another possible new ground, eagles Options

[jonny]

SHEFFIELD Eagles' hopes of moving to their own purpose-built stadium have won backing from two of the city's MPs.
A delegation of Eagles officials and players met former Sports Minister Richard Caborn and Clive Betts at the Houses of Parliament.

On the agenda was the Eagles' hopes of moving to a new stadium that could be built on the Sheffield-Rotherham border.

The Eagles have had discussions with Sheffield City Council and Rotherham Borough Council about their hopes to create a centre of excellence for both codes of the game in South Yorkshire.

A possible site is land on Bawtry Road, Tinsley, near the Sheffield United Cricket Ground.

Eagles coach and chief executive Mark Aston stressed that planning is in the early stages.

"We want a centre of excellence for the development of rugby in South Yorkshire," he said. "A centre that would give young people the chance to be the best they can."

Any stadium would have an 8,000 to 10,000 capacity and be linked to training facilities purpose-built for rugby, he said.

Aston added: "We are looking at the feasibility of developing a rugby centre for both league and union. This is still in the early stages but we were well received by the MPs during our visit to Parliament."

It raises the possibility of a ground-share arrangement with Rotherham Titans RUFC.

The Eagles have been at Don Valley Stadium since 1990 but the vast bowl, with 20,000 seats and a running track cutting off the pitch from the fans, lacks the atmosphere rugby needs.

Moving to a new purpose-built stadium would give the club a huge boost.

Aston said: "There's been a massive growth in the game in schools and at amateur-club level but we need a centre of excellence - that's what we hope long term we can create."

From the Sheffield star. Would certainly be better than the huge barn of a place don valley is. !

[voteronniegibbs]

From the Sheffield star. Would certainly be better than the huge barn of a place don valley is. !

it's unfortunate that Sheff have one of the newer stadiums where they are but that it struggles for atmosphere,I reckon that if Don Valley just didn't have the running track - so that the stands were up against the pitch- and it was nearer to 14000 capacity then it would be a good place

[goldcard]

it's unfortunate that Sheff have one of the newer stadiums where they are but that it struggles for atmosphere,I reckon that if Don Valley just didn't have the running track - so that the stands were up against the pitch- and it was nearer to 14000 capacity then it would be a good place

Don Valley was a godsend for Eagles at the time, as they were nomads, playing where they could.
However, it never really ticked the boxes as a good rugby venue, distance from pitch, mostly uncovered, crowd behind the cameras so it looks empty on tv. And it's oval.
Hope something better suited can be built (rectangular, obviously) even if it does mean a share with the dark side.

[l'angelo mys...]

Don Valley was a godsend for Eagles at the time, as they were nomads, playing where they could.
However, it never really ticked the boxes as a good rugby venue, distance from pitch, mostly uncovered, crowd behind the cameras so it looks empty on tv. And it's oval.
Hope something better suited can be built (rectangular, obviously) even if it does mean a share with the dark side.

fair enough although the crowd isn't behind the camera

[ParisSurtout]

If Sheffield Eagles has Super League aspirations, then it needs a stadium with at least 12,000 capacity. From the comment made by Aston above, it seems that Sheffield couldn't care less about a Super League license.

[guess who]

If Sheffield Eagles has Super League aspirations, then it needs a stadium with at least 12,000 capacity. From the comment made by Aston above, it seems that Sheffield couldn't care less about a Super League license.

Or it could be more a case o,f Aston knowing Sheffield doesn't fit in with the plans of SL.
If this was the case why waste money building a big stadium?

[Li0nhead]

If Sheffield Eagles has Super League aspirations, then it needs a stadium with at least 12,000 capacity. From the comment made by Aston above, it seems that Sheffield couldn't care less about a Super League license.

Or it could be that they dont want leaving with a white elephant.

Why not go the whole way and build a 90,000 superstadium yeah that will help the SL application. Or they could build a stadium of a size thats manageable, and in future they could fill it showing that its a well run club that deserves its place in SL.

[The Parksider]

Or it could be more a case of Aston knowing Sheffield doesn't fit in with the plans of SL.

New stadium, purpose built, in the middle of a large conurbation centered upon a majorUK city with an expanding Junior RL base and plans to develop that and their own players in time.

Seems to me that fits the plans of SL exactly.

Only problem is someone else already in SL in Yorkshire would probably have to make way for them if they achieved the above.

Eagles ambitions look achievable IF the ground happens. Isn't that the problem with the clubs they may replace - their grounds aren't happening (nor are any centers of excellence)

[Trojan]

Who plays at Millmoor now?

[weloveyouwakefie...]

Who plays at Millmoor now?

Nobody?

[West Country Eag...]

This has been in discussion for a while as far as I know. The plan, as I understand it, is that Sheffield City Council will gift the Eagles/Titans the land and push through planning permission. However, funds would have to be found privately to build the actual stadium.

The council are very keen, after being ambivalent towards the Eagles for years (different lot in now who want to do something to help etc). The ground would include the offices of both clubs, and also an on-site South Yorkshire Rugby Academy - League and Union. The RFL and RFU are being lobbied about supporting it I think. Richard Caborn has been behind the scheme from the start and has been talking to the RFU about it I think.

10,000 capacity would suffice I think. The Eagles do have Super League ambitions, but Aston and the rest of the board are sensible enough to realise that they have to build towards it over a number of years. There's no point going gung-ho like, say, Doncaster did, as it will only get you in trouble financially.