Fear not. The RFL are looking at setting up a "within 10 miles of Batley" league. Each team will play within 5 miles of the next to enable fans to walk to an away game and be back home in time to milk the cows. Entry prices will be fixed at 2 and 6 and silver trophies replaced with the butchers best half dozen.

Meanwhile in the league which runs alongside it will allow teams to travel by mechanical horse, beam wireless images through the sky to magic boxes in people's homes and generally get exited about the fact that after nearly 120 years of trying the sport of Rugby League is gaining a well deserved national presence.

You never know what could happen if the fans actually start backing such initiatives?

Big difference is the Northampton side is linked to the football club. It therefore became a football related story and to the BBC's interest a lot more.

Great to hear about the ground improvements. Biggie for me is will the new stand have a proper press area and electricity (that may sound a silly question but I've reported at Oldham and Swinton over the last few years).

We intend to have 6 seats press area, we also have a 50mt extension lead.

On the night Leeds won the World Club Challenge the headline on BBC Sport was

'Britain wins 2 golds in European Cycling in Birmingham'

This was the plan for the Hemel Stadium in 2010.

It seems to be 2 from 3 for the final spots. Chester have withdrawn their application and Medway never actually submitted one (but the RFL wanted them in)

So down to Coventry, Oxford and Bristol/Gloucester