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Ground share option 'remote'
WAKEFIELD Trinity and Castleford Tigers have admitted that the prospect of them sharing a new stadium following the collapse of plans to move the Wildcats into a £60m facility at Thornes Park are remote.
Speculation has been rife that the Super League rivals will come together to build an alternative stadium since Wakefield Council's announcement earlier this week that it could not afford to fulfil its pledge to develop a state-of-the-art community stadium near the city centre.
The decision puts Trinity's status as a top-flght club in serious jeopardy because of the shortcomings of Belle Vue, which does not meet the criteria needed to secure a Super League licence from 2012.
Castleford remain confident of realising their ambition to move into a 15m stadium at Glasshoughton by 2011, in spite of the local authority's financial situation, and have not ruled out the possibility that Wakefield could join them.
However, that move seems unlikely with Trinity officials unconvinced that they could persuade their supporters to support the club if it was based on the outskirts of Castleford.
There is also the fear that by sharing a stadium one or both clubs will lose their identity over the course of time to put their presence in Super League in some doubt.
Wildcats directors will meet with Council officials next week to ascertain their options and were putting on a brave face yesterday.
"We are determined to to find a way forward," said Wakefield chairman Ted Richardson. "It's very disappointing that a new community stadium coudn't be centrally located but we have to take on board what can and cannot be delivered.
"We are going to work with the council to ensure that come 2011 our application for a Super League licence is successful."
Richardson said he felt Castleford would not want to share a stadium, but declined to comment on the possibility of relocating to Glasshoughton. In a statement issued on Thursday Peter Box, the leader of Wakefield Council, said the estimated 60m cost of the community stadium, problems with the site and the economic climate had forced them to pull the plug.
"We shall continue to work with the Wildcats and assist them in taking forward their plans for the future," he said.
Coun Box also confirmed that the council will continue to assess what it can do to help Castleford with their plans for Glasshoughton Stadium, which would also feature some community faciities. That news offered reassurance to the Tigers, who have already gained outine planning permission and who hope to appoint an architect and design team next month.
"Our stadium is well progressed and, unlike the plans for Thornes Park, it is a private initiative," said Castleford's chief executive Richard Wright.
"The club have agreed to make a contribution and so have the developer Waystone. The plan has always been for the Council to allocate community faciities to the stadium and put a package together to help us build it. As far as we know that's still the plan.
"I am not worried. We have put five years of work into this, we've got a site and outline permission and are so close to getting our stadium.
"We've come so far down the road I don't envisage us not moving forward when the council meets to discuss its sport and leisure strategy later this month."
In July, both clubs secured three-year Super League licences guaranteeing them top-flight status until the end of the 2011 season based on promises to the RFL that they would move into new stadiums.
Wakefield Council's announcement this week came three years to the day after the club were persuaded by the local authority to scrap plans to build a stadium on the site of the old Wakefield power station and move to Thornes Park.
However, the proposals have met with fierce opposition from local residents while Wakefield College, which occupies buildings on the site, has said it cannot relocate until at least 2012.
Despite securing licence, league were concerned with trinity plans
ALTHOUGH they were successful in securing one of the coveted three-year Super League licences in July, Wakefield were effectively put on notice by the Rugby Football League because of the uncertainty surrounding their plans for a new stadium.
Fourteen licences guaranteeing Super League status until the end of 2011 were awarded by the RFL using a long list of criteria and the sport's governing body were particularly critical of the Wildcats.
The RFL's official assessment of Trinity read: "Whilst well maintained, the ground is limited and old fashioned. However, the club recognise this and have plans for a new stadium. These are not as far advanced as might be the case despite projected occupation by 2010 and evidence of a Plan B would have been beneficial.
"There is good progress within community development and attendances are improving.
"Evidence of specific commercial measurable targets with the commercial strategy would have assisted. There has been a recent improvement on the pitch and increased investment in the playing department.
"Youth development works reasonably well and pre-16 players are attracting national honours, but the club has not always been able to retain the best local talent."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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