Is that backed up by crowd figures? Genuine question, not meant to be facetious.

The writing was on the wall after they switched the final from Blackpool and with it the momentum that had been built up in making it a show piece event in the calendar.

The 29 league games in the new structure is far better

Saddened if true.

But we should get to keep the cup forever - like W*g*n did with the old First Division trophy when SL came in.

Put it in the safe =#FF0000 NOW , Rob !

Now out in the press

[urlhttp://www.loverugbyleague.com/news_13573-northern-rail-cup-scrapped-for-2014.html[/url

Its sad to see the end of the N.R.C. the new structured league is still up in the air with the S.L Clubs not wanting to make any decisions until the World Cup has finished.

The format of the N.R.C.has always caused issues and not been a good money spinner, especially in the early rounds. Maybe a Floodlight Cup type comp would be a far better idea with a straight forward Knock Out.

A number of Championship Clubs are are staging World Cup Games with loads if tickets being sold,why cant we try and force the R.F.L. and S.L to make a decision over the league with the threat of these games being cancelled.

As i see it we have nothing to loose and plenty to gain, its probably the first time in ten years since we have had something to bargain with. We are just asking them to have their vote before the World Cup which was supposed to happen anyway.

If they vote after the comp and choose to go it alone then our future with no promotion will be doomed and all the hard work and money the new board have put in will be in vain.

Apparently the clubs were informed by email and it appears without any consultation.

Doesn't need consultation if there is no sponsor.

Don't need a sponsor to have a comp

The NRC was a second rate competition with a sponsor, it wouldn't even be that without prize money.

Quarters semi and final last year probably netted the club £55k after costs, who fills that gap?

My view is RL since licenscing has been going backwards in terms of attractiveness to teams fans outside the top 4 or 5 clubs and now it seems to Sponsors.

This decision is not good for Championship clubs and the Wigan Chairmen and' the other currently top' Superleague Club chairmen need to understand that unless licenscing is scrapped Sky might pull the plug soon too.

A sad thing to learn is this announcement. I know how I have felt every time Leigh have got to this Final.

A competative sport needs promotion and relegation and why the Wigan chairman can't see that astonishes me quite frankly.

Which of course won't now be voted until after the World Cup. IMO it's very premature to scrap the NRC and have nothing to fill the void (and revenue) from the missing games if the SL clubs leave everything as it is now.

Our BOM, and I'm sure other championships clubs boards, will be basing next seasons revenue with these fixtures included (even if it's just the group games) and once again Championship clubs are missing out on much needed revenue while the SL clubs continue to milk the great Sky cash cow

Cannot understand this decision at all. A possible "away day" even in Halifax is great for clubs, especially those who get knocked out early in the CC. If you are struggling in the league, you might at least have the cup to play for. And the final in recent years has been a great advert for the game.

Bring back the Lancashire Cup?

From Fev chairman - [i"We make money on the games, so we will lose valued revenues."[/i

Can't see how Fev have ever made money from the shared gates they announced for games against us!!

Unless of course they under-stated those gates!

But there certainly won't be a 29-game structure in 2014.

Perhaps the SL clubs have voted it out, in a fit of jealousy that Championship clubs were actually participating in a SPONSORED competition?

One word, WHY?

Surely the RFL haven't just acted on this without uttering a word, I would imagine at some point they will have asked clubs opinions on it.

If we go back to RL being a sport where each game counts again then I suppose the void can be filled with the meaningful fixtures, have to say though rather than scrapping it altogether what was wrong with having it as a low league competition played midweek that was a straight knock out ?

Such a shame. It was growing on me!! Would be fitting if Leigh got to keep the trophy.

It would be more fitting if somebody ' fitted ' it onto Nigels bloody head

Seems to me this is another kick in the teeth for teams in unpromotable leagues.

Plus it also seems to me that the Wigan Chairman and other short sighted current Superleague club Chairmen need to start thinking about the game as a whole.

Bet Rob Parker could find a Sponsor for ALL RL competitions if licencsing was dumped.

Maybe the next person the RFL will appoint to the top table of our game will be just as ignorant and as untruthfull as the last appointee who surely was an RFU plant.The most complimentary thing about him is Turnip Head.

I find that quite insulting to turnip's Frank.

Now that the championship clubs have been sold down the river by the R.F.L. perhaps they can give the Northern rail cup to the grasping Wigan chairman Leneghan , and then he could melt it down and pop the proceeds intothe Super league pot to be shared out by them

It is senseless to scrap the competition 12 months before any potential new structure for the game will come into play - 2014 (as far as anyone knows!!) will be exactly the same format as 2013...so why scrap it now???

If this decision is anything to do with the attendance for this years final, then maybe someone needs to get their head from up their ar$e, and realise that a final played at Halifax (nice enough venue that it is) was hardly going to be the same 'draw' as the now, well established day (or indeed weekend!!) at the seaside!!

From our own point of view - the format of the comp changed this season anyway - to reflect the increase in teams in the championship - so all we have lost out on is 'potential' revenue from one guaranteed fixture (as all Champ clubs entered at the KO stage of the comp........this loss could easily be made up from a couple more lucrative pre-season games against meaningful opposition, with a decent following!!

It's the Ch.1 clubs who've been kicked in the spuds over this, as they had the group games (with chance to get to a final).....now all they have is a 16 game season (plus play-offs.....unless the CH/CH1 GF's are also to be given the elbow!!), and maybe a couple of CC games if they are lucky!!!

After briefly - with the release of their recently comissioned report on the future of the sport - looking like they finally had a bit of professionalism in the administration, the RFL returns to what it does best....utter shambles!!!



I think it only right and proper though, that as four time winners, and current holders, we retain the trophy in perpetuity.....to sit alongside the Trans Pennine Cup, of which we are also the current holders, in our trophy cabinet at the LSV.......assuming someone remembers packing it when we de-camped Hilton Park!!