Quote: chris_smith "Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust PRESS RELEASE – 1st August 2011 In light of recent events regarding Halifax RLFC’s failed bid to win a Super League franchise for the 2012-2014 seasons, members of the Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust committee have been inundated with calls and emails of support from all walks of the rugby league community. It is this support that has spurred us into action. Many have expressed their concern at the events both in the build up to last Tuesday’s announcement and many more surrounding the statements and “post decision” interviews that were issued and given by the RFL hierarchy in the aftermath of Halifax RLFC’s failed Super League bid. We feel the fundamental problem of our game goes much deeper than that, put simply . . . . No Promotion or Relegation. Therefore the board of The Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust have decided to take a stance. We intend to challenge the integrity, as well as the decisions being made by The Rugby Football League, who without consulting the paying public of our great sport continue to make ambiguous decisions that we feel are not in the best interests of our game. Also this decision is not based on, nor is it a direct attack on any of our fellow rugby league clubs, they can only undertake and look to meet the “franchise criteria” asked of them. Indeed we wish all fellow rugby league clubs the very best of luck during the remainder of this and forthcoming seasons. However we do feel that our sport is being strangled by the very people entrusted in supposedly driving our sport forward. We feel the RFL through adopting the franchise model in 2009 is killing the game we love and is choosing to ignore the heartlands in favour of expansion at any cost. The current plight of Crusaders coupled with the return to the French League of Toulouse shows that expansion is failing and we already know promotion and relegation is no longer advocated. . . . . Why? How can our game be a sport without the real possibility of promotion and relegation? – To quote Kevin Sinfield highlighted during an interview with BBC Sport in May 2005, just after the new franchising system was launched "The great thing about sport is competition - relegation is intrinsic to that." - We agree. What incentive does an ambitious club outside of Super League have if the parameters / criteria of the franchising system keep changing, with new goal posts added or indeed removed at will to suit the RFL hierarchy at that time? The gulf in finances and investment between the top 2 tiers is getting wider and wider and worryingly for any aspiring Super League teams the elite league appears to be a closed shop or at best a masonesque type members club. We have questions a plenty and want answers, not just for Halifax RLFC but for the wider rugby league family on where our game is being taken. Therefore as an independent voice in support of Halifax RLFC we intend to let our concerns be seen and most certainly heard and we fully intend to challenge the legitimacy of a franchising system that fails to keep to its own “minimum standard criteria” blueprint; more importantly ask why a governing body chooses to strip our game of the true fighting spirit from which it was born out of on 29th August 1895 i.e. Promotion & Relegation. We are therefore looking to kick-start our “Hate RFL, Love P&R” campaign by staging a protest on Thursday 11th August at the Halifax RLFC v Widnes Vikings game and we invite all rugby league fans to help us to take the fight to The RFL. Our intention for this event is via the use of banners, flags, t-shirts etc (as the game is live on Sky TV) to voice our concerns. This is merely the start of our battle and it really doesn’t matter if you are a Halifax RLFC supporters trust member; or even a Halifax RLFC supporter or not, join our protest, come along to the game and show the RFL we are to be taken seriously. What we want and need is a collective, coordinated effort; as we will be much stronger shouting and making a noise together rather than pulling in different directions. We intend to get answers to the many questions we and the rugby league community have. This initial protest will be the mere start, we have lots of ideas but we would welcome input and support from anybody interested in supporting us on this journey. We will have more news on our plans shortly and we hope you will support us. If you would like to ask any questions or you can pledge support to our “Hate RFL, Love P&R” campaign please contact:- Chris Smith on Good effort and all that, but that's you guys bo110xed for the next set of Franchises

Quote: chris_smith "Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust PRESS RELEASE – 1st August 2011 In light of recent events regarding Halifax RLFC’s failed bid to win a Super League franchise for the 2012-2014 seasons, members of the Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust committee have been inundated with calls and emails of support from all walks of the rugby league community. It is this support that has spurred us into action. Many have expressed their concern at the events both in the build up to last Tuesday’s announcement and many more surrounding the statements and “post decision” interviews that were issued and given by the RFL hierarchy in the aftermath of Halifax RLFC’s failed Super League bid. We feel the fundamental problem of our game goes much deeper than that, put simply . . . . No Promotion or Relegation. Therefore the board of The Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Trust have decided to take a stance. We intend to challenge the integrity, as well as the decisions being made by The Rugby Football League, who without consulting the paying public of our great sport continue to make ambiguous decisions that we feel are not in the best interests of our game. Also this decision is not based on, nor is it a direct attack on any of our fellow rugby league clubs, they can only undertake and look to meet the “franchise criteria” asked of them. Indeed we wish all fellow rugby league clubs the very best of luck during the remainder of this and forthcoming seasons. However we do feel that our sport is being strangled by the very people entrusted in supposedly driving our sport forward. We feel the RFL through adopting the franchise model in 2009 is killing the game we love and is choosing to ignore the heartlands in favour of expansion at any cost. The current plight of Crusaders coupled with the return to the French League of Toulouse shows that expansion is failing and we already know promotion and relegation is no longer advocated. . . . . Why? How can our game be a sport without the real possibility of promotion and relegation? – To quote Kevin Sinfield highlighted during an interview with BBC Sport in May 2005, just after the new franchising system was launched "The great thing about sport is competition - relegation is intrinsic to that." - We agree. What incentive does an ambitious club outside of Super League have if the parameters / criteria of the franchising system keep changing, with new goal posts added or indeed removed at will to suit the RFL hierarchy at that time? The gulf in finances and investment between the top 2 tiers is getting wider and wider and worryingly for any aspiring Super League teams the elite league appears to be a closed shop or at best a masonesque type members club. We have questions a plenty and want answers, not just for Halifax RLFC but for the wider rugby league family on where our game is being taken. Therefore as an independent voice in support of Halifax RLFC we intend to let our concerns be seen and most certainly heard and we fully intend to challenge the legitimacy of a franchising system that fails to keep to its own “minimum standard criteria” blueprint; more importantly ask why a governing body chooses to strip our game of the true fighting spirit from which it was born out of on 29th August 1895 i.e. Promotion & Relegation. We are therefore looking to kick-start our “Hate RFL, Love P&R” campaign by staging a protest on Thursday 11th August at the Halifax RLFC v Widnes Vikings game and we invite all rugby league fans to help us to take the fight to The RFL. Our intention for this event is via the use of banners, flags, t-shirts etc (as the game is live on Sky TV) to voice our concerns. This is merely the start of our battle and it really doesn’t matter if you are a Halifax RLFC supporters trust member; or even a Halifax RLFC supporter or not, join our protest, come along to the game and show the RFL we are to be taken seriously. What we want and need is a collective, coordinated effort; as we will be much stronger shouting and making a noise together rather than pulling in different directions. We intend to get answers to the many questions we and the rugby league community have. This initial protest will be the mere start, we have lots of ideas but we would welcome input and support from anybody interested in supporting us on this journey. We will have more news on our plans shortly and we hope you will support us. If you would like to ask any questions or you can pledge support to our “Hate RFL, Love P&R” campaign please contact:- Chris Smith on Good effort and all that, but that's you guys bo110xed for the next set of Franchises

At last, someone to kick start what has been needed for ages.

Would LISA be prepared to add their support?

everything is happening when im on holiday, maybe i should miss the flight

Have you spoken to the club about this?

It seems to be a strange descision to through away any chance in 3 years

Keep well away

So you are happy with how the game is run

Not just them. After just reading the piece that Lynda put a link to, Gary Hetherington may be in the mire. Is'nt it funny that a lot of people have kept their mouths shut untill now. Not you lot FAX, but there is definitely a feeling of disquiet amoungst the SL clubs towards the RFL and they have'nt had the balls to say anything. Hope GAry isn't the last.

Clubs sign an agreement NOT to challenge the decision by the 'panel' and thats the RFL's .get out of gaol card' every time. Applaud the sentiment but the thing will be a dead duck.
Instead invite the 'Holy Trinity' of Mssrs Lewis, Wood and Rimmer along to a meeting with your organisation then just have three chairs on the stage set up for when they dont arrive and run that as a press excercise.

without promotion/relegation it's not a TRUE sport. I applaud the original post. Sadly, there are only a 'handful' of clubs who feel hard done by the RFL.

I'm not a lawyer, but I'm fairly sure that the 'no challenge' clause would be invalidated in court.

The RFL are not in a position to prevent clubs from taking legal action against them, and would not be in a position to exclude a club from the process in future unless the case was found to be frivolous. The clause is only in place as a frightner to make clubs think twice about it.

Of course, continued sneaky retribution against any club rocking the boat would be guaranteed.

P.S. I'd love to see a fans protest movement against the licence system, but I feel it should come away from the clubs or from supporters associations, as this is a political hot potato and it's not worth dividing such organisations.

I think if all clubs outside SL feel this strongly, then all unite and refuse to take part in the bidding process in future. Most of clubs won't qualify anyway - but it would be a more symbolic stance to RFL that clubs are not happy. Will never happen tho because clubs are to competitive against each other. But the RFL still need clubs to keep pushing the ones already in SL, so it would force the issue as such.
My own oppinion is, and has been for a while is if fans turn up in bigger numbers each home game then P&R will happen, or would never have got scrapped. What will happen this time is what happened with the mergers outrage when SL formed - the media and fans kicked up a big fuss and played the historic card etc, and when they won the day didn't bother supporting the clubs after.

As for LISA doing the same thing as Fax. For me no way as I don't think its the right way to go about it. We increase our gates and keep the momentum going on the pitch, and sort out our finances then we have excellent chance to get in SL next time. Whether we want to do that is different matter, as you only have to look at clubs finances already in SL.

The thing is something needs to be done and I applaud them for at least trying to do something whether its the right thing or not ,who really knows what "the right thing "is ,we have been going on and on for a long time now saying exactly what is in that statement .As each year goes by the divide gets bigger and bigger ,whats the point in a club keeping quiet on the matter in case they will be refused entry to SL when all everyone says is we will never get there any road ,is it a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't