Crusaders live on

[DIEHARD]

A joint statement from Crusaders and Save the Cru

Crusaders Rugby League Club, representatives of the Save the Cru campaign and the Crusaders Supporters Club have come together to issue a joint statement about the future Crusaders Rugby League Club, representatives of the Save the Cru campaign and the Crusaders Supporters Club have come together to issue a joint statement about the future of Wales' highest placed professional Rugby League team.

With the support of the Save the Cru campaign and the Crusaders Supporters Club, it is the intention of Crusaders to write to the Rugby Football League to state its intention to bid for a place in the Co-operative Championship from the 2012 Season.

Crusaders has secured the support of Wrexham Council and has an outline agreement with Glyndwr University to continue to play at the Racecourse Ground.

The ?Save the Cru' campaign united with the Crusaders Supporters Club following the announcement that the club had withdrawn its application for a Super League licence on 26th July. Over the last three weeks, since the campaign started, there has been strong support from the fans with over 4,000 pledging to get behind a Championship club.

The Businesses Community in North Wales has also backed the campaign with 200 companies offering support and a number of local firms already agreeing sponsorship packages should a club rise from the ashes.


Head of Save the Cru Campaign, Jamie Thomas said: "Further to the overwhelming support we have received from the local community, it was evident very quickly that a Championship club could thrive in Wrexham. Therefore we have contacted the current management team of the Crusaders with a view to get their help to establish a club for next year."


Chairman of the Crusaders Supporters Club Chris Jones said: "This is just the news we were hoping for. The fans were devastated when the club announced the withdrawal from the Super League and you could see how much the game meant to them by the scenes at the final whistle last weekend at the last home game.

"The fact that we have a chance to rise from the Ashes and see the Crusaders take to the pitch once again in North Wales is a fantastic opportunity and I hope we're allowed to grasp it with both hands.


"Naturally the Crusaders Supporters Club wants the Crusaders to go forward. Not just for the first team in the Championship, but also to protect all of the community work done across North Wales and the North Wales Crusaders under 18s, who were formed earlier this year.

"There has been a lot of hard work put into developing the Crusaders in 2011 and the goodwill of the supporters was there for everyone to see on Sunday."

Rod Findlay, Crusaders Chief Executive Officer, explained: "Without ever having played Championship Rugby League in Wrexham it was always difficult to gauge whether or not there was enough support for the Crusaders at that level. I met with Jamie Thomas and explained what I thought was necessary and off his own bat he began the Save the Cru campaign. The level of support has been overwhelming.

"I have explained that the RFL Operational Rules provide for a club coming out of Super League to go into the Co-operative Championship. However, the RFL will need to approve a business plan and work starts on the detailed plan now. We have already spoken to the current owners about securing the assets of the club.

"Wrexham Council could not have been more supportive and we have had really productive discussions with Glyndwr University about playing at the Racecourse Ground and developing the existing partnership further."

Hanna Clarke, the club's Commercial Manager, confirmed that there was strong support for Crusaders in the business community.

She said: "Even after the Super League Licensing decision, many current and new partners were expressing their support for the Crusaders in whatever guise it took. Obviously the decision to apply for a place in the Championship is a major boost.

"On the back of the decision to apply for the Championship spot, we have already had commitments from new and current sponsors and one has committed to a hospitality box six months before a ball is kicked in anger."
Notes to Editors: For imagery or further interviews please contact campaign@savethecru.co.uk or contact Jamie Thomas on 07875 514520 or Rod Findlay on 01978 340777.

http://crusadersrfl.com/article.php?id=5709

[DIEHARD]

YOU BEAUTY! THIS CLUB HAS LEGS, THIS CLUB HAS LOVE.

I'm going to chip in and support this club. When it comes to Rugby League I put my money and effort where my mouth is.

My UK allegiances for 2012.

Super League
London RLFC

Championship
Crusaders

[DIEHARD]

Crusaders submit Championship application

Crusaders have today submitted their application for a place in the Championship in 2012.

The bid was supported by the current staff, Crusaders Supporters Club, Save the Cru and current sponsors.

Attached as an appendix to the bid were the many letters and emails of support for the bid from individual fans as well as statements of support from a current player, the club chaplain and a Super League club. It is anticipated that the RFL Board of Directors will make a decision before Crusaders final game of the season - away to Wigan Warriors on Friday 9 September.

A central plank of the application is that the fans will have a stake in the club and will participate in key decisions affecting the club. Crusaders staff, the supporters club and a representative of Save the Cru met with Supporters Direct to discuss how that might best be achieved. The business plan is fully costed with a monthly cash flow forecast for the 15 months to the end of 2012 as evidence of the sustainability and viability of the business.

There are two other key elements to the plan. The first is that the club be at the heart of the North Wales community. As well as retaining the club's Community Development Manager, the plan also includes the recruitment of three full time community sports coaches to increase the number of adults and children participating in Rugby League. That will assist in developing further community clubs.

The second element is the player pathway which will build on the community game. The business plan includes retaining the North Wales Crusaders under 18s and will see the club form an under 15 side in 2013 and an under 16 side in 2014. This will provide a clear pathway for players across the region to develop through the ranks and into the first team. Discussions have been had with Wales Rugby League about ensuring these initiatives dovetail with the Crusaders Academy in South Wales.

Chief Executive of Crusaders, Rod Findlay said: "What a journey the Crusaders have been on over the last six weeks. From the disappointment of losing its Super League status, to the formation of Save the Cru with over 4,000 declaring their support to the submission of a fully costed, viable business plan today. A lot of new clubs in development areas have shown a "never say die" attitude over the years and the Crusaders fans, partners and sponsors can be proud of all of their efforts in helping to save the club. They are a special bunch and I am proud to have been part of them.
"The off-field staff might have come together to draft the plan, but it is the thousands of people who have stepped up to the plate and pledged their support, the individuals giving up their time to work on the plans, the supporters organising a bucket collection and everyone else who has played a part that have made this possible. I just hope that the RFL Board can see strength of what we have here.

"In particular I would like to thank Glyndwr University and Wrexham Council for their early indications of support, Jamie Thomas from Capital Digital who organised such a brilliant Save the Cru campaign and Sarah and Chris from the Crusaders Supporters Association for giving up their own personal time to help. If we are successful it is down to all of them.

"We will hopefully find out the result of our application before the Wigan Warriors away game. But on Sunday we are playing Bradford Bulls at one of my favourite grounds, Odsal. Let's hope for another great result."
Crusaders play Bradford Bulls at Odsal on Sunday 4 September. Kick off is at 3pm.

http://www.crusadersrfl.com

[DIEHARD]

Crusaders invited to apply to join Championship One

The RFL has invited Wrexham-based Crusaders to submit an application to play in Co-operative Championship One next season. This is a press release from the RFL. It is printed here unedited. Further reaction to follow...

The RFL has invited Wrexham-based Crusaders to submit an application to play in Co-operative Championship One next season.

The club, which is planning to re-form under new ownership following the liquidation of the old Super League club, were today asked to apply to join a 10-team Championship One competition by the RFL Board of Directors.

Crusaders had applied to enter the Co-operative Championship in 2012 but that application failed to win the support of the RFL Board, who expressed reservations about their ability to be competitive at Championship level.

"The Board were very clear that they would be delighted to see professional Rugby League continue in Wrexham in 2012," said RFL Chief Executive Nigel Wood. "However it recognised that the previous club has entered into liquidation, as a consequence of which its membership of the RFL has lapsed.

"It is therefore entirely appropriate that any new club enter the sport's playing structure at Championship One level.

"The business plan submitted was extremely encouraging given the limited time the consortium had to prepare it. The RFL is happy to work with the consortium over the next two weeks to help establish the club in Championship One.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for the Crusaders to build on the great strides made during the last three years in Super League and we believe a new start in Championship One is the key to that.

"The offer allows everyone involved with the consortium to realise their goal of retaining professional Rugby League in North Wales."

As the application is from a new entity that does not intend to make provision for payments to the creditors of the old Super League club, the proposed new club does not have automatic entitlement to entry at Championship level.

A second application from a Wrexham-based club, Glyndŵr Chargers to play in Co-operative Championship One was withdrawn earlier today by the consortium involved because of the animosity towards their application from supporters of the Crusaders' application.

http://www.crusadersrfl.com/article.php?id=6029

[DIEHARD]

Well Cru got knocked back for Championship (Effectively Div 2) and have been invited to the confusingly titled Championship 1 - (Div 3)

Im happy to see Crusader survive and hope they can rebuild with Welsh talent and look forward to north v south derbies with the South Wales Scorpions.

[Chaos]

Isn't this the side that didn't want to pay their Australian players?

[SunnyCoastTitanFan]

Isn't this the side that didn't want to pay their Australian players?

Their Australian players were deported after immigration officials had ruled that they had breached their Visa regulations.

[Chaos]

Their Australian players were deported after immigration officials had ruled that they had breached their Visa regulations.

yeah, that the Crusader officials organised.
You still have to pay the players for the time they played...regardless they play the next year or not.

[DIEHARD]

I agree but this will be a new entity.

Crusaders were dogged by alot of unprofessionalism and it is inexcusable.

[SunnyCoastTitanFan]

Crusaders' Championship bid rejected by RFL

Page last updated at 17:52 GMT, Friday, 23 September 2011 18:52 UK

Crusaders' application to join the Championship has been rejected by the Rugby Football League.

But the Wrexham-based club are planning to re-form under new ownership following the demise of the old Super League club.
And they have been invited by the RFL board of directors to apply to join a 10-team Championship One.
Crusaders' fate means that York City Knights will now be reprieved from relegation to Championship One.
Crusaders withdrew their application for a Super League licence in July citing financial concerns.
They have been given 14 days to respond to the RFL board's offer to apply for membership of Championship One, at which point the offer will be withdrawn.
"We're obviously disappointed that we're not able to compete in the Championship for 2012," said Jamie Thomas from the Save The Cru group.
"We are however reviewing the application following today's announcement, discussing it with the fans at the earliest opportunity and coming back to the RFL at the beginning of next week."

The RFL confirmed that a second application from a Wrexham-based club, Glyndŵr Chargers, to play in Championship One had been withdrawn.
"The board were very clear that they would be delighted to see professional rugby league continue in Wrexham," said RFL chief executive Nigel Wood.
"However it recognised that the previous club has entered into liquidation, as a consequence of which its membership of the RFL has lapsed.
"It is therefore entirely appropriate that any new club enter the sport's playing structure at Championship One level.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for the Crusaders to build on the great strides made during the last three years in Super League and we believe a new start in Championship One is the key to that.
"The business plan submitted was extremely encouraging given the limited time the consortium had to prepare it.
"The RFL is happy to work with the consortium over the next two weeks to help establish the club in Championship One.
"The offer allows everyone involved with the consortium to realise their goal of retaining professional rugby league in North Wales."
Last season's coach Iestyn Harris, and the bulk of the players, left the club following their final Super League match, the 42-10 defeat at Wigan, on 9 September.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugb...e/15043024.stm

[DIEHARD]

Crusaders on brink of admission

hurdles being overcome to save the club

Over the course of the last few weeks, the group behind the SavetheCru campaign has been negotiating with the Rugby Football League over the terms of the new North Wales Crusaders being admitted to play in Cooperative Championship One next season.

The RFL have been consistently supportive of the bid, committing a large amount of resource in helping us put together a sensible, sustainable plan which will hopefully preserve professional Rugby League in North Wales and build a strong future for the club.

The application centred on the new club being a not for profit business with the involvement of the whole community, which remains core to it principals.
The final element to be put in place is that of a nominated guarantor, an individual or organisation who would underwrite any risk of the club failing to meet its obligations to the league for the next two years. Should the club fail in those obligations, the guarantor would be liable for up to ?50,000 per year.
After exhausting all options of potential bank agreements or insurance policies it has become clear the only option would be for an individual to sign the guarantee with the RFL.

Following discussions with the Supporters Club, Jamie Thomas who has helped lead the SavetheCru campaign has agreed to step forward and sign the guarantee.

The nature of the agreement will require Mr Thomas to be the 51% majority shareholder until April 1st 2014 when it expires, at which point the holdings will be re-divided.

The remainder of the club will be 26% owned by the Supporters Club and the rest divided amongst five other Board members.

Commenting on the process, Jamie Thomas said "Its totally understandable that given the history of the club the RFL needs an indemnity in place. That said, we're not being singled out, this guarantee would be applied to any new club looking to join the league."

"Whilst on paper this alters the envisaged shareholder structure in the short term, it really changes nothing as every penny of net profit will either be invested back into the club or community programmes."

"There will also be no change to the proposed make up of the Board of Directors, which will see three prominent local solicitors, an accomplished accountant, a former senior police officer and fans representatives join me in steering the club into the future."

Its hoped the final step of signing the Personal Guarantee will see the clubs plan being fully ratified by the RFL and membership to the league officially confirmed within a day or two.

Chris Jones from Crusaders Supporters Club said "We The supporters club are fully behind the proposals, and the formation of the board in order to ensure the long term future of the club. We would like to express our sincere thanks to all parties involved and especially Jamie Thomas for the tremendous commitment and support in ensuring that professional Rugby League remains in North Wales."

http://www.crusadersrfl.com/article.php?id=6255

[DIEHARD]

Jamie Thomas, you are a Rugby League hero. And we should all support you so there is no possibility of failure for the Crusaders.