There’s a general theme in professional sport that money is the key to success.

It’s hard to argue with the facts. But there are occasional exceptions to that rule, and there is one living example in the Championship.

In a division featuring huge budgets, four full-time teams and clubs with instant Super League aspirations, there’s a genuine threat to clubs like Halifax that they could get left behind.

But Richard Marshall and his plucky part-timers have refused to lie down and roll out the red carpet for their heavy-spending rivals.

Halifax defeated Batley on Saturday to go third in the Championship, moving above London, Featherstone and Leigh.

For context, this is a club spending approximately £350,000 on its playing budget this year.

In comparison, Leigh boast a seven-figure budget that compares to clubs in Super League, London also spend drastically more while Featherstone, who are also part-time, spend around £550,000.

Then there’s Toronto, who are near enough at the full salary cap, and Toulouse, another full-time outfit that far outspends the West Yorkshire club.

Fax have absolutely no right to be where they are in the table. Yet with eight games left until the split, they’re in the driving seat.

Their achievements are an example to all that money isn’t everything. Under Marshall, the club has gone about fine-tuning its infrastructure and building the club around the community.

Saturday’s matchday squad consisted of six Halifax-born players. A further four players from the town have also played for the club during their Championship campaign so far.

A key reason for the influx of hometown stars has been the development of the club’s reserve grade, which has not only ensured several players haven’t been lost to the game, but also provided them with a pathway into the professional scene.

Since it’s establishment in 2016, their reserve grade has brought through Brandon Moore, Elliot Morris and Chester Butler, who are now regular features in their first-team squad. Another, Nick Rawsthorne, earned a contract at Hull FC and is now playing for Toronto. All four of them could have dropped out of the game altogether if it wasn’t for Fax.

Off the field, the club has seen its support base go above and beyond to support the club. Fax Trust has raised thousands to support the running of the reserve grade. Another group, LS28, has spent a vast amount of money and effort to attract new and old supporters, but also to fund signings.

A result of all of that is a group of players proud to play for the club, and a fanbase proud to support it. That is the envy of many clubs right now.

Several players in Fax’s squad have had the opportunity to leave for better money elsewhere, but stayed to be a part of what the club stands for. On the terraces, fans who gave up years ago are creeping back through the gates.

There will come a time when Halifax want to seriously push for Super League, and when it comes, it’s inevitable that they’ll have to invest more money in their squad. However, unlike other clubs who just pump money into their first grade, they’ll have a sound infrastructure behind them.

Should Halifax make the top four, there are few achievements that could top it.

It’s far from a certainty, and their games against the chasing pack, starting with Leigh away on Sunday, will decide their fate.

But whether they make it or not, Halifax represents a lot of things other clubs could learn from and proves money doesn’t have to be the cornerstone of success.

I hate the fact that we are fighting for 4th place in the 2nd division, but that's where we are and we're doing a good job of it. I just hope we can get a move on and win summat though. I'm not getting any younger!

None of us are HS Never thought I would see Fax @ Wembley before I Depart this Mortal Coil but have Twice !! Keep the Faith

Nice piece. As people like to say these days, not following the narrative, from HQ and Sky.
Toulouse will play in the French league again one day, and Torontos owner will get bored. London has a 50/50 chance though.
I expect the SL door to be bricked up soon, and no doubt a punishment can be dished out to the upstarts that we are.
How dare we have a decent side.... what are we thinking.

The article above could actually be a blueprint for securing the future of rugby League . red Hall take note. Reserve grade should be mandatory . Head says no chance on Sunday at Leigh but with fax you just never know.depends how long they can stay in an arm wrestle initially.

This year the championship as been the most competitive of the 3. Its games are more enjoyable than the sl as a neutral. SL can swivel

The elephant in the room which is not mentioned is the appalling crowds at home. You deserve to getting at least 3,000 rather than the hardcore 1,500. Where have they all disappeared to?

Fax have been in the Championship for 14 years without a sniff of Super League so it's no wonder the crowds are what they are.

Every club is suffering. Terrible crowds for the lower SL clubs are now the norm, Widnes and Salford in particular, and Ken Davy must be in tears when he sees barely 2,000 turn up for a CC quarter final match at Huddersfield.

Even the SL top clubs are doing badly. Super hot table topping Saints couldn't manage a 5 figure crowd last weekend, Warrington now regularly getting 4 figure crowds, and even the mighty Wigan and Leeds "lower end crowds" are skirting very close to 4 figures - who would have thought that a few years back?

The "fan churn" (new fans replacing dis-interested/dying fans) is now heavily negative, and despite a surprising glut of Championship full timers this season, I can see some Super League clubs going part time within the next 5 years.

A slight of thread but reported in TOTAL RL>COM this week:
'Wigan Chairman' says "Championship clubs will get the same funding as per T V contract not a penny less for the remainder of its run"

Thank you S L Chairmen, you supercilious bar stewards, we doff our caps in deference.

'King jokers, I just hope the new CEO puts them in their place.

Thats kind of them to honour a contract then. Like they are doing us a favour when they had no say over the matter whatsoever.

They are honouring the current contract but it sounds like they’ll be taking the bulk of money in the next one. That will be the time that the Championship clubs need to sort out their own TV deal, if they are not in SL then why are they included in the deal?