I personally think there will be 2 super league divisions with P and R between the 2, but even if not i think some of the current super league clubs will implode. I heard from a good source the Steve ferres resigned at Cas because he wanted to take the club into Admin believing it was the only way but chairman Jack foulton wouldnt because he is owed 3 million by the club, i strongly think we could replace them because there going down the gary Glitter

Thanks for your reply.

I had seen the resignation story of the Cas CEO and it did make me think.

Seems to me that licenscing like club's twinning are two big mistakes and with two divisions of say 12 clubs would the rest be history ?

Ok you can pick 12 teams for Superleague 1 but 12 in Superleague 2 it does get a bit more difficult doesn't it ?

Maybe Sky money might be shared more equitably throughout the game but personally I can't see that happening.

Serious question has the game gone forwards or backwards since the introduction of licenscing ?

I was there for the opening match against the Centurions it was like a nite at the museum lol
Knock it down and re.build

Backwards although i think there is more to it than licencing. Some of the super league clubs are a joke, they get 1,3 million a year and cant afford to run a meaningful reserve comp its disgraceful. Rovers fund there own u18s to the tune of 100k we fund it ourselves, yet last season we were to play Huddersfield who get theres paid for by the rfl and they couldnt raise a team so we got the points, so my question is are the RFL getting there moneys worth giving them the 100k to run there u18s, i would suggest not. There will be no tears shed from me when some of those self centred, self styled elite of the game go bust

Very obviously, we haven,t got things right at the moment, so, just a suggestion- For first half of season, combine current Super League and Championship into 2 Leagues - perhaps east and West - perhaps without a couple of Championship strugglers. Play each other once only then divide into Super League 1 and Super League 2. If you play at home this season then its away next season. Teams like Fev and Leigh will find their true level - as will Broncos and Cas! P&R will be part of the structure. (Leigh would play Wigan,Wire,Saints,Widnes in true competitive games - with crowds to match? and Fev would play Leeds,Huddersfield, Hull, Bradford etc. Broncos and Catalans would have to be allocated arbitrarily _ good word for 9 pm!- to East or West. I reckon this would be a lifeline for financially strapped Championship sides.)
Of course, its too sensible to ever happen

I'd be amazed if the RFL continue with franchising.

Knocking it down and building a new one is not an option. For anyone who was there the other week you would see a lot of building work is going ahead and if it all goes to plan the stadium will be the best in the Calder area and I bet a club local to us wish they were making these same improvements Off the field the work the community team do is excellent and the best it has ever been There is things going on every day at the club for the community to get involved in the Easter camp will probably sell out and things just keep improving I also think there will be a 2 tier S/L but if there is not and our application goes in I hope we get assessed they same as everyone else and if we are one of the 14 top clubs we get in. If we are not and it is done fairly we will have to work harder and do better for the next round By this time next year we should know

Your doing great work at Fev but Franchising has never been done fairly so don't expect to get in has for two Div in SL it's a great idea but the greedy gits already in won't agree to that it means the Sky money will have to be spread a little more No Chance

I would say Fev are in pole position at the moment. They've been making the right noises for quite some time now, their crowds are steadily increasing and they've been the most consistent side at this level for 3 years. I think if they'd turned that dominance into more than just the one GF trophy they'd be a shoe-in by now.

Still, reading this thread, I wonder if there is something in the water in Leigh that makes us defeatist?

Go back to 2008 when the first set of licenses were announced. Allan Rowley spat his dummy out, rightly some would say (including myself at the time - particularly regarding the Crusaders farce), meanwhile, over in Widnes O'Connor sucked it up and knew that if they kept their head down and stuck at it they'd be a shoe-in by 2012. Leigh could've done the same and strenghtened our own position, instead we nearly get relegated.

Fast forward to today, we have Fev fans feeling rightly optimistic after their club has knuckled down and done so much hard work to get where it is. Whereas, we have fans on here saying [i'you won't get in'[/i etc. If Leigh had been as dominant as Fev have these last 3 years, with the improving crowds they're getting would we be as pessimistic or would we be shouting it from the rooftops?

I appreciate the position the club was in toward the back end of 2011 has probably set the club back a few years, despite the remarkable achievements on the field last season. However, since that day in 2008, is there one area where Leigh RL can say they've out performed Featherstone as a club? Despite the opportunity of getting one of the best RL grounds in the country with excellent training & office facilities, crowds are in sharp decline and academies & community departments have been chopped & changed and even culled. Contrast this back to Fev.

If Fev were given a license next season. I wonder what the reaction of Leigh RL would be. Would they get their act together knowing what is at stake or would they continue to shoot themselves in the foot. What would the reaction of the fans be? Would we believe that maybe there is a place in SL for us, or would we continue feeling sorry for ourselves because we didn't get in?

Its probably between Fax and Fev but I cant see either getting the go ahead to be honest. Im also not sure that Fev taking on Probiz will have done them any favors in the eyes of the RFL. Who knows maybe his promises wont be hollow this time but I wouldnt hold my breath.

I cant see any reason why Leigh wouldnt get in apart from the crowds(same for everyone though) its just theres probably 2 teams better placed.

I for one would congratulate everyone at Featherstone Rovers if they were awarded a deserved SL franchise as it would finally prove evidence to me that SL franchises are not a closed shop and this RFL favoured era of promotion is far from a sham. (which is a current conception)

However Leigh were promoted to Super League on the field of play and that's why I feel Featherstone should deservedly have been given a chance in Super League, as we were, as the best on field performing championship club of the past 3 season (Despite Fev's GF defeat last yeat).

However as we all fully aware, the current franchising climate is not based on the pitch so despite all the improvements in the world to Post Office Rd, I think that is one criteria that will still lose them votes. ( additionally is their capacity really sufficient for the visit of the top clubs? Especially if Fev were to secure a SL home play off tie in the future)

Also on the subject of Fev's crowds they do appear to take an alarming dip on a shared gate. The 2011 and 2012 GF final eliminater's failed to pull in crowds much more than 1500 despite a substantial Leigh away following helping to sway the gate on both occasions which places's their play off attendances v Leigh in the business end at less than Leigh's home play off attendances v Sheffield in the same respective seasons.

The RFL is supposedly impressed with Leigh's business model implemented after 2011 and it is widely accepted that The RFL love the state of the art facilities that we can offer having chosen Leigh to host a number of full internationals and high profile matches.

Therefore I think it is to early and perhaps to difficult to say who is leading the franchise race as I think Leigh (with a few tweaks and implementations), Halifax and Featherstone are all able to build a strong case and IMO will have an equal chance of being successful [iif[/i a decision is made to award a new franchise to a championship club.

Do you not remember?.........

Our mission statement is :
"We intend to deliver the most compelling, exciting, innovative, and first class performances within the Championship – both on and off the pitch, together with our partners in Leigh Sports Village, our supporters and the community. We beLEIGHve that we will be the only clear and logical choice for the RFL to nominate Leigh Centurions for Super League in 2014"

Do you not beLEIGHve?

it is all about 'spin' and at the moment Fev are 'spinning' it right sometimes, sorry but I can't forgive the shared gate announced attendance last season it just showed that they still think small time somewhat.

You're probably the right mon for the answer Fred, but did Leigh to send anyone to 'check' the gates that night?

Serious question, do you think Fax are ahead of Leigh and if so why?