www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... shead.html Lets hope it is 9 points deduction for 2009 season.

www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... shead.html Lets hope it is 9 points deduction for 2009 season.

Mr Findlay has already said Gateshead will apply for Champ 1 so it,s all down to the Oldham situation or the RFL.

Impossible for Oldham to even be involved.

They have had their process in Champ 1 to get promoted and failed.

It would be right for the 9 pts deduction from 2009, and for a change, it looks like the RFL has thought of a democratic process that will suit everyone.

Knowing the RFL though, Gateshead will probably replace Celtic Crusaders in next years SL!!

No you've all forgotten about the other option. Merge Gateshead with Celtic so Celtic can have a million quid. (I know that option isn't their any more...........at the moment.

A bit far for the fans to travel though

He meant if they fold, the RFL wouldn't go for 11 and 9 teams, they'd keep Leigh down and have 10 and 10. In fact they're thinking even if Gateshead go down they'll keep the Championship at 10, regardless of anything else

Not sure the championship clubs will accept 9 home games not enough revinue as it is

Hmmm, can you image what the championship chairmen would prefer. Gateshead and their 10 traveling fans or Leighs 100's.

Just hope Leigh stay up.
More fans, Tighter game and a decent trip over to the "dark side"!

Always have a soft spot for Leigh - will see you on 3rd Jan regardless for the friendly but hope it's in the league too!

I just can't see what Gateshead will be able to bring to the competition next season now!

Thanks but What did they bring last season?

they thrashed us for a start.

Illegally!

Yes but giving the C1 clubs 8 would ruin them, 9 already is. They'd need more NRC matches as an interim before a restructure can be arranged (like they did when NL1 had 10 and NL2 had 12, now C1 have less league and less NRC games)

No chance will the RFL send gateshead down, that would cripple them further financially. I dont understand why they dont combine champ 1 and the championship. More games more income etc etc!!

Perhaps a 'Magic Weekend' could provide a compromise?

Would provide clubs with increased revenue, on a weekend without fixtures due to reduced number of clubs, and would also provide another showpiece event for RL.

If the right weekend was chosen I'm sure there would be plenty of interest from SL fans and even non-RL fans in attendance, and it could be another good weekender for you lot.

Could even stick it in an 'expansion' area (eg. Gateshead) or a potential expansion area (eg. Coventry) to keep the RFL happy?!

And nowt to play for for years on end for the past half of the table. In fact, for many of the reasons why people objected to no relegation from Super League.

So...the Champ club are only allowed to play each other twice...home and away. But for Superleague, they play each other numerous times depending on the weather, Stevo's mood and what makes a good telly program.

The number of clubs in a division is irrelvent...its the number of meaningful fixutres where the outcome is uncertain that matters.

we dont want a single division.....i remember the one sided games fo the 80's and 90s far too well.

I thought if a club had been shut down and a new company started, it was automatic relegation to the bottom tier. Didn't they bring that in after the London Broncos debacle... Or was it dependant on whether you're in Lancashire/Yorkshire or not?

Yes though at the moment they use the NRC for extra games, could just as easily be extra fixtures. SL they only play one team thrice now at Magic Weekend.

They need a franchise division of about 12-14 semi-pro teams and find a suitable league for the rest. Having 2-up-2-down and allowing the likes of Doncaster, Oldham and Gateshead in the Championship is reckless and unstable, whereas allowing the likes of Leigh, Dewsbury and York the chance to grow without yoyoing.

i would have thought so too....i.e. going into administration is one thing...liquidating and reforming is something else.
i guess we just have to accept the RFL have rules, but will do what they think is best for them and BSkyB anyhoo.

p.

Teams need more games, it's as simple as that, they need a structure that will provide it. The RFL are daft if they don't do something.

And you expect something else

How much longer do we accept them for though, until there are about 6 clubs left below SL?

yep...and they all be in Leeds and Wales

And France, of course?!