Now i know we have been saying that Widnes are most likely to be in SL come 2012 but they haven't been told officially yet {or have they

} as i understand it won't be until March yet they are offering a price freeze for SL season tickets i'm shocked ,well not really

I know what you mean Ste, but as yet i don't think we are quite good enough to win the com, in no way do i agree with all the other nonsense the RFL put on us. PS hope i am proved wrong and we win the grand final, COME ON LEYTHERS.

I know what people mean about losing faith in the sport and it's governing body etc. Up's and downs with our own team is enough but when the governing body of the sport constantly let the "heartland" clubs outside of SL down you do sometimes wonder if it's worth bothering.

The only thing thats keeps me going is the need to see Leigh progress and the passion that our club still produces. One big push in the play off's could prove to be the one big step we need.

Fair enough does sound like a goood old fashioned moan,but think about it how can we attract fans when a teams simply gets promoted by a day trip to blackpool and how many pies they sell?

The general public are no mugs

Us rugby league fans are by the sounds of it,fair enough we'll all be there again next year god willing

But were is the clear progression a team can make through the leagues?

You get to the championship and thats it,nose pressed against the super league window,now someone mentioned all the super league shirts they see around town,well the simply answer is bar one year we have been in the wilderness and any kids watching the games at home as more chance being poached away by local super league clubs as they can afford to offer better tickets deals

I suppose the plus is now the great leaders of super league are struggling to pay themselves there great salaries and keep 3 super league teams afloat,so its crunch time and the fat men with thier noses in the super league funds,do they slash there money or which is more likely bye bye london

Certainly will be a vary interesting off season this one, if I could Id have a pound on Widnes playing in SL next year!

isnt ther chairman giving a statement on friday before the game?

It's NOT the same without promotion/relegation, after all that is what Sport is REALLY about. I still enjoy watching Leigh, but don't get nervous/excited anymore, as it doesn't matter where you finish. I HATE SUPER LEAGUE and it's principals, although that has to be our ultimate aim, I wish the 'championship' teams/divisions were stronger, and were capable of knocking SOOPER LEAGUE teams out of the Challenge Cup on a regular basis.

What is the fundamental difference between a club in SL , and one in the Championship at the moment ?

financial situation/sponsorship/attendances/ability to attract 'young' talent. (well 4)

External funding regardless of the performance on the pitch

Ie SKY money

But the main point is that in all essence , the money is from an ' external ' source

So the question is , How and where can the championship clubs find a source of external funding ?

I agree Steve,

First thing which would help is a unified governing body trying to source that income, a bit like the football league in football. Which would stop the ludicrous situation were our tv rights are given away without consent and we are told to play at the worst possible time.

I think clubs 'could' do more, but I imagine it's not easy, although Widnes's 'healthy' profits suggest it can be done. I recall When Leigh got PROMOTED to Super League in 2005, and I used to sponsor 1 or 2 games a season (matchball/programme etc), and most games (Super League) even pre- season were 'fully booked'. But in National League 1, occasssionally Mike Callaghan would contact me, if I fancied sponsoring at 'short notice' and at a reduced rate, and that was when we were always in the top 3 teams. SUPER LEAGUE is the 'be all and end all' to most companies.
[iThe 'championship' chairman seem pretty quiet at the moment, like they have no opinion on the harlequins/crusaders situation of the last 2 years, why can't they be more outspoken in public ?[/i
Imagine if Leigh said "free entry to anyone" for the Sheffield game, how many fans could we attract, doubt it would be over 4K, sad but true.
So Starbug, SPONSORSHIP, but how do you entice them ?

Problem is the governing body don't want the clubs ' unified '

Progress will only be made when the clubs sit down and work together

Unfortunatley too many of them ( most ) have got their heads stuck in the sand , which means not much long term vision to be done then

also most club have got no ambition so what little money they get off the rfl they're quite happy with.

Second thing to address is how the RFK expect any club to survive off 10 home league fixtures? Can you imagine Man U surviving off 10 home games, they will play that in a European comp next year!!

I me not referring to sponsorship , that is once again an old revenue stream , I me talking about new ones , but collectively between all the championship clubs , not money from the RFL,
Anything short of brothels and selling drugs should be considered

Between us we have 20 outlets all around the country , 20,000 loyal customers with another 50/60 thousand instant potential customers

We have access to around 200 businessmen including lawyers , accountants and any number of others

We also have 28 live televised matches to market anything we want to

If you were to take that as a business plan to the bank , they would cream themselves

It requires nothing more than an open mind and a will to make it work

Problem with that is how many times do you want to play the same teams ?

We Ned more clubs , but where from ?

Got to be one league below SL, for me another 15 team league then promote from the Conf to create a 3rd league of 15.

breakaway would suit me fine, but........

Big mistake in my opinion , plus no need , what is needed is a united front in dealing with the RFL , they should be assisting with the running of the comp and acting as rule makers and enforcers , after receiving instruction from the clubs

thats easy


widnes are now gone.if we franchise gateshead,TO,scorpions and the scholers to SLE with them we are left with a viable,working league.everything is fine then.

the RFL appear to have very interest in the 'lower leagues', but they could start though, by 'encouraging' the media to give it a bigger profile. Ever looked in a newspaper recently, in football there maybe footie news on (say) BURTON ALBION, but SUPER LEAGUE is minimal, and 'championship' material, is non existent.

I'd say the O.P has a valid point.

I was a season ticket holder for 10 seasons running - went to lots of away games - bought a new top every season etc, but as soon as they scrapped automatic promotion I gave up on the game.

I've only been to the new statium for one match (a spur of the moment thing just to see what it was like inside) and have now found other interests outside Rugby League to occupy my time.

Rugby League was the love of my life but the sport betrayed fans like me so I gave up on it.

No but I'm fed up with whinging Leigh fans crying about how they're so hard done to!

Yes I agree. And so do many others.

The direction of the game is backward.

No promotion or relegation. No incentive. No interest. Two years ago "we" going to the match every home game was 8 now "we" are 2. And no away games!

The regular Sunday home and away games have gone.

The number of league games have never been so small.

Net result is a declining game - particularly in the Championship