By Ron Chalmers
December 18 2005

Fighting For The Warriors - Disillusioned fans are calling for the Celtic Warriors region to be reinstated. For the full story read on.

The move comes in the week outgoing WRU chief executive David Moffet suggested a fifth regional side could be based in North Wales within a decade.

 

Former Warriors fans have organised a petition which they plan to hand over to the Welsh Rugby Union in the coming week, claiming the region was never given a real chance to succeed.

 

One of the organisers, Dave Ford said: “A lot of the fans were so annoyed when the news broke and we want to remind the WRU that we aren’t going to go away.

”Regional rugby was forced on us by David Moffet, but what we have now is effectively 4 super clubs, while Bridgend and Pontypridd have been stripped of their best players.

 

“The Celtic Warriors were the only region not to have a name identified with a former club and an entirely new branding.

 

“Even the Ospreys were the Neath-Swansea Ospreys originally and they left Aberavon out of the picture completely.

 

“We haven’t met anybody as we go around the clubs who supports what has happened in the Bridgend and Pontypridd areas”

 

Supporters of the former region claim it wasn’t given a fair crack of the whip by the WRU.

 

They say one season was hardly sufficient to bring two famous old but different clubs like Bridgend and Pontypridd.

 

Mr Ford accepts the region had the smallest gates but pointed out:

“5 successive Celtic Warriors matched were televised live and the times of the kick off varied nearly every game.

 

“The Celtic League made it far too easy for potential Warriors fans to watch live matches on television while at the same time Llanelli, Cardiff and Newport had an established fan base.”

 

Warriors fans say they understand Moffet was brought in to reduce the huge WRU debts but were disappointed that he caved in when Llanelli and Cardiff threatened legal action to retain their stand alone status.

 

Former Warriors boss Leighton Samuel launched legal action against the WRU when the Warriors were scrapped.

 

Former Warriors chairman  Derrick King said “The court case is very much ongoing. My Understanding is that it is due to be heard in March 2006.”

 

Mr Ford added:

“We understand David Moffet’s role as he was effectively neutral but behind the scenes it was Welsh rugby people who stood by and let it happen and even worse we now know that apparently the Ospreys and Cardiff, and maybe the other 2 as well, contributed financially to help the WRU close down the Warriors

 

“That hurts most of all.”

 

A WRU spokeswomen declined to comment.