Just been reading that now Barrow are the latest team, and one with an illustrious history, to be falling on hard times. Thats now about six or seven this year.



The size of some of these debts are nowhere near the likes of some of the super league clubs that have been in debt in the past.



Is this an indication that the salary cap rulings for championship and league one clubs isnt working?



Maybe theyre stetching themselves to the limit and beyond, just to compete with others



Wonder who decides whether a championship or league one club can efforts yo spend the full cap, an ambitious chairman or RFL accountants?



Thoughts?

No grip by the RFL that lot are just on a gravy train, time for dome leadership at the top!

Sad to hear of traditional clubs struggling when RFL are mainly interested in expansion abroad. If Toronto and Toulouse get into SL, how many fans can afford 2 trips to France and 1 to Canada? There has got to be better allocation of funds to the lower leagues.

STOP THIS SO-CALLED EXPANSION NOW!!!

It's clubs like Barrow, Oldham, the Cumbrian sides et al that we need to look after. If Toronto, New York and whoever want to be part of a Rugby League let them form their own governing body and generate their own finance. The RFL and Super League have delusions of grandeur without the resources to back them up.

I know Toronto pay clubs dir their travel over there, but in reality, how long do you think they would do this for.



I bet the expense for a 19 man squad, plus coaching staff etc, would cost around £10k+. Heard that flights alone for middle 8s varying between around £400 and £700, and thats without accommodation and expenses.

Expansion within our own country wasn't exactly a success was it. Who remembers the great glory days of Scarborough Pirates, Mansfield Marksmen, Southend, Kent Invicta, Cardiff etc?

I don't see that expansion is the problem at all.



I'm ok with RFL supporting teams like Barrow but if no one wants to come and watch they are going to have to close. Same as Wakefield would.



The three clubs up there should put a franchise together when they had chance unfortunately.



The point of expansion is to go to new places with new crowds.

....and to think that we moan about attracting new fans....

Are you saying the Cumbrian clubs should merge?

No issue with expansion wharsoever PT.



If we want to get the media recognition we want, we need it to be played beyond the M62.



I do think, that if done logically, and if plans are thought out and well structured, that this can be done, side by side, whilst at the same time, continuing to be there for, supporting our heartlands clubs.



I think what they did a few years ago when about 4 new clubs came in at the same time. Slow and steady wins the race. Bring one in, help to get the infrastructures in, both on and off the pitch, work with the club and its grassroits, and dont move on to the next project until all the boxes are kicked. When they are, move on to the next one. Just as an example very little local marketing was done to promise Coventry and the Tests head there.



Also, I dont think the league structures help, you could have a new side thrown in against a side relegated straight from championship. Look at the likes of Wales against York and Bradford earlier this year. Does nothing to aid team morale.



Moving onto Toronto, having teams like this do nothing for the sport over here, but that said, id an American league was created, say initially of 10-12 clubs, coveeing North, Central and South America, given the money Americans invest into sport, could give the sport a real global shot in the arm, long term.

My thoughts also regarding expansion



Worth nothing that Whitehaven are in financial difficulty also



One of the podcasts had koukash on about 3 months it may have being BBC manchester and he talked about Cumbria and the SL players that come from Cumbria

He said that two of the 3 Cumbrian clubs could be involved in a joint venture and to watch this space

Sad for Barrow, but unless fans, like us and Bradford and Salford, have gone through something similar, most of SL fans won't give a damn, especially the snobs up the M1.



As for Toronto, I wouldn't have a problem with them if they were in their own league and not forcing clubs to pay uncessary costs for flights and accommodation