Well there's stuff floating round on social media regarding the return of stock cars/speedway to Odsal. How much truth there is, I do not know but I'm not suspecting more than a grain as I feel that the people touting it haven't actually seen the current state of Odsal or are completely aware of how much it would cost to bring that ruin of a stadium up to code for their sport.

There's bit more to it than that. The talk about Stock Cars returning was from Steve Rees, who who was the promoter when Stock Cars were last at Odsal, and (so far as I know) still holds the promoters license.

I'm not saying it will ever happen, but I'm pretty sure he will be all too well aware of the costs and complexities of bringing the stadium up to standard for stock cars - the state of the track and the fact that Mark Moore flogged off the fence being two obvious ones.

I keep a bit of an eye on this as I was big Stock Car supporter back in the day, and I know that Steve (who must be knocking on a bit nowadays) has often been asked about the possible return to Odsal on Stock Car forums, and his replies show that conversations and feasibility studies (at least rough calculations) have happened periodically over the years, and so, again, I don't think he'd have posted this on his promotion companies FB page if there was literally nothing in it.

IF Odsal is ever going to be viable again it's going to need to be used for more than 13 Sunday afternoons per year, and maybe this is one potential avenue that the Council would look at? Let's see what happens... probably nothing, but you just never know.

I'm pretty sure I read a story about the potential return of stock cars and speedway to Odsal at least once every 12 months.

There's some pretty gnarly steel work at one end that would probably put paid to any H&S review....

Much would depend on what kid of crowds were expected when talking about facilities and safety. I doubt the old sort of figures from days gone by would be achievable now, though I confess I've not seen any Stock cars for years. I've seen the (very) occasional grassing races but even that seems to be much less of an attraction that it used to be with tracks folding and the clubs amalgamating. The biggest obstacle imo, physically and metaphorically, the elephant on the track as it were, would be the Coral Stand.

"If you build it they will come"

Agreed. Speedway in an even worse state than RL so I doubt they'll be people queuing up willing to spend millions to buy the lease off the RFL and then pump the substantial sum to redevelop it for speedway/stock cars.

It just seems like Mick Gledhill type of journalism of what "could" happen with zero concrete evidence that anything is in the pipeline.

A bit of an update here https://www.facebook.com/startrax.info/ ... __tn__=K-R

A bit of an update here https://www.facebook.com/startrax.info/ ... __tn__=K-R

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.

That assumes that we'll be back, doesn't it?

You're right though, to race stocks around without moving the Coral stand it would mean a pretty big bite out of the 'centre green' and I'm wondering if it is all some kind of ploy to make the Bulls hurry their decision on next year? To be fair, I do agree with others in that I can't see stocks or speedway back anytime soon: especially if the costs are anything like what the previous chairman suggested they might be. Also I wonder what the RFL are thinking about all this as I'd guess the final say would be theirs, if we're no longer the sitting tenant.

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.

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.

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.

When it's put like that....