Fears for Championship One clubs in re-structure

While the issue of promotion and relegation in 2014 has been addressed, there remains uncertainty over the future of Championship One clubs once the game re-structure takes place.

At present, at least 13 current Championships clubs will be left in limbo between the new two 12’s set-up and the National Conference League from 2015.

No extra funding is currently being ring-fenced for professional clubs who don’t make it in to the top 24, which will be made up of the 14 current Super League clubs, the top nine of next season’s Championship, and the winner of the 2014 Championship One play-offs.

There are fears it now means the remaining 13 clubs will be cast adrift.

A club source said: “We were promised a marketing plan on the new structure before anything was announced so it wasnt constantly referred to as two 12s, or Super League 1 and 2 or whatever and leave the other 13 pro teams in limbo between the two twelves and NCL- but that hasnt materialised yet.

“The other 13 clubs seem to be stuck between an autonomous SuperLeague, which is expanded to 24 teams, and an autonomous NCL. 

“There may need to be a change in governance going forward or at the very least a strong marketing plan that brings the whole of the pro game back together.”

Some clubs are also unhappy at the decision to award a promotion place to a Championship One team in 2014. This means that the club finishing fifth bottom in the Championship will miss out on the top 24, but a team finishing fifth in Championship One could make it in, should they win the play-offs.