With seemingly SL a distant thought these days, the Club should be aiming to be the best in the Championship. Ignoring London and York Reserves, we are currently behind the likes of Oldham and Doncaster. The fixtures this year skew the league, but we are probably on a par with Sheffield and Barrow. Maybe next year, we may possibly see a return of Featherstone and a relegated Huddersfield and maybe improvements in fortunes at Salford and Halifax..
It is no good the Club moaning about "losing" money on the salary cap. We are probably still in a better position on the cap at clubs with less support. Is there potential to sign a marquee player like Ben Condon or even bring in a few young Australians looking to make a name for themselves or even bring in a young local player with SL potential from the amateur ranks. Anything to generate interest from fans and potential fans, as well as to improve the squad.
My questions to the Board are:
1. Have they still got ambition to get into SL and, if so, what timeframe are they working to. Albeit, I guess that the RFL are still working on the back of a fag packet on the long term structure of the game or probably even next season! In this respect, what demands have made of the RFL by Championship Clubs like Widnes, to sort out the fixture list mess for next year and the future for teams outside SL?
2. We are continuously being told that the Club is in a good financial position and that we will be held back on player investment next year only because of the salary cap. Whilst I am sure that like any ambitious Club, we will be looking at ways around the salary cap, what plans do the Club have to utilise any "surplus" funds not spent on the playing squad, assuming we retain the same level of support and sponsorship. The suggestion that we have got rid of the General Manager post on financial grounds does not seem to indicate a sound financial position at the Club.
It’s hard for the club to know what to do , with the RL not knowing or not caring what’s going to happen in the championship next season.
is there going to be a 1895 cup, when will it be held, who will be in it, when will the RL decide?
And now today, they’re saying London won’t automatically get promoted, they have to be better than the present SL clubs on IMG grading to get in UNLESS they decide to have 15 teams in SL next season. They’ve talked about that, but no decisions have been made to change it.(yet)!
So with such a rubbish set of people at the top, how can Widnes or other championship clubs, plan for next season?
@farnworth-viking that's true farnworth so why do the board turn down investment from a fan/ previous board member ? Surely even with a salary cap you can't have too much money 💰 if turnover reaches £1 million we can't spend 500k plus extra on contracts already made so why aren't we trying to do that ?
I get that the foundation have a seperate account but the club could still give the foundation teams greater funding if they wanted to, like York have done to really push the womens team and now Wigan have done the same.
One thing just of interest is if we can only spend a 400k cap on the mens team but someone comes in putting in 50k a year. If SL becomes a closed shop and the Championship a feeder league, would you give the womens team a push and get them from the Champ to SL?
On promotion to SL, we all know Huddersfield are in dire straights with only 4 points and crowds of 4k but also hearing rumours of York being in financial difficulty. Another side without the fan base to support full time RL. London are going up but we need to be ready with a decent side and off field setup for the next Salford situation. We missed the boat last time, we cant afford to again.
@dan1 it's been mentioned today Dan that London only go up via img and that they not convinced they can overtake a super league team this year !!! So we ll be stuck with them again 🙄
London will be going up, no need to worry.
If anyone believes that London will not be promoted to SL this year, they will believe anything. The IMG rules on finance, performance and ground capacity/attendance were changed to accommodate London.
The only way that London won't be in SL in 2027 is if the Australian owners see that they have backed a dud and pull out. Those in charge of the RFL would prostrate themselves before the NRL to avoid this.
London's inclusion in SL will be a condition of the NRL takeover (erm, funding). If SL don't take the NRL money, they'll all be on the dole in 12 months.
With the 2026 Season approaching the 'Business End', the fact that nobody knows what is happening beyond September is frightening, and that includes the RL World Cup.
Have London been given solid guarantees?
Are the NRL taking on SL?
Is the new TV deal negotiations ongoing yet?
Will any increase in TV revenue (if any) filter down to the Championship and grass roots?
Magic Weekend is arranged, but will Summer Bash return for the Championship?
The 1895 Cup?
Fixture chaos needs addressing. Champ Clubs can not be going a whole month without a home game.
What is the plan for a reintroduction of Featherstone Rovers?
Is this the last season of the IMG fiasco?
More questions than answers.
Paulie xx
London have signed Philbin for 2027, Sky also invited someone from London to be interviewed at the Leigh SL game and wished them all the best in the bid for SL. I thought that was a bit off, as they havent invited anyone else onto Sky to talk about a SL bid.
So I would say its nailed on they are in SL. Its probably an unofficial part of this NRL deal they keep going in about. A deal I believe that will seal the fate of the Champ as a feeder league. Whats clear from this years fixtures and the way they have ruined the Championship is that the RFL wont care about the Champ if they secure money for SL. Short sighted and not a way to grow an already shrinking sport.
Its not good but even more reason to secure investment and get out of the Champ. Look at Wakefield and Leigh amd how well they are doing with a bit of cash. Money talks.
@sunny I paid £200 for a season ticket and match day experience comes under that.
On another note if we are say 75k down on playing budget due to a new cap, can we invest in the womens team, ldrl or new off field staff to help run the club? If we keep the same budget, or are we planning to save money.
As posted elsewhere the Women, LDRL, and Wheelchairs are not bankrolled by the club, they come under the Umbrella of Sean Mellor's Foundation.
Paulie xx