Gareth Walker's Column: April 2nd

fevnut's blog is absolutely delighted to have received permission to bring you a regular column from Gareth Walker.

Gareth is a top rugby league journalist who has one very exceptional distinction. He chooses to write about matters pertaining to the Championship and League One.

Although this blog is devoted to Featherstone Rovers it is always good to read opinions about matters relevant to us, but not specifically about us. We hope you enjoy reading Gareth's column each week.

Amateur ambition

 

THERE is a growing move from the country’s leading amateur clubs to open up a pathway to League One if they fulfil the relevant criteria.

          National Conference League chairman Trevor Hunt is set to press the claims of its members to the RFL in coming months.

          Amateur clubs have again impressed in this year’s Challenge Cup, with two highlights seeing Siddal push full-time Toronto Wolfpack to the wire, and North West Counties club Haydock reach the fourth round where they competed admirably with Oldham.

          Hunt believes that five or six of the NCL’s 50 members would be capable of making the step up on and off the field, and wants to prospect to be discussed further.

          Speaking the the BBC’s rugby league podcast, Hunt said: “Believe it or not when summer rugby was sold to the community game five years or so ago it was very much being a part of a pyramid.

          “In it, if you were able to pass the rigid criteria of ground, infrastructure, support network and funding, then in reality you should be able to step up from the NCL to League One.

          “Coventry Bears started life within the NCL but way down the divisions.

          “They managed to leapfrog those divisions because they managed to get the ground and everything into place.

          “Some clubs feel stuck in the NCL, but I believe if they were given the opportunity to step up then they would take it.”

          Hunt has outlined the significant gap in funding between League One and the NCL as a cause of frustration - not least when the amateur clubs are all running several teams each, compared to often just one at professional level.

          “The funding difference is considerable,” he said.

          “If you’re in League One you get around £70,000 a year.

          “In the NCL, the RFL do provide a grant subsidiary which is around £50,000 for all 50 clubs - roundabout a grand apiece. These days that works out at about one coach trip.

          “You’ll find there’s a huge frustration with that.

          “In the NCL you’re required to have teams from under-8s all the way through the age groups - and at least two open age sides.

          “That’s around 250 to 300 players at each club.

          “They have a lot of investment from volunteers and their local communities, yet a club may come along who might just have one team, a ground, but don’t tick any boxes for the NCL and low and behold there’s a nice £70,000 cheque for them each year to play in League One.”

          Hunt now wants the National Conference League to put its frustrations directly to the RFL in the hope that a pathway can open.

          He added: “We’re working with the RFL to see how we can do that.”