By Helen Thompson and Martin Morgan

Published at 15:51, Wednesday, 02 February 2011

WHITEHAVEN and Workington Town will both shoot for a new-look Championship next year when it could expand to 14 clubs.

support: Barry Richardson

Under a radical RFL proposal unveiled yesterday, up to three clubs will be added to the current 11-team competition in 2012.

And the West Cumbrian Championship One rivals, who meet at the Recre on Sunday in the Northern Rail Cup, are united in support of the new vision for the sport.

Town chairman Dave Bowden said: “This is about moving the game on and surviving in the future. It is clear that things are not working now with the amount of clubs struggling to move forward, increase gates and stay financially viable.”

Barry Richardson, Haven chief executive, stressed Championship entry would not be dictated solely by clubs’ finishing positions in Championship One but include off-field criteria.

He added: “It will also be based on a club’s structure and how stable it is. Financial stability will obviously play a part.

“It’s a really good idea to expand the Championship as at the moment. The present set-up doesn’t give us enough home games to run as a fruitful business. We need more to raise revenue.

“Our aspiration has to be the Championship. But we can’t chase that outside our financial planning. The plan is to re-establish the club on a sound financial footing for the future.”

Town and Haven play just 10 home games in Championship One this term.

The RFL say that, although central funding will continue, under the new proposals the size of hand-outs will be more performance-related to factors such as a club’s contribution to the sport and its business management.

Bowden added: “At Workington Town we buy into the principle that we have to have a club on solid foundations.

“We put emphasis on the commercial side, community side and player development. When you get them right then you can bring in coaches and players on solid ground.

“Our stadium has a grandstand that holds a thousand people, we know it is aging and we would like to improve it, which is something we will be working on with as many partners as we can.

“We will be working hard to ensure that when these criteria are confirmed, that we tick all the boxes.

“On the field we have tried to invest and we are looking for progress. We want to move up the league and our ultimate objective is to get promotion in our own right. But I am pleased that the RFL and clubs have got together to address where the game is and how to move forward. For some it will be hard but we have to ensure that the game, as a whole, survives.

“It is clear that change is necessary in the game because a number of clubs are finding it difficult so there has to be some restructuring or there will be more clubs struggling to survive.

A consultation paper which will form the basis of a shake-up of the divisional structure below Super League for three years from 2012 has been circulated to Championship clubs and the RFL hope to announce the make-up of the league in September.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk