All clubs from both Leagues have met presumably with a RFL representative present. Reported League 1 to stay with 9 teams for next season & Championship as now. The 2025 set up to be announced this winter.
Good for the integrity of 2023 at least - I'd have been a bit miffed if I was Doncaster and the likes of Oldham got a free leg up. Likewise, Whitehaven and Swinton if Keighley and Newcastle had stayed up.
Surely the solution is for League 1 clubs to play each other three times over the season (although bad luck if you get Cornwall away twice...)
No 4 times - that’s level then, if 3 times that will be unfair to clubs
in fairness not many of those clubs will not have a cup run so that would make 33 games in a season, when we won the cups what was our biggest season games - suspect well above that
One idea mooted for next year that was mentioned in the press release to increase the number of games for League 1 is to include them in the1895 cup. I am not at all sure that is the correct answer or how it would work unless Championship clubs play more games as well.
No 4 times - that’s level then, if 3 times that will be unfair to clubs
in fairness not many of those clubs will not have a cup run so that would make 33 games in a season, when we won the cups what was our biggest season games - suspect well above that
Four times will be too many when you factor in play-offs, and one or two cup games. Three times = 24 games, 12 home, 12 away.
Good for the integrity of 2023 at least - I'd have been a bit miffed if I was Doncaster and the likes of Oldham got a free leg up. * Likewise, Whitehaven and Swinton if Keighley and Newcastle had stayed up.
Surely the solution is for League 1 clubs to play each other three times over the season ** (although bad luck if you get Cornwall away twice...)
* I'd have been seriously miffed mate! We stayed up on merit!
** Whilst playing each other three times seems a serious option, like you say, can you imagine what Worky would say if they had to go twice to Penryn?
Spelly.
Good for the integrity of 2023 at least - I'd have been a bit miffed if I was Doncaster and the likes of Oldham got a free leg up. * Likewise, Whitehaven and Swinton if Keighley and Newcastle had stayed up.
Surely the solution is for League 1 clubs to play each other three times over the season ** (although bad luck if you get Cornwall away twice...)
* I'd have been seriously miffed mate! We stayed up on merit!
** Whilst playing each other three times seems a serious option, like you say, can you imagine what Worky would say if they had to go twice to Penryn?
Spelly.
Maybe the RFL could put the 9 in 3 groups of 3, by region, and let them play a 'round robin' of some description. That would give them a 20 game season.
Paulie xx
No 4 times - that’s level then, if 3 times that will be unfair to clubs
in fairness not many of those clubs will not have a cup run so that would make 33 games in a season, when we won the cups what was our biggest season games - suspect well above that
Four times will be too many when you factor in play-offs, and one or two cup games. Three times = 24 games, 12 home, 12 away.
currently 1895 cup is the last few remaining from the cc
not many league 1 clubs will make that, playoffs max of 3 games
if they play 4 times that gives 32 plus 1 cc plus 3 playoffs
37 games
also more home games each so more income
in 74/75 Widnes as a part time team played 49 games
admittedly travelling has got larger and funding is reduced
heading back to old times of first division 16, second 14 before “expansion” started
from there we have lost Blackpool, huyton, bramley from the original 30 and current gains are cats,Toulouse,London,crusaders,Newcastle,Sheffield,midlands,Cornwall
with lots of other teams in the revolving door
(. Carlisle,Cardiff,Bridgend,Mansfield,skolars,Hemel,glos,Oxford,Maidstone ?, to name a few)
Hopefully see the end of the Bash. 13 home and away in the League. Simples.
Is there no scope to make the 1895 like the Northern Rail Cup which would guarantee further home fixtures for the League 1 clubs?
Yes but that’s more one sided games for championship clubs with zero attendance, we need to make league 1 more attractive to the punters
Thinking again maybe home and away - 16 games and play 4=more against your local teams - but that would mean Cornwall,midlands,crusaders , Oldham and Rochdale ?
Don’t forget of corse that Toulouse May revert to the French league if they do not win the magic game _ what happens then ?
Keighley back up and a league 1 of 8 ?
@ditton-donkey if that did happen, it would leave 13 teams in the Championship.
Maybe the RFL would be better relegating Whitehaven who finished 12th and having an even 10 team League 1.
SL x 12
Champ x 12
L1 x 10
Don’t forget of corse that Toulouse May revert to the French league if they do not win the magic game _ what happens then ?
Keighley back up and a league 1 of 8 ?
Can't see that happening, Toulouse would sit tight for another year and then probably end up in SL via IMG's criteria for 2025.
Rumours now circulating on Facebook that Thunder have gone bust, which if true, would then reduce League 1 to just eight teams!
Spelly.
The Newcastle withdrawal adds more fuel to this now. I really hope we don’t merge the 2x leagues as it will get v messy. I have zero faith in the RFL doing this well.