Very good post, Sir.

I wasn't aware that the RFL were responsible for clubs spending more than they can generate in income...

I guess the game can look forward to a period of rude health, now this incompetent berk is moving on. I expect Neil Hudgell's CV is in the post to Red Hall already, what with all the great ideas and vision he's brought to the game.

They run the game - they're responsible for EVERYTHING that happens, not just the good bits.

Don’t forget the game being better attended and played in more places by more players than ever before. Not to mention record amounts of money being brought in and record amounts of money paid out to clubs. In 2001 the RFL paid out £11.3m, in 2011 £29.6m. The fact some clubs have spent that money so poorly isn’t Richard Lewis fault.

No point giving Hudgel the job, he doesn't go to meetings. Besides, who could he bleat about then?

Lewis has done a fantastic job for RL. Anyone the cant see that has a VERY short memory or is VERY blinkered.

We have a healthy smattering of both on here, so expect this to be a long thread.

He was Chairman of the RFL was he not? Was it not the RFL who introduced (and i use his words) "a rigorous assessment process to which the licence application of every club is subjected"? This assesment process failed to highlight the meltdown at Crusaders (twice), Wakefield and Bradford. Sure, he didn't spend the money but he didn't introduce a "rigorous assessment" either.

I'm not saying he's the worse thing that's ever happend to Rugby League but before we trip over ourselves in adoration let the passage of time and revisionist historians paint the whole story.

Lewis has just been waiting for a better gig to come along, he’s now going back to what he really cares about.

No chance of Wood going anywhere, why would he, in the real world he would have been given his marching orders for some abject decisions.

Sure the RFL is on a better financial footing, but, the amount on money coming from the broadcaster has increased significantly. I hope we get someone with sound business acumen, who is actually a fan of the sport.

Thanks Richard for getting the RFL back in the black.

Fudging the Wigan salary cap fiasco.

Allowing Hull to field an illegible player in the C.C. only for them to go on & reach the final.

Throwing a Welsh club into S.L. when it was patently obvious they were nowhere near ready.

Loaning money to Bradford on the quite, then realising they weren’t going to see any of it back any time soon, then giving them some more, just for a poxy lease on an Iconic Stadium.

Cheers

I am sure the passage of time will show Lewis' tenure of one of the most successful in the history of RL.

I am fairly certain it is because I can remember what went before
I can also see the route that the likes of Hudgel want to take the game down.

ken Davy does not attend meetings. I would not assume he is out of touch due to non attendance.

Possibly, but he isn't bleating in public about the running of the game.

Why do you assume those assessments weren’t rigorous? The fact those clubs had those problems doesn’t mean that either A) the assessment didn’t highlight these possible risks, or B) those bids weren’t the best 14.

Remember the clubs voted to move to 14, they voted to keep it at 14 the RFL just picked the best 14. Even with their failure there is little reason to suppose Halifax’s bid was better than Bradfords.

Clubs had financial troubles before Lewis, during Lewis and will do after Lewis. Who was blamed in 1964 for Bradford Northern?

As the executive keep council in the dark and do not seek their advice the attendance of meetings would be pointless. RFL council nor SLE clubs were asked for permission to pump hundreds of thousands of pounds into Crusaders and the Bulls. Nige and Dicky just did it.

so Hudgell sent a letter that went SL clubs and it was published. maybe in his judgement this was a way of shaking the executive out of its torpor. it has.

Give over with that context stuff!