The proposition of a fancy stadium in Glasshoughton all looks good from a corporate view, and if it does eventually go ahead the majority of fans 'will' face up to it and give their support. However, the fans can also see people are 'trying to sell' the Glasshoughton idea to us based on theories and best case scenario's. But what if Glasshoughton was to fail??

As it is the Jungle has one of the best and most enjoyable atmospheres of any ground in rugby league. This atmosphere, which we all love and is a major factor bringing us to the game during good or bad times. Personally, I do not think that this atmosphere can be replicated in modern stadia, and after the new stadia novelty wears off, we may actually see a reduced attendance.

One of the fears that the supporters have, is that as the game spreads afar, visiting fan numbers dwindle. (We've all seen the visiting numbers brought by Catalan, Celtic, London). Even at the Jungle, when these teams are in town the atmosphere is nothing like that of a games against such as Wakey, Leeds, Hull Kr etc. In a modern stadia, when playing against the Catalans, Celtics of the game, the atmosphere will be like that of a morgue. It certainly will not contribute towards paying the massive debt which the stadium will no doubt bring.

If as a result of the next round of franchising 2 or 3 more M62 corridoor teams drop out of SL and are replaced by more teams from afar, it will have a massively negative effect on the atmosphere every SL ground, even more so in the often sterile modern stadia's.

In terms of training facilities not being up to scratch or even way behind what we need. Yes, they probably are in house at Cas......however we now have more dedicated fully equipped gyms and fitness centres within 10 - 15 minutes of the club, than we've ever had before. The facilities at these places are often, the best on the market, better than our club could afford or afford to maintain. Surely we could make better use of these fitness centres!!

If it's playing fields that is refferred to as training facilities, then it is available in our community if we approach it in the right way. Ok thee places are not 'spirit level' flat, with perfectly cut grass, however they are good enough. There won't be many clubs with areas such as Ponte park available to use for practice drills and stretching the legs etc.

If Glasshoughton actually starts to 'truly' progress, it will get my fullest support, albeit that if it fails....it could financially ruin the Tigers.

Other than the above.......C'mon Cas!!!!!

You can't really believe that

Yes your scheme would be a vast improvement and IMO would be adequate, but the best in SL!
As a Wakey fan I'd love to see BV redeveloped, but I know it won't happen because no matter how much you chucked at it it would always have to many downsides as would your ground. They are in the wrong place, the wrong shape, to cramped and the list goes on.

As it stands at the moment, Hull, Wigan, Warrington, , Hull KR and Hudds all have new ground that will always be superior no matter what you did at Wheldon Rd.

Leeds,Catalan and Halrlequins have better older grounds with more potential.

The only grounds comparable to yourselves are Salford, Saints, Bradford and Wakefield. So assuming those clubs don't move and redevelop, you could possibly be the best of those and that is up for debate. Best in SL! Come on be realistic.

Doing what you say would give you a better stadium but one nowhere near capable of securing you a franchise. A two sided glasshoughton would be better if not totally desirable.

We can't afford to redevelop Wheldon Road, end of that story, that's because our getting financial gain from the council land, is dependent upon us moving to Xscape and building a swimming baths (as is Wakey's dependant on them building a swimming baths at Stanley) in with the other facilities there.

We can't afford to build new stands etc. at Wheldon Road, but whether we can afford to spend enough to bring Wheldon Road up to RFL requirements is debatable, the only thing we can and have done as far as I'm aware, is to bring the capacity up to that required for a Superleague franchise.

I'm happy to keep watching the Tigers at Wheldon Road, as the atmosphere is electric and magical there, but if we have to forgo our Superleague licence in order to stay there, then we have to move and unless there has been a big change of heart at Redhouse, then we have to move away.

Spot on, worst ground in SL for away fans. 1 flooded portaloo, 1 tea bar and 1 bar for alcoholic drinks if you wanna queue that long, and a slippery unsafe stand when it rains

would agree about HKR their ground is terrible(when it rains you not only get wet you also have to sit on a wet seat) also think there is very little wrong with the jungle that a good spruce up could not fix

with the exception of the new carnegie stand headingley is not a great deal differrent to cas.

I really don't understand what everyone loves about Headingley - a stand that's deemed unsafe, one uncovered stand, no parking, no room for expansion. Not really much different to most old RL stadia.

It's big.

Big yes, but how much shi$e fills a bog .

The fact of the matter is that borrowing money to finance building works, in the current climate is difficult for any company that isnt cash rich. And like it or not, with all emotions to one side Cas RLFC is a buisness.

The banks do not want to lend money unless it is backed up by double your money security. I would imagine a lot of lottery/goverment funding has been eaten up by the forth coming olympics, so grant aid is likely to be reduced on what was available in previous years.

So the news release that we are still trying to find funding sources to complete the stadium shouldnt realy come as a shock to anyone, uless you are totally finacially naive.

Cas need a minimum of 25% of the build cost in cash, they also need to show through their accounts that they are capable of covering the repayments, which goes some way to explaining why we are not signing a plethora of high earning players. With the current state of the housing market having a dramatic effect on the value of building land zoned for domestic builds, it is little wonder that we are having problems.

The simple fact of the matter is that the numbers have to add up, and unfortunately in the current climate, like so many other buisnesses they arent adding up for us. However I am less than convinced that many of the other proposed new stadiums for Wakefield, St Helens, Salford or for that matter Featherstone, are likely to be progressing much further. At present in terms of building land it is a buyers market, so I cannot see why a developer would want to build offices, or a supermarket with the added cost of a 12 to 15 million pound stadium to pay for, when they could simply buy land elsewhere to develop and not have that cost at all.

So like it or not the current economic situation is having a huge bearing on stadium developments for all of the RFL clubs. I for one firmly believe that as long as the foundations have been dug and some concrete has been layed, that that will be suficent to keep the RFL happy for the next round of licences, if however the ground wasnt complete for the following round we would almost certainly bite the dust, and end up in the NL. I am sure that this will be the case for nearly all the SL clubs who are currently in outdated stadia.

Just to finish, wether you love or hate RW, dont castigate him for the state of our current situation, we are a victim of the world economy not board room bungling. If we had a replacent lined up with 15 million quid burning a hole in his pocket I would welcome him with open arms, if we havent we might as well stick with who we've got. Our only other alternative would be a magician perhaps?

Paul Daniels for chief exec anyone

Given all the publicity this week about the 'phased' stadium development I thought I'd re-watch Richard Wrights original interview from December.

His exact words are "we may have to consider a phased development of the stadium... but we're confident of meeting the franchise requirements".

I'm not too sure how his more recent statement that has prompted one or two negative media reports is any different. Which begs the question, why did the media not pick up on this in December first time around? Presumably they had more interesting things to fill their pages with at that time so thought they'd leave it until it could do most damage - on the eve of the new season.

The more pertinent concern for me is that despite saying during his December interview that the final architect would soon be chosen and their concept designs would be displayed most likely before Christmas, this has yet to materialise one month on. Yet another delay along the timeline of the new stadium....

Yes I have and it's not great. However the monies required to bring it up to scratch are a fraction of those needed at the jungle. Stop deluding yourselves and take an honest look at both stadia.

The Jungle is totally hemmed in on two sides which simply cannot be developed, access to the ground is diabolical. Whilst none of the existing structures come close to being 21st century standard.

Craven Park on the other hand has two relatively new if basic stands. There is acres of space around the ground and access is ok but easily improved.

I'm no fan of it and don't enjoy going there but am honest enough to see real potential.

Because you love your club and you are blinkered. I always liked Wheldon Rd in the days when grounds like it were the norm and deemed acceptable. However I loked Headingley far more. Like it or not I'm a neutral on this as I don't like either of you

However to me Headingley was the old jewel in the crown of RL in a way the Jungle never was - sorry but that is how I and many others see it. It has or had a granure, it was big with good viewing angles. Above all it was Headingley. Anyone can see that it has far more potential to develop than the Jungle .

the good thing to come out of this is we get to stay where we are and stick 2 fingers up to the rfl.
if they dont want us then we will survive in the national leagues and not put the club at risk of bankruptcy each time soopa doopa league move the goalposts in their hopeless quest for expansion.
hope we get our stadium, but after that where does the money come from to pay for the rest of s/l's future demands.
time to wake up . super league dont want wakey or cas they want calder and the merger will be back on as soon as they feel they can force it

god help rugby league

wakefield do not need to build a swimming pool there. face it..you are skint and can't get the finance to build at glasshoughton. hope you sort something soon though cos i enjoy the derby games!