Fax Chairman slams RFL

Halifax Chairman, Michael Steele, has slammed the RFL’s decision to not grant a licence to the Yorkshire based outfit, stating that it feels like they’ve been ‘used’.

Steele stated that to describe the decision as disappointing is a massive understatement, especially considering all of the hard work that had gone into making a realistic and viable bid.

The Fax Chairman said “I can assure you that it was a realistic bid. It emphasised the quality of the Shay Stadium as a venue for Rugby League at the highest level in the 21st century, it showed the manner in which the present board has stabilised the financial position, and planned to do so at Super League level, and it showed how we are leading in many respects of marketing the game.

“It included plans for a full Scholarship and under 18s/20s player pathway, even the RFL accepting that the changes they have made render it financially imprudent for a Championship Club to attempt to run these on the budget available at the second tier of the game.

“And yet, we find ourselves rejected in favour of Clubs with a history of breaching their licence terms who are effectively promising to do that which they promised three years ago and didn’t deliver. To describe that as disappointing is a massive understatement. 

“We had a degree of understanding that the SL expansion strategy meant that Halifax ranked below the Development Clubs in the thinking of the Board of Directors.

“At present it feels as if we have been ‘used’, because the RFL needed our application to pretend that the process had a validity, which now appears to be completely lacking. 

“Money has been spent on this exercise. The status quo could have been maintained, for nothing!”