AMBITIOUS owner Matt Ellis has pledged continued investment to develop Wakefield into “a very strong Super League club”.
The Yorkshire side are gearing up for a first second-tier campaign since 1998 after a dismal 2023 season ended in relegation.
However, the club were placed eleventh in IMG’s initial grading table.
And Ellis, who runs a highly-successful kitchen business, aims to ensure Trinity add to a tally of 12.52 points from 20 and make the cut of twelve top-flight teams for 2025.
He has installed experienced Daryl Powell as coach and underpinned – to the tune of a reported £1.4 million – a squad overhaul as Wakefield try to top the table, as they did by five points from Hull KR back in 1998 before winning the play-offs under Andy Kelly.
And amid a surge of fresh interest in the city, with more than 5,000 season-tickets sold with the help of millionaire Ellis offering a monthly payments option, he says more than 50 projects to improve the club both on and off the Be Well Support Stadium pitch are being discussed.
They are believed to include a ‘tidy-up’ of the west side of the ground, opposite the new 2,600-seater Neil Fox Stand which is due to open when Wigan visit for Trinity skipper Matty Ashurst’s testimonial on Friday, January 26.
Long-time supporter Ellis, whose takeover was sealed in mid-October, said: “While 2023 was ultimately a disappointing year for the club, we will turn that around in in 2024.
“With Daryl and his backroom staff now in place, alongside continued investment, I feel the club is in a solid place, not just to have an amazing 2024 season, but also to grow into a very strong Super League club over the next few years.
“A big rebuild is under way on and off the field and everyone at the club is 100 percent committed to making the future bright.
“There is a hell of a lot of work to do and we have more than 50 projects being discussed to improve the club.
“We are currently prioritising those projects based on factors such as the season starting, but improvements will be seen off the field throughout the year.”
