New Grounds.

[kev p]

Ground share is the most sensible option for all grounds, where possible, whether with other rl, ru or football teams. Getting new grounds built in any sport seems to take years & years to get there. 

[Gav Wilson]

 

The East Stand starting to rise from the ground!  

[meast]

On 5/11/2018 at 6:48 AM, fevtom said:

I used to go watch Wakefield FC at college grove all the time. It seemed like moving to Belle Vue killed them off. Wakefield’s problem seems to go wider than the rugby, it’s a big city and they have loads of sports teams but they’re all based out of different surrounding towns meaning they can’t share facilities without breaking ties with their local community.

Wakefield FC moved to college grove after belle vue, they were on their last legs more or less when the last of the Emley support disappeared, AFC Emley attracted x3 the crowds despite being 4 divisions lower.

It was doomed to fail from the very onset all those years ago, too much HTFC & LUFC parochialism around the WF postcode district, Both Ossett clubs have merged to become one, Pontefract Collieries, despite 2 promotions in succession, still struggle to attract more than 150 to games, Glasshoughton, despite being in or around the play offs, less than 100 , other clubs in the area, Hemsworth, average 100 ish, Nostell less than 50 usually, not much appetite for football in that area, so RL really is king it seems.

[fevtom]

14 hours ago, meast said:

Wakefield FC moved to college grove after belle vue, they were on their last legs more or less when the last of the Emley support disappeared, AFC Emley attracted x3 the crowds despite being 4 divisions lower.

It was doomed to fail from the very onset all those years ago, too much HTFC & LUFC parochialism around the WF postcode district, Both Ossett clubs have merged to become one, Pontefract Collieries, despite 2 promotions in succession, still struggle to attract more than 150 to games, Glasshoughton, despite being in or around the play offs, less than 100 , other clubs in the area, Hemsworth, average 100 ish, Nostell less than 50 usually, not much appetite for football in that area, so RL really is king it seems.

They seemed to be alright as an average 7th tier side while they were at college grove,  before they dissolved they had another couple of seasons at Belle Vue but with hardly anyone turning up to watch. You're right about Leeds having too much of a following in that area for Wakefield to have a large gap in the market but there's got to be some growth for sport in Wakefield itself considering Castleford with a fraction of the population can get rugby crowds twice that of Wakefield.

[WakefieldCityLoyal]

1 hour ago, fevtom said:

They seemed to be alright as an average 7th tier side while they were at college grove,  before they dissolved they had another couple of seasons at Belle Vue but with hardly anyone turning up to watch. You're right about Leeds having too much of a following in that area for Wakefield to have a large gap in the market but there's got to be some growth for sport in Wakefield itself considering Castleford with a fraction of the population can get rugby crowds twice that of Wakefield.

It's a shame Wakefield FC went under if they'd have kept going support would have increased. In a LUFC fan but fallen out with football in the last few years and enjoy lower pyramid football more nowadays.  There's talk of a football team in the new community stadium which I hear positive moves may be happening to make the stadium happen at Belle Vue.  Regarding crowds if we'd won the league and reached the GF last year I wouldn't worry about our crowds the support is there and the new stadium will help, when it hopefully gets built for 2020.

Up the Trin 

[Stirlin]

23 hours ago, Gav Wilson said:

 

The East Stand starting to rise from the ground!  

Looking forward to the ''lookaround'' with the club next month.

[Hopping Mad]

On 5/23/2018 at 10:01 AM, WakefieldCityLoyal said:

It's a shame Wakefield FC went under if they'd have kept going support would have increased.

Not sure there's any evidence to support that theory. Gates for Wakefield-Emley (at Belle Vue) and Wakefield FC (at College Grove) described a broadly downward trend. There appears to be no appetite for non-league football in Wakefield. Emley was a thriving club before their ill-advised, ambition-driven relocation to Wakefield. Interestingly, AFC Emley, the club set up to play at the Welfare Ground since Emley's departure, have achieved virtually nothing.

[Hopping Mad]

On 5/17/2018 at 9:04 AM, AB Knight said:

I don't think the location of the York stadium will be that much of an issue. Yes, people will struggle to walk there from the city centre so that might knock a few off the gate, but likewise at the current ground at a push I reckon there are only 50 free spaces on streets within the area, that surely discourages some fans from attending at the moment.

Hopefully the club, York council and local businesses can work together and have shuttle buses linked up with some of the 6 park and ride sites dotted around the city ( (1 site is adjacent to the new stadium)  - we have the largest park and ride scheme in the UK, buses running every 10mins.

There are all kinds of possibilites, at the moment season tickets at the Knights are £140. Let's assume for the 2020 season York are in the new stadium and in the Championship (fingers crossed!). There could be a scheme as follows:

1. Season ticket £200. Gives you 25% discount on park and ride travel.

2. Season ticket + travel £230. Allows you free travel on the park and ride travel on a matchday.

3. Season ticket+travel+attractions £300. Free park and ride plus half price entry to local attractions on matchday (York Dungeon, Minster, Jorvik etc).

Likewise similar offers could be offered on an individual matchday ticket to make it attractive to away fans.

Just a few ideas, the Knights have worked wonders with the promoting and marketing so I'm sure they'll be on it. Exciting times!

 

Above all, to attract viable crowds to the new stadium, York need a competitive team playing at a decent level. It's often been said the move out of town, from Wigginton Road to Huntington Stadium (the same location as the new stadium), killed York RLFC. But, despite the (to many, irksome) distance from the city centre, York attracted good crowds when they were winning regularly, and poor crowds when they were not. York simply have to get into the second tier, as soon as possible.

 

 

[Morris Wanchuk]

1 hour ago, Hopping Mad said:

Not sure there's any evidence to support that theory. Gates for Wakefield-Emley (at Belle Vue) and Wakefield FC (at College Grove) described a broadly downward trend. There appears to be no appetite for non-league football in Wakefield. Emley was a thriving club before their ill-advised, ambition-driven relocation to Wakefield. Interestingly, AFC Emley, the club set up to play at the Welfare Ground since Emley's departure, have achieved virtually nothing.

Spot on mate, absolutely no interest in Wakey with regards to non league football, certainly not with a new team. Anyone who does follow the round ball already has their allegiances nailed to the mast. I’m told the two Ossett clubs have merged with a view to climbing the leagues, re-developed ground & some money behind them but what interest they will generate, god knows?

[meast]

4 hours ago, Hopping Mad said:

Not sure there's any evidence to support that theory. Gates for Wakefield-Emley (at Belle Vue) and Wakefield FC (at College Grove) described a broadly downward trend. There appears to be no appetite for non-league football in Wakefield. Emley was a thriving club before their ill-advised, ambition-driven relocation to Wakefield. Interestingly, AFC Emley, the club set up to play at the Welfare Ground since Emley's departure, have achieved virtually nothing.

AFC Emley are a members and community club, to say they have achieved nothing is a bit naughty really, they aren't about winning things and rising up the leagues, they could seek a wealthy financial backer if they wanted to, they are there to offer local talented players a step up and a place to start their footballing journey etc, they also run a very successful academy and scholarship team, it's not about winning trophies, they don't have money, rely on donations and volunteers.

They have had 2 promotions in that time and have consistently competed at the top end of the NCEL1 for a few years, indeed, reaching the play offs for the last 2, they usually have one of the highest attendances in the league and attract more fans than clubs 2/3 leagues higher, they take a good following to away games, and are viewed within non league circles as a good, friendly club, the fans are grateful to have a team back in Emley after it was taken away from them.

So to say they have achieved nothing is not true, they may not have won a lot on the pitch, but they are very successful off it.

[meast]

2 hours ago, Morris Wanchuk said:

Spot on mate, absolutely no interest in Wakey with regards to non league football, certainly not with a new team. Anyone who does follow the round ball already has their allegiances nailed to the mast. I’m told the two Ossett clubs have merged with a view to climbing the leagues, re-developed ground & some money behind them but what interest they will generate, god knows?

From what i can gather, the Ossett thing hasn't been popular amongst non LUFC fans, they seem to be basing the club around some sort of Leeds United love in, which has alienated fans from both Town and Albion who don't support Leeds.

[Just Browny]

On 5/22/2018 at 4:42 PM, Gav Wilson said:

 

The East Stand starting to rise from the ground!  

Great stuff but I am struggling to imagine #TerraceRakingBeam trending any time soon.

[Gav Wilson]

5 hours ago, Hopping Mad said:

Above all, to attract viable crowds to the new stadium, York need a competitive team playing at a decent level. It's often been said the move out of town, from Wigginton Road to Huntington Stadium (the same location as the new stadium), killed York RLFC. But, despite the (to many, irksome) distance from the city centre, York attracted good crowds when they were winning regularly, and poor crowds when they were not. York simply have to get into the second tier, as soon as possible.

Can't argue with that.

The move (nearly 30 years ago now!) was a hammer blow, but thats because it was a tiny athletics stadium with nothing around it.

Now Monks Cross and Huntington are very much a well connected suburb of the city, with lots of things to do in that area. The new facilities are going to be so much better than anything that was there before too.  

[Gav Wilson]

1 minute ago, Just Browny said:

Great stuff but I am struggling to imagine #TerraceRakingBeam trending any time soon.

Haha!

[fieldofclothofgold]

I've just seen an image of the North Stand at Headingley .Its taken from a distance of the grass cutters and I must say its looking very impressive I'm looking forward to seeing the whole development completed and the envious digs of course 

[Morris Wanchuk]

Just heard that there talk of Shaw Lane FC moving from Barnsley to possibly ground share with Trinity, nothing definite at this stage though. It appears the owner is wanting to expand the club but there is no appetite for them in Barnsley, however as stated previously, there doesn’t appear to be much interest for non league soccer in Wakey.

[WakefieldCityLoyal]

4 hours ago, Morris Wanchuk said:

Just heard that there talk of Shaw Lane FC moving from Barnsley to possibly ground share with Trinity, nothing definite at this stage though. It appears the owner is wanting to expand the club but there is no appetite for them in Barnsley, however as stated previously, there doesn’t appear to be much interest for non league soccer in Wakey.

There's plenty of interest in soccer in Wakefield just like anywhere.  Wakefields the biggest City in England without a pro football team and heard somewhere the FA wanta club in Wakefield.  If done right and linked up with the Wakefield Football academy it would be good, it would be also good for the Wakefield Community Stadium.

 

Up the Trin 

[Morris Wanchuk]

3 hours ago, WakefieldCityLoyal said:

There's plenty of interest in soccer in Wakefield just like anywhere.  Wakefields the biggest City in England without a pro football team and heard somewhere the FA wanta club in Wakefield.  If done right and linked up with the Wakefield Football academy it would be good, it would be also good for the Wakefield Community Stadium.

 

Up the Trin 

The previous attempts at staging non league soccer in Wakey would suggest otherwise. However, if this would assist in any way of securing a new stadium or even just a crappy redevelopment of Belle Vue I’m all for it, but I really can’t see it taking off long term. 

[DoubleD]

Another section of Leeds South Stand open for the Huddersfield match. Will be able to accommodate another thousand people 

[M j M]

Recent Headingley images

 

 

[M j M]

New Parramatta Stadium -

 

[M j M]

The new floodlights on Headingley's south side being installed. The existing pylons will be demolished.

 

[cookey]

Delighted with the progress at Headingley and York and to a lesser extent at Sheffield but very disappointed with the silence from Castleford and Wakefield - although frankly I'd rather have silence than yet more false promises.RL has an image problem and it's not helped by these grounds.If the owners are unwilling/unable to provide modern facilities,regrettably,these clubs have no place in Super League.

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

26 minutes ago, cookey said:

Delighted with the progress at Headingley and York and to a lesser extent at Sheffield but very disappointed with the silence from Castleford and Wakefield - although frankly I'd rather have silence than yet more false promises.RL has an image problem and it's not helped by these grounds.If the owners are unwilling/unable to provide modern facilities,regrettably,these clubs have no place in Super League.

New pictures for Cas' proposed ground due out on 21st June......

[cookey]

Pleased to hear it but dont like the word 'pictures'! I'd prefer evidence of ground works rather than more architechts images.Such a shame that Castleford cant maximise revenue from their on field performances.

Similar at Wakefield,I cringe when I see the state of the ground,again portraying a poor image of rugby league.That temporary stand behind the sticks must have been there for 20 yrs - surely,a similar but permanent structure,would massively increase match day revenue.

Clubs cant survive without providing modern,top class facilities for both players and spectators,nevermind the cost of maintaining these run down facilities.