I for one would congratulate everyone at Featherstone Rovers if they were awarded a deserved SL franchise as it would finally prove evidence to me that SL franchises are not a closed shop and this RFL favoured era of promotion is far from a sham. (which is a current conception)

However Leigh were promoted to Super League on the field of play and that's why I feel Featherstone should deservedly have been given a chance in Super League, as we were, as the best on field performing championship club of the past 3 season (Despite Fev's GF defeat last yeat).

However as we all fully aware, the current franchising climate is not based on the pitch so despite all the improvements in the world to Post Office Rd, I think that is one criteria that will still lose them votes. ( additionally is their capacity really sufficient for the visit of the top clubs? Especially if Fev were to secure a SL home play off tie in the future)

Also on the subject of Fev's crowds they do appear to take an alarming dip on a shared gate. The 2011 and 2012 GF final eliminater's failed to pull in crowds much more than 1500 despite a substantial Leigh away following helping to sway the gate on both occasions which places's their play off attendances v Leigh in the business end at less than Leigh's home play off attendances v Sheffield in the same respective seasons.

The RFL is supposedly impressed with Leigh's business model implemented after 2011 and it is widely accepted that The RFL love the state of the art facilities that we can offer having chosen Leigh to host a number of full internationals and high profile matches.

Therefore I think it is to early and perhaps to difficult to say who is leading the franchise race as I think Leigh (with a few tweaks and implementations), Halifax and Featherstone are all able to build a strong case and IMO will have an equal chance of being successful [iif[/i a decision is made to award a new franchise to a championship club.

Do you not remember?.........

Our mission statement is :
"We intend to deliver the most compelling, exciting, innovative, and first class performances within the Championship – both on and off the pitch, together with our partners in Leigh Sports Village, our supporters and the community. We beLEIGHve that we will be the only clear and logical choice for the RFL to nominate Leigh Centurions for Super League in 2014"

Do you not beLEIGHve?

it is all about 'spin' and at the moment Fev are 'spinning' it right sometimes, sorry but I can't forgive the shared gate announced attendance last season it just showed that they still think small time somewhat.

You're probably the right mon for the answer Fred, but did Leigh to send anyone to 'check' the gates that night?

Serious question, do you think Fax are ahead of Leigh and if so why?

I would say in this licencing period leighs average attendance in 2011 is higher that fax and fev have had so far

Wouldn't know Matt but should we have to? is it to much to ask for a little honesty among 'us down here'?
And are the turnstyles electronic at fev? if not then every one would have to be checked manually.

We always used to send someone to check, but in these days of reduced staff numbers, I wonder if our resources stretch that far?

We parked in the carpark behind the ground and were directed to the back gate where we entered paying cash to a steward.

Yep, saw my entry money go straight in his pocket after a furtive look round

be stupid in my opinion not to announce a reduced crowd in a shared gate, just look at the crowd figures for the super league play offs

I only ask as I fulfilled the same role in a Challenge Cup game at the same venue last season (although it does also come under the jurisdiction of the match commissioner believe it or not). They do have an electronic system to a certain degree in terms of coming through the turnstiles etc, although there are tricks that can be pulled if the individual turnstiles aren't 'zeroed'. If there's any suspicion that any club is on the fiddle then a) I'd hope (key word) the RFL would be wise to it and b) that other clubs exercise their right to monitor things, though maybe they're unwilling to do so in an 'honour amongst thieves' type of scenario?

We did do checks at away grounds 5/6 years ago for split gates , and had opposition officials do the same to us

Stupid or illegal take your pick, its bl**dy fraud.

Fred is right. Matter closed.

Very surprised this thread has gone down this road as far as it has tbh

The point is whether I like it or not, which I do think ,we are definitely behind Fev at the moment despite our I believe campaign, which IMHO , why have a huge flag inside the ground telling us that do believe is going to help us achieve SL !

I don't see why you are surprised, a positive thread about somebody else was always going to be sabotaged by the resident curmudgeons. If Fev do get a place in the SL they will be absolutely slaughtered by the usual suspects.

Well I thought it may get people to come up with some feed back on how we can possibly get back in the race.
IMHO the crowds and community work are were we are behind FEV, we are now trying to address the community side of things so we are left with attendances. What can we do to get more fans through the turnstiles?

We have much more potential than Fev.

There are too many Yorkshire teams in the top league already. They will never be better supported than Cas.

They are a pit village with no chance of ever drawing 2500 fans of their own. The terracing behind both ends is tiny and far too steep.

Daryl Powell has halitosis and they fiddle their gate figures.

Where would you put our flag Lynda ?

Oh and their pitch obviously suffers from subsidence. We must have a team with a level playing field.

Yep i think your right on this one reffy

Well Reffy obviously did not mean me.

Fact' after this season ends NO Championship club will ever get a franchise/licencse.

Re the flag
Somewhere were the unconverted will see it, top of the town hall, library.

I would think so tbh but also think the chances of any team getting in are slim to none. I think our experience last time with the last set of licenses probably stands us in good stead and we probably made just enough noise to the RFL to make a good case to be included.

I heard financially we are a better prospect than both Fev and Leigh(Especially now Probiz got involved

) but thats really just hear say and its hard to say in that respect. In that regard all 3 teams are probably a better financial risk than the majority of SL but that really dosnt seem to add any weight in the RFL eyes.

Again on the fieid dosnt matter but since licensing was introduced Fax are the only team to win both major trophies.

The thing is though when you compare Fax and Leigh they are very similar and there isnt really that much that lets them down apart from the crowds but when you look at Fev you look at their crowds and their ground and do you really think they have a cat in hells chance of getting in to SL with their old ramshackle ground? The RFL do not want old traditional grounds in SL and if they had their way everyone would be playing at shiny new stadia with great facilities. Fev have no chance.

We will only believe IF they will truly believe by stopping the soundbites and living the SL message/goal, like Fev are.

Disillusioned fans need hope, do we have a top table capable of leading a marketing charge to a SL vision - NO.

We have honest individuals doing a great job of getting a quart out of a pint, but are unwilling to put money in, can't attract anyone who has and have no marketing/sales skills.

Perception is king and current local perception is 'whats the point' Fevs perception is 'We will be in'. Should they fail, as we did, then it will be interesting how they pick themselves up and sell a new dream as they have never had to do that before, and whether the money sticks around.

We are short of money and a leader - I don't know where they will come from if at all. We have fantastic facilities and would pull far greater crowds than Fev with far greater income streams due to the facilities. I wish we had a fit and healthy AT now, working with the admin/finance team we have in place - we would be a shoe in.

In the meantime the loyal 1400 will be there, slowly diminishing every year as we populate the terrace in the sky - unless we improve in selling the dream.