Quote Roofaldo="Roofaldo"How will a club not be worth following? If we retain the same P&R rules we have now, there's no reason that the lower league club wouldn't benefit. They would be in a stronger position to get themselves moved to the top table given they'd have a better class of player in the team and would therefore have the chance at silverware. Success is a contributing factor to getting more people watching
If we have rules were clubs only remain a feeder team while outside of SL and lose that status if they get a licence to join the top division then what's the problem? They should have a stronger academy set up given the help they're likely to have gotten from their parent club so would be in a better position to be competitive in SL.
There's also the point regarding player retention. I don't just mean one club hoarding youth players, I mean keeping players in the game and increasing the overall size of the player pool. If there's more than one routing into playing, the more players we'll be able to keep in the game.'"
Feeder teams have no independence. They have no drive. They are there for the benefit of the club they are feeding and for that reason alone. This being considered how are they going to be in charge of whether they get promoted? What if their parent club doesn't let them? What kind of state is their academy going to be in one the parent team takes all their best youngsters and they do get promoted?
If we're actually talking about feeder teams and not good relationships between clubs, you can't talk about promotion and youth setups, they are at the mercy of someone else. As for how a club will not be worth following, how much motivation do you think fans are going to get following a team whose purpose is merely to get players ready for a different, higher club? One, they might as well follow that club. Two, that club is going to tinker with your team against the best needs of your club. They will insist you throw players in to make them ready, insist players get match fitness by playing for you, even if you don't need them. Your club is merely there for their purposes. That is not worth watching from a fans perspective.
We support teams which represent something like our communities, we want them to improve their lot, taking promotion away was bad enough. Taking away their independence, that's another nail in their coffin.
Now that's not to say a team couldn't do a deal with another which guaranteed to give their youngsters experience before they are ready for super league or even discounted ticketing schemes for season ticket holders of both clubs or whatever. But the emphasis must be on equal rights and to the benefit of both clubs and so both clubs must be independent.
