Last updated 12:25, Friday, 23 May 2008

WORKINGTON Town fans have backed a call made in the Times & Star to create a united rugby league team in Cumbria.

FLASHBACK: Town’s Brad Nairn (left) and Rowland Phillips in tackling action against Bradford Bulls during the first Super League season in 1996 - the only year Cumbria had Super League rugby

Fans say it is time to bite the bullet and join with fellow Cumbrian clubs Whitehaven and Barrow Raiders to put together a Super League bid.

Last week, Times & Star journalist and long-time rugby league fan Phil Pledger outlined his hope for one team to represent Cumbria at British rugby league’s highest level.

He foresaw a new club, in a new stadium playing in the Super League with the present three clubs acting as development grounds for players.

And the response on rugby league internet forums has been, overwhelming, in support.

Anok4u said: “If you’re a true supporter of rugby league you can not ignore that professional rugby is going to die in West Cumbria if things don’t change.

“I love Town, I have done for more than 20 years, but I think it’s time to bite the bullet and join together.”

Keith T said: “Having read the article in the Times & Star, I have to say that I agree wholeheartedly with Phil Pledger’s comments.

“We have let small minded attitudes decide our future for too long and all the time the gap is widening into a chasm.

“What legacy are people of my generation and others leaving for the kids of the future in respect to rugby league?

“Town fans get scoffed at by Haven fans when they mention the trophies of the past telling us they are history but that is all both clubs will have in the not too distant future - histories!

“I have been having this discussion for several days now with Haven fans and people who oppose the idea always bring the argument down to the current clubs level instead of looking at the bigger picture for the future.

“Neither sides of the argument knows what it entails or what can be achieved until a full working group sit down and discuss every aspect of forming a new club in the west of the county.

“It needs someone to come forward and bring the whole project together with representatives of the RFL and Super League with a view to getting developmental status for the area same as Harlequins, Catalan Dragons or Celtic Crusaders have.

“It needs large industries with connections to the area to be invited along to be part of a new partnership and approaching all funding agencies of the North West for financial support.

“We the fans can either sit back and scoff at the idea and go along on our path to who knows where or we can embrace change and look at it positively with a view to a better future.

“We can all look for excuses as to why it won't work or where will we play or which current players would get into that SL team.

“These are all red herrings and not things that need concern anyone at this stage. The first thing is to get something going that once and for all will determine if the idea is a true possibility or not.”

Old School Town agreed saying: “That article is the most sense I have read in a long, long time.

“It’s time to break out of our history heads and get with the times.

“I’m a big Town fan but I can’t honestly say I would watch the team anymore. Its the classic ‘what is the point’.

“Whitehaven, as much as I hate to admit it, are at least developing young players.

“Let’s get this sorted first though even if we developed a club for next season it would take a lot of developing, and in today’s modern sporting environment this requires admin professionals, which as we have seen in the last decade is not what we have in Cumbria.

“I don’t wish to knock the hard work of committed members of respected boards but the modern sporting environments development in marketing has past them by.

“We all want a Super League team to be proud of or at least challenge but do we have anybody with the finance to back it and do we have the skill to do the job?”

Ian said: “West Cumbria could support a Super League team with Workington and Whitehaven playing as semi professional teams in the national leagues.

“Many ex-supporters would return to watch the top-class teams.

“I agree with Keith’s comment on getting local businesses involved, particularly Allerdale and Copeland stadium provision.

“If the blinkers could be removed from the Reds management I am sure West Cumbria could have an exciting rugby and soccer future.

“Without Super League and Football League aims, West Cumbria rugby league and soccer will continue to wither and eventually die.”

Chocolate, however, thinks a coming-together won’t work. Chocolate said: “Forget it. How can you trust Workington Town. When the initial merger, between both Haven and Town involved the academy sides, the first thing Town did was to sign Carl Sice a Whitehaven Academy Player, on professional forms.”