I live close to Wrexham where the Crusaders play, every home game cheap tickets are on sale plus loads of free ones available. The first few games the people of Wrexham turned up, but after that the crowds have decreased. Next season they will be in the top three of worst supported clubs in S.L. Its only a matter of time before they go bust.

That is a joke when the RFL are splitting us completely in two by making clubs outside SL have to BEG to get into it through the stupid franchising ssytem and alienating heartland clubs by making us like lepers.
I like many other fans support my club (Fax) and not RL anymore, I don't care a jot about England RL its a SL team not ours as we are excluded so why should I care?
Sad as I have been RL through and through for 40 years now and used to support anything with RL on it and go to GB games and even CC semi finals, not any more I will never go to any internationals or any games as a neutral in SL anymore like I would do years ago. I just to to the Challenge Cup Final out of tradition and a trip with the lads and thats it they have lost my support.
I know a lot of people who feel like this now.

W71 has some great points, he will be much closer to grassroots expansion support then most on here. JC has hit the nail on the head though, heartlands non SL clubs have no part to play in RL's future. This is clearly the strategy of the RFL, its a very dangerous one and supports my belief that unless things change quickly its time for a breakaway as the clubs in this area are simply there to groom future SL clubs from non heartlands.
The opportunities from central funding have only recently been available, our expanding national presence certainly helps in securing a bigger slice of that and the work of W71 and the others in taking the sport to new areas is fantastic, having Welsh and French clubs in SL is fantastic, having them in the Championships is fantastic but what is happening to the Fev,s, Haven's, Leyth's, Fax's etc is not, our failure to develop at International level certainly is not.
Does anyone think Whelan would have done what he did knowing should he win promotion he may not get into the Premiership?

Agreed, but the point is Wigan didn't sign a brilliant team with their billionaire's money, they build a great environment. The same is true at Reading, and, come to that, at Exeter Chiefs and Worcester RFC. This is directly applicable to us at LSV, and even though I don't feel we've grasped that opportunity yet, it is one of the strongest assets in our favour (despite the ownership and revenue issues).

Totally agree with you, as a business plan it's as sustainable and forward thinking as you could ever hope to get.

But at 4.45 on a Sunday aftenoon when Batley have handed us our backsides, not many folk wandering back up Schofield Stret care about the community work, stadium, youth structure, etc etc etc, its another couple of hundred off the next gate, and the plan goes to pot because there isnt enough cash coming in to pay for it.

Dont get me wrong, I'd sooner spend Robbie Pauls wage on the youth structure, (for example), but it really is a difficult balancing act because you need players like him to help develop the kids and bring the best out of the rest.