MIKE Sunderland wants to see Kingstone Press League One included in any restructuring of professional rugby league.

There has been much talk recently over changes to both Super League and the Kingstone Press Championship – possibly from next year – with the top-flight clubs meeting to discuss proposals two weeks ago and the second-tier sides doing likewise this Friday.

Any changes will undoubtedly have a knock-on effect down the leagues and Barrow Raiders chairman Sunderland will be among those keeping a close watch on the outcome of these meetings.

But although he hopes Raiders will achieve promotion from League One this year, he is in no doubt format of 16 clubs playing each other once before splitting for the Super Eights should be scrapped.

“What we have at the moment is a two-part season which is killing clubs, in my opinion,” said Sunderland.

“The fact is we can’t pre-sell our boxes and season tickets are difficult to sell because of the league structure and the way it splits in the middle.

“The fact we don’t play all teams home and away as well is a massive detriment to the league, in my opinion, because people don’t get to see the big teams.”

Splitting into northern and southern conferences, which would reduce travelling for the heartland and expansion teams, plus allow a home-and-away fixture list, is among the ideas suggested for League One.

And while Sunderland praised the RFL for introducing new clubs from outside the sport’s traditional boundaries, he believes the time has come to move away from it being an expansion competition.

“All we want is a fair shake and for it to go back to being a competitive league rather than an expansion league,” said Sunderland. “I think it would be better for the game anyway – I really believe that.

“You’ve got too many competitive teams in that expansion league, so is it a natural progression that it becomes that or do the RFL try to keep it as an expansion league to the detriment of the professional clubs?”