We're at a point where if we are to have any hope of getting a franchise, we need very real progress every single week and every single month. Certain Wakey fans may be eager to jump on any non-news from Cas (whilst ignoring the fact that they are still a long, long way from getting their own new stadium built), but the fact of the matter is that we are years behind schedule, and now we need planning permission submitted asap, and need the stadium build under way before submitting our franchise application.
The franchise applications go in around January, we are now over a quarter of the way through 2010. I don't know how long architectural plans take to draw or how long planning permission takes to be granted, but I would suppose these things take a least six months - we have eight months to pour concrete into the ground. That means we need to get this process happening this month at the latest to have any vague prayer of the build commencing.
I have always taken this project with a pinch of salt, and have always said I'll believe it when I see it, but as the club have seemingly chosen this year as a gap year on the field, the only hope of us retaining our SL place is to have the facilities of a SL club. We've already told the RFL we'll be in the ground before 2012, we cannot make promises again, we need actual action.
I don't climb on the slag TM bandwagon that is hurtling through the Tigers at the moment, but our club's future relies on this project coming to fruition, and I am truly scared that, regardless of the effort the club clearly is putting into the project (albeit years too late), they have not got the ability to pull through and secure the club's long-term future.
