In short to everyone we do not get any funding from the RFL at all. We get the same funding from the the RFL as all other clubs in the league.

Rod came to the club to take on the task of CEO from the RFL and it was a change he wanted to make to further his own knowledge and career within the sport. He has a knowledge of the workings of the RFL having worked their just as others who left Red Hall last year have. He is not the only legal eagle at Thunder just as I am aware that Leigh have legal representation on the board.

The salary cap is subject to scrutiny however, all clubs with low gates can apply for cirtain exemptions but the £400k (now to be £350k) stays the same. Over the past 4 years I have spent over £500k to keep professional RL alive in the North East. I will never get that back as it is spent on the club as it is classed as income the same way as sponsorship is. What I choose to spend my tax paid money on is my decision save for the fact that the RFL tell me that in essence I cant take it back should we get rich. A fat chace that will come into the equation!!!!

We were lucky this year at avoiding the drop. We did not get our full squad until the late and had to build on that. We had turmoil at the start of the season with the former head coach going and the appointment of Steve Mac was the right one to take hence his 3 year contract with the club.

I do not mind discussing the game with fans of all clubs and I post on our fans forum under the title "Rumpole".

I do not understand why others dont do it as I have never hidden anything about the club from anyone so my view if you have nothing to hide then why not post debates with fans.

You will always get those fans who know it all and do like to cause a stir but at the end of the day thats life and we all have our ideas about the game and the clubs.

For those who really know me they will be aware of my warnings about the Celtic Crusaders and what they were doing and for what it is worth all of my theories came to be nearer the truth thaan a chairmans rant at being thrashed by them.

As I have said earlier in my posts good luck for the season and I hope that we will meet again in the near future either at LSV or the GIS.



Kind Regards



Steven G AKA Rumpole

But there's funding from the RFL for development in the Wigan and Leigh service area, too. Some of this is based at LSV (eg the new League for All officer, Phil Roberts, who's a top fella and one of the leading lights behind the England Wheelchair Rugby World Champs). That'll count towards our development (or at least, to the same degree that the NE RFL team's work is).

All in all, the heartlands get far more money and support from the RFL than development areas, simply because there's so much more there to support.

You honestly believe that

Not saying that money is not spent in the heartlands , just the way it is then presented and accredited

I think its unfair that Batley are allowed to play on an un-level playing field

Thanks, you have answered my question! Surely it's better for a team to have no advantage regarding the Pitch ( no speech marks)! playing with the elements has always been a feature of any field sport however, running uphill or, downhill should not be allowed hence, Level Playing Field!

Has anyone on here ever played on the pitch at Batley. Is the slope really that bad ? I would be interested to know. The results seem to show its a problem.......2004 anyone.