Whisper it on the streets of Whitehaven – but rugby league club chairman Tommy Todd wants rivals Workington Town to survive in the Championship.

Haven’s 28-24 win over Town at Blackpool on Saturday left Town six points off safety at the foot of the Championship table.

The win lifted Whitehaven to third bottom but Oldham, who separate the two Cumbrian clubs, do have a game in hand albeit against Bradford Bulls.

“I might be in the minority around these parts but I’m not one of those people who wants to see Town go down and us stay up,” said Todd. “I think it’s important that both clubs stay at the highest level possible.

“The derby matches are a bit special to both clubs, not just in the extra income but in the interest they generate.

“I’d certainly like to see Barrow join us in the Championship so that all three clubs are in the same competition. It doesn’t bear to think about the three of us down in Championship One.”

Both west Cumbrian clubs have seven games left in the regulation series before the break for the Super Eights and seven more competitive matches whichwill ultimately decide their fate.

They don’t come any tougher than the fixtures that have been thrown at the two west Cumbrian clubs this weekend.

Whitehaven host leaders Leigh Centurions on Saturday (6.30pm) while Workington make the long trek south to play the second in the table London Broncos.

Ultimately their survival isn’t going to rest on the results of those games, but more likely to be on how they do against clubs in the current bottom six.

At the moment the relegation zone can be centred on those six sides, who stand: Swinton (12 points), Sheffield (10), Dewsbury (10), Whitehaven (10), Oldham (8) and Workington (4).

Whitehaven have only Sheffield at home to play whilst they will visit both Oldham and Town. The other five games are against teams in the top six – Leigh (h), Halifax (h), Featherstone (a), Bradford (a) and Batley (h).

Workington, on the other hand, still have relegation clashes with Swinton (h), Dewsbury (h), Whitehaven (h) and Oldham (a). The other four games look very tough – London (a), Bradford (h), Leigh (a) and Featherstone (a).

“There’s a lot of rugby still to be played before we reach the Super Eights and I’m sure there are going to be more twists and turns,” said Todd.