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With, firstly, Clive Griffiths and<br />
then a certain Anthony Murray<br />
as coach the Cru continued their<br />
rollercoaster ride.<br />
An eighth-place finish in 2012<br />
was followed by a happy 2013<br />
when the club finished as<br />
Champions with a Northern Rail<br />
Bowl Final victory over London<br />
Skolars as well. Unfortunately<br />
a restructuring of the leagues<br />
after the 2014 season meant<br />
that the <strong>Crusaders</strong> although<br />
finishing eleventh were one of<br />
five clubs relegated from the<br />
Championship.<br />
The six players deported for visa irregularities in 2009 (clockwise from top left): Damien<br />
Quinn, Jace Van Dijk, Darren Mapp, Josh Hannay, Mark Dalle Cort and Tony Duggan<br />
Storm clouds were gathering<br />
however. The UK Border Agency<br />
discovered six <strong>Crusaders</strong><br />
overseas players were in the<br />
country illegally due to visa<br />
problems and they had to leave<br />
immediately.<br />
The RFL was not best pleased<br />
with the adverse publicity<br />
this caused. After persistent<br />
rumours of financial difficulties<br />
owner Leighton Samuels pulled<br />
out adding further problems.<br />
To improve matters Brian Noble<br />
(now spearheading Toronto<br />
Wolfpack’s entry into the<br />
rugby league) was appointed<br />
coach for 2010 with Iestyn<br />
Harris as his assistant and the<br />
club announced the signing of<br />
Welsh rugby union star Gareth<br />
Thomas.<br />
a six point deduction for the 2011<br />
season.<br />
In July 2011 the <strong>Crusaders</strong><br />
withdrew their application for a<br />
further three year Super League<br />
licence (much to the relief of<br />
Wakefield Trinity who looked<br />
like losing theirs) and the Club<br />
was wound up in September<br />
2011.<br />
Invited back into Championship<br />
1 (third tier) for 2012 North<br />
Wales <strong>Crusaders</strong> began life in<br />
the lower leagues.<br />
Fireworks greet Celtic <strong>Crusaders</strong> at<br />
Bridgend’s Brewery Field as they run out<br />
against Hull for their first ever home Super<br />
League fixture in 2009<br />
Cup success came in 2015 with<br />
a victory over Swinton in the<br />
League 1 Cup Final at Blackpool<br />
and in 2016 <strong>Crusaders</strong> were<br />
losing finalists in the League 1<br />
Shield Final against Newcastle<br />
Thunder.<br />
With a move to the Queensway<br />
Stadium in Wrexham this<br />
season and our old friend Mike<br />
Grady as coach, a League 1 Cup<br />
Final appearance at Blackpool in<br />
the bank (can’t remember who<br />
they beat in the semi final!) who<br />
knows what the next 12 seasons<br />
will bring for the <strong>Crusaders</strong>?<br />
One thing about being a<br />
<strong>Crusaders</strong> follower is for sure -<br />
life is never dull!<br />
7<br />
With new owners, the club<br />
dropped the word Celtic<br />
from their name and moved<br />
to Wrexham, sharing the<br />
Racecourse Ground with the<br />
town’s football team. Despite<br />
finishing eighth and in the playoffs,<br />
financial problems persisted<br />
and in November 2010 the club<br />
went into administration, getting<br />
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