As was widely expected, Fax missed out yesterday when Rugby Football League boss Richard Lewis announced the make up of next season's new look 14 team Super League at a Leeds hotel.

The Shay outfit had been one of 19 clubs who had applied for a place in the game's top tier via the RFL's controversial new licensing system.

In the end, the 12 existing Super League clubs all clung to their status, despite obvious doubts over Yorkshire pair Wakefield and Castleford, with the final two places going to Fax's National League One title rivals Salford and Celtic Crusaders.

Clay said he was "disappointed" to miss out, but was realistic enough to admit there was plenty of work to do if Fax wanted to be considered genuine front runners when the next round of applications comes round in 2011.

RFL powerbroker, and former Shay chief executive, Nigel Wood has already confirmed that the top National League side will definitely be elevated to the top flight in 2012, either by expanding the competition further or by removing one or more of yesterday's winners.

"We have made some massive improvements this year, both on and off the field, and those will continue over the next three years," said Clay.

"It's simple: we have to make sure we are the strongest National League club in 2011.

"The immediate aim now is to make the Grand Final this season and win it.

"Beyond that, there is a lot of work to do to - on the scholarship, the stadium, the business side of the club and making sure the attendances continue to rise.

"I am disappointed, just as our players and supporters will be disappointed, but this was never win or bust for us.

"We are aiming for long term growth and we are very confident of delivering that."

While yesterday's decision was greeted with howls of derision elsewhere, notably at big losers Widnes, who had been utterly confident of success, and Leigh, Clay was confident life outside the top flight would continue to improve.

"Anyone who has watched our progress this season will tell you this is already a great competition," said Clay, who hinted that the many rumours swirling around - a possible rebranding of the game outside Super League, the inclusion of Toulouse in the competition in either 2009 or 2010 and a restructuring of the much-maligned Northern Rail Cup - had firm foundations in fact.

"There are likely to be some significant further improvements in the near future which I am sure will make it even better.

"All we can do now is make it impossible for the RFL to turn us down next time."

Leigh have hit out over the decision to award Celtic Crusaders a Super League licence, claiming the game's governing body should "hang their heads in shame".
Leigh chief executive Allan Rowley said: "May we take this opportunity to wish Salford and Celtic all the best but we also have to say we are thoroughly disgusted with the Celtic decision.
"We now have a team that fielded 10 overseas players against us because they are classed as a development team and are now in our elite competition."

HALIFAX centre Jon Goddard will have a scan on his torn bicep later this week to determine whether it requires surgery.

The former Hull KR back saw a specialist in Manchester on Monday night after leaving the field against Leigh 10 days ago.