Hello Andy. You enjoying the school holidays?

The thing I find most worrying is the following extract from the RFL report.....

"the RFL has reaffirmed that at least 1 Championship club will* be awarded a Superleague Licence from 2012, subject to them meeting strict criteria, including reaching the Championship Grand Final or winning The Northern Rail Cup in 2009 or 2010".

Assuming that the 5 clubs to have received warning letters comply with the Stadium requirements in time, unles the size of the League is increased at least 1 of the current teams will not be in Superleague in 2012. Is my understanding correct?

*would have been a lot less concerned if they`d used the words `may be`,
WILL BE is a bit too definite for my liking.

That must make Widnes a shoe-in, unless they financially implode again before the next round of licenses.

I have absolutely no doubt, given our close proximity to Cas, that one of us will be going next time round.

I think both clubs are aware that their future is very much on the line.

Given that both stadium are probably very close in terms of progression (even though Cas would have everyone believe they are well ahead), it will probably be decided on performance over the next 2 years.

If we can finish in the top 6 for the next 2 seasons, ahead of Cas, and our stadium is near completion, it will be difficult for the RFL to throw us out. That is why it appears we are intent on making quality signing for next season and pushing up our salary cap - a last throw of the dice almost.

Worryingly though the deciding factor could come down to our support, or lack of, that may decide our continuing SL status.

don`t shout and keep calm but if the was a ground share between Wakefield and Castleford,you both finish in the top 8 in the next three years.how would the RFL be able to throw one team out, as you would both have the same cryteria.it would also bring in to the mix Odslum and HMP Craven Park

I suppose that they must be considered favourites but personally I dont think that the RFL have invited Toulouse into NL1 for nothing. I wouldnt mind betting if they win the NR or get to the play off final that they would pip Widnes.

Who's to say they won't allow both Widnes & Toulouse in if they both fulfill the criteria and drop 2 current teams ?

I still think it's possible that we could see the comp grow - if there are enough clubs who meet the criteria!

I think thats where the problem will lie. In 2 years time there will probably be 3 or 4 teams that meet the criteria all wanting SL and as the RFL have stated there will be at least 1 club from the NL1 in it, so on that basis it wont matter if all the clubs needing new grounds' get one somebody has to go. As kyassor says there is no reason why they cant put 2 teams in who knows what they are capable of imo that will only make it worse it would be a disaster for 2 clubs' instead of 1. I would like to think that you are on the right lines saying that they might expand but being realistic about it I cannot see the chairman of the clubs who know they are safe taking a drop in income from the Sky money on offer.

We are. Somewhere in the Stanley area. Cas are looking at somewhere in the Castleford area. St Helens are moving to a nearby complex. Hull KR, however, are settling for what they have. By my reckoning, if all the clubs get the stadia (which looks likely), Hull KR will then have the worst ground in Super League and will fall down on expansion.

Mind you, you could always have just one Hull club. What about it?

I dont think its much to worry about at the moment, none of the 3 clubs have made any amazing progress towards the new stadia and I think the RFL are right to remind all that there is at least one club in the NL's that looks like competing for the spot with them.

In relation to Craven Park, I agree - I know BV is hardly a paradise but at least you get nice and close to the pitch and on a summers day it is glorious - no matter what time of year it is at KR, you are always miles from the playing area and got that damn wind to contend with - deffo the worst ground other than Celtics.

In my opinion I think it's unlikely. If the league is expanded then as Chissett says why would the Chairmen of the A & B licences take a cut in money to accommodate another 2 clubs unless SKY put more in which again is unlikely.

You are alot closer to information on the new stadium and I'll wait until we hear something tomorrow in the Express but I don't think we can underestimate the serious position we, Castleford and Salford are in.

The last round of franchises there was a view that Widnes and Toulouse would be in as well as Celtic and Salford at the expense of 2 existing clubs. Fortunately that was not the case but I fear it may well be next time.

Ourselves, Castleford and Salford all got in on the back of promises of new Stadiums. Salfords plans collapsed and they are now looking at a more modest plan but I don't know what stage they are at. Despite what some may say Castleford have not moved any closer and whilst like us the Council are putting land into a trust so that funds can be borrowed they still are a long way off securing all the funding to build a stadium.

Our original plan at Thornes collapsed and we now have Stanley. We have no planning permission yet, we have a community trust, a Developer and maybe the funding (some better connected than me will know) but it will be a tall order for work to have commenced to meet the 2011 application. There is no way any of us 3 will get a franchise for 2012 on the back of more promises.

I know I'm probably panicing but I really fear for us and Castleford and I can see one or both of us missing out. I really believe (unless someone in the know convinces me otherwise) that we need to seriously get our heads together with Castleford and the Council about jointly developing a Community Stadium that we can both have equal shares in. I cannot see us both securing funding for 2 stadiums only 2 junctions apart on the M62.

The problem would be where. I still believe that Stanley is a viable option for both Clubs as its equidistant from both Wakefield City Centre and Castleford Town Centre. I know Casleford fans will have difficulty with this and someone off their board will come on and say why not Glasshoughton as its in both "Wakey and Cas" but Stanley is in "Wakey". I wish someone would explain that to me - both Glasshoughton & Stanley are in Wakefield MDC but Glasshoughton is around 1m from Castleford and around 7m from Wakefield but Stanley is the same distance from Wakefield and Castleford.

I know this post will not be popular amongs many fans of both clubs but I genuinely believe to secure both our futures we both need to talk with the Council and come up with something that secures both our futures or one of us and possibly both of us may lose out to Widnes and Toulouse.

cant see the panic!
for what its worth i think both us and cas will be in next franchise picks along with an nrl1 club and a bigger comp

i also think we will have a shiny new ground, and for what its worth i think cas will too.

too many people have formally committed their support to us for it to fail now

ok fella, I was only pointing out to some other poster why Bradford were not in the letter and that's its not just some conspiracy, Im not holding Odsal up as a beacon of excellence 'cause it clearly is not.

Its just a shame for you that the RFL disagree with you and think there are 5 worse. And FWIW they have plenty of bars at Odsal, not none







Spot on, i predict current lot plus Toulose and Widnes, if someone does go it will be Salford and Fax or Leigh will take their spot. But its all guesswork unitll we know where the RFL move the goalposts to.

I have watched, and filmed, ants running around, seemingly, to us lesser mortals, spending too much energy getting their final result. They are building a home fit for a queen and her subjects.
However, at the hub of it all, the queen ant just sits there, letting all around her run around like headless chickens,( altho' she probs hasn't seen a chicken, let alone a chicken's head), feeding and, erm.... servicing her.
She has a plan, and no one ant will be allowed to hijack that plan.

We are the ants at the mo.

The RFL/Sky are the Grand Masters.
She knows that when the Empires are built, under her guidance, to the Grand Master's plans, her colony will survive.

We can panic all we want with regards this letter.
We don't know if the SL will be increased numbers-wise.
However, expansion to me means just that, EXPANSION. It does not have to mean replacement.
If we get the ground, and with what JK, et al, is building, we will be fine.

Calm down, and let's enjoy Sunday.



I am certainly with kyassor. My glass is half empty, but the bar is still open. Bliss.

A little update in the Express over the stadium, also an artists impression of what it may look like. Ted Richarnson says that the design will be based on the LSV and that members of the Community Trust will be visiting it in the near future.

The article also says that the designs are set to be finalised in the next few weeks and the Developer is hoping to submit plans this autumn.

Its good to see the article in the Express and that things are moving forward but what I would love to hear is that funding is in place so that when the plans are submitted and planning is approved work can commence pretty much straight away.

Planning in place, plans or even a nice DVD of the stadium are all well and good but it comes to nothing if you cannot come up with the money to pay for it.

We were taking the mick last night saying there hadn't been an artists impression yet in the wakey Express. Seen that many over the years that Wakey should look more like Hollywood if any of them had ever come to anything more than a nice drawing!

I have no idea where that came from. There was no pic supplied by the club in the original release, so it may be one that the WE have dug up for the job!

They should have plenty to choose from. I know people like to have an idea of what things are going to look like but in the case of the Express and artists impressions it's like the boy who cried wolf.

Is there a Web link to the story regarding stadium?

Went on WE website but cannot find it.

You've hit the nail on the head. Everyone seems to be placing our continued position in SL on ifs and buts. The simple truth is that if we have a REAL stadium, that we can actually play in, our SL place is guaranteed for life. We can have plans, planning permission, pretty artists impressions or whatever floats your boat but unless we have all the funds in place and the stadium is built they count for nothing. The smoke screen they create for our license application will only last for so long.

The only way I can see us getting the funds is if us and Cas get together, in whatever guise you want. However I get the feeling that when one or both of us gets kicked out this is the only point when both clubs and people will realise what they should have done.

Do people really think that if the RFL/SL get the chance to throw us out then they are going to decline it? We survived before, by the skin of our teeth, because the other options were limited and not quite good enough. The competition for our place is increasing year on year and the other applications get better. Whilst other application get better we have little chance of improving ours other than finishing higher. At some point we are going to find that someone overtakes us and it won't just be one club.

There is no doubt SL would love us to merge and also pay us a good few quid to do so. If it was a true merger and not a sham like those in the past then it would be one hell of a team.

Like you I could live with a true merger on equal terms. There would be some from both sides that would not accept it like some I know who did not embrace Summer Rugby but new supporters would be attracted.

It would be one hell of a team with good support and with the development of players in the Wakefield and Castleford area it would probably be able to challenge and beat the likes of Leeds and St Helens on a regular basis.

It appears to have worked in Australia but will never happen.