Depends what you call good enough. It was less than 30 years since the top team in The Championship were deemed “not good enough” and denied entry to the top table. The repercussions for Keighley were disastrous and unfortunately they will never recover to become the club they were back then. If you think that’s fair that’s your opinion. Hardly seemed worth almost destroying a thriving club in a Rugby League town for the sake of Paris St Germaine. Where are they now ? The RFL bangs on about inclusivity and not discriminating but then commits acts of blatant discrimination. I suppose in their case it’s selective discrimination. If you are a black, gay man who supports Leeds or aspires to play for his hometown club in Superleague then no problem. If you are a black, gay man who is born in Featherstone and supports or wants to play for his hometown club in Superleague then prepare for some discrimination coming your way. It won’t be your colour or your sexual preference, it will be the simple reason that you were born in Featherstone, simple as that. Because it’s no bigger than a village, you will be discriminated against. Even though your club gets much bigger crowds than Leeds per capita you will be discriminated against. You will never have a chance of regaining your heady heights of a small village competing against the bigger teams because of all the ridiculous discriminatory rules preventing you from proving what you can do on an actual rugby field. If you think that’s fair we’ll agree to disagree.

You should run for parliament, Owl. In response (whilst acknowledging historical controversies) I'd simply say that over the last 5 years Fev have spent a lot of money trying to get into SL and bottled it on every occasion. They can't say they haven't had their chances. Moreover, when as now seems likely, the NRL take a significant and possibly sport saving stake in SL, I can't see them being keen to invest in already congested post codes. Whether we like it or not, that was the games history ( I was at Wembley in 83 when Fev pipped Hull) but not it's future.

The run in -

4 Salford Red Devils (+18 - 2icon_cool.gif
Hull KR A, Catalan H, Hull FC A, Wigan A
5 St Helens (+184 - 26)
Huddersfield A, Warrington A, Castleford H, Leigh H
6 Catalan Dragons (+46 - 26)
Wigan H, Salford A, London H, Hull FC A
7 Leigh Leopards (+160 - 25)
Warrington H, Castleford A, Hull KR H, St Helens A
8 Leeds Rhinos (+27 - 24)
London A, Hull FC H, Wigan A, Hull KR A

Nothing is certain -
Salford have to take one win - but do have a very hard run in with Hull KR, Catalan and Wigan.
Leigh have arguably the hardest having to play Warrington, Hull KR and St Helens.

Hull KR have a huge say in the PO race having to play 3 of the 5 teams involved

What if youre from Featherstone, black, gay, and made out of straw?

Parliamentarian, my wife says I’m full of hot air so maybe that’s a good shout Arthur. I was using Fev as an easy example, a rugby league stronghold with 20% of the population regularly turning out for their local team. Leeds would need to average 120,000 every game to match that sort of commitment. It could have been anywhere from Barrow to Oldham in fairness. As for Fev’s past failures, the same could have been said about Leeds efforts to win The Challenge Cup post 1999 , but we let them bang away for another 15 years.They didn’t take our dream away. Didn’t know about the potential NRL investment, but if they think any kind of investment in the “already congested postcodes” would be wasted I do wonder where they think the money is best invested. Paris St Germain or Toronto maybe, because that went great last time. Another couple of massive away followings. The Catalans away following consisted of 5 blokes from Barrow on Friday night. I would much rather have 500 to 1000 from one of the smaller clubs creating some atmosphere for everybody if they earn the right on the playing field to be in Superleague.

As long as you have non-combustible accreditation I think you’re okay.

Yep. Fair bit of speculation about NRL involvement in OZ. Not sure it would be a great thing for some of the reasons you have just articulated, but at least we'd have the involvement of an organisation with a genuine record of delivering success in RL. I grew up visiting away grounds at 2nd division clubs (as they were back then) in genuine cup ties. There was a romance to it all that I wish we could recover. I just don’t think that's possible anymore, so while I understand and sympathise with your point of view I think you're destined to become more dissallusioned about the direction the sport takes.

Its a toughie.

Personally the only reason I like the challenge cup is the potential to go watch teams away from home, ive not been lucky enough to bag certain grounds with Leeds and it will be nice to hopefully swell the coffers of clubs when were forced into playing a game away from HQ instead of drawing a top 4 team at home every year.

Fevs catchment area and traditional Fev supporters come from the nearest big town Pontefract, which is where at least 50% of where their support comes from if you are from Ponte you support Fev also Ackworth and all the surrounding villages.

Knottingley is bigger than Fev and thats pretty 50/50 Fev/cas
split, Fev always had a wider fan base from surrounding Towns who don’t have a pro team. Fev are the Green bay packers of RL somewhat.

Interesting that. Always good to get a bit of local knowledge. My mate lives further along from Knottingley in Snaith, but that’s probably out of Rugby League territory even though it’s only a few miles down the road.

Selby snaith selby district lots if Leeds and some Cas, as people move out of their home town areas more and more now, it is a little different, people From Cas didn’t move to other side of 62 and vice versa, but alit different know and with Cas being mainly in Super League more people obviously get drawn to Cas, but loads of Leeds fans around my town now (Knottingley) when i was at school there was like 3 of us, still think i know slightly more Fev fans, but most don't go to games as they somehow feel cheated that they are not in SL.

Nailed on for remake of Worzel Gummidge .

Five Into Three - Our Top Six Super League Predictions After what feels like it has been a lightning fast season, there are just four rounds of the regular Super League season remaining with two clear races still ongoing. The battle for the minor premiership is between three sides with Hull KR, Wigan Warriors and the Warrington Wolves all with a chance of securing top spot but perhaps a more intriguing battle is the one just behind them as five clubs battle for the remaining three places in the play-offs, the dividing line between a successful and failed season. Salford are in the best position, two points clear of their nearest rivals for the places in St Helens and the Catalans Dragons, both of whom have had a big dip in their recent form, while the Leigh Leopards and Leeds Rhinos are ready to pounce should any of those sides above them slip up on the run in. We take a look at the remaining fixtures and make our get as to the sides making the top six spots on the night of the 20th September. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Five Into Three - Our Top Six Super League Predictions After what feels like it has been a lightning fast season, there are just four rounds of the regular Super League season remaining with two clear races still ongoing. The battle for the minor premiership is between three sides with Hull KR, Wigan Warriors and the Warrington Wolves all with a chance of securing top spot but perhaps a more intriguing battle is the one just behind them as five clubs battle for the remaining three places in the play-offs, the dividing line between a successful and failed season. Salford are in the best position, two points clear of their nearest rivals for the places in St Helens and the Catalans Dragons, both of whom have had a big dip in their recent form, while the Leigh Leopards and Leeds Rhinos are ready to pounce should any of those sides above them slip up on the run in. We take a look at the remaining fixtures and make our get as to the sides making the top six spots on the night of the 20th September. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Selby is a Union Town. York is RL.
I hence watching some local amateur RL (Sherburn or Kippax) shall we get a few local Rhinos lads together and go down?