Grading Featherstone

Will Featherstone Rovers make it back into Super League? Boots 'n' All looks at their chances.

Featherstone Rovers were the latest side to come under the Boots 'n' All licensing spotlight. With clubs being asked to put their bids in for a permit to take part in the competition from 2009, every week Angela Powers will be out and about seeing how the candidates meet the necessary criteria. A few eyebrows were raised when Rovers revealed they were applying to take part in Super League, but the rank outsiders say they shouldn't be judged until the RFL has seen what they have to offer. They hit they headlines when they re-named their stadium after Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles, but the groundis more than just a publicity stunt; it is surrounded by 17 acres of land which is primed for development. However their plans for improvement are a long way from becoming a reality and at present, they do not meet the premier competition standard, nor do they pick up any points for capacity or attendance. However, with ticket sales going up following their promotion to National League One, the club hope their average gate of around 1,500 will shoot up in the years to come. Despite an increase in their commercial activities, they are still a long way off reaching the annual turnover level of £4million. Having never been in Super League they can't earn a point for contributing to the competition and their geographical location does not help them either. However, they do pick up points for being solvent, for never breaching the salary cap and for having at least eight home-grown players in their squad last season. So Boots 'n' All reckons they would get three points, which would earn them a C licence. That's unlikely to see them accepted into Super League, but it's a good start. Andy Prout, Featherstone Rovers Chief Executive said: It's a serious application. We want a license for 2009. We want to take our fans with us into Super League and the community club status of Featherstone Rovers to be battling with Castleford, Wakefield and all the other giants of Super League. There are three professional rugby league clubs in this area, not two. We are Featherstone Rovers and proud of it.

CRITERIA	YES/NO	PTS
Capacity of 12,000 +	NO	0
Premier competition standard ground	NO	0
Average crowd of 10,000 +	NO	0
Operating at 40 per cent full	NO	0
Turn over £4million +	NO	0
Solvent	YES	1
Contribution to competition	NO	0
Junior development	YES	1
No salary cap breaches	YES	1
No club within 20 miles	NO	0
GRAND TOTAL		3
LICENSING GRADE		C