Would you retain that many fans?

Possibly year 1 , but after that? , and what level of support will you need in the Championship to continue playing at Odsal?

I'd think a 4 - 5K average crowd would sustain a successful championship team easily - the championship norm is much lower. With the cap being low it would be important to keep a good quality coaching system and the academy set up, though in the lower levels we would find it very difficult to attract the sort of player we are used to. As I'd suspect most clubs would be at the top end of the pretty low cap, the quality of coaching and training facilities would probably play a bigger part than they do in SL and a strong support base to finance that is bound to be an advantage.

I think with effective low-cost marketing, using the net and the latent interest and support of the hardcore, we could be pleasantly surprised by the level of support if we were to drop out of Super League. A Wigan-style "tough-times" bounce in attendance is out there if we can harness it with the right message.

You would no doubt retain a sizeable fan base early doors, it would however get more difficult if you were not in a position to re enter SL until 2018

True enough, but I do not believe that the Bulls will be the only club to go belly up in the next couple of years. They might revert back to a 12 team competition but, if not, SL might not be spoilt for choice when it comes to finding replacements.

Whatever happened to George "I'll talk to my Middle East Contacts" Galloway? Like most MP's he had plenty to say at the time to get himself publicity but seems to have dropped back into the shadows.

probably doesn't have any books coming out soon...

Summer recess, he'll be on his Jollies somewhere!

If we were able to ignore the salary cap of the Championship and retain our better players, then yes. I could see us holding on to that size a fan base.

Again, if the exile was only until the next round of franchise, we might not suffer too much.

But I really worry about holding on to the fan base.

We wouldn't retain out better players. If anybody we would keep players such as Walker, Sibbitt, Joseph etc. We wouldn't keep our top players like Whitehead etc. But we wouldnt even keep our average players like Scruton, Ainscough, Pryce etc.

Due to their backer pulling out last year due to his company folding Leigh found themselves in all sorts of brown stuff. We have not had our distribution from the RFL this season (90k afaik) as they on our behalf paid the majority of it to HMRC. So with no backer, no rfl funds and virtually no signed players in November and working to a salary level of around 200k, champ limit is 300 or 350 i think, Coach and directors assembled a small squad which is possibly going to finish 2nd to Fev in the championship.

If the worst does happen it is possible to be successful below SL with the right management and generous fans.

Yeah but 42,000 from East Stirling