The following is a quote from the groundsman at the Shay.

[i"I'd like to know how people see the shay as a run down stadium. Its better than a few in super league and probably wouldn't be out of place in footballs division 1 and even some in the championship. The council have improved it a lot in last. 6 months some of the things which aren't obvious to a lot of people. New guttering and drainage on the skircoat stand drainage and sewerage work linking skircoat to the south stand. New roof skircoat turnstiles as well as all the work on the north stand."[/i

Not quite sure what extra you'd like to see? The council have made sure that the ground is not run down. If you took a look at the ground just 15 years ago you'd see the differences from then. We don't need to redevelop the ground ever 15 years do we? It is absolutely fine for both clubs, if anything it is too big. No chance of either side ever filling the 12500 capacity, to make the ground bigger would simply make it a white elephant, akin to Darlington.

One minute I'm Gavin and one minute I'm Geoff. Make your minds up ladies.

Supergeoff is it really you ?This is like Surprise Surprise see ya next week .Bring the money you owe me .

yep nobody is denying that the Council have put money into the stadium and good but face facts this has only been done to get the World Cup game on Sunday, I doubt the North Stand and other minor improvements would have been done otherwise, I accept maybe the pitch would have had some money spent on it as it was a needs must.
On the down side I use the away changing rooms for 5 a side and they are deteriorating already with mould on the walls, damaged wall tiles & some roof tiles are mouldy plus a damaged treatment table which looks bad. The South Stand toilets aint clever and the walls in the banqueting and other facilities in the east Stand are all marked which looks poor, if they can't afford a lick of paint then blimey come on. A private concern would not allow this, front of house is important and these are the bits people see.

But the work has been done, so no worries on that front. I can only speak for the South Stand toilets on that front (ohh err) but I don't think they're as bad as you make out, certainly in better condition than most that I've been to not sure what you're expecting?

The only part of the stadium I have a major concern with is the South-East annex, and I would have no problems with Tony moving Reactiv into there.

I don't think I have ever heard anyone else argue AGAINST developing and improving something.

Enough said really, how can you have a sensible debate with reasoning like that.

And you're quite right, there is always something that can be improved. But not to the extent planned and it can be done under council ownership.

I would have thought that was for the Councilors to decide , I cannot see them being dictated to as to what they are going to have to do down there .

And I'm sure when the time comes they will deliver, as they have done with the North Stand.

At the end of the day though Geoff you and I have no real say in the matter, it's not our money and even if we did have why would our prefferences be any better or more acceptable to anyone other than ourselves.
It's just what we think based on our own bias and prejudices.

Back to simple logic again and down to choices depending on if the council decide to sell or not.

Option 1. The council keep ownership and it will not improve much more than it is now as they do not have the money, nor will it generate any other income from other uses or areas.

Option 2. Reactiv takes ownership and develope it well beyond what it is now and open up a number of opportunities to generate income from other uses or areas.

These stadiums can and need to be so much more than just the home of the local sporting teams so don't just think of development and improvement in those terms, those days are in the past if you want to stay alive in 2013 and beyond.

Option 3. Some unknown party with unknown intentions takes ownership.

Make your choice with a balanced unbiased view.

I walked past today and the Skircoat Road side always looks a mess and then there are all the trees inside the ground, I don't know of many grounds that have this. There is potential to make the ground generate a decent income but it needs investment from a party that really does want to do rather than just do the basics which the council are doing.

If you really are not Bubba, same IP address then you are a bubberette.

At the meeting TA said he would be able to make money from the Shay from day 1. Can't remember his exact wording but that was the jist of what he said. If that is true then does that not mean that he knows something that nobody else does about making money from the ground?