Can't believe the idiot has created a 9 page thread for his own amusement!

I also mentioned ground improvements being done. And also mentioned that they would need to improve their gates.

And if Widnes fail to make a final (or whatever the requirement is now) and therefore don't get considered for a franchise, then this 'small' criteria appears to be a lot bigger than first imagined.

So... yes, they are pushing them. I doubt they'll get one, mind. But it would be ignorant to think Widnes don't have any other franchise competition come 2012.

But we aren't american and as such aren't used to this type of competition, Promotion and Relegation has (almost) always been part of UK sport.

What if that highest level is considerably smaller than a much bigger competition's second tier?

Smaller in what way?

But doesn't mean it always should be.

all my point is....who says who deserves to be in SL?
SURLEY it should be performance on the field that decides this matter and a ground that meets SL spec, and same should go for every league below.

Which ever team you support and you finished above a team that was allowed to stay in SL and your team was sent packing, would you be happy?

Not saying that, but change is not normally well recieved, perhaps in years to come it will be heralded as a great move, only time will tell.

As in the second tier of Football (Championship) is bigger than the top tier in Rugby League (Super League).

Would you rather be the top team in a small competition than a reasonable side in a much much bigger competition?

But it's not and unfortunately we have to get used to that. And the RFL say who is allowed in Super League or not.

Do you believe there should be promotion and relegation between Championship 1 and the amateur game as well then, out of interest?

So at the moment it looks like we're getting kicked out, and the dreaded merger suggestions of the mid-90's isfinally happening with a Calder United team?!

On ground improvements they are pushing us, on crowds they are not.


No , really? Well I’ll be blown? So how may of these finals have we lost so far exactly?


So they are pushing us, and not yet matching Widnes, on ground development. They are nowhere near our crowd levels, so they’re not pushing us there yet.

What about
Finances: backers and Sponsors?

Player development: How do our academies compare, how many of their home grown players are in their squad etc..?

I think all sports teams should have ambitions of playing in the elite league in any sport, any club which dosn't have hopes to play with the best are simply a waste of time, what would be the point? Perhaps thats just my mentaility of sport, you play to win not to make up the numbers, and success should be rewarded with a chance to be the best.

Actually you got me wrong. The point of expansion is to bring a bigger audience and profile to RL and consequently more money into the game to the benefit of the whole sport. In other words to make RL's profile and income more like those of soccer. The game would already have more TV money than it does if the RFL had set SL up in the way they were supposed to in the first place rather than delivering the M62 league with a couple of add-ons they did deliver.

In any case it's a moot point. It's already been shown that an SL with most of its' clubs in the north isn't worth as much as a more widespread one would be. The game has to choose between continuing to be a regional sport with some outposts (with less media coverage and revenue than other sports, and always losing to Australia) and the expansion necessary to change that picture.

Oh yeah the RFL say so...are these the 1's who have shares in certain clubs........as the song goes....the RL is full of **** ,oh the RL is full of ****, full of ****, **** and more **** , oh the RL is full of ****.

Oh if you from wigan or somewhere you may not know this song

Well... unlucky...

Toulouse and Widnes to replace Salford and one of either Cas/Wakey. Id look to bring a side from Edinburgh into championship 1 in either 2010 or 2011.

Correct. But there crowds are improving, IIRC?



I don't get your point? You seem to be skating around the points I make by asking questions. If Widnes do not meet the criteria for performance to be initially considered for a license and Halifax do, then it is not such a small part of the criteria, is it?
If Widnes finish 5th in 2009 and 2010 and do not reach the NRC Final (which could happen), but Halifax win everything, then what happens?


Yes, they are pushing you on ground development. And no, they are not near you on crowd levels. But they are exceeding you on the pitch this year so far and did last year.

Your finances are clearly better since O'Connor took over, that I have no doubt. And I cannot comment on player development as I do not know much about either clubs respective set-ups.

And again, I will reiterate... Widnes are clearly the front runner, but Halifax are pushing them. Whether they will get on top of them is another question. You seem very insecure about this!

TFC which team do you support Leeds? or whoever...but if RFL pinpointed your club out would you still say ....well unlcky?
can you understand my point?

Soccer can afford to do it that way, it's already grown to the point where it can replace Middlesbrough, Newcastle and West Brom with Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Sheffield United without losing a step. Despite that, English soccer almost saw a breakawy of its' top clubs some years back before the Premiership was reduced to 20 teams. As a predominantly regional sport, RL is a lot more dependent on having certain teams in the top tier to justify its' TV contract.

I disagree. I think all sports teams should seek improved competition rather than blindly seeking to be at the top. You do play to win, yes. But being the top in a small competition is not much to brag about compared to being competitive in a much much larger competition.

Would you rather be in the top league of UK basketball or the second tier in football? Which one has better competition?

Wakefield...

We know whats needed to be done, so do Cas, if we fail then we only have ourselves to blame.

Admit it, you just made all that up didn't you?

If it wasn't for the RFL, your club would be in a lot worse off a position.

I agree.. if we fail to meet SL ground standards, we dont deserve to be there. I know myself what its like to goto the toliet at Cas games "a nightmare".
But what once theres 20 + teams with new gronds...what then?