I accept that Bradford did have an asset, which we don't have. I admire what The Crusaders have done, that was also well supported by the purchase of the ground, by Glyndŵr University, I'm sure has greatly helped.

The Trust hasn't even been formed yet and so is not asking for anyone to "stump up" anything other than an expression of interest. Membership would probably be £50 a year or so, but of course the Trust would need to find additional money in as many ways as it can to make a success of the club. Important though that it would not be compulsory, and the Trust would be one member one vote whether you could afford additional donation or not.
Let's be honest about the size of Super League and the Broncos here as well. You talk about Trusts only being of use to "small" clubs - well we are a small club compared to Trust owned Wycombe Wanderers and Exeter City, never mind Portsmouth.

Wycombe's average attendance 12/13 - 3,720.
Exeter's average attendance 12/13 - 4,141.
Portsmouth's average attendance 12/13 - 12,232.
London Broncos 2012 average attendance - 2,808.

Wycombe have 912 extra on their average, Exeter have an extra 1,333 people and Portsmouth have an extra 9,424 people. That means that each of the three clubs you mentioned would have a bigger target audience, whereas the Broncos have a tiny target audience and currently find it hard to gain sponsors so how hard would it be to find enough people to fund a Super League/Championship side long term?

The sands of time are running through the egg-timer of fate. There is still a periphery if mobilised that could create a Champ 1 side, anything more (without big money) would be pie in the sky.

Sadly the way the game is in the UK, I never can see either Skolars or The Stags reaching Super League level, unless a real multi multi millionaire is willing to write an open cheque! as poplar panther clearly states anything else is pie in the sky dreams!

Even though most people wont agree, but maybe the best thing for the club is to get demoted... At least it can start all over again with out all the b***hit that the club and fans have had to suffer with. Sheffield is a perfect example.

At least Sheffield were robbed of their Super League place, but a perfect example? do you think they will ever regain Super League status?

Dunno but with P+R coming back, who knows?

They will be favourites to go up next year!

The media are really starting to pick up on the Featherstone story, so instead of talking about the Challenge Cup Final in a few days, it's our demise! of course The Controller Nigel, will say, all publicity is good publicity, when you hardly get any in national media. The Mirror www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-lea ... bt-2193976 Will Sheffield have a ground at all for a few years? so that will harm them, and the likes of Featherstone, Halifax and Leigh will feel they are first choice!

The media are really starting to pick up on the Featherstone story, so instead of talking about the Challenge Cup Final in a few days, it's our demise! of course The Controller Nigel, will say, all publicity is good publicity, when you hardly get any in national media. The Mirror www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-lea ... bt-2193976 Will Sheffield have a ground at all for a few years? so that will harm them, and the likes of Featherstone, Halifax and Leigh will feel they are first choice!

All clubs need a back to get into SL.

Skolars and Hemel are a long way off SL but they are closer to it than they were 10 years ago.

I don't doubt that in ten years' time, they will be even closer.

The Skolars have made steady progress over the 10 years of their professional experience if they continue as they are doing, they , may be ready for SL in 5 years. The fact that they are going for promotion to the Championship this year speaks volumes.

I can't think that they will be ready for SL in five years but speculating about them as a mid-table Championship side would have seemed crazy a few years ago but not now.

The problem Skolars had was that the old NL2 was too high a standard for entry teams. It's hard to make much progress when you are getting flogged every week by some pretty strong teams.

I think the future of expansion lies in building a decent league pyramid, there has been progress in this of late, Hemel and Oxford have had a much easier ride than Skolars ever got.

I don't see that, this is the weakest pro-league they've played in yet by far and they've done okish. Crowds are the same and the stadium's still a dump.

This!

The could win promotion this year and the Championship next year, but there's no way that SL games will ever be played at their stadium.