I think it is clear to everyone now how PR has played a big part in other supporters and the media's perceptions of the licence and stadium situations and I think the old regime failed to fully understand this and AG is now having to play catch-up as the damage is done.

This is a very interesting article and and has the usual 'Wakefield are favourite for the drop' statement but the one thing that caught my eye, as the result of this perception that Cas and RW have worked hard to build-up was this "That fell through and plan B – sale to a supermarket – was put in place. Tigers are awaiting planning permission for a retail development on the site and more than 15,000 signatures have been gathered on a petition to support that."

[urlhttp://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/castleford-tigers/castleford_tigers_in_good_shape_for_licence_d_day_wright_interview_1_3568144[/url

You read that and think Castleford have already sold the ground and the statement awaiting planning permission for a retail development seems to suggest that they have actually made an application and are almost just waiting for it to happen, like some forgone conclusion because so many people have supported it. Now, the point I am making is that the journalist who wrote this piece is not trying to report anything other than what he beleives the true situation to be and that is what he probably thinks! Why... because Cas have worked hard in their PR to make this the perception and you can't knock them for that... it is clearly working.

RW is still telling everyone that planning for WR will be lodged in August but I know different, and unless anything has changed, which I doubt, then it will be late October IF they stick to their own plan!

Perception is everything and unfortunately, Cas probably won this battle even before AG took over!

Perception is everything in all this. Having talked to other RL supporters their perception of all this is that Cas are are far ahead in all this stadium stuff, when in reality it is probably more like 50 50. I think Cas are favourites at this time (for right or wrong) to get a franchise, but during the 3 years after this the clock will be ticking on the GH development and the time for actions will replace the need for PR.

Hopefully Savills wont be taken in so readily.

Cue Fully .....

Mentions of Cas: 5
Mentions of Wakefield: 1

Bless.

Ah yes, here's the other one.

Bless indeed.

I don't think they will be but I am not sure that is going to help Wakefield, in fact it might even have the opposite effect.

I think I know what Savills report is going to say! It will say that Wakefield will know either way early next year whether Newmarket is going ahead or not. Everyone they have spoken to, Ian Thompson, WMDC and Yorkcourt thinks that it will and they are all very confident, but it is still a risk. Castleford are now back in a open-ended time frame and it is more difficult to judge the potential success of a retail planning application for WR, given that one has not been made yet, and therefore their stadium future is possibly slightly more at risk than Wakefield's because they are not as far down the line. However, this might the problem! I expect Savills to write an honest and professional report but they will stop short of sticking their heads too far above the parapet because their are no guarantees for either side and to be honest, that is not their job. I then expect the RFL to possibly think, reading between the lines of the report, that Wakefield are likley to get a ground at Newmarket (in their opinion) whether they are in SL or NL1 and that might be the problem for the short term future of Wakefield in SL.

However, it could turn out to be a problem for other clubs longer term and why Newmarket is so important, no matter what happens on the 26th, to secure the future of Wakefield and first class sporting facilities in the city. What might happen in 2 or 3 years might not be so bad for Wakey and could be bad news for these other clubs!

The other what?

The old regime failed to understand positive PR at all levels to be honest, but yes you are right.

What makes it even funnier is that he fails to see I am giving Castleford a huge (if slightly backhanded of course) complement for how they have worked hard to gain this PR advantage!

Well the saying is, only fools rush in!

Yes but to be fair if he accepted the compliment he's have to admit you were right, bit of a catch22 for Cas fans.