https://bedfordrugby.co.uk/news/2021/01/board-directors-update-january-2021" rel="nofollow - https://bedfordrugby.co.uk/news/2021/01/board-directors-update-january-2021

If finances are so tight why are you signing four players from Northampton for a season that isn’t likely to happen?

I presume you have to test to comply with Northampton so a further excess just to have some Saints involved in training.

The decisions made by these clubs really do baffle me and on one hand looking for bail outs and the other hand acting as though they are rolling in it

We like all clubs are surviving and didn’t have much of a squad to save costs. Don’t forget Blues are one of the rare clubs who had turned a profit for the last 3 years. How many other clubs are self-sustainable?

I am aware of some businesses giving money to the club to tide the club over and it was more if you can do anything to help, please do.

If the Club did not prepare for the season properly I am sure there would be a strong legal case of negligence from players if they got badly injured! That could cost a lot more than testing.

"If finances are so tight why are you signing four players from Northampton for a season that isn’t likely to happen?"

Where was there any suggestion that Bedford were signing four players from Northampton? 

The article states, "The introduction of regular testing is a critical step towards our sport returning and also enables the next stage of our partnership with Northampton Saints and their players joining us in pre-season." Followed by, "The Board have also given the green light for Mike and his coaching staff to proceed with their plans for the 2021 campaign; this includes the addition of four exciting new players who will be announced in due course."

Excerpt from premiership regulations on salary.

"Academy Player" means any Player who, as at 1 September 2018, is between 16 and 24 years of age (inclusive) and whose total Salary for the Salary Cap Year 2018-19 or any previous Salary Cap Year does not exceed or has not exceeded £30,000 at that Club. For the avoidance of doubt, if total Salary paid to an Academy Player is, in any Salary Cap Year, in excess of £30,000, the Academy Player shall be treated as a Senior Player for the purposes of the Regulations. With effect from 1 July 2018, where any Player of a Club ceases to be an Academy Player of that Club and becomes a Senior Player of that Club, or where any Player of a Club was first employed by that Club as a Senior Player, in either case that Player will at all times be treated as a Senior Player of that Club and shall not at any stage be capable of being or becoming an Academy Player of that Club;

There is a good chance that these have been updated in view of recent irregularities by some clubs....... don`t mention the ...........  

The COVID testing is from a Sponsor.

Semi-Pro

https://bedfordrugby.co.uk/news/2021/02/2021-championship-season-update?fbclid=IwAR0IEjsOrX9HjNn6extfvKmFXS2KGrVbtRuET4tyQ8LutsU7SKM62igME-A" rel="nofollow - https://bedfordrugby.co.uk/news/2021/02/2021-championship-season-update?fbclid=IwAR0IEjsOrX9HjNn6extfvKmFXS2KGrVbtRuET4tyQ8LutsU7SKM62igME-A

They will outnumber Bedford players 

Squad is 30 with 12 saints

We are very much reliant on 2,500 people turning up.

They are giving you them to make sure they get game time and you can field a side!

If you think any different I think you are very much mistaken 

They will be the ones pulling the strings in this relationship

Hope I’m proved wrong, I don’t think they give 2 hoots about Bedford. They want their guys getting gametime. 

If they were only there to train they would have stayed at The Gardens and saved a few quid! 

Did I say that they are going to sit and watch? I said if we were playing a must win game maybe 5 would start. Of course all of them will get some game time as ultimately what are we really playing for nothing.

For example we have 1 proper hooker, so naturally the Saints youngster will get game time and the 2nd.

Blues whilst i hope you are correct I think it is more likely the Saints coaches care little about them earning the right to get into a match day squad and more about them playing some rugby as there are no other options. They absolutely want special treatment ie they must all play, as them training and not playing at Bedford aids their development even less than staying at Saints. They will want to use these fixtures to make judgements on their players to see if they should remain at Northampton going forward.

Im very sorry but Bedfords strings will be pulled by people upon the road.

Like it or not you will be used as a tool for The Saints wants and needs, because without them you don't have a side, so at present you have little option, Im sorry to say!

13.4.4 Loan and England Academy Players A Club may not play or select as a replacement or substitute in a Match more than the number of Players set out below:

(a) Level 1 (Premiership): no more than three Loan Players and unlimited England Academy Players under the age of 24 as at 1 September 2020. 

(b) Level 2 (Championship): no more than three Loan Players and no more than ten England Academy Players under the age of 24 as at 1 September 2020. 

TB, it would seem Saints have done the maths and potentially all 12 could be included in a Blues match day squad. I also doubt they are at Bedford for training purposes, they are there to get as much game time as possible.

Can you expand on "...ultimately what are we really playing for nothing." That doesn't make sense winners get promoted to the Prem and from the looks of it all those clubs participating are facing about minus £200K in costs to play. That' the exact opposite of your wording. LS clearly thought that wasting £200K on a "nothing" season isn't shrewd, maybe others will think the same way in the next few days but if as you say Bedford is such a well run business why throw £200K at something meaningless?

The only evidence I can see is how mean-spirited some people are. Sadly.

I do not know whether this link with Northampton is a short, medium or long term arrangement and I don't yet have a view as to whether it favours one party more than the other. As a long time supporter I will give the club directors the benefit of any doubt and place my trust in their decision. These are difficult times for the Championship (and lower leagues) and Bedford are, for the time being, still very much in the game.

As a non Blues supporter I'll just be glad when we get some rugby to watch. I've been watching Premiership matches on BT Sport and look out for the ex Richmond players. Nice tries from Sam Stuart and Louis Lynagh.

You can have as many Northampton players as you like as long as you turn up and play.

Agreed a hundred times over.

I’m a Plymouth fan, have had good link/ relationship with Exeter over the last few years getting loans/ drs etc but also a lot of our own players, most local these days from Devon and Cornwall with a few from other places. It’s worked well. It’s nice to see the Exeter lads we’ve had make debuts etc for Exeter later on. A couple of us as fan’s were concerned the club would become “Exeter 2nds” and that hasn’t happened. I personally remember thinking Plymouth is a proud city/ club is its own club etc.

Pirates off course have had Exeter players too over the years. Worked well with a lot of their own players too. Own club etc.

Not sure the rules allow you to field a team of loan players etc but as long as you keep your own group of players, DoR etc and owners your club will still be your club. Off course I’m not a blues supporter, you guys may be happy with any thought of becoming the Saints 2nds not that you’ll become it. Bedford is also a proud club. 

What was being expressed didn't seem to be in my idea of the aim of the blog and it seems others agree with me but each to his own.

Lots for the RFU and Premier Rugby to do when we finally get back to normality.

Paid professionals from the premiership are hardly at the base of the pyramid.

Unless of course you work for the RFU.

Not saying donate before we Blues fans get the... now you want us to pay for the saints players comments. Mainly sharing the video which is well put together.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/protect-your-bedford-blues#start" rel="nofollow - https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/protect-your-bedford-blues#start

Blues games will be streamed for £10. Who knows we could get a number of Saints fans watching which could boost our income having two sets of supporters helping financially.

On the other comment... so Saints sent us players that could all fill a squad! Wow! With a squad of 30 it would seem stupid sending us 8/9 players who couldn’t be in a squad as we wouldn’t be able to have a full bench with a few injuries. Clearly some rugby fans would rather some 5-0 panel wins rather than watch some rugby.

Playing for nothing... I don’t see us beating Ealing or Saracens, so you look at the other end and there’s no relegation, so other than giving fans rugby and rugby players a chance to play rugby, which they have not done so for a year. This is pretty much what ring fencing looks like.

Ampthill have also gone past their initial £20k target with £20,125. 

Alex Penny retires.

Three new signings coming in

Elijah Niko from Ealing

Andre Robson from Yorkshire Academy

Corrie Barrett from Munster (A side)

Thanks for the reminder, £20 chipped in.