lol

Ralph Rimmer has been at it again!! So four new clubs coming in thats good - Four clubs going up - any chance one might be welsh!!!?
TV deal that doesn't involve cash !!!! (payment in kind maybe!!!) - broadcasting NRC - thought that had gone. and anglo/french cup for top four - thats us then! do we get travel expenses - everything so vague except of course Mr Rimmer - He's so Vain!

I don't believe there's any hidden agenda to get a Welsh team promoted. If neither of them can manage to go up when 40% of the league is being promoted then they might as well call it a day.

The tv deal will probably be similar to the Football Conference deal, where teams will get more if so many people subscribe (which, for the Conference Football, the targets weren't reached). Don't like the sound of double headers though - does that mean a match could be kicking off at say 17:30 on a Thursday?

Don't even get me started on this Anglo-French cup.

After stewing over this one for a few days, i understand why the RFL are doing this. and i believe it is the right step to increase the size of the divisions. For me a division of ten is only workiable if its competitive, however next season i can see four teams that are well ahead of the rest which will effecftively make two divisions in one. Yes, the standard of NL2 will drop dramatically with new clubs joining the pro ranks, but with no disrespect, the standards not that great at the moment. Promoted team generally struggle.

The main thing the RFL have got to do is make the gap between $L smaller, not bigger. With any luck increasing thee size of NL1 will improve standards and turnover so the RFL can do away with this absurd licencisng/franchising/closed shop garbage.

Licensing/fanchising is making our proud sport a laughing stock, it must end. The only reason it was introduced was to make the England team better by not having to worry about relegation from $L. Given our atrocious showings in the last world cup and last years four nations, alongside the fact there are three aussies and a kiwi in the England squad this year, that idea clearly has not worked has it?

Time for someone to own up to their mistakes.

Is everyone on this forum too young to remember the re-election battle in soccer ? What was that if it wasn't franchising ? How has automatic promotion from Division 5 helped the likes of Rushden and Diamonds ? Soccer has the same problems as us - make no mistake. They're just further down the pyramid so you don't get to hear about them.

Soccer?

It would have helped Rushden & Diamonds if they hadn't spent a lot more money than they generated, because then they wouldn't have gone bankrupt and ceased to exist. An alternative would be to look at Dagenham & Redbridge/Wycombe Wanderers/Yeovil Town. And then you could reply with Chester City, Scarborough and Halifax Town. And then it repeats ad infinitum.