NORTH WALES CRUSADERS will take part in the Championship next season after all, having been granted Rugby Football League membership.
The decision comes little more than a week after North Wales withdrew their application, seemingly bringing months of negotiation to an end.
But after reopening dialogue, owner Jamie El-Kaleh satisfied the governing body with a revised business plan.
North Wales needed a fresh licence to continue in the professional game after only being granted a temporary one when El-Kaleh revived the club in May following insolvency.
The resolution of a dispute over the requirement to place funds in an escrow and its terms proved crucial in the breakthrough.
RFL chief executive Ian Nolan said: “I’d like to thank Jamie for all his hard work and diligence in getting to this endgame that we all wanted – North Wales Crusaders participating in the Championship and helping our sport flourish.
“Although we had some queries about the financial aspect of their plan, they have gone away and returned with a far more robust proposal which, allied to the escrow we decided to put in place, has left everyone with the belief the club can press on with confidence.
“That is great news for North Wales Crusaders and us, as a sport, as we look forward to the new season.”
El-Kaleh said: “A massive thank you to all of our fans, our board, our sponsors, and Ian Nolan at the RFL for helping us get this across the line. Now we can build with a purpose.”
North Wales are now expected to remain based in Colwyn Bay for at least another season, having previously announced plans to rebrand as Wales Crusaders and play some matches in Bridgend.
It ends one element of uncertainty over next season’s Championship, although two still remain with London Broncos waiting to discover if they will be promoted to Super League and efforts to revive Featherstone Rovers ongoing.
