All true, but I would argue that Featherstone is even more a competitive area. Cas, Wakey and Leeds run some of the best scholarships in the business. So how can we compete for young players. Answer, we have invested in a player pathway. And yes we campaign like hell about the cost of doing so and the wrongs. I personally think that know we have invested in youth and competed well that are argument with the RFL is a stronger one.

Halifax could have done the same. Widnes and Sheffield did. Just depends what your strategic objectives are and where your priorities lie.

The point to note here is that all Championship clubs should be working together to write these wrongs, but they don't do they. Just another example of poor governance of clubs and poor organisation and a mindset that lives for today.

As for your U23s doing better than ours. Congrats, good effort in first season. However, our U23s is now used a player pathway team. Last season when we did not have U18s we got to the Grand Final (lost to Whitehaven). So most in that team are underage and it is a stepping stone from 18s to first team.

Ovo, your post does an injustice to the underlying strength of each of the clubs you mentioned. You have been around the game for a while I assume and know how clubs run by your involvement at Fev. As such you will know falling attendances, financial issues, etc are part of day to day life at this level. However, you seem to overlook the fact that there are very strong foundations at clubs like Barrow, Leigh and Fax and even when times appear to get tough few press the panic button.

Loss of coaches and current financial challenges will not undermine any of these clubs. Sure Barrow might not be able to afford another Jamie Rooney or Ned Catic, but they too have very good young players and a hardcore of fans that will follow them come hell or high water. Leigh's current financial issue is merely a blip and they will be as strong as ever next year. In our own case we are a very well run club, with a strong fan base (which has seen worse times than this and still retained 1700 or so core fans), a strong player roster and clear direction.

I'd read your post again and consider the above. Its great to be an optomist, but to consider even for a moment that the apocolypse has arrived to all outside the borough boundaries for Featherstone is just niave.

I agree with you.... I want all clubs to be strong especially traditional ones. I will say it again my post was in the context of appealing to Fev fans, to try and stop them jumping on the band wagon of saying 'I am done with the game, we will never get in SL'

Many Fev fans have a mentality of "if it ain't Fev I aint interested'. Not me BTW..... but that is why understanding the context is important. We cannot afford the loss of any fan, so I am trying to show them some positives from a Fev perspective and keep them.

Look it does not matter how much people or situations hurts some clubs, the great supporters that underpin Fax, Leigh, Barrow, etc will ensure that the club continues and comes back stronger. However, there is no doubting that for the next 3 year cycle, Fev begin in a relatively strong position because of the groundwork that has been laid.

I still would not consider myself naive though

The RFL realised there was a little Welsh ginger kid sat in the corner who was new to the school and was already borrowing money off everyone, so they turned their attention to an easy fight rather than try to scrap with the medium sized ugly bugger.

I didn't know RFF was ' welsh '

He wasn't referering to his hair it was just the kid himself that was Ginger.


He looked like a biscuit and they called him Dunc.