I see your point, but I imagine you have never been given the opportunity to represent Gtr Manchester at Rugby League, being from (i think) Wigan you would have the opportunity to represent Lancashire, being from Barrow you would represent Cumbria, despite it historically being in Lancashire.

I was born in Cumbria, and its probably one of the only boundry changes where an identity has been formed in what was formerly another county.

Kendal has no history of rugby league, a union town I believe. 50+ miles to workington and whitehaven through the Lake District for 1hr 30? Not really feasible is it?

It is, I have heard some absolutley ridiculous suggestions over the years regarding a Cumbrian SL team but none moreso than basing the ground in a non-league town 50 miles away from west cumbria and 30 miles away from Barrow. Also Kendal is smaller than Barrow and smaller than the Copeland/Allerdale area where Rugby League already thrives.

I take it you're a Cumbrian? Shouldn't we ask the fans if a merger is what they want or like it how it is? What is your opinion? do you aspire for SL? What would be the dream situation? [sizesorry for all the questions

and of course whitehaven and workington were in cumberland. neither have been part of the county of lancashire. that's the difference with barrow.
but i'm not going to tell you how to feel. ive had enough of that from mancs teling me wigan is in lesser manchester

I am mate!



Yes, I suppose we should, but it depends what the question is.
At the moment I dont think Cumbria even registers on the RFL's radar. Either as a merged entity or stand alone clubs.

As Derwent has said, the stand alone clubs are a mile off beng anywhere near Super League, I agree with that.

I also think merged Franchise in the west would alienate those fans in South Cumbria and vice versa.

FWIW the mid point between Barrow and West Cumbria on the A595 is probably between Ravengalss and Bootle, these are both very small towns/villages



Yes, of course, I think every club aspires to SL in some way, e.g Barrow have drawn Wigan in the Challenge cup and the buzz in the town is amazing, I have never seen anything like it in my life and it would be great to welcome the best sides to Barrow on a regular basis.



Barrow in Super League as South Cumbrias repersentative and Workington and Whitehaven either merged or one of (maybe both) as West Cumbrias representative.

I think your missing the point mate, when i was a nipper repping Cumbria, despite Barrow historically being in Lancs, Lancs and Yorks were "the enemy".

So because young Barrovian and South Lakes RL players only rep Cumbria we have NO affinity with Lancs.

You will find that the majority of people who have any affinity with Lancs in Barrow are over 60, the majority of youngsters only know Barrow as a Cumbrian town

no i'm not, im agreeing with you even if i didnt do a good job of demonstrating it
my cousin's ex is 30 and from barrow. she always said she was from cumbria.

I think if cumbria has a SL team it will be in Barrow, I work around cumbria quite regularly and its the only town with a population large enough, if only their new backer can afford a bridge they might get some more away fans!

blink and you miss it

Obviously I was joking, but I can fully understand anyone not wanting to be a Lancastrian.

Michael.

Classic expansionista arguments. "Get a club from cumbria in super league! Make a new club and chuck money at it!!"

"Are there other rugby league clubs in cumbria? We didnt know that cos we have our super league blinkers on!!!

"Force the cumbrian clubs to merge to make an SL club - great idea. What happens when the people who support and run rugby league in cumbria complain and try to suggest a better way? - Who cares?"

"What happens if it all goes wrong? - Who cares, we were generous enough to give them a go"

I agree, cumbria should have a club in SL. One of the three that exist now, let them build in their own time so the whole club will be ready for promotion when it comes...............oh hang on

This subject keeps coming up year after year and the bottom line is that unless a new club is formed playing in a stadium half-way between Workington and Whitehaven then it will never happen. The directors of both clubs in west Cumbria keep talking about "oneday" getting into SL on their own but if it ever happens it will be the rock that that team perishes on. Haven are in Copeland district which has a population of 75,000 within 30 minutes of Whitehaven and Town are in Allerdale with a population of 96,000 within 30 minutes of Workington. If a new club was based in a new stadium at Lillyhall, which is near Distington, the half-way point between both towns then that would give a total population of 171,000 within about 40 minutes of the stadium. Sadly, though both councils have been sucked in to the SL talk from the clubs and they are both planning on building new stadiums in the the two towns. Many questions are raised about what would happen to the two existing clubs if a new club was formed and they would have to become feeder clubs. Other questions are raised about a new club if it lost its licence after 3 years, would that see the end of RL in the area at professional level. The area is earmarked to become the "Energy Coast of Britain" with a new nuclear academy and new reactors for Sellafield and talk of goodness knows how many billions of pounds being spent here. Neither town would support the other if they managed to get there alone as it was proved when Town were in SL1 and still carry the debts from that season. Barrow is 60 miles from Workington on a very poor road so they could never be entered into the equation and would have to do it on there own and good luck to them. Nowhere else in Cumbria would support a SL team so unless local bigotry can be put aside then I'm afraid it will remain just a dream for rugby league enthusiasts of west Cumbria.

Barrow could do it on their own with some big ground improvements. Barrow are getting just shy of 2000 crowds for their home games this season. Barrow is 60 miles away from Whitehaven and Workington so can't even remotely be including in any merged Super League team proposals. But surely it could stand alone and prosper? Barrow due to it's proximatey to the Scottish borders also offers interesting possiblities for expansion into Scotland if it did have a Super League franchise.