Championship fiasco

[Bill W (2)]

And of course if you inspect the credentials of the little Hitlers who set this criteria, what do they know about anything? Naff all.

Have they ever attended a game as a normal person? Never.

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From memory it was PRL who set up the criteria. RFU carry out the audits though.

[drc_007]

Whilst the current situation is not ideal there are couple of other points that need to be taken into account.
Whilst the idea of giving a club time to meet the criteria has merit, the evidence from a number of premiership clubs is that they make little effort in that regard and would probably only do so if relegated.
I think the rules for European competitions mean that 25% of the seats have to be made available to away supporters, more difficult in smaller grounds.
The other issue is the salary cap, I suspect that I number of championship clubs would be unable to afford it, and would probably want it reduced. Whilst of course an number of the bigger clubs would like to see it increased.

I'd hate to see a club promoted and then end up bankrupt, the premiership is a big step up financially and as Airioni found in the RaboDirect Pro12 it may be a step too far.

[hww27]

As a Nottingham fan, I've been watching this argument all season (and to some extent some of last season as well. However last season Worcester were thumping everyone in sight and clearly their ground was already Prem standard so no question there, although I know there was squeaky bum time in the final when it went to the wire if I remember rightly)

As I believe it, only ourselves, Bristol and Leeds passed the ground audit although those pesky Welsh sneaked in at the eleventh hour with a desperate bid. I believe that the criteria has been changed for next season so that only the top four can play off, however this could make an utter mockery of the whole system as if Leeds play as dire as they did last season, (same with us to some extent) Bristol may be a possibility for top 4 but the other teams who are anywhere near any good (Bedford, Cornish Pirates, Welsh if they dont go up) are likely to be the ones occupying the play-off spots therefore possibly ending up in another stalemate.

Mr Bean, I believe Bedford are the only team near the top of the table not to even consider alternate facilities etc or consider applying for audit. I've been to Goldington Road twice now (I believe some of our idiot 'supporters' nearly caused a fight in the bar last time - sorry about that ) and that is my only gripe - toilets or rather lack of them.

However if only those teams who were capable of playing in the Prem were allowed to play in the Championship, it would be a very small and pointless league There are a fair few teams in the Championship who are never likely to play in the Prem (I'm thinking the likes of Moseley, Plymouth, London Scottish and dare I say it Doncaster ) who if they were forced to update their grounds to Prem standard 'just in case' unless they had nearby football clubs willing to share (Plymouth possibly and maybe Donny) might possibly be forced out of business for the sake of a league they do not want, and are not capable of playing in.

Thats the problem with the Championship - there are clubs good enough for the Prem but theres too much red tape and no dam incentive for them to get there.

[fleabane]

There are some clubs unwilling to commit to becoming fully professional, and with the financial state of the game, who can blame them?

Sooner or later, the qualification regulations have to be enforced on Premiership clubs, or amended or abandoned, and so allow proper relegation and promotion.

The current farce is yet another reason for being justly critical of Mr Carling's former friends.

[Bill W (2)]

Sooner or later, the qualification regulations have to be enforced on Premiership clubs, or amended or abandoned, and so allow proper relegation and promotion.

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Please!

[Mr Bean]

As a Nottingham fan, I've been watching this argument all season (and to some extent some of last season as well. However last season Worcester were thumping everyone in sight and clearly their ground was already Prem standard so no question there, although I know there was squeaky bum time in the final when it went to the wire if I remember rightly)

As I believe it, only ourselves, Bristol and Leeds passed the ground audit although those pesky Welsh sneaked in at the eleventh hour with a desperate bid. I believe that the criteria has been changed for next season so that only the top four can play off, however this could make an utter mockery of the whole system as if Leeds play as dire as they did last season, (same with us to some extent) Bristol may be a possibility for top 4 but the other teams who are anywhere near any good (Bedford, Cornish Pirates, Welsh if they dont go up) are likely to be the ones occupying the play-off spots therefore possibly ending up in another stalemate.

Mr Bean, I believe Bedford are the only team near the top of the table not to even consider alternate facilities etc or consider applying for audit. I've been to Goldington Road twice now (I believe some of our idiot 'supporters' nearly caused a fight in the bar last time - sorry about that ) and that is my only gripe - toilets or rather lack of them.

However if only those teams who were capable of playing in the Prem were allowed to play in the Championship, it would be a very small and pointless league There are a fair few teams in the Championship who are never likely to play in the Prem (I'm thinking the likes of Moseley, Plymouth, London Scottish and dare I say it Doncaster ) who if they were forced to update their grounds to Prem standard 'just in case' unless they had nearby football clubs willing to share (Plymouth possibly and maybe Donny) might possibly be forced out of business for the sake of a league they do not want, and are not capable of playing in.

Thats the problem with the Championship - there are clubs good enough for the Prem but theres too much red tape and no dam incentive for them to get there.

I beleive you are correct in saying that Bedford havent applied for the audit but there has been a couple of mention of us ground sharing with MK dons :/ I would love to see Bedford play in the premiership again as I am sure you would love to see notts up there but there is so much bureaucracy it is almost like ring fencing. I'm not sure on notts financial situation but I know at Bedford we are mainly owned by the fans with help from a local business man, we had to replace the lights this year and have been doing several fundraisers for that so I have no idea how much a rotating the whole pitch 90 degrees is going to cost. Apart from the lack of lavvies I do not see to much being wrong with Bedfords ground, it has been used for premiership matches before so why not again. It will need adjustmentsto fit the bill but with the extra revenue from the premiership they will come hand in hand but we can't afford to do it at the moment. People are saying that being in the premiership will break clubs the fact is its trying to get into the premiership that is breaking clubs.

[hww27]

We're lucky enough to be fairly financially secure now we are owned by Notts County, but you're quite right in saying its not so much the being in the Premiership thats breaking clubs its getting there.
Our issue is the team has been very disjointed (although giving a nod to the fact this is the Tigers board we have been most grateful for the loans of Jonny Harris, Ryan Bower, Richard De Carpentier, Calum Green, Andy Forsyth who have all been great for us and a particular thanks and mention to Alex Lewington who has saved our bacon on more than one occasion ) and I honestly believe we wont get there while our team is so disjointed. It's no good having a ground that passes the audits if the team doesnt perform.

[Kinoulton]

Lesson: Way back in the 80s when China was not as powerful, they started bidding for major projects on the basis that they had the business plan and potential finance to see it through.

If they were awarded the project then they acquired the plant and workforce required and would do a damned good job, repaying their investors 10% profit almost immediately.

If someone had have told the companies they needed to build their factory to the required standard BEFORE they knew they'd been awarded the contract, they probably have been shot.

It is the same with promoted clubs. Promote them, have a grown up discussion with them and work out when and how they will get their facilities to the required standard.