Widnes Vikings handed 2008 nine-point handicap

Nov 20 2007 by Ian Cheveau, Liverpool Daily Post

WIDNES VIKINGS will begin the 2008 Co-operative National League One season at the bottom of the pile after the Rugby Football League imposed a nine-point penalty following the club’s decision to go into voluntary administration.

The Vikings were made to wait nearly a month for RFL chiefs to give the club the go ahead to retake its place in the league after the club was put up for sale and placed into administration following crippling financial debts which had plagued the season.

The RFL claims the nine point penalty – which is three more than Doncaster Lakers received last season for going into administration – is in accordance with league rules. Vikings’ new chairman Steve O’Connor said: “We’re obviously disappointed to be docked points for the start of the season but accept this as being the RFL’s normal course of action following a club being placed into administration. However, we’re confident we can establish a squad that can overcome this hurdle and take Vikings on to great success.

“We must now move on and concentrate on our long-term plans for the revival of Widnes Vikings and to secure success in National League One which can act as a springboard for a successful Super League licence application.”

The RFL ruling means head coach Steve McCormack can immediately commence signing his new squad of players and the Daily Post understands that 15 players have already committed themselves to the club before McCormack took a family holiday.

And today its expected that the club will unveil its new signings, along with the Mark Smith, Paul Noone, Dean Gaskell and Gavin Dodd who were all part of

McCormack’s 2007 squad. However, it’s still unclear whether star loose forward Bob Beswick is staying at the club. Among Widnes’s new faces will be former Super League half-back Tim Hartley, former Hull KR prop Jim Gannon, Scottish internationals Ian Morrison and Lee Patterson, ex-Warrington youngster Nick Owen, and Widnes academy youngsters Shane Grady, Scott Yates and Rob Draper.

The delay in signing a new full-time squad has resulted in Vikings needing to postpone their traditional Boxing Day fixture against Warrington Wolves to allow McCormack time to prepare his players for the new season.

Pete Barrow, Vikings’ chief executive, said: “I realise our fans will be disappointed but I hope they understand it is a decision we haven’t taken lightly and is in the best interests of the club.”