i dont think the answer is a combined team at all but my opinon is that if either whitehaven or barrow could get a new stadia and build the club well of the field it would take a fair few years but 1 day there could be a super league team but its going to take a club hopefully barrow to get there acts together off the field

not going to happen, ever, you do know Barrow is a tiny place with nearly 40% unemployment, don't you?

I was in Barrow at a mates two weekends ago and Barrow had played that day (Sat). In the pubs on the night there was a lot of Barrow shirts around and I got talking to them and the passion is definately there and according to most there are lots who would go if they got promoted (like all clubs I suppose). If the RL and Football clubs got together and shared a new ground, who knows what might happen.

Good sponsorship from BAE Systems (who are secure in Barrow as the only licensed submarine builders in the UK with an order book full for the next 15 years) might help them, maybe naming rights to a ground. They are never likely to get 10k, but perhaps 6 to 7k is achievable.

theres been talk for a while for both barrow clubs to get together with the council ect and work towards a new ground which makes absolute perfect sense but nothing has happend yet

Indeed, but how much investment would be required to get there, a heck of a lot.

I am not saying Quins/Crusaders are perfect, but for someeone (not you) to suggest that Barrow would be a shoe in by comparison is one heck of a stretch.

Not a shoe in by any stretch, but of the Cumbrian clubs they are the ones with the best chance, the other two are nowhere near and dislike each other intensely, a merger is as unlikely as our two having one. Technically, Barrow is Lancashire anyway.

Barrow is South Cumbria, unless you are saying Windermere is in Lancashire?

anyway, the suggestion of a SL team there is nonsense

Historically it is part of the Hundred of Lonsdale 'north of the sands' in the historic county boundaries of Lancashire. Since the local government reforms enacted in England in 1974 the town has been within the administrative county of Cumbria. It still forms a part of the Duchy of Lancaster.

So, it's in Cumbria.

I believe that any club who made promises like ground improvements last time and have failed to deliver should be booted out

and can I just ask this, IF Barrow had a SL team (or Cumbria in general) who the hell is going to decide they want to live on the side of a hill surrounded by Sheep, or worse, in Carlisle, Workington, Whitehaven or Barrow?

Whilst I agree that a ten team league may be two little and have knock on effects with money, I certainly would not go as far as to saying P & R is not a sustainable model. It can be done over time IMO.

I think getting P & R back in the future is crucial for the sport, the headlines it creates and extra publicity. Plus I know when I travel the country and talk to people about RL they often say they get confused by the no P & R and how teams move up and down from divisions. I know in other countries all over the world this happens but in England in any sport they is always P & R so we definitely need to look at getting it back, if only to interest new people. I will agree though that at the moment it can not be achieved without two full time leagues.

The problem we have though I reckon is the RFL is that obsessed with expanding and getting the international game working that I doubt the above will ever happen.

I agree with you, but whilst Barrow is a very strange place (we have a factory there) there are fantastic places to live within 5 miles. (I admit you would be surrounded by sheep though - Craven park?)

Living in Hull isn't much better.

I'm 50/50 with Barrow or a Cumbria team, I think they is interest there but never to really become a big club. They may never attract 10,000 but I reckon if they were in SL a decent stadium they could double if not triple the current crowds.

If the RFL is prepared to give Crusaders and Quins a chance then Barrow is worth a shot IMO. Plus it would widen SL geographically.