The chairman of one of the leading Championship sides has sent a stern warning to those in charge of the game regarding their bid to play in Super League.

York currently sit atop the Championship table but that won’t be enough for the Knights to guarantee a place in Super League with selection for the top tier confirmed by IMG gradings at present.

The current season is the first in which Super League’s composition is based on IMG rankings with the twelve highest scoring teams playing in the competition and all Grade A clubs guaranteed a spot.

York were among the highest-scoring Grade B clubs as they ranked 15th in the first ever IMG gradings last year, however, Knights chairman Clint Goodchild has argued that the club are set to improve their score.

With just three months until the IMG gradings are set to be released, it’s still unclear if that will be the defining metric for determining how Super League is shaped in 2026 and Goodchild has criticised that in a recent interview with BBC Radio York.

“There’s not a lot of clarity with what the game looks like moving forward, next year and beyond,” he explained.

“Whilst I feel that our club is moving in the right direction, it would be nice to know what we’re moving towards but hopefully we get some of those answers in the coming weeks. We’ll just focus on making sure that we’re ready for when it comes to taking that next step.”

York Knights chairman confident of Super League push

Speaking further on the club’s chances of possibly earning a move to Super League, Goodchild maintained that he’s still of the belief that IMG is the selection process and that he’s not been told otherwise.

If that remains the case then the Knights may have a very strong chance of becoming a Super League club, having already gained o.1 points by winning the 1895 Cup and being in a position to claim a further 0.25 if they win the Championship Grand Final.

Goodchild explained: “Until we’re told otherwise, the IMG grading remains as the selection process for the top tier in Super League. We know that we’ve got increases coming on our score that placed us in 15th.

“If Super League goes to 14 then I think that would be a very positive situation for us. If it stays at 12 then I think we’re in a strong position also.”

In a stern warning to those at the RFL, who will ultimately determine whether the IMG ranking or some other system determines the composition of Super League for 2026, Goodchild claimed his side will be ready.

He said: “Again, a lot of those things are out of our control and the way I spoke to the guys on Thursday is that we’ll make sure that we’re ready and if we’re not put in Super League, then shame on them but if we do get the opportunity and we’re not ready, then shame on me. I’ll make sure that we’re ready.”

Looking at those teams in Super League, he said: “I think outside of probably the top four or five in the game, every club has to go through a rebuild and a look at themselves. That’s going on now and hopefully they get it right in time but hopefully we get it right before them.”