SG is a hard running back row forward

I agree. Bringing the youth players through is certainly not easy and is very much a roll of the dice. Back in 2006 our u18's went the regular season unbeaten, but it didn't lead to immediate success in bringing players through to the 1st team. Some of that was probably down to Steve McCormack seemingly not having any faith in young players, some of it because of administration and most obviously despite some player being outstanding at u18's level doesn't automatically mean they'll make it at open age. We still have some players at the club who were part of that u18's team who are still finding their feet in the 1st team.

The point is that its easy for Halifax fans to turn round and say youth development doesn't work and that you reached 3 reserve finals in row but no players came through etc. You have remember though that (as far as I can remember) all 3 of your reserve finals were played against Widnes. We have kept faith in the youth development and to a certain degree, prove that in the long term it does work. Sometimes players have to be brought through from a young age maybe over 3 or 4 years. The message Halifax are sending is that youth development is too much like hard work and there's no guarantee that it will work so we won't bother. Its a bit of a farce that any publicity Halifax are getting is always accompanied with comments like "and we wish Halifax all the best in reaching their aim of SL for 2012". From what we are told youth development is one of the major criteria now so how can anyone even consider Halifax of getting a licence when they are blatently ignoring parts of the criteria.

People talk about the licence process and how it should all be out in the open with no surpises or anything hidden. With Halifax having such an obvious omission (was going to call it weakness - but how can it be a weakness if there is no youth development?) why is the Halifax club still talking about SL? There's no youth development, you don't fulfil the criteria, go straight to jail do not pass go, goodnight, god bless.

Ben Kavanagh, Halifax born & bred, still lives in the town, but was snapped up by Wigan as a schoolboy, released when he was 19 i think

No mate - it's too expensive. Give us an SOC and we'll have a youth team. It's easy when you've got a barrel of cash. Why did we [sizepostpone[/size our youth development? Because it cost too much money. Simple as that. Our priority has to be getting the fans through the gates. We aint going nowhere until we get that right.

your just another pundit like the rest of us, but a depressing one at that!

Wakefield - Bankrupt, no ground, poor crowds
Cas - where's the ground
Salford - Skint, no ground, poor crowds

2 will get in each franchise round; 1 - for expansion, 1 - to swap the failing 'heartland' with a better one.

Keep the faith

We'll be banding around the words 'feeder clubs' in a couple of seasons time the way we're heading.

That article was factually incorrect and I informed the journalist personally.

Realistically Fax do not have much of a chance, as the RFL do not really want us in SL, as there are too many clubs in West Yorkshire as it is-5 in a 12 Team International League. They will look for excuses to keep SL clubs in rather than get rid to bring in the likes of Fax and Barrow. While they will only want 1 in and that is Widnes, as they have a millionaire ready to do what it takes- Youth team etc but also toe the party line. Its between Cas, Wakey and Salford who getting kicked out. 1 of them will go, not not 2 or 3. Fax, Barrow etc face a bleak future, due to the people allegedly running the sport.

Well, you miserable bugger

Keep the faith!

What I want to know is why anybody actually [iwants[/i to go in to the corrupt closed shop?! You can guarantee that, being outside of the top half dozen clubs, you will be permanently looking over your shoulder while you're paying £20+ a game to see the team perform an annual struggle on the pitch with the odd first round play-off defeat. The Championship this season is already proving to be one hell of a league, so why not enjoy what you've got instead of chasing what might be?

For what its worth, I think Halifax deserve a shot at the big time. You have been a club on the up and remind me a bit like Hull KR when we 1st came down to this division in 2006. The problem is, there just aren't the same short term opportunities anymore like there were with promotion and relegation. The RFL have said they want things done in a certain way and no matter how much people don't trust the RFL, Widnes seem to have taken the option that they will at least try to fulfil the criteria as best they can. Halifax have fulfilled the playing criteria, they have sorted the stadium out but don't seem to be taking the youth development seriously.

I know you had the RFL mess up with them changing their minds over the youth sides, but couldn't you have done the same as Celtic did the other year where they had their u18's playing in the amateur league. You could have then also ran an u21's in the RFL comp. I don't believe for one minute that it all comes down to money - you could probably take as many as 4 or 5 of your high earners out of your team and you would still have one of the best sides on the division. Obviously you couldn't afford a great 1st team and run all the youth sides as well, but to people on the outside there seems to be heavy investement in 1st team but not much below and you know full well that the RFL will be very quick to point this out come licence decision time. Knowing the licence criteria, I still can't believe Halifax ditched their u21's when they did.