And give us another month between home fixtures, if the August 2nd game is cancelled!!!!

May 14th Widnes (H)
June 14th Gateshead (H)
July 19th Sheffield (H)
Aug 15th Toulouse (H)

Whoever at Red Hall came up with this fixture arrangement, shouldn't just be sacked, he/she should be sued for loss of income. I'm not surprised that clubs are in trouble, when they only play at home every Preston Guild!!

Your right Alan its no wonder not enough income for the Championship club the way the format is at present, maybe they should consider bringing in the" John Player "Trophy or something.

Noooo.

The RFL are doing the Championship Clubs a huge favour in creating such a vibrant competition.

A few glorified friendlies in the Rail Cup, perhaps a couple of CC games against some pig famers from Uzbekistan or a pub team from Barnet, (if you're really lucky you even might get to play a SL reserve team).

Add 10 home league games (where we shall play our biggest rivals on a Thursday night), 4 of which are over the 'summer' months of June, July, and August. Yes, 4 home games in 3 months, you read it right. And one of those is a Saturday night to suit the French.

Then, if we're lucky enough we [imight[/i get a couple of home games in the plays offs.

Whoo bloody hoo.

That is clearly more than enough income for anyone to grow sustainably and financially strong enough to make the next step up come Franchise Day.

Can see the stage of it just becoming one division again and the end of the Choo Choo Cup.

But that would be preferable when our extra home games would consist of us putting 70 points past Hunslet, the Skolars etc (no disrespect to those clubs)?

I'm sure i can see a hint of sarcasm here

Realistically, can anyone see a big money backer investing his hard earned for 2 or 3 years in a heartland club, when the franchise process is not really a process at all, or at least not one with any discernable fairness.

Of course if that backer is given an assurance he will definitely be in SL and that he can have as many overseas players as he liked to give them a huge advantage in a lower league. They can then justify their flawed decision process by saying the team is successful and ready on the playing field as well. Mr Samuels-he done good.

Come on guys, Gateshead now overflowing with overseas players (how do they pay them on crowds of 400) and Rod Findlay (ex?)RFL employee who headed the franchise committee now working for them too.

Gateshead/Toulouse in. No one out. Closed shop of 16 clubs and only about 14 of the remaining current 19 RFL member clubs left in existence.

...and so my fellow Rugby League fans: ask not what the RFL can do for you - ask what the RFL can do for itself.

Answer: Whatever it likes when the clubs outside Super League are too scared to challenge them. Why won't they, its not as if the RFL can withold funding. What funding there is has so many conditions not many if any will get it.

There will be a few more Donnys and Rochdales over the next 18 months

In all honesty, I can't see us putting 70 past many teams, at the moment!



From what I hear, the rumblings of discontent are beginning, amongst the Championship clubs, but whether they have the (collective) guts to do anything about it, remains to be seen.

Maybe, but they would doubtless concoct some weird and wonderful league system, to decide who would participate in the k-o stages! Personally, while I admire Northern Rail for their sponsorship, I would rather see more 'proper' (Championship) league games, and less 'artificial' (NRC) ones.

Unfortunatly its 12 Months too late Alan.
The minute all the clubs agreed to a no appeals process last July was the minute we signed the fate of Many clubs outside of SL.

I seem to remember nobody gave a stuff about us when we were in trouble in the past and didn't waste any time taking our players.

I wonder how much money the RFL could afford in a monster legal battle?

I agree. I wasn't referring to P&R though - more that it is slowly dawning on some Championship clubs, that they could/should group together and thrash out how things must be made better in the Championship, rather than sit back and wait for the RFL to thrust 'initiatives' on them. (Starbug correctly identifies the many strings attached to the '£100k' SKY money, for example.) I know our club wants to be proactive on achieving change, and I reckon some other clubs do - the big question is whether everyone is willing to join them.

Another very small example - 'Game On' magazine was 'imposed' on the Championship clubs. Many seized on this as an opportunity, either because of cost, or downright laziness. (it takes an effort to produce a programme) Now, the publishers of 'Game On' have said they have had enough, at the end of this season - as predicted by Leigh. What are the clubs going to do about that?