Applications to League 1 Open

[OriginalMrC]

4 minutes ago, Rowan said:

I don't wish to be rude but I don't think due diligence and Rugby League belong in the same sentence. How many development clubs have come and gone in their efforts to expand the semi-to boundaries of the sport.. From Scarborough to Southend,  Chorley to Cheltenham. You simply lose count of all the pins-in-maps experiments that go ahead without any support. Then we had the Rimmer group of Oxford, Gloucester, Northampton (who never even got started) Where are they now? RFL don't even encourage new clubs by offering them the simple things like a development officer, a publicity programme. We all know that there are no - or at least not enough - players in East Anglia with RL know how of lads who have played the game since they were about five years old. In the past they have even kicked out clubs such as Nottingham, Chorley so, in his own words quoted at the time, Maurice Lindsay could get rid of the dross. Has much changed?

Unless Super League clubs are willing to take the new boys on board as Aussie style nursery clubs we might as wel go chasing after rainbows only to find there is nothing there.

To be fair due diligence in the past has been relatively strict. All it does is capture a moment in time. What due diligence doesn't do is take into account goalposts moving. Its massive funding cuts, changes in structure etc. which are main factors of lots of clubs going under. It's hard enough for a new club to survive without a clear consistent plan being in place.

[del capo]

1 hour ago, Lowdesert said:

Well, you can ask him.  One of which is currently posting on this forum.

And all the more reason his views on this issue and especially the costings should be taken seriously. Couldn't make it work when much closer to London with freedom of movement and much looser Kolpak regime in place.......

[Griff]

5 hours ago, langpark said:

Was meant to be a (!) but don't let a typo stop you from adding something of substance to the discussion

I was just wondering if you knew or not.

[Pigeon Lofter]

3 hours ago, Rowan said:

Unless Super League clubs are willing to take the new boys on board as Aussie style nursery clubs we might as wel go chasing after rainbows only to find there is nothing there.

Or even "donate" 1% of their gate money (is it still called that?) to L1 to give financial support in the virtual absence of Sky funding. Wouldn't break the SL clubs but could keep L1 afloat.