Castleford, Wakefield and Salford have been warned their Super League places are in jeopardy if their plans for new stadia do not advance.

The three clubs are among five who have been written to by the Rugby Football League reminding them of their responsibilities under the licensing agreement.

Current Super League leaders St Helens and newcomers Celtic Crusaders have also been told their present homes do not match requirements but both those clubs are almost certain to be playing elsewhere by 2012.

Licences for the 2009-12 period were awarded a year ago tomorrow, when all five clubs were left in no doubt the standard of their facilities must improve.

Saints are well advanced with plans to relocate from Knowsley Road while the Crusaders have made clear they are likely to leave their present Brewery Field base in Bridgend, possibly for Newport, by next season. In the long term, the Welsh club have plans for a new purpose-built stadium.

The other three clubs are also at various stages of planning for new grounds but the RFL have reminded them of the urgency of their projects.

Applications for 2012-15 licences must be submitted in 2011 and the 14 current Super League clubs are likely to be joined by a number of ambitious Championship sides.

Widnes already have a very strong case having earned the right to apply by winning the Northern Rail Cup earlier this month.

In the Hobart Stadium the Vikings boast a ground of sufficient quality and with the RFL having pledged to conditionally award a licence to a Championship club, it would be a surprise if they do not succeed.

Toulouse, Leigh and Halifax are among the others that could also come into the reckoning if they meet the requirement of winning the Northern Rail Cup or reaching the Championship Grand Final.

RFL director of development Gary Tasker addedhttp://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME

Pfffffft,stadia isn't everything .As long as market research tells us that the public will flock to games from the un-tapped huge conurbations then it matters not the state of the ground.Widnes were in administration in 2007 you know.

It doesn't matter. They had to have the required facilities last year and Salford / Celtic got in, so whats changed?

Newports ground is a bigger shytole than Bridgend!

Tolouse and Widnes guarenteed for mine. One justifyably, One not!

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quality stuff,love it folks and thats from a reds fan,hopefully we will try the same stunt again but cant see us pull it off twice!!all the best

i fear you will be the ones taunting us in a couple of years!ahh well we'll enjoy our remainding couple of years before reality of back off to batley in 2012

Thing is, i love grounds like Castleford. I know it's not moving forward but it's just a personal preference. It'll be a shame when all these "quaint" stadiums are gone. I guess i'm a bit flatcappy in this regard.

The RFL must be extremely embarrassed if they have resorted to this - the stink over us being rejected, coupled with a complete lack of action by certain SL clubs stinks of somebody looking seriously stupid (Take your pick youre spoilt for choice.)

Maybe they are aware that to reject us again would possibly incur a civil case?

Castleford is one of the better slums. I noticed a thread about Thrum Hall on your board the other day. I preferred that to the Shay. It was one of the most atmospheric grounds I've ever been to. But progress is progress, and modern stadia do tend to attract more fans and a safer environment. That is after all a good thing isn't it?

The Willows, and where it is situated is a different story. Belle Vue isn't exactly a pleasant experience either. They present a terrible image of the game too. A club like Saints playing at KR just seems unforgivable. They all need to be replaced imo.

I've mixed feelings about this. I'd like to think that if we perform well that we will be given a Super League license but the reality is that this is probably not the case. Therefore we are in competition with other clubs and as petty as it sounds our best route to Super League is if Salford, Wakefield or Castleford do not deliver on a stadium. Personally I would not like to see any club fail and be demoted but if it came down to them or Widnes then I'm sorry but it's Widnes! news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 519326.stm Listening to this a year on, he really does emphasise the importance of the stadium especially with regards to Salford and Wakefield. I think fans are trying to console themselves thinking that they are only a couple of points on the criteria but I think the reality is different. The reason my feelings are mixed is by us having become eligible so soon we have almost given these clubs time to go to their councils or whoever and say that either they give them a stadium or they will lose their place. Basically give them time and the motivation to rush a stadium through.

I've mixed feelings about this. I'd like to think that if we perform well that we will be given a Super League license but the reality is that this is probably not the case. Therefore we are in competition with other clubs and as petty as it sounds our best route to Super League is if Salford, Wakefield or Castleford do not deliver on a stadium. Personally I would not like to see any club fail and be demoted but if it came down to them or Widnes then I'm sorry but it's Widnes! news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 519326.stm Listening to this a year on, he really does emphasise the importance of the stadium especially with regards to Salford and Wakefield. I think fans are trying to console themselves thinking that they are only a couple of points on the criteria but I think the reality is different. The reason my feelings are mixed is by us having become eligible so soon we have almost given these clubs time to go to their councils or whoever and say that either they give them a stadium or they will lose their place. Basically give them time and the motivation to rush a stadium through.