Joined: Nov 05 2011 Posts: 4766 Location: Shuddersfield
Bubba wrote:Im not sure how I would feel about moving to a new home. Let us not forget however, the Shay was redeveloped to such a size at the request of the rugby club, who then went on to not pay a penny towards it.
The biggest problem though would be finding the right location for a new stadium. Ovenden Park is a no go...even if the facilities were upgraded, it wouldnt pass planning due to a) a lack of parking and b) the traffic created on a matchday. Lowfields would have been ideal, but thats pretty much full up.
Calderdale has a very uneven landscape, with limited flat spaces empty. Youd also need good public transport links.
I think we are both stuck with the Shay and its a case of finding a way to work together
The Shay is a gold mine waiting for someone to utilise it to it's full potential. Any other rugby/football club would kill for a facility in such a prime location. Talk of going elsewhere is poppycock and shows a total lack of imagination and ambition.
Hear All, See All, Say Nowt. Eat All, Sup All, Pay Nowt. And if Tha ever does Owt for Nowt, Allus do it for Thissen.
We struggle to attract people to watch now. Moving to an out of town location wont help that where getting to the ground becomes more difficult for both home and away fans. And for a lot of fans those who make an afternoon of it, a shortage of local ale houses.
A winning side with a chance to get into Super League and lower admission prices are among the things needed to get people through the turnstiles wherever you play and since neither of them are likely to happen it looks like the best we can hope for in the short to medium term is to be a competitive side who plays an exciting brand of rugby and to stabilise the finances.
If we had the money to build a new stadium then we wouldn't be in this position in the first place. Its absolutely ludicrous to suggest anything along those lines. Even if we did have the money Ovenden Park is a horrendous location, couldn't even support an amateur RU team , limited road access, no parking, nowhere near train station.
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Joined: Dec 22 2001 Posts: 6562 Location: Halifax, the sleeping giants of Rugby League
Does being near the train station make any difference? How many fans catch the train to the Shay? They're always on bloody strike anyway and if they aren't then the trains are either late or cancelled!
Is it possible to knock down Asda and rebuild Thrum Hall?
Plenty of parking at Ovenden Park if the land where moorside school used to be could be utilised along with the top training field which does not see too much use.
"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."― Albert Einstein "Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense." ― Gertrude Stein "Don't believe everything you read on the internet" ― Abraham Lincoln
Joined: Nov 29 2008 Posts: 2390 Location: On the Star Ship Andromeda Hope Lives Again !!
Tony Fax wrote:Does being near the train station make any difference? How many fans catch the train to the Shay? They're always on bloody strike anyway and if they aren't then the trains are either late or cancelled!
Is it possible to knock down Asda and rebuild Thrum Hall?
Makes a difference to me Tony !! As a Travelling Supporter Ovenden is a NO NO doubt if we could afford to pay for Asda to be knocked down
Joined: Dec 22 2001 Posts: 6562 Location: Halifax, the sleeping giants of Rugby League
Well (as I'm still living in the past!) Thrum Hall was awkward being 2 miles away up the hill but it attracted more fans.
We'll all continue to be divided re the Shay. I see where the Shaysters are coming from, but it's just too big and even if we ever get to SL (not in my life time!) we'll average 6 to 8k at the very best still leaving it 2 thirds empty. And nowadays having just 1.5k fans in 2 sides of the ground doesn't make much of an atmos, only when the "loyal" barmy army bother to turn up!
Tony Fax wrote:Well (as I'm still living in the past!) Thrum Hall was awkward being 2 miles away up the hill but it attracted more fans.
We'll all continue to be divided re the Shay. I see where the Shaysters are coming from, but it's just too big and even if we ever get to SL (not in my life time!) we'll average 6 to 8k at the very best still leaving it 2 thirds empty. And nowadays having just 1.5k fans in 2 sides of the ground doesn't make much of an atmos, only when the "loyal" barmy army bother to turn up!
I think even that 6-8k is likely optimistic. I remember in 98 with our best team for years the playoff semi final V Saints I think there was just over 5k there and the average for the year was only like 4-5k. Maybe that band that did War Chant can make a follow up and get people interested again....
"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."― Albert Einstein "Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense." ― Gertrude Stein "Don't believe everything you read on the internet" ― Abraham Lincoln
Joined: Dec 22 2001 Posts: 6562 Location: Halifax, the sleeping giants of Rugby League
Greg Florimos Boots wrote:I remember in 98 with our best team for years the playoff semi final V Saints I think there was just over 5k there and the average for the year was only like 4-5k..
Shows how unpopular the Shay has been I suppose. At Thrummers we averaged 8k in 1988/89 in ironically our relegation season and then subsequently round about 4 to 5k in the 2nd division. Even our reserves had crowds of 2k. Outskirts stadiums seem to attract better support, Headingley and the KC Stadium being good examples.
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