I think that's part of the reason that Cas's gates are so good, and were very good in NL1. It's also a very strong factor as to why a merger would be bad for the supporters. (Unless the merged team was called, and played in, Castleford!)

Sorry, I was referring to the mergers as a whole and not just the "Calder" merger. There was a huge amount of negativity from the fans that was directed at the RFL which caused them to abandon the plans wholesale.







See my reply to coco's post (above)

Weren't they good in NL1 because there was a recognised route back into the top flight? If one of us goes down next season and are facing 3 years in the Champo, with no clearly defined opportunity to get back in, I can't see either team retaining anything like a decent supporter base.

Perhaps.



I have no doubt that they would depreciate more knowing we'd have three years outside the top flight, perhaps longer. But we do have an extremely loyal base and I do find it hard to believe that all fans would walk away. I think we could remain like Widnes if we went down.

Fully if we went down we'd be on 4.5 to 5 thousand a home game, it's human nature. I'd be there though.

You're optimistic. We have average 5469 in 2005 and I think 5.1k in 2007.



Given our lowest attendance of this season was 4.9k v Catalans, I think our attendances would be about the 3.5k-4k mark.



Whether that is sustainable over the course of three years I don't know. If we went down, especially in this position, I've said I would turn my back on the game. It is not justified removing us when we've moved forwards, not backwards. When we offer things and others do not on the same scale.



Regardless, I probably would still be on the terraces come the start of the new season, though.

I think that 3.5k - 4k would be about right.



As for the last bit, I would say that is why Wakey will not get near that figure in the Championship, they do not have anywhere near as many core fans as we do.

I think they do have a similar core fanbase. I think they've just got fed up of everything and it's a case of loyalty coming at a price. Maybe we're just more gullible gits?



I often question the loyalty of Leeds Utd fans but despite a lot of them being total prats giving their club a bad reputation, boy do I bow down to their support, which is nothing short of phenomenal. Sorry if I offend anyone with the prats comment.

We may find out, one way or the other , next season.

Different circumstances. From reading their forum a lot of the regulars seem like they're giving up if they lose their licence.

That's my point.

I know. If a lot of the older guys give up then so will the kids. Either that or the kids will go watch Leeds or us. Catch 22 situation for us, Wakefield going down. We lose our main rival and one of the biggest attendance pulls of the season. But we could gain in fanbase and strengthen our own core support.