I agree. Anything to stop the support drain from clubs and to help expansion.

That it has left them entirely uncompetitive. Was that not clear enough?

The problem with that is the smaller clubs are left battling for survival promoting short termism there, and if we went to 16 clubs who, realistically would be able to compete if they were promoted? It also wouldn't really address the competitiveness issue and if anything would likely exacerbate it as bar a meltdown the relegated club would walk through the next year to promotion again

I agree but, why not just increase SL to 16 clubs instead of having 2 "conferences", at least we'd all get the chance of a trip to Toronto/Perpignan/Toulouse and East Hull

Seriously though, IF we are saying there are only 16 SL ready clubs, then play offs with Championship clubs is just "filler" in the league program and it would lead to blow out scores, one of the issues that started this thread.

I dont think that we can have it both ways.
Either say no to Toulouse and Toronto or go for P/R, I dont think the two things can go together.
I know that opinion is split and many in the fans in the heartlands say, sod the French or Canadians and that they should sort themselves out but, assuming that we want to expand the game internationally in the next 50 years, this isnt an option.

Just curious as to your team list?

Also what happens if we have other clubs who want to join (more french/NA teams)? do they do into the championship

There are 3 -4 teams currently in the lower leagues who would have the crowds etc. plus the current SL setup.

By still having the ability to gain promotion, you are not alienating any new clubs. However you could also add additional clubs in through licensing, eventually getting up to 2 pools of 10.

The solution I propose does need some tweaks but it would solve a lot of issues of supporters leaving clubs because they're not at the top table

How do you define " when they are ready " ? , without the option of promotion via winning it on the pitch Leigh wouldn't have found the investment , so you are essentially cutting everybody adrift again

So if Leigh are given a franchise why does Beaumont pull out.

Not saying he would now , but he only started investing when licencing was to be ended , he would not have invested the necessary amounts if licencing had carried on , I know this because he told me so

I doubt you'd find many if any heartland clubs would find that investment without a cast iron guaranteed decision on the pitch

But you don't have a cast iron guaranteed decision on the pitch. Never do.

So it wasn't really the p+R aspect but the likelihood of Leigh getting to SL which encouraged him. The bigger question then becomes why were Leigh so unlikely to get a franchise

Yes you do , it was finish in the top 3 or win the MPG

Simple , we don't trust the RFL as far as we could kick Nigel

During licencing our attendances had dropped ( due to poor performance partly ) to 1,200 as fans became dissolutioned , they only rose when the prospect of the middle 8 s became likely , and our cup run had reinvigorated fans into believing we could potentially do it

Our proximity to the other Lancs clubs

In 2008 the RFL asked us to resubmit our licence application to include Hilton Park , this despite us having played our final game there and the LSV being 80% finished ( they had visited the site twice , including a few weeks earlier )

So do we believe the RFL would have considered us for a licence/franchise ? , no

And that can be guaranteed can it?

Whether rightly or wrongly, if you agree with their reasons or not, Leigh didnt think that they were good enough to get a licence for SL and thats the only reason that P+R was preferred, that it was easier to spend on players and hope for the best on the field than it was to get in shape off the field so that it would be in SL's interests to invite Leigh in.

Our location is/was always against us , so short of transporting the LSV to Stoke On Trent or somewhere similar , that thought process comes from the ridiculous way the Celtic Crusaders were pushed through in 2008 when their only realistic positive was their location

This argument done to death so this is my final post on it , but as I said Dereck would have kept Leigh afloat short term in the Championship under licencing , but would not have spent anything like the amount he did to gain promotion on the pitch , we discussed this at length when I sold him my shares in Sporting Club Leigh so he could then get involved again

HTH