18th Man wrote:
Despite the current position we are in, I think sport needs promotion and relegation.
It's certainly a difficult one.
With the exception of Leigh this time around, the vast majority of promoted clubs only stay in SL for one season, which doesnt actually help anyone.
IF there was no relegation, clubs would be able to build a squad "without fear", allowing them to make proper long term plans, both in terms of facilities and players.
The panic buys to gain promotion or, to try and stay up would disappear, which has to be a good thing.
However, to have clubs in The Championship, effectively with nothing to play for, apart from the Championship title, isn't a great.
Despite our current position, it's better to be relegated than never to have the chance to be promoted.
Having said that, even now, with IMG making plans, the game doesn't really know what it wants
We pretend that we're a National sport but, at the top level RL is still anchored to the M62 + Catalan (and maybe Toulouse) and to expand, necessarily means that existing clubs would have to lose their place to allow new/different clubs into the top flight.
It's easy for fans of other club to say that the sport doesn't need certain clubs but, would fans of Wigan, Saints or Hull be happy to be replaced by a club from Birmingham or wherever else. Would they hell.
