Did you find Warrington? If you did, look a few places up from them and there they are.

Okay but that list is tosh.
The last census put Warrington at 212,000 in a growing town and that was ten years ago. Theres a quarter of that 'population' in the small district I live in alone. Old town might be 80,000 but how out of dates that?? 30 years??

To put Halifax in the same size bracket as Warrington is ludicrous. They're a small town bordered by bigger clubs.

What defines a "small town"?

Just as Warrington is a smallish town bordered by three of the biggest football teams in the world , so what ? , it was you who started the ' comparison ' game , maybe Cas aren't big enough to be in SL ? , let's face it compared to London nobody is ?

How big is Wrexham , compared to other towns with RL clubs in them ?

just thought i would add this, i dont have exact figures, but of the 4 superleague clubs (5 if we include mansalchestford) in the northwest, widnes has a population of around 50,000, with the others haveing populations 3-4 times that (if not greater).

Would it be very wrong of me to suggest that the 'hand-outs' are not directly from the RFL , and that they receive these 'hand-outs' from the Sky money ? They only receive said funding due to the RFL allowing their continued inclusion in Sooper Dooper League ?

Quote: Andy Gilder "Hitler had the support of the majority, didn't make his ideas or opinions any more valid or reasonable than yours. Remind me again what happened to the likes of Fax and Leigh the last time they were in the top flight? Certainly in Fax's case they didn't manage to stay "solvent without handouts from the RFL", did they?'" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law

Quote: Andy Gilder "Hitler had the support of the majority, didn't make his ideas or opinions any more valid or reasonable than yours. Remind me again what happened to the likes of Fax and Leigh the last time they were in the top flight? Certainly in Fax's case they didn't manage to stay "solvent without handouts from the RFL", did they?'" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law

a couple of points in my defence, for those that do not understand semantics, geography or History.

Halifax is part of Calderdale, it draws support from towns within Calderdale, from Brighouse, Sowerby Bridge to Hebden Bridge, I stand by my theory that not enough people paid attention in Geography if Halifax is considered a 'Small town'. I wonder what a big town is?
Secondly when we hit troubles i dont recall handouts? As i recall it we took our medicine, played a load of kids for the rest of the year and got relegated, since then we have built up solid foundations and the ground is now in good nick, we have the best RL pitch in the land, check our groundsmans awards, we can't invest in everything SL clubs have because we dont have the Sky money, and we dont have the draw of playing Wigan and Leeds every other week, Halifax is a very healthy and vibrant club.
What will be will be, I for one have enjoyed trips to Toulouse and every single ground in the Championship, its a very honest division thats been served scraps for too long, people should respect the whole rugby family, history should also show people that every dog has its day, and what goes around comes around, a touch of humilty wouldnt go a miss.

Do you reckon the folk of Halifax would get behind the club if they were in SL? What did you average the last time you were a super league club?

I remember the days when you had a big support, in fact one of the bigest away supports in the country at one time and regular 7,000+ at Thrum Hall

It was a shame the club had to fiddle the attendance for the Batley match to ensure you just met the 2,500 minimum criteria. Quality team with an entertaining style of play on their doorstep, people should have been streaming in.

This is the biggest problem for the club at the moment. SL or not, you're right - a lot more people should be attending. Widnes have had a mediocre three years but manage to get 3,500 to 4,000. Castleford's attendances whilst in NL1 were fantastic. We're currently averaging just over 2,000 and that isn't enough clout to justify banging on the RFL's door. However, i do question the wisdom and the fairness of having a club in SL who have gone into administration in the last term of licensing. It should be a big "no no".

Overral Fax averaged around 5000 in their time in SL.

everytime I read through these threads I despair...


the Rugby League Family is being ripped apart...

divisions and fractures are being created now which will take generations to repair... if ever.

I have loved RL since the moment I first played (age 11 at Manygates school 1971) I have been a regular spectator since age 14... played until 40, coached 2 development teams in the midlands, sponsored and mentored where I was able...

but finally... I've had it!

Stop and think what you are all doing, from top (who are managerially inept) to the clubs who are lost in self interest, to the jouros who can barely string two coherent sentences together, to the agents who see the new world in dollar value and sod the consequences, to the players who have massively over inflated self value and ego, to the fans who see the opportunity for unconsequential mischief and yobbish attitude and behaviour.

The whole bucket of crap stinks...

so to those who are granted franchises.. work bloody hard and remember; a town/ city lost their SL club and people lost their jobs, so you could have one, remember the kids who will grow up not knowing what it is like to follow your local heros to Wembley.

and whoever gets the chop on Tuesday, you have my sympathy for their is no way back... to those who lose their jobs, to the parents and schools in the catchment area who will no longer have support... to the generations of potential RL fans and players who will be drawn to nearest soccer club.. to the Grandparents who will not be able to take their grandson/ daughter to watch the game that they grew up loving.... why?



because we have totally lost sight of why we first loved the game... and we are creating a monster

They also have Huddersfield & Bradford on the doorstep too.