It is so sad to watch this great game and the great clubs in the heartlands being forcefully made into amateur clubs. That is what Leigh RLFC is slowly becoming, an amateur Rugby League club. As is Oldham, Swinton, Barrow, Featherstone, Halifax, Workington, Hunslet et al.

The history that this proud club of Leigh has is just being trodden on like a piece of dirt by SLE and Lewis the Meerkat. Ledgard, Owen, Woods, Martyn, Murphy, Drummond, Street, the team of '71 and '81 and many more are all forgotten.

What do we do? Do we just accept it? Do we go round with bucket collections? Do we beg at the SL Grand Final?

Something has to be done to stop this. All teams have to be given the chance to play at the highest level again. Why on earth should just the chosen few be given this opportunity? Huddersfield, the birthplace of Rugby League, but it is a football town. Salford, again a football city. They will never ever get large gates. The LSV would be bursting if we were back in the top flight playing against Wigan, Warrington, Saints etc..

I just wish that Premier Sports get the broadcasting rights to the Championship and that their aim is to forge a rival Rugby League set up against SKY Sports. If they set it up with no salary cap, our teams would have the chance to attract investors and lure the top players away from SLE. Otherwise, this game and our teams will be dead in 5 years time.

Well it is hard to disagree with that.

Two Championship leagues of 10 clubs each is simply not a viable option.

A friend said to me last night with the Sky money shared more evenly we could have divisions 1 and 2 for Superdooper League WITH promotion and relegation from the Championship and between those 2 Super League divisions.

At least that way it might give some fans hope. This way is a lingering death for the pro game.

As you know the SL clubs/rfl have voted to cut the sky grant to the CCs so the chances of the current SL clubs voting for two leagues of ten are zilch.

Just boycott everything to do with SL and SKY.

I've done it all season mate

Except on thurday night

It's not SKY's decision. I don't understand the negativity with SKY as such. What the RFL do with the money is nothing to do with them.

I find it strange the the RFL and SL clubs can decide what happens with the sharing of the money. As we're all members of the RFL shouldn't there be a democratic process? If clubs dont start standing up for themselves then the game outside SL is doomed.

Why is it so difficult for the RFL to see this? Or maybe they can but just dont care?!

True. SKY are keeping our game alive, not killing it.

It was a democracy where each member club got 1 vote. That changed when SL money came along and the RFL member clubs voted to change the structure so that SL clubs got 2 votes and other clubs 1. That day sealed the SL clubs dominance over RFL affairs.

Actually, I don't think that's quite right, after reading the rules.

But the rules do state that the SL clubs will have voting rights, as a whole, equal to the number of championship clubs present. Therefore 14 SL clubs can veto a vote by all 20 Championship clubs (or whatever the number is).

Does that work the other way round?.

Wonder if there would be any complaints if the top 6 SL clubs had a greater casting vote than the lesser SL Clubs............2 for the elite and 1 for the mere mortals.

Now that would throw a spanner in the works.

It's keeping SL alive

SL clubs can veto any vote by champ clubs as they have 2votes as previously. What happened to democracy? Nigel ate it i reckon

Pretty sure they`ve got a "spanner in the works "
"Get out of Jail card" in the small print.....

Democracy in RL was signed away for 30 pieces of silver some years ago.

Get a grip on yourself.
Leigh et al are struggling because YOU'RE poor, a small village and you appeal to a demographic of working class middle aged fellas. I fail to see why time after time after time you all seem to hold the big bad RFL up as some guy fawkes like creature when the reality for you all is... if you cant afford to eat with the big boys don't. If you cant get the money together then.. dont. Widnes made the step up, hence their promotion.

Stop wanting something for nothing

You are a very poor troll, I am sure your fellow Wire fans are ashamed to have you as a fan.

Dico is short for D***head?

If you actually said something of interest or you were constructive in your criticism of our club then I would appreciate your post but as usual you just love to belittle the clubs out of SL ,your sig suggest what you are

No, you just spout the same old tripe because once upon a time you were an alright club in a small village but the reality is you need money now, and crowds etc and coming from where you do.. you're just not going to get that so youre all upset. If you were of any real significance then where is your next backer? Surely in all those fans out there you've got there must be some more wealthy fellas? no? exactly? Stop expecting charity from the RFL because you cant sustain a club in the area to the level of which you desire.

Dont give me the tosh about relegation ruining crowds because its rubbish, an excuse, totted out by those feeling the hard biting recession, especially the working class. The reason crowds have dropped accross the division is because SL is 14 clubs now and where you had HKR, Cas, Salford, Widnes floating around previously.. these clubs have made the step up.

Nothing more, nothing less, I fail to see why you all throw your toys out of the pram and blame the lack of relegation

Is that a question or a statement? I suggest you get back to that year five textbook on the desk kid.

I think my irony-meter just exploded.

Not Half.