The last couple of weeks have been a rollercoaster and at times has felt a lot like that awful Christmas when we were liquidated. Constantly checking rlfans, twitter and facebook for any chink of light and worrying that we are in real trouble. /> I thought it might help if I read back through the entire thread/topic this evening to see if I could make any sense of recent events but I can’t. What i’m pinning my hopes on is a comment way back on page 1 that some sort of deal is imminent between council/club/rfl. I’m praying that what we are seeing are the final stages of an end game where each party is doing their very best to get every last drop out of the potential deal for themselves as they can. /> It is just so hard to make sense of it all! If we really are in trouble and need to leave Odsal and groundshare to ensure our survival then so be it. I’d rather have a team to support and would be prepared to give it a go somewhere else. I just don’t believe (or maybe just don’t want to believe) that is what is happening here. Maybe we all just have to sit tight for a couple of weeks and see what transpires. Chalmers has made public a deadline of Aug 15th so something has to happen by then.

The last couple of weeks have been a rollercoaster and at times has felt a lot like that awful Christmas when we were liquidated. Constantly checking rlfans, twitter and facebook for any chink of light and worrying that we are in real trouble. /> I thought it might help if I read back through the entire thread/topic this evening to see if I could make any sense of recent events but I can’t. What i’m pinning my hopes on is a comment way back on page 1 that some sort of deal is imminent between council/club/rfl. I’m praying that what we are seeing are the final stages of an end game where each party is doing their very best to get every last drop out of the potential deal for themselves as they can. /> It is just so hard to make sense of it all! If we really are in trouble and need to leave Odsal and groundshare to ensure our survival then so be it. I’d rather have a team to support and would be prepared to give it a go somewhere else. I just don’t believe (or maybe just don’t want to believe) that is what is happening here. Maybe we all just have to sit tight for a couple of weeks and see what transpires. Chalmers has made public a deadline of Aug 15th so something has to happen by then.

A state of affairs where the RFL own a speedway and stock car venue where no Rugby is played is ridiculous. Seems nailed on then doesn't it.

Quote ="Pumpetypump"Their suggestion is to dig up some of the terracing behind the posts (i.e. opposite the coral) to create room for track and pits. Still sounds to me that you'd need to take up part of the pitch again. And as much as I loved Derek Fox making use of our stupid corners, I'd vote no to that happening again.'" /> I'd second that, even though I have very fond memories of going to Odsal on Sunday mornings with my Dad and helping lay down the corners (not sure it would be allowed now to let a 10yr old help carrying heavy pallets loaded with turf). Roger Simpson was the groundsman at the time and rubbing shoulders with him like that used to blow my mind (I was a child afterall). Plus its not exactly like Stock Cars and Speedway are going to be packing in the crowds or bring a huge financial backer with them either. Take a look at the venues they use and you can see ther is even less money in their sports than there is in RL. Speedway have a national stadium built in Manchester but if you take a look at it, I doubt it would have ever come off had it not been for the adjoinging leisure facilities and 3G pitch (in the middle). I just cannot see a viable solution to the existing stadium and for me the solution lays with the land over the road (Richard Dunnes).

Quote ="Pumpetypump"Their suggestion is to dig up some of the terracing behind the posts (i.e. opposite the coral) to create room for track and pits. Still sounds to me that you'd need to take up part of the pitch again. And as much as I loved Derek Fox making use of our stupid corners, I'd vote no to that happening again.'" /> I'd second that, even though I have very fond memories of going to Odsal on Sunday mornings with my Dad and helping lay down the corners (not sure it would be allowed now to let a 10yr old help carrying heavy pallets loaded with turf). Roger Simpson was the groundsman at the time and rubbing shoulders with him like that used to blow my mind (I was a child afterall). Plus its not exactly like Stock Cars and Speedway are going to be packing in the crowds or bring a huge financial backer with them either. Take a look at the venues they use and you can see ther is even less money in their sports than there is in RL. Speedway have a national stadium built in Manchester but if you take a look at it, I doubt it would have ever come off had it not been for the adjoinging leisure facilities and 3G pitch (in the middle). I just cannot see a viable solution to the existing stadium and for me the solution lays with the land over the road (Richard Dunnes).

The key is always going to be "multi-use" stadium. Bulls as anchor tenants, as much football in there as can be arranged. Surrounding area with 4G pitches - again multi use. Is there scope for covered cricket - nets, for off season?



My own personal desire would be for Horsfall to be developed further purely for athletics and BPA to be equal shareholders in a community stadium, but as they've just invested more into Horsfall, It may not be an option.

Quote ="Highlander"The key is always going to be "multi-use" stadium. Bulls as anchor tenants, as much football in there as can be arranged. Surrounding area with 4G pitches - again multi use. Is there scope for covered cricket - nets, for off season? My own personal desire would be for Horsfall to be developed further purely for athletics and BPA to be equal shareholders in a community stadium, but as they've just invested more into Horsfall, It may not be an option.'" /> Problem with Horsfall is that its unlikely you would ever get a safety certificate to sign off on a decent capacity due to its loaction and objection from neighbours. This was one of the reasons the Bulls chose Dewsbury as a short term option (the other being to try and force the RFL/Councils hand). There is no reason why Horsfall couldn't be developed as a local sports hub that would be home to BPA and Bulls development academies (along with other benefitial public bookings) and a community stadium with a modest opening capacity (with room to expand if required) for the Bulls and BPA to share for their first teams. /> Take a look at the last council sports pitch audit and findings (2013) and you will find a bleak picture back then. If anything its got worse and the council have a duty to provide for their communities... I'd be surprised if much of the action points have actually been carried out.

Quote ="Highlander"The key is always going to be "multi-use" stadium. Bulls as anchor tenants, as much football in there as can be arranged. Surrounding area with 4G pitches - again multi use. Is there scope for covered cricket - nets, for off season? My own personal desire would be for Horsfall to be developed further purely for athletics and BPA to be equal shareholders in a community stadium, but as they've just invested more into Horsfall, It may not be an option.'" /> Problem with Horsfall is that its unlikely you would ever get a safety certificate to sign off on a decent capacity due to its loaction and objection from neighbours. This was one of the reasons the Bulls chose Dewsbury as a short term option (the other being to try and force the RFL/Councils hand). There is no reason why Horsfall couldn't be developed as a local sports hub that would be home to BPA and Bulls development academies (along with other benefitial public bookings) and a community stadium with a modest opening capacity (with room to expand if required) for the Bulls and BPA to share for their first teams. /> Take a look at the last council sports pitch audit and findings (2013) and you will find a bleak picture back then. If anything its got worse and the council have a duty to provide for their communities... I'd be surprised if much of the action points have actually been carried out.

Quote ="Pumpetypump"A state of affairs where the RFL own a speedway and stock car venue where no Rugby is played is ridiculous. Seems nailed on then doesn't it.'" /> When it's put like that.... www.rlfans.com/images/smilies//icon_lol.gif" alt="icon_lol.gif" title="Laughing" />

Quote ="Pumpetypump"A state of affairs where the RFL own a speedway and stock car venue where no Rugby is played is ridiculous. Seems nailed on then doesn't it.'" /> When it's put like that.... www.rlfans.com/images/smilies//icon_lol.gif" alt="icon_lol.gif" title="Laughing" />