Franchising is unfair bull***t. Easy as that. It's ruined the game at National League level and it's only getting worse.

Surely not. It should be about improving the quality of the higher division.

It's coming to the Championship very soon.

So success shouldn't be rewarded?

It worked in most sports for the last 100 years.

If it does I will stop watching the sport at this level no matter what division the Eagles are in.

Are crowds really a lot lower than when the relegatd club used to go straight back up?

If the Eagles won CC and got promoted right now, would we really be able to assemble a brand new squad between October and January that would be able to compete in SL?

How is "success" not being as good as the team you're replacing?

Franchising has raised standards in the game.

Stadia are better, development is better, admin is better.

I dont think the stadiums have improved since the franchise,Nothing has changed,St Helens,Wakefield,Castleford and Salford all sub standard stadium and all the rest of the teams have the same ground.

Well you'll never know unless there is a play off but the success part is being better than your peers and being given the chance to prove yourself at a higher level. The team finishing top ought be invited to step up but to have the opportunity to decline.

Stadia are better because of what happened at Hillsborough but as EB says still a lot do do at some grounds.

Agree with Tim that if the Eagles were to be given a franchise i.e now we could not put a team together to compete in SL.

All four on with developing new grounds.

And LSV is just as crap as Hilton Park, is it ?

We used to have one - and not so long ago. The team from the higher division always won.

But still an opportunity

Comon theres only so much time for developing were nearly upto the 3 years and no brick has been laid,
Actions speak louder than words!!!

Saints will be out of Knowsley Rd at the end of the season and in the new one next year. As for the other 3, that's why they are all on the hit list to be replaced by Widnes.. oops I mean the team selected from those who have met the franchise criteria.

For me Widnes and Halifax should get a crack at SL next time. they may not be the best teams on the field, but we all know that whoever goes up, by watever means, has to completely rebuild their team anyway. That's why it's more about the club and its structure than just the team on the field.

Widnes and Fax in, Salford and either Cas or Wakefield out.

Fax are completely potless.

Widnes were financially a shambles at the last franchise and involved in a half million pound VAT fraud. They had a brand new management team - true - but with no track record. They have a better chance in 2011.