Care to give a reason for this rather pathetic and immature cheap shot, and how my supporting of Hull has anything to do with it? Isn't [ithat[/i condescending?

The problems I can see is getting the regular home fans to travel somewhere, a ground which isn't so big that it swallows up any atmosphere that is generated also somewhere that people want to visit or at least different or not a dump.

Preston? Regular rail links to most of the north (2 hours on train from York) ground holds about 25k which may be big but at the same time if between 10-15k show it is a good atmosphere. Also it is somewhere different, plus Blackpool is only down the road!

Doncaster, Workington, Barrow Whitehaven arn't exactly close to Leigh are they? Oldham is 12 miles from Huddersfield and 17 from Leigh. Rochdale is 15 miles from Huddersfield and 18 from Leigh.

The LSV pitch is 3G, which is part artificial. Hence why the England schoolboys switched games there when we had the hard winter and it was playable when all other sports wern't.

The point I was making was that it was central to them. They're closer to Leigh than most of West Yorkshire. Rochdale/Oldham are pretty much bang in the middle of Hudds and Leigh. 20.2/20.8 miles and 21/22miles I got for the distances.



The pitch at LSV is a Desso GrassMaster, same as Doncaster. Natural grass combined with artificial parts.
3G pitches are 100% artificial. LSV is not. The outdoor pitches are 3G.

The difference in getting from Cumbria to Leigh or Huddersfield is about half an hour. Oldham and Rochdale don't come into it then. So 'close' to Leigh you will have Leigh, Swinton.

Close to a number of grounds in West Yorkshire you 'could' have:

Halifax
Batley
Featherstone
Dewsbury
Keighley
Hunslet

With the following possible clubs closer to West Yorkshire than Leigh:

York
Sheffield
Doncaster
Oldham
Rochdale


You're right about the pitch, it's not 3G, but like I said it's part artificial, part turf. But my point still stands about wear and tear on the surface.

I still think that West Yorkshire would be a better place to play a Championship Magic Weekend though.

That's an interesting way to try and twist stats there, but completely illogical! You've basically pulled out the Cumbrian clubs to help sway your argument. Half an hour is a pretty long time, and a fair few extra miles.

Not really, they're still over 100 miles each from Leigh. Also, none of these teams are actually in the Championship.

If half an hour is a pretty long time why would you ask all of the Yorkshire teams to trek across the pennines to East Lancs just in case some teams in Cumbria might make it into the league?

Also I do think the pitch is an issue, a Chamionship Magic weekend won't be played at a stadium with super modern facilities, it will most likely be played at a Stadium that is already over used, Galpharm, Headingley etc

Come on Jonny, none of the teams may be in the league this second, but it is very likely that at least two of the four promoted teams will be from Cumbria, and a very considerable chance of all three making it (Oldham won't meet ground criteria IIRC), so let's not pretend it's a "just in case" situation.

It's around 30miles closer for the Cumbrian clubs, so in the event that all three Cumbrian sides are promoted, that'd make it 9 in Yorkshire closer to Leeds/Hudds and 5 in the NW closer to the Manchester area. Like I've said, it'd be better in West Yorkshire, but it wouldn't be that big an issue if it was in the Manchester area.

As for "why would you ask then to come across the Pennines?", because you need to find the best ground for the job. Proximity may be better in West Yorks, but that doesn't mean price, facilities for the event (not just a typical RL game) would be or that it'd be available.


What would you define as "super modern facilities"? And why does the pitch become more of a reason for Championship clubs than SL clubs?

I assume when you say "it'd need to be at a ground that is already used" that you mean for RL, which I agree with. It'd need to be at a SL ground, and if you want it to be in West Yorks then there aren't a huge array of choices for decent facilities. Headingley would be great due to the bars around it and it has space to walk around it. Not sure if a ground with that much standing would be ideal though. Then there's the Galpharm. Odsal obviously a no-no due to the lack of cover.

why not at Blackpool as part of the Northern Rail Final Weekend ??

How can the NRC Final be a part of a Championship MW?!

i think from peoples responsers on here it would work.odsal would be my prefered choice.or what about a football ground like bolton (the reebok stadium) thats a fantasic venue.

I'd rather give my money to a RL team than a football team. I think Odsal, it's a dump, but if it's going to start making the sport some cash it needs events held there.

You're playing the weather game with Odsal. How many fans are going to stick around all day if it starts hammering it with rain?

On the flip side, if it's a scorching hot day, it would be a great setting. If a bit more cover was offered in case of rain, it would be ideal.

Fair point.

How about Doncaster, I think that's a great lil venue to play it at.
Or, make the magic weekend the last 16 of the cup, always Chp clubs involved so they could mix and match plus relieving SL clubs of a fixture.