unofficially confirmed already.

Regarding the rumour that Big Al refers to, I have heard very much the same, a certain benefactor, who saved a championship club and has worked wonders in rescuing them from debt while restructuring their business model, has now withdrawn his own personal financial backing. Whilst he will remain with the club and act as a safety net he will no longer actively fund their activities and they must now stand on their own 2 feet.

Re: Planning Approved!!!!!!!!!! : Sat Oct 23, 2010 1:34 pm  

Well done Wakey!

You can’t help but admire the amount of work some people must have put in to achieve this. It was clearly done with a lot of passion too.

I think this may have the RFL cringing. If Wakey were to be kicked out before a certain 2 or 3 other clubs, it would be disgraceful anyway imo.

Re: Planning Approved!!!!!!!!!! : Sat Oct 23, 2010 1:38 pm  

The Clan wrote:

I don't think it's squeaky bum time in Widnes as I believe their super league status is unofficially confirmed already. .

The decision, for us, is made in March. That makes things difficult for all those clubs struggling to get stadiums built in time. One SL is definitely going down.

The Clan wrote:

Regarding the rumour that Big Al refers to, I have heard very much the same, a certain benefactor, who saved a championship club and has worked wonders in rescuing them from debt while restructuring their business model, has now withdrawn his own personal financial backing. Whilst he will remain with the club and act as a safety net he will no longer actively fund their activities and they must now stand on their own 2 feet.

This is nonsense.

Steve O’Connor doesn’t actually need to put that much money into the club anyway, as we have a good support base for the Championship and the club is now run so well. The main area, where he does still need to fund the club, is the academy set up. Even Widnes cannot support such a system on the money they can generate. So he is still funding the club.

He has also promised that Widnes will be playing up to the full cap (as confirmed by Terry O’Connor in last weeks RL press), should they get a SL licence. There can be only one source of financial imput here, in order to achieve this - That is Steve O’Connor.

I think some people, in their desperation, have been clutching at straws and have taken SOC’s statement of trying to make Widnes a well run club capable of standing on its own two feet, as an indication that he has withdrawn funding. This is clearly not true. His statement was a long-term aim and nothing more.

Re: Planning Approved!!!!!!!!!! : Sat Oct 23, 2010 1:44 pm  

kinleycat wrote:

Coming from a side funded by a Edit TRB I find that rich.
Go and have a word!!

He was a crook alright. I’m not sure what you mean by funded though. He ruined our club and sent it into administration by building a squad and then walking out without actually funding it.

We have more than paid the price for his pernicious, brief sojourn at the Widnes Vikings.

Re: Planning Approved!!!!!!!!!! : Sat Oct 23, 2010 2:01 pm  

Oh, and by the way, completely ignore viking.gb, as he is an idiot. He is just a troll who posts on other clubs' boards talking utter poop, and we never even see him on our own board.

I’m not sure if he’s actually even a Widnes fan.

Re: Planning Approved!!!!!!!!!! : Sat Oct 23, 2010 2:02 pm  

Sounds like Simac.

Re: Planning Approved!!!!!!!!!! : Sat Oct 23, 2010 4:52 pm  

Pepe wrote:

This is nonsense.

Steve O’Connor doesn’t actually need to put that much money into the club anyway, as we have a good support base for the Championship and the club is now run so well.

You're kidding right? How about in 2012? Do you reckon he'll have to put money in? You betchya! If he doesn't it'll be a short stay in SL for Widnes.

For supposedly well run clubs who don't need sugar daddy's read Hull KR. They were a model NL1 club and got promoted with a team of dedicated backers and hard workers. Still, have a look at their debts and come back and tell me that Widnes don't need O'Connor chucking money at them.

Re: Planning Approved!!!!!!!!!! : Sat Oct 23, 2010 6:09 pm  

littlerich wrote:

You're kidding right? How about in 2012? Do you reckon he'll have to put money in? You betchya! If he doesn't it'll be a short stay in SL for Widnes.

For supposedly well run clubs who don't need sugar daddy's read Hull KR. They were a model NL1 club and got promoted with a team of dedicated backers and hard workers. Still, have a look at their debts and come back and tell me that Widnes don't need O'Connor chucking money at them.

Dont be silly , he can turn round a million loss to a million profit in one year without increasing attendances , he'll bog SL , they'll make millions in there

Re: Planning Approved!!!!!!!!!! : Sat Oct 23, 2010 6:23 pm  

I would have thought that, unless a club is attracting around 10K supporters, it would be a money pit for any Sugar Daddy, if they realistically want to complete for trophies.

I saw O’Conner interviewed on Sky a few weeks back, he was asked, if Widnes failed in their big for SL, would he continue pumping in the cash, I would have thought, either way, he will have to. Maybe if their back in SL, it won’t appear to be hurting his pocket as much.