By Chris O'Brien
August 17 2009

On Thursday evening, Mike Turner and Dai Watkins were in the Real Radio studio for a 'Celtic Crusaders' special. It was a fantastic show – and some shock revelations were forthcoming; including a potential name change, badge change and some interesting news about the club’s future ambitions.

Firstly, a big thanks to Real Radio for putting a Crusaders Special together. It was an excellent show, plenty of calls and e-mails were forthcoming and it was great to see the club getting some decent coverage on the airwaves.

South Wales has a Super League club and should be proud of that fact. The Saders are playing amongst the sport's elite and Real Radio is one of the few media outlets who give the club the coverage they deserve.

Chief Executive Mike Turner sat alongside newly-appointed president and RL legend Dai Watkins in the studio. Both men answered questions clearly and, on the whole, honestly about the club's future and their aspirations for the sport in South Wales. Below is a summary.

• The club are still not 100% certain on where they will be playing their home games next season. Newport's Rodney Parade remains the aim - and the club are hopeful that a formal announcement can be made next week. Turner, however, did say at one point "when we know where we're playing next season" - but only a brave man would bet against a switch to Wales' third city next season. Negotiations are at the ‘legal' stage.
  
  
• Turner is hopeful that the club will improve on the field next season and admitted that everyone at the Brewery Field always expected the first year to be a struggle. What was a concern, however, was that both Turner and Watkins seemed happy with the marketing of the club over the year despite attendances which the chief exec admitted were "well below" what was budgeted for.
  
  
• Turner is confident that gates will grow if the club can secure more home wins and admitted that crowds, aside from a few exceptions, had been "disappointing" this season.
  
  
• Dai Watkins, meanwhile, refused to rule out the possibility of the Newport-Gwent Dragons and the Crusaders sharing players in future seasons. He spoke of how the opportunity is now available for players to play both sports professionally - and this could be one the Dragons and Saders explore.
  
  
• A few e-mails into the studio pondered the future of John Dixon and there were a few awkward pauses from those in the studio. Turner said, at the moment, his job is safe but decisions are yet to be made. He was coy on speculation that Brian Noble could be on his way to the club in a management role.
  
  
• The club plan to take three games on the road per season. This is obviously important information for anybody thinking of buying a season ticket. The plan is that one game per year will be taken to North Wales - with Wrexham's Racecourse the venue. This game will be earmarked as a "festival of rugby".
  
  
• The club still hope to build their own new stadium; though the admission was made that a redeveloped Rodney Parade would provide a perfect "fall back" when it comes to making future Super League applications. Watkins claimed that the recession had affected the redevelopment of Rodney Parade but that plans had been approved.
  
  
• The new stadium, should it be built, will have a 14,000 capacity of which 4,000 will be terraced areas. Those behind the project are those that built the Leigh Sports Village - home to the Leigh Centurions and the newly-named Leigh Genesis FC.
  
  
• One of the more controversial announcements came at the end of the show. Turner hinted at a rebrand of the club and later admitted, following a questioning e-mail, that the club were going to have another new badge next season. He hinted that the Welsh feathers will be incorporated on the new shirts; with a daffodil possibly going on the back.
  
  
• Then came a bomb shell - "we'll probably just be known as the Crusaders" added Turner. This has caused a huge amount of controversy with the supporters.
  

So there we have it.

The name change and badge news seem to have hit supporters the hardest from the hour-long show. Conspiracy theories have suggested the team could be renamed ‘Newport Crusaders' pending a move to Rodney Parade; whilst the more observant listener will have heard Watkins call the team the ‘Dragons' on at least one occasion.

In truth, thoughts of a name change have come about - in all likelihood - as a result of most Northerners calling us ‘Celtic'. By contrast, most people in South Wales refer to the team as the ‘Crusaders'.

However, the club is only four seasons old and has already changed its badge before and is now set to up sticks and leave Bridgend. We're trying to make our own history but some stability would also be nice.

Clearly, these are exciting but also unsettled times for the club. Changes look certain to be made. The club has come along way in four years - setting up a home in Bridgend, climbing the National League with incredible pace and laying the foundations for a proud history. Let's hope that isn't all forgotten as we prepare for a second season as a Super League outfit.

Club offer blueprint for future on phone-in special

Discussion started by CruXIII (IP Logged), 17/08/2009 00:51

CruXIII
17/08/2009 00:51

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40:20
17/08/2009 14:36

Some interesting stuff there.

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