Lets be honest....it should be Harlequins who don't get a license. They only had 1776 at their last home game and at that rate will be in financial strife very soon. Salfords crowds aren't great, there were plenty of Saints fans at the Willows on Friday and the crowd would have been increased by the recent Rock FM promotion to get a free ticket.



In all honesty the RFL aren't going to lose an expansion team so it's between Salford, Cas and Wakey. With the ground started it's Cas or Wakey and at this moment based on the criteria (excluding finance which is no longer an issue thanks to Cusaders plight) I would have to say Wakey.



Rest easy..........

All three clubs could in theory get booted out according to the Super League site



What happens if a Championship club meets the minimum criteria, but is not the successful club announced in March 2011?

Those Championship clubs that meet the minimum criteria but do not obtain a Super League licence in March 2011 still have a chance of obtaining a Super League licence. These clubs will have their suitability for a licence assessed with the Super League clubs who submit applications in April 2011 (see process graphic attached).



Has the assessment process changed from the last round of Super League licensing?

In the last round of licensing, clubs were initially assessed and awarded points on reaching minimum standards. In this round of licensing, clubs will be assessed against A Grade criteria. These criteria are designed to reflect the advancing standards within Super League, and take account of the feedback received from clubs following the last round of licensing.



How are the applications assessed?

Clubs are assessed on criteria in 5 key areas:



a. Commercial, Marketing, Media and Community.

b. Facilities.

c. Finance.

d. Governance and Business Management.

e. Playing Strength and Player Performance Strategy.



Clubs that meet all of the A Grade criteria across the 5 areas will be awarded an A Grade licence. Clubs that materially meet all the A Grade criteria and/or satisfy the RFL that they will meet the criteria in the next round of licensing will be awarded a B Grade licence.



The RFL will then allocate the remaining Super League licences to those existing Super League clubs and/or Championship clubs which applied for a licence and met the Championship Club Minimum Criteria. The licenses will be allocated to those clubs that the RFL board believes are the most suitable, taking into account the:



a. Extent to which each club helps meet the SLE Strategy and the strategic aims and objectives of the Licensing process;



b. Historical activity of the clubs under consideration; and



c. RFL’s reasonable opinion as to future performance of the clubs under consideration.



How are clubs planning new or redeveloped stadia going to be assessed?

=#FF0000New stadiums or redevelopments of existing stadiums will only be taken into account if the RFL is satisfied that the stadium will be open or the redevelopment finished by the start of the 2012 season.



Timeline



December 2010 – Championship club applications due to be submitted

March 2011 – Successful Championship club announced.

April 2011 – Super League club applications due to be submitted

July 2011 – Successful licensed clubs announced.

What utter arrogance.The only club in the area, you over look the fact that the Willlows is now shared by Swinton Lions who have as much if not more history than the City Reds.

Had it not been for the fact you were admitted to the Super league last time round and therefore become ring fenced against relegation Salford would have continued as a yo yo club to good for Championship and not good enough for Super league.

Fact is until third party intervention the Ground at Barton was never going to be built in a month of sundays and quite honestly isn't the sport about how the club plays and not shiney new stadiums and good financial projections.

Every year for the last three seasons and probably beyond Salfords season has been over by the middle of May,agony for the long suffering fans but always made better by the quote "well we are in Super League". If that is what signing a new three year franchise is all about then I will continue to watch Swinton at least we can acheive promotion by our Rugby merits and of course be dealt the ignomy of releagtion.

i dont know if being a Salford fan ever makes you inclined to be arrogant??

Disappointed, embarassed, GSOH, rollercoaster ride, expectations dashed - all yes.

The last time I would consider myself arrogant as a fan would be watching Keith Fielding play on the wing - I knew he was going to score as soon as he got the ball.



Since then, honestly, always humble, it comes with the territory.

Lol i know what you mean...was the same with the irrepresible Danny Wilson

With respect Danny Wilson was a great athlete with a fine step but he played a lot of games in division two with an average team. Fielding in his prime was playing in a superstar team that won championships.

I should have said SL Club.

I forgot about the mighty Lions, cant think why

wasn't questioning the teams capabilities, just the fact that he gave me the same sense of excitment. nothing more nothing less and it didn't matter which team nor division for that matter.

I think that's our ticket, and I think you are all missing a bigger picture. Manchester on a whole is an untapped RL area and with the BBC MOVING THEIR HEAD QUARTERS TO SALFORD everyone is overlooking our power and success in being granted a Franchise.



I think the RL have proved they want to expand the sport as broad as possible and with Salford moving to Barton NEXT DOOR TO THE TRAFFORD CENTRE WE have a foot in due to our possible expansion appeal.



Manchester like London like France like Wales is a vast area and seeing as the RFL want to expand the game into unfamiliar area's I guarantee we are granted a further franchise. I'm not saying it's right or based on performances we deserve it but this is an obvious RFL move that should see us at some point improve and cement our club as top 8. Play off contender for thr next 10 years. Bring on Barton. Bring on the new coach. Bring on the mighty reds. Yeehaaa





PS TO Wakefield and Castlefield. May the most expansive club win

Another ruddy franchise club

We will probably get a franchise because of the imbalance between lancashire and yorkshire sides,however i,m not really sure it will be a good thing for us or the super leagueas we seem to be light years behind everyone else.