For those that haven't heard it the chairman has done an interview with Paul saltonstall on radio Merseyside regarding the clubs SL bid ....clearly stated external investors are on board and backing the bid curious as to any ideas who these investors are..more importantly can they be kept interested in backing a successful championship campaign if the SL bid is unsuccessful (let's face it ,it will fail,due to shenanigans at the RFL)...or is this potential investment pure SL dependant...I have posted for the question/suggestion to be raised by Paulie/mike as ambassador
He also states they have been in touch with agents for SL players but all is on hold until we are selected and discussions are already ongoing about hybrid players and OUR players becoming full time. Could possibly see maybe four or five becoming FT from our group including our three Aussies
This all sounds really good, along with the launch of young players scheme
thing is though I don’t think we will get the nod to join the top table - are the investors going to stick with us in the championship ( or whatever it will be called)
I suspect that there will be a 2 year no relegation clause for the extra # teams - selected by ‘an independent panel ‘
and the 12 will be subject to the IMG a ratings
This all sounds really good, along with the launch of young players scheme
thing is though I don’t think we will get the nod to join the top table - are the investors going to stick with us in the championship ( or whatever it will be called)
I suspect that there will be a 2 year no relegation clause for the extra # teams - selected by ‘an independent panel ‘
and the 12 will be subject to the IMG a ratings
Yeah I feel the places have already been chosen which I feel London, Bradford and York. Love to be proved wrong and we are the dark horse with real big investors to sway the RFL. 😂
I would have thought that the investors would already be on board if they were interested in backing a championship club. My guess is they're hoping for SL.
Its a bit of a puzzle, RL isn't an investment in fact you lose more money in SL than the Championship. Recent examples of investment have started in the Championship and resulted in promotion (Leigh and Wakefield) who are both now doing well in SL with continued investment. Oldham look to potentially be the next ones, unless the RFL pull up the SL drawbridge and the owner gives up.
If an investor had come on board a year or 2 ago, we would probably now be in a position to be confident of being one of the two going up. It now appears to be York, being top of the league you can't really begrudge them it.
Nobody has mentioned who will coach us if by some chance we get the nod. Have the club approached coaches ? , we surley cannot be thinking of entering SL with a inexperienced coach.
I think we have a minimal chance of getting in to SL
If as anticipated there is a 2 year no relegation clause for the chosen 2 AC should be given the chance
see London have got new investors and will be throwing money around soon ( even in the championship they say )
London are being pro active by appointing Demetriou as coach for 2026 no matter what league they are in which sends out the message that mediocrity isn’t acceptable.Widnes,on the slim chance of being awarded a SL place,would be foolish to retain a coach who could'nt guide his team to the second division play offs.
Demetriou had one good season at Souths with Wayne Bennett’s team, the second was woeful and he was sacked. Not exactly revolutionary.
whether AC is good enough for SL or not, or if the club has approached others, let’s be honest it won’t matter because we won’t be in there and nor should we.
AC is still the only man to get us in the playoffs in the last 6 years which, whilst should be a minimum target, puts him above others. Are there THAT many SL top quality coaches available?
I'm not sure if London have been tipped off that they're going up or they expect the Lockyer/Demetriou noise to add weight to the application. If they don't go up, and SL is a closed shop for a couple of years, there's no way Lockyer & Demetriou will be hanging around; irrespective of whatever they're saying now.
True lots of noise coming out of London, so you may be right - but if true it shows what a complete and utter farce this independent process is
we are better off staying out for now and watch the massive crowds flock into Wimbledon, York and Toulouse
@7-vikingnomad If it is London it would make an even bigger mockery of what what is already a mockery. London went up fair and square by winning the GF. Then the new IMG system relegated them before the season even started. That contributed to the farce at Hull FC giving up as London were already going down. If they now go up after finishing in the bottom 4 with terrible attendances it makes the whole thing almost comedy.
York have signed Vaughan and apparently Dufty and Regan Grace as well. London have Heatherington and Lockyer as owners, apparently Demitriou as coach and a host on NRL signings in the pipeline. But we don't find out until the 16th of October? I don't blame them for getting setup in advance as the time frame to have a competitive squad is way too short. But i,m very sceptical of how these clubs are making such big moves if they don't already know.
@7-vikingnomad If it is London it would make an even bigger mockery of what what is already a mockery. London went up fair and square by winning the GF. Then the new IMG system relegated them before the season even started. That contributed to the farce at Hull FC giving up as London were already going down. If they now go up after finishing in the bottom 4 with terrible attendances it makes the whole thing almost comedy.
York have signed Vaughan and apparently Dufty and Regan Grace as well. London have Heatherington and Lockyer as owners, apparently Demitriou as coach and a host on NRL signings in the pipeline. But we don't find out until the 16th of October? I don't blame them for getting setup in advance as the time frame to have a competitive squad is way too short. But i,m very sceptical of how these clubs are making such big moves if they don't already know.
absolutely - the independent panel have not yet have them 😂
@7-vikingnomad If it is London it would make an even bigger mockery of what what is already a mockery. London went up fair and square by winning the GF. Then the new IMG system relegated them before the season even started. That contributed to the farce at Hull FC giving up as London were already going down. If they now go up after finishing in the bottom 4 with terrible attendances it makes the whole thing almost comedy.
York have signed Vaughan and apparently Dufty and Regan Grace as well. London have Heatherington and Lockyer as owners, apparently Demitriou as coach and a host on NRL signings in the pipeline. But we don't find out until the 16th of October? I don't blame them for getting setup in advance as the time frame to have a competitive squad is way too short. But i,m very sceptical of how these clubs are making such big moves if they don't already know.
They already know mate which stinks. Waste of time us putting in a bid unless we have an investor from Saudi Arabia who is worth billions. 😂 We have got Jay Chapelhow because we will be in the Championship. In my opinion I do like ambition to be in Super league but realistically I feel we could be stronger in another 2 years time. You do seem to lose more money in Super league so may be a blessing than getting tonked every week.