I've posted it elsewhere - I'm sure the Wakefield bid was better than the Fax bid for the next three years. But it shouldn't have mattered! Wakefield should have been punished for failing to make progress on a new ground and going into Admin. They should have been removed from SL because they failed to meet the terms of the previous licence. They should have been treated in EXACTLY the same way as Widnes 3 years ago who had a big money backer, all sorts of great plans going forward and financial guarantees and yet were excluded because of previously going into Administration. Now, the RFL can spin this however they want, but they have rewarded failure. They could have sent a strong message to others by replacing Wakefield with Fax, showing how licencing was a genuine attempt to drive up standards. They have failed to do that and now fans are left wondering what on earth the licence basis for the next round will be, because this one wasn't the same as the last one and this is supposed to be about stability!

Because SLE is driven by expansion, now, more than ever I feel like heartlands clubs are being edged further & further away from the holy grail. I'm not totally against expansion, but what have Fulham & Catalans actually brought to the game ? They're both still ladened with imports regardless of how they sign either through the Kolpak deal or otherwise. The French national game is currently 3rd at best in the Northern hemisphere, according to big Nige last night, Wales are currently 2nd. Wasn't expansion supposed to improve the challenge internationally to the southern hemisphere ?
The SL clubs will look to reduce to 12 or 13 club membership to increase their own individual slice of the financial share-out, they'll use the demise of Crusaders & Wakey and any others that fail as their proof that 14 teams doesn't work.
So, Widnes go up, Toulouse return to the French championship and if anyone does get relegated, where are the extra teams in the 2012 championship going to come from ? I can see another mess up just around the corner.

I suppose what really hurts is that this scenario of rejection can and will most likely happen again. People are making nice comments along the lines of `next time you will be favorites' and `if a current SL fails to bring ground up to scratch' the RFL will give the club a call. I don't think so. To rub salt even further in the wounds you just know that if Crusaders reformed and reapplied they will be given the nod. We will not even be part of the `serious' selection process. And to compound our misery it doesn't matter how good the club are at marketing and promoting we are severely handicapped by the lack of finance at championship level. If SL leagues clubs with an allowance of £1.2M (or £1.4M?) per season are struggling to make it pay (hence the pressure to reduce the number of SL clubs) how can Halifax hope to rise to challenge the bit boys with a playing budget 10% of SL. On a side note despite SL existing for nearly twenty years only four clubs currenty have a Grade A licence. The RFL are surely an example of prime example of poor management who have constantly failed to manage the game in a competent and creative manner.

Thats a matter of opinion whether its a waste of money.
It would appear that the ends certainly justified the means.

£500k investment -- 3 years license.

if the RFL make things up as they go along - how can they avoid the public gaze of receiving £7m in central government grants without messing things up. Think I will be writing to my MP to ask as a taxpayer whether or not they are getting value for money they are using to prop up the suits at red hall.

didnt watch it to be honest.

Glover seems like a good guy,hes certainly turned the club around since coming in and turning a profit.But he is first and foremost a business man rather than a diehard Wakefield supporter.Hes said since day one that Wakefield has to be a viable and sustainable business,his pockets arent deep enough for it to be his hobby.
At the time of Glovers takeover,most people wanted Steve Parkin to buy Wakefield,indeed he pulled out at last minute,now he did have deep pockets.

Personally i think alot more will emerge as regards financial backing if the PI on the stadium is approved.Without a doubt the result of that PI holds the key to more than just where Wakefield play.