Clubs on the edge of SL and the RFL need to be careful with this kind of conjecture. Yes, right now i would say that Widnes are in the box seat but as i 've said many times, how embarrassing would it be if a club like ..... let's say .....Halifax, won the NRC and the GF next year - total domination. Let's say also that Halifax lose by 6 points to Saints in a Challenge Cup Semi. During that season, the average attendance jumps to 4,000 and by January 2011 the club have sold 3,500 season tickets for the following year. By June 2011 the club are once again at the top and in the NRC final. How embarrassing and difficult would it be to say to Halifax then that their bid has been unsuccesful?

Pre-empting and media statements are all well and good but conjecture (like Matt's famous comment) could leave lots of egg on lots of faces. There's nothing wrong in shouting about what clubs have achieved to date and how plans are progressing but to issue statements about being "chosen" already for 2012 is disrespectful quite frankly - in EXACTLY the same vain as Matt's comments.

my thoughts are that he is saying the truth and been told by the RFL that they are already in. no matter who or what happens.

Slightly off topic, but I wouldn't be surprised if we get some announcement soon that the franchise criteria re grounds has been eased "due to the credit crunch". This would get Cas, Wakey and Salford out of gaol for another three years.

have been expecting that for a while now.

i would say they are a total certainty, thanks partly to the controversy surrounding their omission last time

It wouldn't whatsoever...
Expect the line...'Fax whilst impressive on the field have some way to go in other areas but we look forward to reviewing their bid in 2014.'

SOC has done nothing here that won't become the norm in the upcoming months... Hopefully it won't descend into the sordid affair it was last time when club officials of rival teams took to point scoring and criticising of our bid. I'm proud to say that SOC kept his integrity and did not get drawn into this.
Whatsmore he's only echoing what the majority of the RL community are saying.. even more so in the last week or so.

I agree with that prediction but it would still be a little embarrassing. "Sport" and everything that it stands for would be made redundant.

The RFL don't do embarrassment mate.

As for sport being made redundant that is already the case Rich. Barrow (provided they would have met the ground criteria) should be preparing for a season in SL.

Once again, i agree with all of that.

So, if Widnes are a shoe-in for SL, what does the rest of the Championship have to play for?

a place if any go bust or do not have new ground started for those clubs on warnings or if going to expand size of SL.

Exactly. There's no confirmation that only one team will be chosen and you might find Darth Lewis making an example of a few faltering teams and promoting more than one.

You could be right. And you never know...Fat nige might be looking to give us a place as a way of saying sorry for giving us that awfull nickname.

Been thinking the same myself.

Regards SOC comments , personally I think its an error , one of the very few he's made since coming into the game but an error all the same. Also it's so out of character for him to be caught out with anything that can be seen as iffy . He's normally so media savvy.


The Vicar

A Matt Calland comment - Hope he doesn't regret it, or do I?

Although Widnes look in a stronger position for next round of franchises I think Fax would be a better long term prospect for s/l - we are the sleeping giants!

Thats the thing ,theres more claims to be sleeping giants in RL than most sports. The team who are now classed as small fry , but where the last outside SL to have a continued run of sucssess are Widnes , 75-93 . Alot of succsess in those 18 years but its almost as long without now.

To be honest though , if next season is as competetive as lasts , we in the CHAMPIONSHIP are in for a cracker . Shame the same cant be said about the holy grail of SL .

The Vicar

Wash your mouth out. Don't you listen to Eddie and Stevo?

"Oh boy oh boy, Super League just gets better and better".


Actually if i'm honest i watch one SL match a week on telly. It has changed a lot and the ball handling skills and fancy footwork have long since disappeared but it's still Rugby League. The alternative is unappealing - soccer and family fortunes.

I personally like a few championship teams given a chance such as widnes,leigh,fax and barrow.Get rid of celtic,salford,wakefield and castleford and see their reactions on their fans forum.Seems to me that jack is alright and they all dont care about our clubs.

From a purely anarchistic point o view I love that idea

You are playing for the prestige of winning one or more of the following..
The Northern Rail Cup
The Co-operative Championship league Leaders Shield
The Co-operative Championship Grand Final

Meanwhile away from the playing side you have the option of trying to build your club so that in other aspects it is one of the best fourteen clubs in Europe.

And Salford thought they would be sitting in a landmark RL purpose built stadium from next year onwards....
You are more like the comatose giants. I've not seen anything from Fax to suggest you would be right. If you were getting 4 - 5k fans or maybe season ticket sales of 3k then maybe but on crowds of 2.5k you are seriously deluded.

So you are saying Widnes arent ready then as you are not getting them either?

Widnes are the best supported club outside super league and have been for a number of years, that figure above is what you would need to jump above us IMO which you are not going to do. I like Halifax but one does have to question what you are bringing to the table in terms of talent. You have still yet to announce any sort of youth setup and have a rather extensive overseas contingent in your team. Stanley Gene has been a fantastic servant to the game over in this country and he is loved by all including me who think he has been a great player but is now approaching the final hurdle. Your recruitment smacks of short term thinking and nothing more. Your coach is also very questionable in terms of his behaviour and any other board would have booted him out by now. Infrastrutuce is key to any business and we have it all setup to be a decent force in super dooper league.


2015 for Halifax and i will be supporting your franchise bid should you improve on your obvious flaws.

You keep telling yourself that VM. We dont need to have 3000 season ticket holders to jump above you, nor do we have to average 5000 crowds. But it would be fantastic if we did. What do Widnes bring to the table?....average youngsters.....big financial losses.....recent adminsitration...poor team performances..crowds that are reducing....failed SL coach. I hope you dont go to the wall before the next round of licences. However, with their now being a SL team in Wrexham...is there any need to have Widnes in SL? Only time will tell.

I dont need to tell myself anything it's a fact, Halifax have a long way to go before they can start challenging for that franchise spot. Take a look at the number of Yorkshire teams already in Super League.


The big loss was down to a new gym under the north stand and 80% of stadium getting new seats, a big cost also went on the license build up. I think every Super League club made a loss last year except Hull, Take a look at Huddersfields losses and Harlequins and Hull KR (I can go on)

The people who know (Elders of this board) know im right, your not a 100 miles away but you still have a fair bit to go.

We have all the silverware in the cabinet and have been in numerous finals over the years.

Your the little sister to Widnes, you have to accept that and come to terms with it.

Yours in sport

VIKINGMAN