Workington Town will be applying to the RFL to win a place in next year’s Betfred Championship.

With several of the Championship sides currently vying for the vacant Super League berth, left by Toronto Wolfpack, there will be a spare place – and Town are keen to fill it.

If successful they would join neighbours Whitehaven in the competition.

Town chairman Les Smallwood said: “We’ve analysed the criteria and we meet it all.

“The board have thought long and hard as to whether to apply.

“We would prefer to achieve promotion through the usual process, but have decided that we have to apply when circumstances have presented the opportunity.

“We are a club with a strategy to get to the Championship anyway and all of the things we have been putting in place over the last few seasons is based on being a solid Championship club.

“We look forward to submitting a compelling case to the RFL.”

And Whitehaven, who were promoted back in 2019, have backed their rivals’ proposal.

In a tweet the club said: “WRLFC welcome the bid by our neighbours Workington Town to take the vacant place in the Championship for the 2021 season.

“Good luck in this application and we hope the whole of West Cumbria gets behind this bid.”

If Town were successful in moving up to the Championship it would mean the return of the West Cumbrian derby games, so loved by fans.

Doncaster, Barrow and Rochdale have also said that they will submit bids.