At present Super League appears to be a three tier league, with a group of clubs at the top, another at the bottom with a “floating” group in the middle positions. A split not necessarily based upon ownership but – over a four year average -turnover and support are interesting exemplars of league position. Clearly individual games change this pattern but it over a number of recent seasons it has been the pre play-off outcome
It is my view that any club which continues to manage its finances properly has a good coach and an element of luck (on and off the field) can compete without a “big backer” with the lower half of Super League. Albeit the bigger the regular gates (provided season tickets aren’t sold at mad prices) the better the opportunity presents itself to succeed and move into the middle group – some signings performing above initial value can also help with this push (Chase at Castleford for example).
Such a club would consistently, over a Super League season, loose more games than they win, but not suffer the debacle we had in 2003.
I would accept this for Fax, if nothing else but to see a higher quality of player week in week out. But all fans would need to be realistic about expectations. Provided the club continued to invest in development of young players, continued its commitment to the fans and paid its bills. The present BOD are easily more than capable of achieving this, coupled with further full-time staff support off and on the field and given that we have no debt to start with.
I also feel that Featherstone could also do this under their present regime but I do think that there needs to be some geographical spread in the teams competing under a licence system and having potentially three clubs in such close confines make them less attractive.
Leigh certainly have the ground and the fans but I am less sure that recent history helps their cause or again the proximity of alternative clubs.
I don’t feel others have the facilities or infrastructure at present to do this, and I am sorry but grounds with such a big slope as Batley should never be allowed to compete at the top level, despite the loyalty of their fans and the quality of their chips. The development club at Sheffield doesn’t have the support and we don’t need to extend the game into South Yorkshire again!!.
So put simply if a new club is to get a licence I think it should be Fax and would support an application.
Notwithstanding any of the comments above I am still far from convinced that Super League Rugby in Bradford is doomed. (but that is another topic)
agreed.
