hollinwood arlfc

[roughyedspud]

I see they are in tonights chron about wanting to improve the facilities at melrose fields..as well as hoping for a renewal of a 30 year lease on the fields from the RFL

When is the penny going to drop??

HOLLINGWOOD want better facilities

RUGBY OLDHAM want to build a stadium

OLDHAM RUGBY need a stadium

OLDHAM COLLEGE want a rugby academy

erm...surely its not difficult to see what needs to happen??

[HomeOfTheTubularBandage]

Spud, try and broker a meeting between all the parties? I suggest inviting reps of the four bodies you mention plus estates and facilities guys from the RFL. Add also a planner, a sports development manager and a cabinet member from the Council.

10 folk in a room, facilitated, to form an initial framework for partnership (alliance agreement). That's the starting point.

Very basic game theory application will demonstrate no one gets zero out of it and over the length of the proposed lease the rfl and college should recoup their initial investment.

Only question is.....is Melrose big enough for a stadium, supporter facilities, learning centre, training pitches and car park? If the classrooms, gyms, changing rooms and supporter facilities were integrated into the stadium build, it might be.

Even if it isn't, once the parties are signed up to a partnership, alternative sites could be explored (cough, Kaskenmoor, cough).

Happy to be involved. Professionally been involved in many similar partnership negotiations. It's like cracking naughty children's heads together lol. They can't see the wood for the trees. They all think about their individual organisations and can't take that strategic helicopter view.

Can't help thinking though that this is what RO should be doing.

[herbie]

At the time Rugby Oldham was launched I seem to remember talks were held between the RFL,RO,and Hollinwood. The plan was to provide Hollinwood improved facilities on the current site but sell off the remaining land and use the proceeds to fund a stadium for the pro club elsewhere in town. Hollywood voted against it and because of the lease nothing could be done. I may be wrong but I'm sure this was the case at the time.Maybe one of our Rugby Oldham friends could confirm this?

[MancRL]

I don't know what the feelings of Oldham RLFC supporters are. But Melrose fields seems to be in a good place to situate a stadium. With two Metrolink stops nearby and Broadway not far away, it appears ideal when regarding getting there.

I suppose the local politics and self interest over ride this ever happenin?

[roughyedspud]

deleted...double post

[roughyedspud]

At the time Rugby Oldham was launched I seem to remember talks were held between the RFL,RO,and Hollinwood. The plan was to provide Hollinwood improved facilities on the current site but sell off the remaining land and use the proceeds to fund a stadium for the pro club elsewhere in town. Hollywood voted against it and because of the lease nothing could be done. I may be wrong but I'm sure this was the case at the time.Maybe one of our Rugby Oldham friends could confirm this?

It was 10 years ago that..

RO approached the RFL,the RFL agreed but RO needed to speak to hollinwood who held the lease,hollinwood said no cos they where worried about losing facilities iirc

Now,with the lease up for grabs again,the stars have aligned for rugby oldham & oldham collage to put forward a bid to provide a amature,pro & college RL facitilty...

The trust and college can do this now,they just need to talk to each other

[herbie]

I think the college may have already agreed a deal for counthill though. And the facilities they need are already in place up there.

[HomeOfTheTubularBandage]

Herbie, if so it seems strange that the college wouldn't have involved Rugby Oldham and the rfl in something like developing a rugby campus/academy in Oldham.

So if they have, why don't we know about it. And if they haven't, why haven't they.

It may well turn out to to be the right thing for Waterhead Academy and the college but it could have been even better if other parties were involved. It could have created better links with rfl and RO and the professional game - which would have been good for students - and a joint venture could have saved the college money.

I hope it works out well and develops good players, but either the college have chosen not to include others or they have tried to include others and no-one has communicated it properly....again.

Just another example of either poor coordination, poor communication or blinkered self interest. Or, maybe all three.

[moorside roughyed]

I honestly think that while we have a certain somebody at the helm there will be no progress.The guy doesn't want any sort of dialogue with anybody. It is probably a fear of losing control(or lack of it).The misguided fear he is in it on his own when as demonstrated on this forum there are people that could help in any way they could but not until he ditches this pigheadedness.

[moorside roughyed]

Oh I forgot to ask Tubey.How are the arrangements for this proposed meeting.Once again thanks for trying.

[HomeOfTheTubularBandage]

We have set a meeting time and date with CH. More info to follow in the coming days.

[moorside roughyed]

Many thanks Tubey.I hope you can get somewhere and get an indication as to where the club is at.