THE promotion/relegation play-off set to be introduced next season between the Premiership and Championship is a long overdue step in the right direction. But it will mean nothing unless the stringent ground criteria to gain entry to the top flight is relaxed.
Having a 5,000 seater stadium is a fair compromise, but to expect Championship clubs to be able to magic up a 10,000 seater stadium amid the current financial climate – and ridiculously small central funding from the RFU – is preposterous.
The game badly needs relegation and promotion to return at the top end and ...