I expect a number of football supporters will not see the greater good that could potentially happen - all they see is "The rugby club are taking over our home and have they paid the rent yet?"

No they see a secret sale to a private owner who favors one club over the other and has not made any public guarantees on what will happen to the ground should they want to sell it further down the line.

The soccer lot can cry and moan but they have had enough chances to own and sort the shay out. If it was not for Halifax RLFC the Shay would not be hosting any Sport and likely would be a Supermarket. The Shay has not belonged to the Soccer lot for decades and likely never will do. Halifax Town are only tenants just like Fax. The soccer lot can always play in Rochdale or Stockport if needs must.

The rantings on the Soccer forum is typical of how anti-rugby they are and failing to see the benefits of things. Mr Abbott is a local man who has put millions in to not just Halifax RLFC but other local organizations including Siddal.
If Halifax Town dont like it then they can frankly go and play elsewhere. The Stadium has been not run as a business under the Council and I can see Mr Abbott changing that. I can also see him further developing the Shay for the benefit of all, not just the Rugby club. Mr Abbott is hardly a fly by night person and is involved in charity work, helping local groups and helping keep his business in the Halifax area. Its unlikely he is buying it just to sell off. Likely using office space for his ever expanding company. The idiots on that forum and on the Courier Website cant see the benefits because they hate the Rugby club so much. Funny thing is Halifax RLFC will not own the ground or make any money on it.

On a side note to all this, would the rugby fans(maybe your trust) be interested in gettning together with football fans and help make the shay a community asset. Here is some info regarding Ipswich town fc and their ground Quote: "IPSWICH TOWN FC | PORTMAN ROAD LISTED AS AN ASSET OF COMMUNITY VALUE Portman Road has joined Old Trafford and Anfield in being officially recognised as an asset to its local community. Following a representation from Ipswich Town 1st, the independent Ipswich Town Supporters Trust, Ipswich Borough Council has agreed that Portman Road should be regarded as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), recognising its importance and status to the town and its people. Colin Kreidewolf, the Secretary of Ipswich Town 1st, said “Supporters Trusts at Liverpool, Manchester United and Oxford United have recently been successful in having their club’s stadia recognised as ACVs, reflecting the value of those grounds to their respective local communities. Our view is that Portman Road is just as important to the people of Ipswich, and to Ipswich Town supporters generally, as Anfield is to the people of Liverpool. We’re delighted that the Borough Council agree – this is a fitting way to mark the 125th anniversary of Ipswich Town’s move to Portman Road on 1st October 1888”. ACV status means that the ground cannot be sold without the local community being told about it, and being given the opportunity to bid for it themselves. The ground is owned by Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) and leased by the football club. Today’s announcement means that any future IBC administration would be required to consult the local community before selling Portman Road, and allow six months for the community to raise the money to buy it themselves. Mr Kreidewolf added: “We appreciate that the current IBC administration have no desire to sell Portman Road, and are pleased to see it remaining in public ownership. Having ACV status means that any future administration at the council wouldn’t be able to change that situation without involving supporters and local people. It helps to safeguard the future of Portman Road as a part of the Ipswich community. We hope that the current owner of Ipswich Town will also recognise this as a positive move for the football club”. Councillor David Ellesmere, Leader of Ipswich Borough Council, said: “The current council administration has no intention of selling Portman Road. We are very happy to support listing Portman Road as an Asset of Community Value to give supporters the reassurance they need that ITFC will remain in the heart of Ipswich.” Tom Hall, Head of England at Supporters Direct, the governing body for supporters’ trusts, said: “Ipswich Town 1st should be congratulated in their work to make sure that Portman Road takes its place alongside Old Trafford and Anfield, and the first two, Oxford United and Nuneaton Town, in having stadia successfully listed. “We are seeing this trend escalate, and many more applications are being lodged from across the pyramid. This and all other successful listings are demonstrating that our view that clubs and their stadiums should be seen as community assets and not simply as part of an investment portfolio is being widely accepted.” - ends - For more information contact Colin Kreidewolf on 07766 231967 / 01473 685054 (email This isn't an attempt to stop mr Abbott from buying it, more of a safeguarding it for the future and too buy then supporters time should we need it.

On a side note to all this, would the rugby fans(maybe your trust) be interested in gettning together with football fans and help make the shay a community asset. Here is some info regarding Ipswich town fc and their ground Quote: "IPSWICH TOWN FC | PORTMAN ROAD LISTED AS AN ASSET OF COMMUNITY VALUE Portman Road has joined Old Trafford and Anfield in being officially recognised as an asset to its local community. Following a representation from Ipswich Town 1st, the independent Ipswich Town Supporters Trust, Ipswich Borough Council has agreed that Portman Road should be regarded as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), recognising its importance and status to the town and its people. Colin Kreidewolf, the Secretary of Ipswich Town 1st, said “Supporters Trusts at Liverpool, Manchester United and Oxford United have recently been successful in having their club’s stadia recognised as ACVs, reflecting the value of those grounds to their respective local communities. Our view is that Portman Road is just as important to the people of Ipswich, and to Ipswich Town supporters generally, as Anfield is to the people of Liverpool. We’re delighted that the Borough Council agree – this is a fitting way to mark the 125th anniversary of Ipswich Town’s move to Portman Road on 1st October 1888”. ACV status means that the ground cannot be sold without the local community being told about it, and being given the opportunity to bid for it themselves. The ground is owned by Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) and leased by the football club. Today’s announcement means that any future IBC administration would be required to consult the local community before selling Portman Road, and allow six months for the community to raise the money to buy it themselves. Mr Kreidewolf added: “We appreciate that the current IBC administration have no desire to sell Portman Road, and are pleased to see it remaining in public ownership. Having ACV status means that any future administration at the council wouldn’t be able to change that situation without involving supporters and local people. It helps to safeguard the future of Portman Road as a part of the Ipswich community. We hope that the current owner of Ipswich Town will also recognise this as a positive move for the football club”. Councillor David Ellesmere, Leader of Ipswich Borough Council, said: “The current council administration has no intention of selling Portman Road. We are very happy to support listing Portman Road as an Asset of Community Value to give supporters the reassurance they need that ITFC will remain in the heart of Ipswich.” Tom Hall, Head of England at Supporters Direct, the governing body for supporters’ trusts, said: “Ipswich Town 1st should be congratulated in their work to make sure that Portman Road takes its place alongside Old Trafford and Anfield, and the first two, Oxford United and Nuneaton Town, in having stadia successfully listed. “We are seeing this trend escalate, and many more applications are being lodged from across the pyramid. This and all other successful listings are demonstrating that our view that clubs and their stadiums should be seen as community assets and not simply as part of an investment portfolio is being widely accepted.” - ends - For more information contact Colin Kreidewolf on 07766 231967 / 01473 685054 (email This isn't an attempt to stop mr Abbott from buying it, more of a safeguarding it for the future and too buy then supporters time should we need it.

If you take a look on their forum the vast majority of their posts a reasonable sensible discussions, not name calling and bickering. I would ask that we take the same approach here!

Just being bitter again, john ?

Well said, lets not forget the redevelopment of the ground was started with money from the FA ground development fund as well as the sale of Thrum hall. One of the reasons it came to a halt was because the football team dropped out of the league and lost that funding. The Shay needs a successful Football and Rugby team.

They better get cracking then 'cause they are far from successful I have to say!!. Maybe get a few local amateur finals down the shay at long last would be a option. Some curtain openers etc. make more of a day of it for entertainment value and get more for your money!!.

What you mean ? I consider both clubs to have been successful in recent years.
not being picky again(faxjohn) but curtain openers lmfao.

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge of text speak, if that's what it is but what does Imfao mean?

It starts with L.

Laughing My A*** Off

You missed out an expletive.

I dont think the issue is who is it. Well OK, some people are getting a bee in their bonnet because they see it as a HRLFC man potentially owning the Shay. But the overriding issue is about the Shay, a public asset, moving from Council ownership into private hands.

People have short memories. It was the end of 2005 that Fax and Town supporters marched side by side to demonstrate at the town hall over the councils intention to sell the Shay. Forget who the potential buyer is because in many ways that is irrelevant. Think of the long term greater good of the Shay and professional sport in Halifax.

But the long term prospect of a Shay owned by the Council may result in the stagnation of both clubs and a massively under utilised stadium. Isn't there a safety device - like terms of Trust - that can be made part of the sale agreement.