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Are York SL ready?


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With Bulls winning at TO today, then if FEV beat Leigh tomorrow, York will be 2 points clear in second with 7 games to play. Which I think we can all agree is a quite remarkable success story for them, and RL in general. 

So. Are they ready for SL? They are obviously well administered, and have one of the best coaches outside SL, with a new stadium on the way. Would going up this year be too early? Or not?

Know very little first hand about the club, so would appreciate any opinions, thoughts and ideas.

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Not even close. Cant believe I agree with Sir Kev - its a strange year this year in the championship. Nobody spending like TW or TO, Widnes going pop and that was the pre season T3. TO could be imploding, SL don't want TW and Leigh at the opposite end to where all forecast and strengthening by the week

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7 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

After a few more years in the Championship it would be great to see York in Super League. This year, no.

Genuine question: what difference would another 3 years in the championship make?

As a part time club, York would have to completely overhaul their roster on promotion anyway, so not sure what another few years would achieve. 

Only reason I would hold back is if the new stadium wasn't t ready or a significant outside investor was willing to fund a FT team in the championship like David Hughes. 

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A key point is, if York went up would their gates significantly increase, other than increased away fans? If they averaged 2,500 then no they wouldn’t be ready but if they could double that then they might be able to give it a go. I hope they’re successful, they’re a breath of fresh air. 

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29 minutes ago, Eddie said:

A key point is, if York went up would their gates significantly increase, other than increased away fans? If they averaged 2,500 then no they wouldn’t be ready but if they could double that then they might be able to give it a go. I hope they’re successful, they’re a breath of fresh air. 

There's no knowing how many York residents, most of whom are not attracted to second tier rugby league, would enjoy watching Super League. Be interesting to find out. Potentially, there's a big audience in and beyond the city.

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7 minutes ago, spanishknight said:

The Knights are not ready for S.L. yet, we have a chairman who will not spend what we dont have, he said we are in it for the long haul not a sprint.

Sensible chap,we need more like him,not one season wonders.

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12 minutes ago, spanishknight said:

The Knights are not ready for S.L. yet, we have a chairman who will not spend what we dont have, he said we are in it for the long haul not a sprint.

That may be sensible but there has to be a time when the club either goes forwards or they’ll go backwards. How long will James Ford hang around if there’s no sign of any ambition to take York up any time soon?

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1 hour ago, Toby Chopra said:

Genuine question: what difference would another 3 years in the championship make?

As a part time club, York would have to completely overhaul their roster on promotion anyway, so not sure what another few years would achieve. 

Only reason I would hold back is if the new stadium wasn't t ready or a significant outside investor was willing to fund a FT team in the championship like David Hughes. 

Exactly this, if they were promoted now they would need to sign too many new players in one off season. They need more Super League ready players while in the Championship, to be able to compete if they did gain promotion, like London and Toronto.

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19 minutes ago, spanishknight said:

The Knights are not ready for S.L. yet, we have a chairman who will not spend what we dont have, he said we are in it for the long haul not a sprint.

Who is the York Chairman and what’s his estimated wealth?

For any team to gain promotion they’d need to run at a significant loss. 

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19 minutes ago, spanishknight said:

The Knights are not ready for S.L. yet, we have a chairman who will not spend what we dont have, he said we are in it for the long haul not a sprint.

But what would/could change over the next 3 years? 

The premise of this thread is that York managed to get promoted even with this commendable financial restraint - surely that's the perfect outcome? 

I'm really struggling to see what practically could change during another 2 or 3 years knocking around the championship. 

We'll only find out how big RL can be I. York when they're in SL. 

London may well go straight back down this year, but they'd have been crazy to turn SL down, they've received publicity and interest this year they'd simply never have got in the Championship. 

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4 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Exactly this, if they were promoted now they would need to sign too many new players in one off season. They need more Super League ready players while in the Championship, to be able to compete if they did gain promotion, like London and Toronto.

But those players won't be there on a part time budget, and there's no likelyhood of them coming in without either the chairman opening his wallet or an outside investor coming in.

Those in the know on here suggest both are unlikely, and in the absence of that, the idea that York will "organically grow" in the championship in a big enough way to transition to full time isn't realistic. Show me a club that's gone from attendance in the hundreds to SL fringe status without outside investment. It just doesn't work like that. 

If you get the chance of SL, grab it with both hands! 

 

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Personally I hope the situation does not arrive this season that they have to make that decision.They are a forward thinking club obviously well run by a level headed board but they need to build a much stronger base starting with trying to get more people in York to realise that there is a R.L. club. To Gav. and the rest of the posters on this site who are obviously avid supporters of the club,at the moment I am in Spain and have 4 very good friends and their wives who all live in York,3 of them are Leeds United season ticket holders and the other 1 has a season ticket at Liverpool. Believe it or not only 1 of them knew York still had a R.L. club but has never been and has no interest in them even though they are all ex sportsmen and now avid golfers.I have tried to tell them to get along and have a look at the team as they an up and coming club. As yet to no avail but all 4 of them and myself are all coming back next Friday on the same to flight to L/B. so will try again. I do not hold out much hope though they seem to have no interest at all in the club . I do not know how much the club target the York public but if they do it certainly has not reached these guys.

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4 minutes ago, fairfolly said:

Personally I hope the situation does not arrive this season that they have to make that decision.They are a forward thinking club obviously well run by a level headed board but they need to build a much stronger base starting with trying to get more people in York to realise that there is a R.L. club. To Gav. and the rest of the posters on this site who are obviously avid supporters of the club,at the moment I am in Spain and have 4 very good friends and their wives who all live in York,3 of them are Leeds United season ticket holders and the other 1 has a season ticket at Liverpool. Believe it or not only 1 of them knew York still had a R.L. club but has never been and has no interest in them even though they are all ex sportsmen and now avid golfers.I have tried to tell them to get along and have a look at the team as they an up and coming club. As yet to no avail but all 4 of them and myself are all coming back next Friday on the same to flight to L/B. so will try again. I do not hold out much hope though they seem to have no interest at all in the club . I do not know how much the club target the York public but if they do it certainly has not reached these guys.

There’s none so blind as those that don’t want to see. Give them a slap from me, especially the Leeds United supporters.

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