And the 14 Super League licence winners for 2009 are ...

Three weeks today we will know the Magic 14. Know officially that is. The old grapevine is buzzing, the rumour mill is on treble time and Celtic Crusaders have read the runes, rubbed their crystal balls and concluded, or at least the Welsh press have, that Bridgend will be on the Super League map from 2009. The RFL have said that nothing is decided yet. Oh yeah ? The soothsayers I consulted on Scammonden Bridge and at Birch and Ferrybridge services all said something about Salford having to beware the Ides of March, or July. It looks like a yes for a revitalised Widnes, who crucially didn't kick up a fuss about Hull's ineligible player in the Challenge Cup, another yes for Celtic and a no for Salford, whose stadium will be ready for 2012, won't it ? Castleford will breathe a sigh of relief, as they and the other existing 11 clubs will keep their places. Any complaints about this prediction, in the unlikely event of it proving a load of old tosh, should be addressed to Madam Zelda, Fortune Teller to the Stars, Runcorn Shopping Centre.

Comments

[Ian Law]

Toulouse and Celtic must be included if Rugby League has any serious ambitions to grow the game. The Catalan Dragons have been a major success for the sport. This is despite a chorus of nay sayers prior to their inclusion.

New clubs in expansion areas must be built from the bottom up to survive and the grass roots already exist in the South of France.

Celtic's inclusion would be a gamble but one the RL have to take. Otherwise the future is to remain a minority sport confined to Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria just as we have been for the last 100 years.

[Wembley71]

Widnes have just come from the brink of Bankruptcy. Salford, Cas and Wakefield play in Victorian ruins. Celtic are a mercenary band of rootless Antipodeans with no local fan base or infrastructure... just like the other failed Welsh ventures before them.

The experience at Warrington shows that a mdoern facility can add 5,000 to the gate regardless of results.

So, what's needed is a solvent and well-run heartland club, with a breathtaking youth and amateur setup, playing in a brand new facility.

That'l be Leigh, then.

[Rougyed2008]

Widnes and Salford have both had the chance to perform in Super League before and shown that they just can't cut it on the marketing / support front, so I think Celtic and Toulouse should be given a chance. At least they haven't failed before !

If one of the "old" clubs must get it then I think Salford deserve the nod, because they at least have their new stadium on the way which might give them a way of attracting new supporters - Widnes had their revamped stadium last time they were in the top flight, and despite that showed that they just haven't got enough supporters to deserve a place.

[albert whittle]

Salford are nailed on for me, no question about that, Celtic will be given the nod, this will kick start plans for a council built stadium to house them, (western mail).

[Alf Hartigan]

The Blog is way out. The Fat Lady hasnt even gargled with Lea & Perrins never mind selected the clubs. There are probably 7 clubs vieing for 4 places - Hull KR, Cas, Widnes, Salford, Celtic, Toulouse & dont rule out Leigh. A long way to go. What with the price of diesel and Mrs O`Connors desire of a huge Mediterranean Villa instead of a weekend at Odsal maybe Widnes are not home and hosed after all.

[Mike Farrow]

It depends which way they jump. Is it the current 12 plus 2 or is it the 14 "best" applications? It is solely on which application wins the highest number of the points or is it a weird combination of the public selection criteria and intangible, unspoken criteria? They have a massive loophole by saying that a B license does not guarantee entry and C license doesn't preclude entry.

Purely on selection criteria, I think the two best non-SL sides are currently Widnes and Toulouse. Toulouse may lose out based on the concern that there simply isn't enough decent French players to go around. If so, Salford are the next best option. Salford have the plans in place and could become the growth club in Super League. Hull and Warrington have shown the potential of a new stadium.

If they go for the best 14 and consider relegating teams that don't meet criteria, it will be the A License clubs (Leeds, Warrington, Hull and St Helens), the B license clubs who should have been A License clubs but they insisted on breaking the salary cap (Wigan and Bradford), the rest of the applications that meet the B license level (Catalans, Harlequins, Huddersfield, Widnes and Toulouse) and the teams that will make B license level by 2010 (Castleford and Salford). This leaves one place for the remaining C License applicants. So either Hull KR or Wakefield would be relegated or both, if they want to "expand the footprint".

As for Leigh, to me it looks like whatever way you slice it, it's a C license application.

[Keith]

I think in these uncertain economic times, with attendances and sponsorship both possibly falling, the RFL will play safe and go for Widnes and Salford to join the existing twelve.

Which is hard on Leigh, as they have a good case.

[Robbo]

All the rumours HAVE been that Widnes and Celtic will be the two added and that's all that has been said on here. Why anyone would take offence or assume that anyone who prophesises the outcome is somehow having a shot at one club or another needs to check their blood pressure and have a sit down. It's like fans who blow up when someone tips against their side as if someone had just slapped their mother. If the writer had said "Widnes and Celtic SHOULD be named ahead of Salford" it might warrant a response but he didn't say that. For the record, the rumours are so strong about the two inclusions that, on previous RL experience, they are probably correct.

[Old Faithful]

I think what a lot of people forget when considering Celtic's application is the overall financial implications. It's true that they aren't particularly well supported at the moment, although with a half-way decent SL side they would not be hugely short of the gates attracted by Salford & Leigh. However, having another team outside the traditional heartlands would give SL more leverage when negotiating future TV & sponsorship deals.

[martin ryan]

if the celtic crusaders are not in this time i will be surprised. then its a toss up between salford and widnes.

[lee churchman]

i would like to see toulouse and the crusaders in, but i know that won't happen. i think it will be salford and the crusaders.

[Mathew Devany]

In response to Heywood Jablowme how do Widnes have a worse junior structure than Leigh.We have had an academy competing with Super League.Fair enough it took a bit of a battering during the winter of discontent for Widnes fans.Leigh don't even have an academy do they not only links with amateur sides.

[CityRedGirl]

I think it's ridiculous to ignore Salford's Huge potential for the future, especially with The movement of the BBC to MediaCity Salford, Which i also think will include further along the lines RedHall Moving HQ To MediaCity. Salford City Reds have all the right attributes to be a Massive club come 2010-2011 Also with the Landmark City of Salford Stadium construction underway the RFL Would be absolute fools to reject the reds bid for a franchise We are solvent, Have a proud History and a Huge Catchment area/growth potential . Roll on 22 July I cannot wait.. It will be a defining day for the future of The Original Red Devils.

[Griffo]

Ladies and Gentlemen , remember this much
Mr Irvine knows as little as to who will get the licences as you or i - if you believe otherwise you are really are mugs- Neither Mr Irvine or any other so called RL journalist has a hotline to the RFL and given that this by article is by own admission a load of tosh - best thing is to just ignore it

[Pepe]

You do realise that you will now be getting angry phone calls from Dave Tarry and Steve Simms demanding you print their thoughts on how great Salford are and how rubbish, bankrupt, clubs in council stadiums should not get in before them.

Just ask Andy Wilson at the Guardian ;0)

[City Red]

I'm a Salford fan Mike to and I can see the funny side. Not sure too wot forum you're looking at either. Don't worry mate, we'll get in.

[Smitty]

Mike, I'm sure you'll have the last laugh when they put Salford in. Good luck to the Reds but I still think your getting too worked up about this. If you took this issue seriously all the time youd drive yourself mad.

[Mike Walker]

Actually- No!

Read the forums and you will see that people are very emotional about what they believe (wrongly) will be the end of their club. I don't find this funny. This is a poor attempt at humour and dismissive of the club I love. Hence I think it should be removed. I am tired of so called rugby journalists having a dig at Salford.

[Smitty]

Mike, aren't you talking this all a bit too seriously ? Lighten up. The article even refers to a load of old tosh. Surely we can inject some humour into our sport or are we so stuck up?

[MIKE WALKER]

This article is now doing the rounds on the RL Forum and the more I see it the more it annoys me. This so called article is ill-conceived and is actually inconsiderate. Either name your sources or retract. The people at Salford who have invested time and money in a franchise bid do not their efforts dismissing in this casual, discourteous manner.

[Steve Maxormack]

Leigh were never really in with a shout, they should develop themselves as a feeder club to Wigan!

I believe Salford and Widnes would be the best option with Celtic given 3 yrs notice to prove the can compete and sustain at the level they are at whilst developing the homegrown talent they seem to miss

[stuart]

Shame about Leigh, i'm wigan but acknowledge Leigh and wigan have the most players in super league.

and for a small town can boast 4 amateur sides. amazing

[mike Hunt]

Well It should be Salford and Widnes, why Bridgend? just another outpost as the RFL try and expand the game again waste of time and money like I have said before keep it where the game is strong.

[Mike Walker]

As a Salford fan I take great exception to this absolute stupidity. Unbiased reporting? I assume an apology will be forthcoming.

[heywood jablowme]

No mention of Leigh Centurions whoes new ground is a month away and whos junior structure is FAR better than either celtics, widnes OR salford. then again we arnt as "glamorous" as celtic are we? LOL