Web of intrigue

IF THERE is one thing guaranteed to get a parochial rugby league supporter frothing at the mouth, it is a good old fashioned conspiracy theory.

A quick glance at various clubs’ unofficial internet forums — magnets for malcontents — confirms that many fans of the traditional clubs would give David Icke (the ex-footballer who believes reptilian humanoids run the world) a run for his money when it comes to outlandish propositions.

The demise of Leigh Centurions to the Co-operative Championship One, for example, drew out the claim from one web-based supporter that a Yorkshire cabal of clubs had colluded to ensure the Super League aspirants would be relegated.

The RFL also came under fire from Leythers for allowing Toulouse into the competition under the condition that they can’t get relegated. The French club finished second from bottom, meaning that even though Leigh ended a place higher, they still go down. A mini-earthquake was felt in Leigh as a wave of keyboards were pounded ferociously by angry fans still simmering from the recent scandal at Celtic Crusaders.

But while plenty of daft messages flowed once their plight was confirmed, the truth is that Leigh fans’ collective anger is perfectly understandable.

Put simply, natural justice dictates that a team finishing outside the relegation places should not be relegated.

Toulouse survived virtue of their nationality, as part of the RFL’s resolve to stiffen the international game in years to come through the development of young French rugby league players in a superior competition to the one found domestically.

Like it or lump it, Leigh have found themselves the fall guys for the goal of eventually producing meaningful international rugby league outside of the Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand axis (ignoring, for the sake of argument, the recent artificial splitting of the home nations).

To be punished as a corollary of expansion once is unfortunate. But for it to happen twice, after failing to win a place in Super League at the expense of Celtic Crusaders the previous season — the skint crisis club who got to the promised land with the help of six illegal immigrants, an issue the governing body has yet to respond to adequately — starts to look like someone somewhere is taking the mickey.

Added to that, Leigh also find themselves finishing level on points with survivors Gateshead Thunder, a club with a pitiful excuse for a stadium and precious little support and who also operate to a different set of rules allowing them to fill up their squad with Australian players, again in the name of geographical expansion.

Leigh didn’t play well enough over the season to jump over the well-meaning hurdles placed in front of them.

But with such a burden of favouritism effectively piled against them by those running the game, what is a frustrated fan to do but vent some anger at times like these?

Personally, I blame the reptilians.

mattchambers@oldham-chronicle.co.uk