Leeds core support started from a pretty low ebb in the summer era, probably around 9,000 based on the 1996 game against London.

It's now closer to 15,000 based on the 2015 fixture against Catalans Dragons. Only very briefly did it go above that, probably in the 2004-2005 period where the club finally broke its title hoodoo and attendances seemed to peak for the big games in particular.

Attendance is of course restricted by safety certificates for the various parts of the ground, and allowance has to be made for visiting fans. If Leeds were to be averaging around 20k then every game would probably have to be all-ticket, which in return would likely cut down numbers as it takes away the impulse attender.

In the best part of 40 years since I started going to Headingley, I'm struggling to think of a time when Leeds would have even come close to averaging 20k over the course of a season. There have been 20k plus attendances for the odd game - a Widnes cup replay in the mid 80s, a handful of games around the early/mid 2000s maybe, but nothing to suggest a 20k average attendance is feasible irrespective of the level of success the club enjoys.

I think once headingley is fully or partly upgraded and a capacity around or above 24k. Then a 20k average us achievable, but this would require north stand up to around 7k Seats and south stand back above 8k

Ps bought a season ticket for 2016 first time since 2005.
Not had one for a few years due to other commitments, but can go to every home game up to super 8's could be a lottery after that.

Where are the other 4k fans going to come from, out of interest? If they haven't been coming to games during the last decade, I'm not sure it's going to be that easy to convince them to come watch a team in transition.

I think it would be quite achievable with a big push on marketing.

And a hundred thousand students is an opportunity not a hindrance.

Just look round the city? would you guess there is a sports team that has just won a treble? and season tickets are available for 27 quid a month

With a footfall of what must run in the hundreds of thousands within the city centre and train station it's criminal there is not one billboard, poster not anything to let a person know there is an elite title winning Club 5 mins away from the city.

I agree that we need an upgrade, as HQ gets quite uncomfortable when it hits 20k

I think we are on the crest of a wave regarding potential support. A lot of people within the city have become proud of the club and really feel part of the success achieved by the team. Leeds has never really been a hotbed of sporting passion despite the success of both Leeds Utd and Leeds RL. This could be the period that it really changes, and I feel a real bond between the club and the people of our city at the moment. Add to that growing numbers of supporters from far and wide attaching themselves to the club and a good increase in numbers looks likely. Dwindling away followings will ultimately impact on attendances, but I think we can grow to an average of 16500-17000 next season.

Stick a roof on the west stand and you might get some more away supporters for a start. It's 2015 ffs!

Come back when you've paid off a mortgage and you aren't renting.

Can't do this - won't be able to launch bog brushes from the ginnel behind

It's old but at least it's ours.

Are Wiganers all sensitive to UV or something?

How many times last season did it chuck it down during games? Not that many, surely?

its summer rugby(that starts and finishes in winter) in england , take all roofs off

Did the roofs blow off all your stands at Wigan before the semi final against Huddersfield ? I was just wondering how you could only just muster 10,000 for your biggest game of the season. Or maybe you had all checked your barometers and seen there was a likelihood of getting wet on your way to the ground. Are you all made of paper over there in Wigan?

Not sure why people are dishing out stick for this comment it's perfectly legit. We claim this to be the best sport in the world yet the treble winners don't even have a roof on one of our stands, it is pretty poor.

Sure it's our roofless stand but most people dont know or care about that.

Headingley is a poor stadium for the best supported, biggest club in the competition. The North stand is a disgrace really - people paying premium prices to sit on old wooden seats is pathetic. The less said about the western terrace the better.

All gone quiet on the south /north stand front YCC County Champions Leeds Rhinos treble winners plus future test cricket not the mention test RL coming back.

I think YCC have to have it completed by 2019 for an ashes test - didn't they restrict use last season as it was dangerous?

The issue with the shared North/Football stand is that YCCC are in a hurry to get it done because it upgrades their side substantially. The rugby side of the operation aren't, because to them it's just a capital cost that isn't going to add much to the stadium on its south side.

It also makes most sense from a construction perspective to do it during the summer - better weather, longer days, shorter build time. However this is also when it would cause the most disruption to both parties.

There's a delicate bit of negotiation to be done there, hopefully the rugby side will be pragmatic about it and not hamstring YCCC in their attempt to bring up to standard that last part of the Headingley puzzle.

As far as a new South Stand is concerned, you'll get that when the old one gets condemned. As long as GH can continue to pack 8,000 people into it for the big games, he's got no motivation for the expenditure or the hassle it would take to replace it.

Really?
It has the best atmosphere in SL which is due to the stadium. The club seems to have sufficient room for corporate supporters with the cricket side / long bar etc
I sat in the North Stand seats a few years ago for what was a relatively boring Hull KR game and honestly the stand out thing of the night (it really wasn't a classic match) was how comfy those wooden seats were compared to the usual plastic ones. I'd honestly never change them however I do accept they look old fashioned on TV. Maybe a lick of paint every season might help aesthetically?
The Western Terrace is just a terrace. The steps and barriers are well maintained. I used to stand there every week before they stopped the changing ends at half time.
Accept it could do with a roof and I'm sure it would have one if they could get planning permission / buy the houses behind.

So for me we need to paint some seats and put a roof up! Unfortunately until RL starts to appeal to people who watch Wimbledon / Athletics / RU internationals / cycling etc we don't really need a much bigger capacity.

I disagree totally about the wooden seats in the North Stand. I think they are really small & uncomfortable, not a patch on my plastic seat in the Carnegie Stand.
There is massive goodwill from the Rhinos & YCCC re the need to rebuild the joint stand. The stumbling block I believe is that both parties are seeking funding from the city council - not a simple matter in these austere times.
If that can be achieved then the scheme will go ahead. It will impact less on YCCC than the Rhinos. Indeed I think that the rugby side will need to relocate for a major part of the work otherwise the loss of income would be significant.

Thanks. I expected the stupid comments anyway.

Who the hell wants to go to a rugby match and stand there for 2+ hours getting wet through? I've done it many times before at Headingley but won't again.

Plenty of people. Pretty obviously.

No they don't. People want to stay dry. Pretty obviously.

of course. Hence the huge uplift in attendance we would see when putting a roof on the western terrace cuts its capacity.
Because it always rains innit.

If it's that important to you that you stay dry, take a seat in the North or Carnegie stand. Or go stand on the Carnegie Terrace.

At least you have the choice about whether you watch the game from a standing or seated position at Headingley. Not the case at some newer grounds, is it?