Sorry mate, I know how bitter you must feel, but even if your figures were correct 5 million is pocket change to Sky. I fully intend cancelling my subscription on a point of principle but I don't expect it to have any effect.

I just feel that Sky and the RFL have ripped the heart out of the game which I have loved all my life and several generations of my family before me. RL used to be one big happy family but now it is supported by a new generation of nasty, bitching creatures who are more interested in verbally attacking rival clubs and their supporters rather than being entertained by the on-field product.

Course they have

Would you have cancelled if you'd got in? Even though it'd have been the exact same process, system and another team not accepted?

If not it's a bit double standards

But the other team may not have met the criteria if it was addressed fairly. As sure as I have a hole in my booty, Celtic have not got better credentials than we have.

Celtic v London next year, look forward to it. Attendance 500. Played in modern stadia. RFL are a joke. From a Halifax fan.

i think we all need to dry our Eyes and look to the future and make the RFL realise what a mistake they have made scrapping promotion and relegation National league one will be an amazing competition for the next three years

Promotion and relegation hasn't been scrapped it's just been changed. It'll now only happen every 3 years and it'll be based on a club's ability to survive and develop in the higher division. Promoted clubs will have a bit more time to prepare for the step up and then 3 years to build a stable base in the competition meaning they won't just have to sign all the players from the relegated side and sack all the players currently on their books because they've had no time to do anything else.

I think even fed up Widnes fans must admit that it wasn't working in the previous format.

RUBBISH
so nat 1 teams can put a super league team on the field and pay them S/L wages for 3 years on gates of 2,and 3,000 thats a sure fast track way to bankgrupcy and no guaranteed to S/L in 3yrs time are you sure you,re not richard lewis he said the same barking mad thing

i agree with the doom merchants, i cant see anything other than the 14 teams going on to be stronger (stadia permiting) thus making it more dificult for an outsider to get in on merit. for me unless a club fails to get a new stadium or they go bust (very doubtful) i think it will be very dificult to dislodge any of the 14 teams in 3 years time.


answer me this how many have been replaced in the NRL?

Really feel for you guys as lifelong Cas supporter, the RFL should have included Widnes instead of Celtic, but as ever they sacrifice tradional clubs who have been there and done for what?
Widnes were relegated to make room for a French experiment, the Tigers were relegated to allow the continuation of that experiment, now you've once again been sacrificed for the Welsh experiment.
French and Welsh experiments have been tried in the past and failed miserably taking money out of the game, I really think the RFL should have waited until the next 3 years franchises come around to see if the Welsh really are worthy of a place, because at present, their attendances are pathetic and that supporting what is a fairly successful team.
What will happen if the Celts get hammered week in week out?
Maybe that's the way Widnes will get their rightful place back, if the Celts fail to drum up sufficient attendances to support a Superleague club.

Harry Pinner, you're talking perfect sense.

Rantunrave, you're talking utter tripe!

Cancel sky subscriptions, moan about the RFL. I'll tell you what, why don't we just re-think the whole franchise format so that you can have your own way you big baby!

Windess should use this bad news to develop their business off the field, try to develop a strong junior set-up and start gearing towards the next round of franchise applications.

If all the fans and employees of the club went about things the same way as you have on here today the club would be in a sorry state.