You have got to crack some eggs to make an omlette. The same thread probably popped up from a Widnes fan a couple of years ago. You cant please everybody. A shame that the RFL got an 'out' though when Wakey went into administration, cant see them ruffling the feathers of another club now. New owners 18 months to late.

the voice of reason!
The OP seems to be implying that the application process is a direct competition between clubs. each club is judged on its own merits against the critieria as they are laid down, not judged against each other. what widnes have or have not done in comparison to wakefield is irrelevant to the process.

I hope wakefield make it to the Challenge cup final this year

Ha ha, a bit like Hull then : .

Back to the O.P. - Of course they should, and long may it continue.

On your wet dream wishlist, probably running a close second to 'decent crowds for Quins RL'.

HTH

Lock it!

As said, hopefully the majority of Wakefield or whoever it is who loses thier licence don't start to believe it's Widnes' fault and compare themselves to us.

The two are just not linked in the slightest.

It's strange that the most vocal of opponents to Widnes' promotion come from Leigh and Wakefield at the moment. I wonder what it is about a minority of fans from those particular clubs which makes them oppose our rightful ascendency?

This leads me to believe the following.

1. Any clubs undergoing similar feelings would have the same amount of bitterness from certain fans. I can certainly understand that.
2. Some people are too blinkered to see the bigger picture.

The bigger picture being, these wakefield fans want to stay in SL indefinitely, decrying the current system which has promoted us. However, they've had three years of grace in super league, and we never got that and neither did any of our rivals down here. They are not strong enough to warrant a place in the top flight forever at the expense of everyone outside it, so it's utter selfishness to demand to stay there at our expense. They'll find out soon enough they're no better than the likes of Fax when it comes down to it.

There are of course those who want a return to P & R, which brings me to the (again, few) argumentative Leigh fans. They want the system back because they'd be current favourites. But they have been so uncompetitive in recent years that their club didnt even get to apply for a license. And all of this moaning ignores the one fact about this.

This is the system we have all been working on for the last three years.

Read that last bit, digest it, let it sink in, read it again. Widnes being the beneficiaries is neither here nor there. We didn't introduce the system. We've been left out by it, and now we've benefitted from it. If wakefield are dumped out at our expense it's nothing to do with us whatsoever. And for that matter, they've had three years to sort out the fragilities of their club with super league money to do it and they haven't, so it will be entirely their own fault.

And as for my club, do we deserve to be in SL? Yes. No club has worked as hard as mine to get itself in this position. It's a pity we're uncompetitive. It is easy from the outside of the championship to throw scorn, but the salary cap is very low and the championship is therefore very competitive. Under the old system, we had a higher salary cap, so the top teams could assert a natural superiority. Now its much harder.

If we had this cap under P & R, you'd get some very small teams knocking on the door of SL before long. We almost lost Leigh the other year because of how competitive it is. It is for the good of the league of course, but it's only made viable because of licensing. I would support a licensing system in the championship under the current laws because of this.

In conclusion, get over it, forget about us because we're on our way up. Stop slinging mud and start discussing how your club can guarantee SL rugby in the future. It's the only way. Our director Steve O Connor concentrated not on how much of an injustice we all felt last time and instead on how we could guarantee it this time. Leigh's directors instead threw toys out of the pram. Wakefield's need to take the former option because if they don't their term in the championship will be very long term indeed. Fax, Leigh, Featherstone, they'll all feel like SL is in their sights in three years time and Wakefield will soon find out it is much harder to stick your head above the crowds from a championship platform.

That is of course if they're kicked out, the finances of other clubs may be in some desperate trouble none of us know about, but they're favourites for a good reason.

Do Wakefield deserve to go down as they have not finished bottom? Answer is NO
Do Widnes deserve to go up as they have not won championship? Answer is NO
Is rugby league franchise a farce when it comes promoting/demoting? YES

P.s I only mention Wakey because it seems odds on they will go.

Mr O Connor did throw his toys completely out of the pram , in the Leigh corporate room at Hilton park , he said much worse about the RFL than any Leigh CEO did in public

All irrelivant , Widnes are in SL , quite correctly , and also quite correctly a club will be dropping down to the Championship

Licencing is corrupt IMO , but it would seem it is a price we have to pay to expand the game , lets all hope it is worth it

Coach of Leeds Union side wants Union to follow Super League (again) and go for franchising.

Maybe thats because he is a crap coach , and is stareing down at relegation and probably the sack

I have no reason to believe you that he did, and whether he did was irrelevant. His actions since the announcement have been very positive and he worked within the system very well. He was diplomatic and industrious.

Even if so the same point stands. SO'C conducted himself in a fully professional manner when speaking in public. Leigh director did not.

I'm struggling to see what Widnes will bring to Sl that Wakey don;t other than some more plastic seats. Nt saying Widens don;t deserve a shot but do Wakey really deserve to be binned for them? If Widnes get 8,000 crowds are financial sustainable and put out a playoff team then I guess the RFL will be proved right, if not then what's the point?