Whilst it will lead to annoyance and frustration for some I think now is the time to have this debate sensibly. The economics don't add up for us as gates continue to fall and our playing resources get weaker and weaker.
All that can ever be put forward is the 'build it-they will come' strategy associated with a new stadium. That stadium remains a long way away, and time is not on our side. If the Wakefield district wants a professional RL side the best prospect may be a merger. Perhaps we all need to come to terms with that???

From Cas its about 2. Not that you have any hidden motive for wanting it in Cas eh?

I don't think quibbles about distance should be the main driver; surely the critical thing here is which site, of Newmarket and Glasshoughton, can the developer get diggers on to the quickest? Thanks to the heel-dragging of both clubs on the stadia issue, speed is very much of the essence.

=#8040FFNo, I think it's you with the hidden motive here, what is wrong about wanting a stadium next door to the 2nd most visited visitor location in the UK? that's also next door to a train station too? a stadium in a location like that is far better for the game as a whole then one in the middle of nowhere.





=#8000FFThat would also be Glasshoughton, thanks to the Leeds council. Although like already said, Nortmanton would be the best location in terms of distance.

But, if you look at Hull and Warringtons crowds before they moved to the sy new stadiums they were only averaging 6/7k. If (yes if) we move to Newmarket we should look to improve crowds like they did. In theory.

Quite simply I wouldnt support a merged team, but if I was slightly tempted the fact it was based in
Castleford would kill off any chance of me supporting them.
I very much doubt many Wakefield fans would support a team that was based in Castleford.
The travelling alone for me would put me off going there week in week out.

No hidden agenda from me just plain facts.

Its got us debating though so thats one good thing I suppose!

a few questions that would need serious answers.


1. where would the merged team play ? for me id say the most likely venue would be glasshoughton although id have no problems with somewhere in normanton maybe off the bypass,newmarket seems to have too many obsticles and problems to make it a viable option.

2.who would fund the team ? probably the most important question bar none without financial clout this venture would be dead in 5 years. it would take a massive investment to survive the initial merger until the club and team can generate the support it needs to survive.

3.would the new team get the support to be sustained ? imo cas,fev and wakey have a loyal following of around 10k between them,i would guess that many of those 10k would resent the new merged team and we could end up with around 5-6k regular following,its hardly the support of this fantasy club which some people would have us all believing a merged team would get.it would take a lot of hard work and probably the next generation before it would massively improve.

Whilst Andy Wilson makes some very valid points, at the moment this is purely conjecture by him and the fans as to what is best all round for both clubs as I dont see the need to include Fev who tbh dont really need either of us. I am one of those hoary old timers as Bren2k kindly called us who like everybody else was brought up watching their own team and would like it to stop that way,unfortunately it is not going to happen because what ever anybody says imho one of us will not get a license in 2012. If we are just having a ground share then I would not want to go to Cas and play in their ground because that is what it would be simply that, their ground whereas if it was at Stanley it would be a shared groud. On the other hand if we were forming a new club where both clubs were to an extent losing part of their identities then I could live with that and embrace the changes and go to GH reluctantly as I think for two new teams it would make more sense, unless land was available in WF6 and could be sorted out inside the time scale.

=#8000FFHow do you get that then?

I meant that in the nicest possible way; I'm quite hoary myself tbh and like you, would much prefer to see Wakey reliving past glories and smashing all comers, including Cas, in front of capacity crowds at a revitalised Belle Vue.

There is absolutely no way any of that will happen though, as you've said, so I'd rather avoid further years of depressing mediocrity and just get on with a new venture; hoary as we may be, we'll get over it.

Because Newmarket has always been a ground open for any team in the district to use where as Glasshoughton was always going to be Castlefords ground. It's only the fact that there is a shortfall that Cas would even entertain the idea of a ground share.