Not only 'ball ache' but financially the money could be better spent on a couple of reserve players (or me a new camera

)

The licensing policy is a complete joke, Barrows groound can't hold 10,000 so they don't meet all the criteria, i very much doubt that a lot of clubs other than the big 3/4 in SL get well over a million a year in turnover, few clubs in our division meet the 2500 average gate attendance, Toulouse must be short on both of these. Breakaway league, anyone who's not happy with the current licensing system should break away, form another Independant RFL made of the chairmen of every club in the league and run the league that way.

Our Widnes posters on this thread just do not get it.

There are now criteria for the next round of franchising which NOT ONE of UK Championsip clubs meet.

One club will lose its' licence which will be given to a Championship club.

The only Championship club who do not have to meet criteria are Toulouse.

Any questions ?

Quote ="SRC"Apparently, after the furore over the article in the League Express a few months ago regarding Toulouse's chances of a Super League license, the RFL, very quietly, amended the Operational Rules. The amendment applied to section A1:6 ............. [iLICENSING AND CRITERIA FOR A SUPER LEAGUE LICENCE A1:6 a) There shall be no promotion or relegation between Super League and Championship from the 2008 Season onwards. Instead for the 2009 Season and for every 3 seasons after that, the Board shall invite applications for membership of Super League from: (i) current Super League Clubs; (ii) Clubs in the Championships that meet minimum standards set by the Board; and (iii) any overseas clubs invited to apply by the Board. Those Clubs being offered and accepting a Super League Licence for 3 years shall participate in Super League – for the avoidance of doubt, all Clubs offered a Licence shall be obliged to re-apply for a further 3 year Licence at the end of each 3 year Licence period. Those either not being offered a place or not accepting a place offered shall: (i) in the case of Super League Clubs, participate in the Championship; (ii) in the case of Clubs in the Championships compete in the League they are currently in, unless they are relegated or promoted in accordance with the rules below, which shall take precedence; or (iii) in the case of overseas clubs invited to apply by the Board [uand[/u who are not currently in the Super League or the Championships, the Board shall have the discretion to offer a place in one of the Championships or reject the application outright. b The Board shall have discretion to set criteria for membership of Super League and discretion to assess Clubs against set criteria and determine membership of Super League from 2009. c) At least one Club that has competed in the Championships during the Licence Period 2009 – 2011 and that meets minimum standards set by the Board will be granted a Super League Licence for 2012 – 2014. d) For the purposes of A1:6 (a) above the applicant must submit a completed and signed application form and provide such documents, including financial records, as the Board shall at its discretion require.[/i So there you have it. Toulouse can be invited by the RFL to apply for a Super League license and don't have to meet the criteria that all other clubs have to. If any other overseas club 'invited' to apply fails, then they will be offered a place in one of the Championships. Read it for yourself ... www.therfl.co.uk/clientdocs/Part ... on%20A.pdf If I hadn't read all this myself, I wouldn't have believed it.'" Tolouse have to meet the criteria to apply for a licence. Read it again. All clubs applying from the championship competition have to meet the criteria (wheter they are british or not). Tolouse should have stayed out of the championship and then they could have been invited to apply by the RFL as a foreign club.

Quote ="SRC"Apparently, after the furore over the article in the League Express a few months ago regarding Toulouse's chances of a Super League license, the RFL, very quietly, amended the Operational Rules. The amendment applied to section A1:6 ............. [iLICENSING AND CRITERIA FOR A SUPER LEAGUE LICENCE A1:6 a) There shall be no promotion or relegation between Super League and Championship from the 2008 Season onwards. Instead for the 2009 Season and for every 3 seasons after that, the Board shall invite applications for membership of Super League from: (i) current Super League Clubs; (ii) Clubs in the Championships that meet minimum standards set by the Board; and (iii) any overseas clubs invited to apply by the Board. Those Clubs being offered and accepting a Super League Licence for 3 years shall participate in Super League – for the avoidance of doubt, all Clubs offered a Licence shall be obliged to re-apply for a further 3 year Licence at the end of each 3 year Licence period. Those either not being offered a place or not accepting a place offered shall: (i) in the case of Super League Clubs, participate in the Championship; (ii) in the case of Clubs in the Championships compete in the League they are currently in, unless they are relegated or promoted in accordance with the rules below, which shall take precedence; or (iii) in the case of overseas clubs invited to apply by the Board [uand[/u who are not currently in the Super League or the Championships, the Board shall have the discretion to offer a place in one of the Championships or reject the application outright. b The Board shall have discretion to set criteria for membership of Super League and discretion to assess Clubs against set criteria and determine membership of Super League from 2009. c) At least one Club that has competed in the Championships during the Licence Period 2009 – 2011 and that meets minimum standards set by the Board will be granted a Super League Licence for 2012 – 2014. d) For the purposes of A1:6 (a) above the applicant must submit a completed and signed application form and provide such documents, including financial records, as the Board shall at its discretion require.[/i So there you have it. Toulouse can be invited by the RFL to apply for a Super League license and don't have to meet the criteria that all other clubs have to. If any other overseas club 'invited' to apply fails, then they will be offered a place in one of the Championships. Read it for yourself ... www.therfl.co.uk/clientdocs/Part ... on%20A.pdf If I hadn't read all this myself, I wouldn't have believed it.'" Tolouse have to meet the criteria to apply for a licence. Read it again. All clubs applying from the championship competition have to meet the criteria (wheter they are british or not). Tolouse should have stayed out of the championship and then they could have been invited to apply by the RFL as a foreign club.

Frank , if you have money in the bank it is not difficult to ' technically ' have a million pound turnover

Any competant accountant could feed money through the clubs bank acc to achieve it

These new ' criteria ' being announced 3 weeks before the end of the Qualifying season is an absolute disgrace though

Nothing we didn't expect

What he said.. Last year I think we were close to £970,000 turnover.. £30k short. I'm sure that this could be bridged this year.

Starry as ive put on the VT the clubs have been aware of these criteria.

Parts of them like the 2,500 minimum crowd average have leaked out through press releases from clubs. One of which was on your own official site in the build up to your home game against us. I wont go looking for it but it certainly made reference to increasing crowd figures to get up nearer this figure.

I have also seen a quote from Michael Steele I think at Fax on their local papers website talking about the minmum crowd criteria.

That's not how I read it. That to me says any overseas club can be invited to apply i.e. Toulouse.

If an overseas club (other than than the current French teams) don't win a license then they can be offered a place in one of the Championships.

Frank I was just gong to say that but my feeling is that the RFL will not revoke any of the current SL teams liecences and a whole new bag of carrots will come out for the championship 1 sides.

IIRC we did get a turnover of just over £1mill last season, therefore meaning we meet every critera

thing is, Toulouse are not in the Northern Rail Cup,so they have less 'box ticking' capability, has anyone from their camp stated that this is unfair, NO, because they know otherwise. Super League is not for the 'old' northern brigade, but surely they cannot ignore Widnes this time. But of course they MUST keep Catalans, Harlequins & Crusaders in the top flight. So, Salford/Castleford/Wakefield (it's one of those 3, without a doubt). WHAT A F**KED UP/BORDERING ON CORRUPT SPORT RUGBY LEAGUE IS, IN THIS COUNTRY.

Oh ok so our club decide to let in everyone for free when we play Toulouse. I will take my grandkids and give them a fiver apiece then their mams can pick em up 1 minute before kick off so I can watch the game after I have taken them into the ground and out again. To get us into Superdooper league thats £30 well spent. Only need a few more to do the same and we will at least make the crowd criteria.

Franchising will kill our professional game and the club dropping out from Superleague will not last long.

Leigh meet all criteria bar the GF/NRC.
All LSV income first goes through LCRLFC including the 3G and the hotel, before going to the relevant organisation, 6800 will be the gate v Toulouse

No matter if we meet all the criteria..... Leigh are not ready for SL this time but will be for the 2015 season (wouldnt complain if we got in this time though

).

In 2015 Leigh will be playing at Crilly park in front of 500.
Its SL or bust, or hope they drop franchises

The RFL under R Lewis's leadership are becoming increasingly known for changing things (sometimes without telling people).

This alters the Franchise process quite significantly for non SL clubs in one fell swoop.

Afterall everyone and there dog from the press was asking Karl Harrison about Batley going for a SL spot if they won the NRC final not 3 or 4 weeks ago so they evidently wern't aware that Batley didn't meeet this "new" criteria regardless of cup win.

I can't help feeling a few lawyers will be taking some money out of the game before the next franchising is finalised.

Thats how I read it too. An overseas team can be placed directly into SL if "invited" by the RFL without meeting the criteria needed by other CC teams.

It says any overseas team NOT in SL or the CC can be placed into the CC's. Doesn't say anything about overseas teams having to fulfill the same criteria as the british teams outside SL.

Still think they will pick Widnes but they have made it so they can screw them over if they choose.

The whole thing stinks!

Oddly enough, Toulouse are entering the NRC next season - being an intrinsic part of the network/Northern community served by Northern Rail, obviously.

Interestingly, the RFL are looking to invite ANOTHER French team into the NRC - for reasons that are beyond me. After all, it's not just volcanic ash clouds that can play havoc with travel to/from France!

Look out for a re-naming of that competition.

Based on the criteria laid out, it's fairly obvious that Widnes will be the ones going up with Toulouse having an outside chance. It's going to be Castleford or Wakefield going down.

To me this whole situation is ridiculous, it's not what sport is about. The sooner franchising is dropped the better. The next time Harlequins are on the brink, and Richard Lewis threatens to walk away, f*****g let him!

If anyone thought that the last round of Franchises was a joke, this will be much worse!

Let's have a look the clubs above...

Going up, we have Widnes, who have a decent stadium, a decent academy and a decent fanbase. The also have a wealthy backer. Potentially, if Toulouse drop out of the Championship at the end of the season, they could apply for a Franchise as an overseas club. Anyone willing to bet against this happening?

Going down, we have Castleford and/or Wakefield. Both clubs are on each others door step, both have out-dated stadiums, both are struggling to get a new stadium, and both are surrounded by many other clubs in West Yorkshire.

Anyone notice anything missing from the last two paragraphs? I haven't once mentioned the sport that people pay to watch every week. If we took that into consideration, we'd realise that Widnes are gash and might not even make the top 6, in a league of 11 teams. Toulouse are just as bad. On the other side of the coin, Castleford & Wakefield do not deserve to be relegated. Both made the play-offs last season, and are challenging again this season. There are at least 3 teams worse that Cas & Wakey. It's a disgrace and it's not about the sport that we grew up with anymore. We may as well go watching BARLA.

The RFL are even doing their best to strangle them (BARLA that is)

Same as us then.

Thats how i read it too .

It's not just Toulouse that could apply. This is possibly a reaction to the rumours that Stade Francais and Barcelona could be interested.

Can only be a matter of time before they put in an exemption for iv) and any Rugby Union Premiership clubs

It seems obvious Widnes are granted one and been told already. Funny how no other team in the Championship is allowed a scholarship or a academy.Paul Cullen said just before the Northern Rail final that the Academy games are more important.So the effort has gone on criteria such as the bigger picture.Any team who goes up to Superleague will have upto 1.65 million to spend and not £300,000.If the players where good enough from the Championship they be playing in Superleague now.At Widnes we have one of the best youth set ups, and that is why we are in group A playing Saints,Wigan,HKR and Leeds.Beat Saints,Leeds and hkr recently.A few of these will end up Superleague players and with a good backer at the club we will attract big players from NRL.

Can't see it being Wakefield Paul. Their new stadium is going to be backed by Wakefield Council, and not Castleford's - the council have now said they will only back one. So, unless Cas' can come up with big private funding, they are stuffed!