Championship Talk: Strength in Unity

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.

Strength in unity

THESE are interesting, and crucial times for clubs outside the top flight.

         

The dispute with leading Super League clubs continues to play out publicly, and is showing little signs of abating.

         

Then there is the severe financial difficulties that several clubs find themselves in at present.

         

Following Whitehaven’s appeal to raise £60,000 to see the season out last month, Barrow revealed last week that they came close to going out of business, and the situation is just as serious at Keighley, who need £45,000 to complete their own campaign.

         

Barrow chairman David Sharpe said that he found just £7.50 in the club’s bank account when he returned last August, while the Cougars say their balance stood at £34.23 at the end of June.

         

Those are eye-opening figures, and a clear indication of how difficult clubs are finding it at present.

         

Every situation is different of course, and each club has to be responsible for its own finances, not least when we see those in the same or similar positions operating well within their means.

         

But equally, it’s hard to get away from the fact that this is becoming an increasingly familiar trend, and one that does the sport little favours.

         

It’s also unlikely to encourage the aforementioned Super League clubs continuing to support the current level of central funding that goes outside the top flight, if it is going into situations that are potential financial disasters.

         

But the Championship and League One clubs have at least stood firm together again in the last seven days, issuing another statement that says they are unanimously behind the current structure of the sport, “unless there was a compelling robust proposal” to change.

         

It added: “The current competition structure and funding model is in place until the end of 2021.

         

“The protection and maintenance of the existing game-wide funding levels to non-Super League stakeholders is not negotiable.

         

“The planned RFL strategy review is under way, and we expect this report to be completed later this year.”

         

The clubs will need to maintain that collective voice in coming months, with Super League’s push for immediate change destined to come to a head at some point.

         

The game needs strong leaders at the top more than ever now to pull all factions together for the greater good of the sport.

         

As the joint statement concluded: “Rugby league must move forward as one group and the unanimous vote at the meeting clearly outlines the united view of Championship and League One clubs.”