The distance problem is one of getting players/coaches to move though Joe , thats why you do it without making too large a step , Do you remember Fulham training at Lowton high school in the 80's , based in Leigh traveling down to London for their ' Home ' games ?

The key though is the funding , 1 SL club , or 3 Championship clubs ? , I'd arrange cheap travel for fans down to their matches , if you are going to do it , do it right , and that includes not upsetting the fans you already have

Short term, yes obviously, and the link between Devon and Leigh is notional (ie, me )

...but the principal is true.

Negative perspective - without becoming truly national, RL in the heartlands has an increasingly difficult future, and possibly no future at all.

Positive perspective - unlike all other major UK sports, RL has vast areas of the county where it was, until recently, effectively banned. It has far greater growth potential that any other sport. It has, also, proved itself in its core markets, despite those places being historically very strong in Soccer (Lancashire) and Rugby Union (Yorkshire). It is the only invasion sport played in summer, and its proposition to parents/kids (warm summer days, not cold winter nights.... suntans not mud and frostbite) is second to none.

Nothing I'd diagree with there, if we're talking about planned expansion of the pro game.

The pyramid model, though, implies organic growth from bottom-up.

Perhaps there's a place where the two can meet in the middle (or the midlands!)

That is what you will find most of us interested in on here , I understand the importance of expanding the grass roots/amatuer game but its relevance to what we see as the ' game ' is small

It smells organic to me, very organic

I actually disagree, in the context of long-term planning. Grassroots isn't just about players, of whom there are few, but is also about spectators, which is where the overwhelming majority of people involved in our sport sit (or stand).

It's said it takes 1000 junior players to make one top level professional (which puts the stunning hitrate of the leading amateur clubs into context). But actually that 1000 junior players should equate to 999 fans watching the one pro player. Hence organic growth in new areas is, to me, the best way.

If we had, say, 200 kids in each school year in Exeter playing league, and we did that for 10 years, we'd have around 3000 people aged 12-26 who were league 'fans', and two or three capable of playing at the top level. That's a basis for a semi-pro club in tier four or five of national competition, with no need for handouts and handups.

And, again, to put it in context. Leeds Rhinos are spending time and money working into the South West. We might not see a correlation between what happens in Devon and what happens in our niche of the pro game, but Leeds do. And I hope we'd agree that they are one of the best handful of RL clubs, in terms of organisation and structure, in the world.

It doesn't work like that , watching/supporting are two entirely different things , in fact In would say that actually playing the game puts a lot of people off watching it , the numer of ex players from easts/miners that dont go watching at anything other than amatuer level is enormouse

It is players they are after , not fans

We dont have a problrm getting players , it's fans we need

If you are going to expand the game, I think that is an excellent idea, and I think Crewe would be a perfect place to have it. Great ground, struggling football team,, and not that far away from Warrington, Widnes and Saints, but far enough away that no one in Crewe goes to RL. Before someone jumps in, I'm sure there will be one or two exceptions who go to Warrington. I worked in Crewe for several years and although there is a general awareness of RL - at least they know it exists, unlike the West Midlands or South, but I never met anyone who lives in the Crewe area who goes to matches.

While important the actual location isn't the issue Joe , what is the important bit is we , the whole RL community would have a share in this club and its future , as I said , no promotion until it was reasonably able to stand on it's own two feet in the lower tier , if it progresses quickly then all good and well , the money is then invested elsewhere

I think the location is important, if the game is to succeed it has to attract supporters and more importantly it needs kids who grow up playing the game. There is a real chance to set up a junior section in Crewe. It's near enough to amateur clubs in Warrington etc, to play competitive games.
As has been proved with other sports such as Basketball, American Football and Ice Hockey, put enough money in and advertise it and at first you will get interest, but eventually if it isn't played at amateur and more importantly junior level, interest dwindles.

Very true , I had considered that originally , the overseas quota and a F/T ex SL player as administrator would have extra sport england funding to hopefully build an amatuer base , the other requirement is time , long term planning properly financed

I agree totally it needs long term planning and that is why in my opinion the RL have wasted the money they have received. I know it was to appease SKY. SKY clearly don't want to wait 10 years to spread the game, they want short term fixes. Unfortunately short term fixes are exactly that - short term and short sighted. When my son was young we went down to Wembley with Leigh East, stayed at Hemel Hempstead for the night and played our under 10's or whatever they were at the time against their's. As expected East won easy but we had a great reception by a set of kids, parents and coaches who were loving the game and determined to make a go of it in the South. More funding needs to be given to these types of clubs - not buying second rate aussies for SL teams.

Not so sure about Crewe Joe. I do not think the residents have enough sense to appreciate or understand RL when you consider they have elected Conservative MP's at the last 2 elections.

More about Gwyneth Dunwoody than rugby that Frank - although she would have made a decent prop.