The other big RL forum is reporting League One fixtures are due out November 1st. I'd expect an announcement ahead of that so that the fixture release isn't overshadowed by talk about the future of one or more of the teams. If it is bad news I suspect something may be sneaked by the RFL next week in the hope it flies under the media radar post Grand Final.

Apparently there is a bit in the weeks rugby league express. Haven't seen it yet. Apparently it includes a suggestion that players are leaving the club on the advice of Tim Rumford as he doesn't know what is happening. If anyone has seen it could they confirm what it says please?

Two stories, first was that an announcement expected soon and Manchester Rangers are angling to take the spot if vacated and play out of Man City's academy.
Second was Tim saying Aaron Nicholson has gone to Keith Lee and he doesn't blame anyone who goes as he still knows nothing.

Losing players like Aaron to Keighley isn't exactly a shock. Given such an offer we'd probably have struggled to keep him even if Tim knew we were playing on and could make offers.

The fact Tim seems to be on the dark does seem to tell you quite a lot mind.

Firstly, last seasons's fixtures initially contained a York-sized hole, so I wouldn't say the contents on 1 November could confirm anything either way.

There was a League Express piece a couple of weeks ago, where Tim Rumford said he was advising players to look for other clubs as he couldn't guarantee them anything (although that fits more with closure than merger). I did look out for Oxford personnel before Saturday's game as I bet most of them were there, but saw no-one that I recognised. Obviously had I seen anyone afterwards I would have steered well clear...

Hopefully, I'll be able to post the League Express article Tuesday night.

York were always going to play last season. I was told at the Coventry double header that it was a done deal, it was just pending the odd i being dotted and t crossed. The RFL and others had been working on it for a long time. Hence the York shaped hole was built in to the fixtures and why York were busy in pre-season training when they officially didn't exist.

The other teams need to know how many home games they will have. Unless it is all but certain a team can play on I'd expect a firm announcement by the date of fixture release that said team(s) are no more.

Here's the League Express take:

Ralph Rimmer has reportedly suggested that the League One fixtures in 2018 are on a home and away basis. If true, this suggests to me there probably aren't 16 teams entered for next season.

"Smaller competition with traditional fixture list" seems to be the line. Also confirms fixtures out 1 November, and that the first rounds will be at the same time as the other two divisions (unlike this year where it was a month later).

League Express say that all will be revealed in their issue this Monday, so I expect darkbluerover to be posting here with it on Sunday night.

Will do, how do you put pictures in?

It's easy to link to pictures using the full editor but as far as I know they have to be online somewhere first. So I generally add them as a reply to an appropriate Facebook post to get a link. Can do that Tuesday evening if there's anything worth seeing. All I was gently requesting was the headline news in case it doesn't make waves anywhere else.

Also, I've just found this 10-minute audio of Ralph Rimmer which is where the (almost mis)quotes come from:
[urlhttps://soundcloud.com/user-129831624/ralph-rimmer-on-the-future-of[/url
Have to say, the only solution I can think of that fits all the statements are that there are two more withdrawals than there are new entries, the most obvious method of which involves us and All Golds leaving with no merged club to join. But then it's interesting that Rimmer mentioned Gloucestershire several times. And looking at statements from League 1 clubs, it looks like everyone else is expecting still to be around.

Not a huge amount I'm afraid. The Ralph Rimmer discussion was repeated pretty much as we heard it- 'traditional' fixture list and no L1 Cup.
News article which was another near repeat of recent weeks TR still not heard anything and advises players to think carefully about other offers they get, and there is more news on a team from New York set to enter from 2019.