hope of a place in Super League. Unable to meet the minimum stadium requirements for Super League (as part of Rugby Football League's new 'framing the future' guidelines), the Rams proposed a ground share with Sheffield Eagles, playing home games at their Don Valley Stadium while their own stadium was improved. This proposal was turned down by the RFL and the club was left in a precarious position, having invested heavily in playing staff in the hope of taking their place among the sport's elite. The Rams withdrew their application following this initial rejection and were resigned to remaining in the lower leagues. 2000–2004: Decline The new century brought with it a gradual decline in the Rams' fortunes on and off the pitch. After being denied entry into Super League, the club's head coach, Neil Kelly, who had guided the team to its recent success moved onto ambitious rivals Widnes. Kelly took with him many of the heroes of the 2000 grand final winning squad and, over the two seasons that followed, his multiple-trophy winning side was gradually broken-up to help ease the club's soaring wage bills. The failure to bring Super League to the town came at a heavy price and chairman Bob McDermott left the club in a sorry state, having failed to stabilise it financially. Roy Sampson and Andy Fisher both had spells coaching the club during this period but neither could do much to halt Dewsbury's inevitable decline. Dewsbury finished a respectable 6th in 2001 but found themselves in a relegation play-off the following season. Dewsbury beat Workington Town 25–16, thanks, in no small part, to a hat-trick from wily hooker Jimmy Elston, and, as a result, took their place in National League 1. Despite fantastic performances from Danny Brough, Jimmy Elston, Frank Watene and the vastly experienced Richard Slater, Dewsbury were relegated the following year. Andy Fisher's position as player coach had become increasingly tenuous and it was felt a new start was needed to get the club heading in the right direction again. The financial constraints the club was under by this point were so great that incumbent chairman Mark Sawyer had suggested that the side would be better suited to "take a year out" to find its feet financially. The club instead opted to field a side made up predominantly of local amateurs and, under new coach Andy Kelly, found the going tough