Nail on head.

Because St Helens, Wakefield and Cas don't have (near) top division football clubs in the town/city like Wigan/Huddersfield/Sheffield/Hull?

Because there isnt a suitable stadium nearby to move into? in the wakefield district the only proffesional sport is rl, so only rl (that doesnt have as many big investors, or funding assistance from its governing body like football has) has stadiums big enough for rl. Sheffield has 3 big stadiums built for other sports that rl can use wheras many areas dont have access to one.

These clubs do not "have" better stadia, they play in better stadia that are owned either by other sports clubs or (e.g. Leigh & Widnes) by the local council. Although there is nothing necessarily wrong with that it does make them less secure than clubs which own their own stadium, e.g. Warrington.

The point is, they have it sorted even if it is a shared ground or it's owned by the council! The point is they are playing in stadia that is up to date.

Get it sorted! They have had years.

This is the dimmest post of the year.

It's all very nice when you can simply move in and pay a spot of rent to a top level football ground that is on the doorstep but if you have not got that luxury and you have to build your own there is a small matter of £20-30 million to find.

As it happens, Saints new stadium plans are about to go out to tender this month and both Cas and Wakey have been striving as hard as they can to secure planning and finances for new stadia. These things all take time. Some councils take longer than others. Some meet with more obstacles than others. What more can they do?

You can't just buy one on Ebay you know?

Your missing my point.

Leigh, Widnes and Halifax have done a lot more so far than the bigger clubs.

I understand it takes a lot of effort and time but these three most of the time being out of super league have been able to do it.

Warrington who a few years ago were a smaller club than now have also been able to do it. Leeds have been able to extend their ground to get it upto standard. Bradford have done the same (although it is a bit crap). Hull KR are very close to building a new stand and yet have only been in super league 3 years.

But all the clubs mentioned have either a sugar daddy to back it or have a supportive council, what happens if you have neither?

Then it's your fault, because the Wigan fan says so

Don't give me that. With good plans any council will be supportive both financially and in any other way they can.

Hard to see Sheffield drawing 8,000+ which should be our aim for any new team.

Tell Wakefield council that, wont give either club a thing, and neither club will share because they both have their own land for stadiums (one already has had ground works done on it mind).

I don't think anyone thinks they can make it to super league.

I would say 5,000 is the target for a club below super league, I think that would justify a place.

Unfortunately, a district such as Wakefield does not have unlimited cash, nor is it able to hand out sackfuls of cash to not ONE like most councils but TWO potentially three clubs all with aspirations of building new stadiums.

No wakefield council have publically stated that they will not give cas, wakey or fev a single penny towards the stadiums.

The only assistance they have offered the clubs is to lend us land to borrow money against.

Maybe where you live the councils are different but our council has no money having lost all its funds in the iceland banking collapse, even before which wakefield district council had been critiscised for being badly run and incompetant.

If wakefield and castleford (as well as fev) want to finance a new ground we have to do it ourselves- no council money, no F.A. grant for sharing with a football club.

Great news for me - Bramall Lane is a 5 minute walk from my place and Hull don't play on Sundays.

Not all the clubs in SL have a premiership football team in the same town who needed a new stadium to get into the premier league

Agree, facilities or throw them out, enough chances - time to act.

You must live near me.

I can see the Bramhall Lane end right now.

instantly puts Sheffield in contention for a licence

also it'd be a good venue for an international or semi final

Noo it doesnt, need to 'tick the box' first


What infrastructure have they got below first team? average attendances etc? I havent caught much of sheffield in quite some time actually, always miss them when theyre on

...........and the other criteria? Or is it just about the stadium? If that's the case The Championship will be brimming with ex-SL sides St Helens, Castleford, Wakefield, and Salford in 2012

So it should be

Why don't they assure SL status in the city by merging with one of the exisiting SL clubs ?

Huddersfield are one of the nearest .... Why don't they play some games at the Galpharm and the rest at Bramhall Lane ?

Just look down under, the St George / Illawarra merger worked wonders ! Why not here ?

Hardly getting your act together and sorting your stadium out is it, they've rented a football ground. Unfortunately the likes of Cas, Wakey and Fev dont have that luxury, its going to cost millions for them.

SL has been tried in Sheffield and its clear the public are not interested in enough numbers to support it. I would suggest they are looked at over the next 5 yrs to see how attendances improve so we dont have another ridiculous episode of Hudds/Sheff and Gateshead/Hull.