We need someone with millions willing to fund competitions and things to be able to do that.

you made the promise last round of the licences as a criteria

I also agree, certain SL clubs have had all the advantages with the Sky money, better attendances, better sponsorship opportunities etc. Whilst Halifax's bid wouldn't have been perfect by any stretch of the imagination, IMO they did do enough to deserve a shot over Wakefield. 3 years ago it was all about finances + stadia - why has all that been forgotten about this time round? If Fax couldn't get in ahead of a poor team, who have just come out of administration, have reletively poor crowds and who have an awful stadium, they will never get in.

IMO the RFL needed to send a message to SL clubs that they do have the balls to kick out failing clubs, but instead Crusaders have saved them and basically gave a message to clubs like Cas, Wakey + Salford that they are doing a good job + to carry on as they are. Several clubs failed to carry out what they promised last time and they should have paid the price. In the 2 rounds of licencing the RFL have not yet gave any indication that they are prepared to give clubs a chance. I just hope that there is a guaranteed place for a Championship club next time round.

As a Fev fan I think the way that Halifax have been treated is shocking. All I have heard is that Wakefield's application was stronger without expanding. This of course does not effect Featherstone Rovers at this point but I believe that all Championship clubs should be in this fight together.

I don't want to start another thread or go off topic about past troubles between our clubs but it's decisions like today that makes me annoyed that there is friction between our great clubs.

We need to unite against the clowns at the RFL.

Cheers Pencil and thanks for the sentiments.

I think the one thing this decision reveals for your club is that even with your ground improvements, playing record and any investment in youth its going to be very tough for clubs like ours to progress under the current administration the game is cursed with. On the upside, nothing is ever final and I truely believe the Crusaders debacle will spell the end for at least one of the three wise monkeys. I for one will party hard when that announcement is made.

It's all Ralphs fault

Stand up and fight...

I'm a halifax fan man and boy, since 1985 . This is shocking. I travel a long way to home games, its costs considerable amounts of tim and money. I have never given up on the club, and now I want the club to stand up for itself. Fight this stupid decision.

With a dash of cold reality this morning. Have we really been hard done by? I see it as this:-

Had crusaders not fallen on their sword the RFL would have kicked out wakefield. We still wouldn't be in super league and we would have had a very strong wakefield team in the championship, probably playing with a bigger salary cap. This would have made it difficult for us to be in a position to apply for SL again.

Do we really believe that any championship club's bid could be better than that of a SL club? There's no way it ever could be! The stadium is a small part of it and, thanks to crusaders, administration is now irrelevant.

The RFL have had a lucky escape with regards to the outcome. I don't doubt that if crusaders hadn't withdrawn Wakefield would have been relegated and crusaders left to shamble along! A lucky break for the RFL. At least now expansion may be done in a considered fashion, beneficial to all in the sport....

We have every right to be angry about being used by the RFL - they should have told us from the outset that our bid wasn't good enough instead of using us to make the process seem more accessable to championship clubs - that action by the RFL is unforgiveable!

The good thing to come out of this though, is many RL fans, across the leagues, can now see how incompetent, (not corrupt) the RFL are, how licensing is unbalanced and unfair and stacked in favour of SL clubs and how forcing SL rugby into an area, in the name of expansion just doesn't work and needs looking at.

If this gets the RFL board looked at its a good thing. Why we would want someone who ruined british tennis in charge of our proud sport I will never know. Rant over!

I see a solution for all championship clubs this way.

First at the beginning of any 3 year period a set criteria for all is made by the RFL.
This criteria should ideally be the same for every club, a level playing field gives everyone an equal chance and is the fairest way to go.

Each club knows exactly what it has to do to be awarded a license and depending on how they stand at this time areas of improvment are agreed between the club and the RFL.
During the 3 year period the criteria cannot be changed by the RFL without consultation an agreement with all the clubs involved.

This ensures that the clubs do not spend funds on what are identyfied as requirments at the outset only to become outdated, no longer required or replaced by new requirments part way through the process.

It also diffuses the perception that the RFL tamper and manipulate the rules and criteria to suit their own agenda.

After the 3 year period any club that has achieved the aformentioned goals and ticked all the agreed criteria should then be automatically awarded a license.

As it stands at the moment this is not the case as the existing Super League clubs can effectively vito any new clubs by capping the number of clubs allowed in Super League.

This will not be an easy thing to get through as it will mean that the existing Super League clubs will get a smaller slice of the pie.

However if this cap remains in place then the incentive to invest in time and money for 3 years and another 3 years and another 3 years etc without any guarantee of success will kill of the game outside Super League very quickly.

The final number of clubs will balance out gradually over a period of time and will not become excessive as only the best will be able to achieve the set criteria, it may end up at 16 clubs.

All Championship clubs are affected by the current unclear, unfair system that if left as it is promises them nothing.

A united front at BOD level is where pressure from ALL Championship clubs can be put on the RFL.
One club on their own will be most likely be ignored but if the mesage is loud and clear from all or most of the clubs the RFL will have to take notice.

This scenario or something closely to it is a real possibilty and needs to be explored to have any chance of keeping the game alive outside S/L.

i have heard of a system caled and forgive me if i get this wrong

[sizePromotion and Religation[/size

i understand it works quite well in other sports, keeps things intersting right from the first till the last game!

A very good post by Faxcar.

Widnes were in the same position 3 years and while many [possibly including me!] shouted for heads to roll, in the cold light of day there was just several years hard work.

The way ahead for Rugby League is certainly a more level playing field with firm criteria and the axe over the heads of SL clubs who produce nice artwork but otherwise nothing.

There should be more of the Sky money for the second tier based on development and attendances, and the number of season tickets purchased.

One day the RFL will see the light and start listening to the fans.

No we didn't, we primised "signifant development" towards a new stadium, which was also the RFL's stipulation. We have delivered on this, having full planning permission passed.

i guess it all looks nicer on paper that a real one to walk in ask hudds they have 2 grounds good enough for super league now.
or am i just saying getting planning permission aint really signifant development when we were turned down on one basis of a stand not fully completed last time