This is the correct decision. Let us look forward to a successful, entertaining season in the what is a competitive Championship.
A bit worrying that Finney said we have completed our signings for now, until we know how the season is going to look. Trouble is by then there will probably be no one left to sign.
Wise decision.With relegation in place the only thing going for the promoted club would be to bank £650K of the £1m and just get by on the remainder.Cop the hammerings each week.
A bit worrying that Finney said we have completed our signings for now, until we know how the season is going to look. Trouble is by then there will probably be no one left to sign.
More than enough players this season tbh. Clubs downsizing etc. Picking out the best fit is key rather than just filling the spaces.
I'd be wanting to leave some space available for signings to back the new coach. I hope that not applying this time for SL doesn't mean we are happy to bump along trying to scrape 5th in the Championship.
I think we are right to be cautious on spending given we don’t know for sure what the situation will be with paying spectators in the new season. The squad as it stands looks a bit lacking in depth albeit with some very good players in it but you would hope there’s potential to strengthen at a latter stages.
As for the SL application, it would have been a waste of time. We wouldn’t have got the nod.
Probably the right decision by the club on reflection, particularly as we had no chance of being selected anyway.
All valid points made by Finney and there is clearly still an anti RFL feeling in the club in view of the way the club was treated in 2018. I do wonder just how much of the debt of £1m build up by Bradford prior to the move to Dewsbury in 2019 was unpaid rent to the RFL for the use of Odsal and how much has actually been paid back to RFL.
I do wonder though when the right time will be for us to be in a position to get into SL, with a chance of competing and not struggling to remain in the league. What is the club's ambition for 2021? Finney did say that they aimed to get into SL by competing and winning games. So hopefully, there is an ambition to be competing at the top end of the Championship and aiming for a top 5 finish. It will be difficult to win promotion against the full-time clubs - but it did Widnes no good in 2019 - but I presume that we would take it if we managed to win the play-offs and build from there.
I am looking forward to the 2021 season and watching a Widnes team playing decent rugby and winning more games than they lose - the win ratio in SL as highlighted by Finney was appalling and I can remember going to games just knowing it would be another defeat. Unfortunately, the players also seemed beaten before games. Finney did mention that the club was spending a lot of money in SL - what he disappointedly did not mention was the financial mismanagement of the club and that Directors were paying themselves large salaries that were not justified.
There seems to be an intention to promote some young players from the Academy to the 1st team squad. It will be interesting to see who they are. I agree that we will need to make a few more signings too, but perhaps correct to be cautious at the present time and wait until there is further clarity on the starting date for the 2021 season and when crowds are likely to be allowed back into grounds.
As has been said, SL clubs will be releasing out of contract players and players who would normally be in the reserve team squad, in addition to those released by TWP and Ottawa, so there will be a lot of players looking for a new club in the coming months. I am sure that if Finnigan identified any player that is available and prepared to go part-time, who would strengthen the squad, the club would back him.
The club have looked at the bigger picture.As Finney says, as a new business Widnes have yet to complete a full season of fixtures in the Championship.In 2019 they only took over after the first few games and this year was written off.It’s best that we decide ourselves that we won’t be in SL next year instead of the other way round and allowing the panel to decide for us.
His comment regarding funds denied to the 'new' board, earned by our Academy performances, were very pertinent. The SL want any club, just to balance out their fixtures - for their benefit not ours!
The general employment situation will affect the game generally through supporter's ability to pay and the club's ability to balance budgets. Most clubs are downsizing to some degree already and there will be players available to fit our requirements. Finding them is down to Simon Finnigan!
I guess that he wants a clearer picture on funding based on when/if/ how / how many season tkts are sold. It makes sense to be cautious on new signings until then.
Absolutely correct decision, build a team from now in a resurgent championship. we should do ok with the squad we have and maybe with a few additions could be play off possibilities do we want to get promoted, I am not sure because I think SL will be going through some radical changes and I feel we are better off in a stable environment as others have alluded to the championship may be the new northern union
I don’t think that’s acceptable.
As a club play offs should be minimum expectation.
I agree with our starting 13 & 4 interchanges with a low amount of injuries we should be playoffs minimum this season
i could accept less if we are injury ridden but if we’ve got our main team week in week out it would be unacceptable for any less
If we lose aspiration as a club then we will just dwindle into a Halifax or worse situation of 1500 crowds.
Yes we need to be responsible but we also need to aspire to be successful and show that we are serious to be a top Championship team at the very least.
Being sustainable and responsible but finishing 5- 7 in the Championship won't cut the mustard for very long.
To do that we would also need more money. The club can only get so much from the supporters especialy in the current climate. We need a "rich" benefactor to take us back to the top again. I doubt there are many in this area now.
In effect the club are building a business from a low base. That requires careful attention to expenditure and investment to make progress. Lashing out on 'big' signings is one way that could succeed or fail disastrously, which is more likely tbh.
If someone would step up like Beaumont and is willing to chance his arm, and his money, the club would probably welcome him, but would still need to secure the club from failure.
Rebuilding will take time and patience, but that doesn't equate to 'lack of ambition' it equates to common sense!