Featherstone Rovers have revealed their “disappointment” towards Wakefield Trinity chairman Michael Carter’s comments after he ruled out a move to Featherstone’s Big Fellas Stadium in 2018.
The Championship club claim they received no official response from Wakefield Trinity, although the Wakefield chairman confirmed in an interview the club would not be taking up the offer.
“Featherstone has been mentioned but I can say categorically that we won’t be going to Featherstone,” Carter said.
“It’s a political decision. If we were to move to Featherstone, the council would feel that it’s job done because we’re still in Wakefield.”
Featherstone publically offered the use of their facilities to Wakefield, after the Super League confirmed they would leave Belle Vue at the end of the season due to the condition of the stadium.
Rovers general manager Davide Longo said: “When we announced our formal invitation towards Wakefield, in terms of them coming to play here from 2018, on a temporary or long-term basis, the initial reaction, from both sets of supporters, appeared, on the whole, extremely positive.
“We truly hope Trinity are able to find a suitable new home, for the benefit of their supporters and, of course, the club itself.
“We hoped to be able to help re-launch their bid to have a new community stadium erected, in Wakefield, for the people of Wakefield.
“Trinity believe it has been promised to the city and we can only imagine how frustrating it not coming into fruition must be for everyone involved.
“It was disappointing to hear of Sir Rodney Walker’s resignation from the position of chairman of the Wakefield and District Community Stadium Trust, though we realise there is still a chance of the facility being built in the years to come.
“We do not feel that Wakefield moving away from the district will have the desired effect, in terms of helping with the delivery of a new stadium.
“Our desire to bring Wakefield Trinity to the Big Fellas Stadium from 2018 was in no way a selfish move on our part.
“We were looking to support Trinity in their quest to build a new home ground, while ensuring their supporters were not forced to travel too far away from the club’s current, Doncaster Road-based ground, which is less than five miles from here.
“Our offer remains on the table, it is very much an open-ended matter from our point of view, and we hope Wakefield come to a decision which best suits their needs and the needs of their loyal supporters.”
