It's just daft to think that ANY championship club can churn out endless SL quality players. To have a SL standard youth structure that is going to work, you need to be in SL. It's stupid for the RFL to expect Championship clubs tobe able to compete with even the likes of Salford/Celtics in this area.

Any SL quality youngsters produced by Champ clubs are snapped up in no time - therefore money wasted. If the players can stay at a club and go from scholarship to SL then the chances are they would stay at the club.

Barrow need to get a youth structure in place, but need a successful team on the field first in order to 'tick the box'.

] Glad you’re not running any club

its not about money or RFL systems - have you got the know-how to nurture young players, if so my question was about producing successful SL players, which was the start of the thread - I can understand your views too or do you believe that it will all just fall into place because you have a very good team –

but sadly no plan B or a succession plan by the look of it – the reason for my concern is we don’t need another embarrassment like Celtic and just because your cumbrian (which we need) and you have a good team (because of a benefactor rather then performance merit) you will get a franchise!

There’s no doubting you support both morally and physically but it’s not a ship, it needs foundations and that’s my point and stop avoiding the question LOL

No team bar Widnes can claim to have an established youth structure in the Championships. Even Widnes only field a small amout of locally produced player - and that is at al level below SL.

Halifax don't even run a reserve team which at least Barrow do. The Barrow reserve team has many young players taken from the local amateur clubs as well as first team fringe players. We also have the newly established 'Barrow Laikers' under 18's team, co-ordinated by the Raiders. The club in general is VERY strong in the community/schools/colleges. Dave Clarke with his other hat on, does great work in those departments all year.

Having a superb (expensive) youth structure at the expense of a stronger first team defeats the object. It's chicken and egg. Get a good team on the field first, increase crowds/sponsorship and THEN introduce a defined structure. Otherwise all your talented, nurtured young players will simply leave for a SL club.

I believe there is a big announcement due after the GF from the Barrow BOD defining the next 3 years objectives. Expect something to be announced then.

After you lot lose on Sunday ,your egoistic chairman ,will take his ball home and you will struggle next season ,you are going nowhere ,SUPER LEAGUE?Blackpool have more chance ,CMON FAX ,BEAT EM .

You just keep on thinking that mate. I remember reading very similar 'doom-laden' posts 3 years ago. We'll be stronger again next season - put your mortgage on it. We're here to stay.

Just like Fax, we've ticked the box, so this season is just the start. One things for sure though, we've far more chance of getting to Super League than YET ANOTHER Yorkshire club. Until 1 or 2 current Yorkshire SL clubs are booted out no other Yorkshire club has a chance of getting in. Just read the RFL's views on expansion.

Should be a good game on Sunday. Can't wait.

Barrow need a s/l ground and pull of top 3 finishes for next few years.

2015 application more realistic (if the above are met) IMO.

There will be an announcement regarding the next 3 years at Barrow RL after the GF. Major Ground Improvements are part of it I'm led to believe. If the plans are far on enough by license time, you never know

i totally agree with you there i dont go to games for the facilities i go to watch the game and have a good time and hopefully watch a good game of rugby.

one of the teams that have been told about there stadium standard Cas now i went to whelldon road/ The jungle earlier this season for the challenge cup tie and it was a great atmosphere and some very decent fans who new they had been pushed right to the wire. i personally couldnt care about the facilities on offer.

the RFL won't do that they dont have the cherries to kick Saints out especiallyy but i dont think they will kick any of the rest of them out. Celtic Crusaders could play on the side of mount everest and still maintain a place in super league.

Am just glad that my club Halifax Rlfc have managed to tick the box for super league so they have no excuse why we couldnt be put in so now all the fax fans can sit back and watch the RFL kick us right in the cherries once more.

Its so predictable already this whole franchise business for next time round i would pretty much put everything i had on Widnes getting a franchise place in 2 years.

teams like Halifax and Barrow will be left to rot in National league 1.

lets all turn up to Warrington on Sunday and show RFL what both clubs have and the support that can be generated by big games and put a match on that will rival anything in super league.

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I'm sure the atmosphere at Cas was superb - very similar to our game vs Wigan at Craven Park. 6,500 ratling round in a 14,000 all-seater just wouldn't have been the same.

I also think that the Championship matches I've seen this season (both live and on telly) have offered more by way of excitement and entertainment than most SL games I've seen this season.