Personally I'd be over the moon of FR were to start operations from MME...or should I say re-commence operations!!
i have, however, several concerns about FR:
1) they have tried CIA from MME which was from all accounts not as well supported as believed
2) they have just reduced frequency on the DUB route from 1xdaily
i.e. surely that would make u think that FR would have to make a go of the above routes on a daily basis if they were to start operations to their other (possibly not as popular) routes on a daily basis
HOWEVER...
a) one solution for the FR management to dip their toe in the water is to offer what they do at DSA where they fly to european base airports on a 3xweekly basis rather than a dailt operation
b) added to that, I genuinely believe there is an untapped market to some of the german routes (offering flexible options for onwards travel to germany, france and the benelux countries) and ive wondered for ages why they havent ever tried a girona given theoptions to second homers, city breakers and the bucket and spades
c) finally, as other posters have pointed out, the whole 'ryanair only fly to secondary airports miles from their destination name' fits perfectly with the MME brand-which we all know is actually miles away from Durham!!
apart from TOM I really think this is the only plausible option for MME and the noises from both FR and DTV are promising!