OK, take soccerball as an example. It's not part of my culture and heritage as I didn't have a hometown team. I have no real interest in it but if I did I could never support Leeds Utd because I'm not from Leeds, I'm from Wakefield.

As a kid I 'supported' Liverpool because they were the glory club of the era. I still have a soft spot for them and look out for their results but I've never been to a match. Likewise I look out for the Preston and Cardiff results as they are places I've lived, but I don't have any strong bond with these teams.

If Wakefield Trinity ceased to exist I would have no team to support and I would lose almost all interest in the sport. I'm more likely to support Hull or Saints than Cas or Leeds.

A merged team playing in cas would be a cas team.

I would prefer cas to survive as a SL club if it meant that we was forced to merge, afraid its do or die for me

Think we are heading back to "my imaginary stadium is better than yours" debate. Addressing the OP's points - I believe this is the beginning of the end for one or perhaps both clubs. In the medium term I belive the only way we can guarantee a SL presence in the region is via merger. Ideally, I'd love to be watching WTW in a new shiny stadium in NM. However, I am a realist and I think the chances of that are slim to none. I know many of you traditionalists who have no doubt invested much more in WTW than I have will balk at the idea of supporting a merged team, but surely love of the game comes first. If it was a choice between merged team or no RL or worse watching the Rhinos I would watch the merged team without hesitation. I think many others would make the same choice and it may even bring new fans in to the game. As KK said the risk is that both sets of supporters would walk away, but with some financial incentive from the RL the storm could be weathered. I think supporters need to start seeing the bigger picture here and park up their egos and pride (hard as that is). In my view the best chance of preserving SL rugby in the Wakefield District is via merger and if it worked with the combined strength of the new club (both financially and in terms of the players which come up in the area) we could actually be competing with the big boys rather than limping along and continually being at the mercy of the RFL.

I know this goes against many fans principles but to me it's the only way. Having said that with the mindsets of both BoDs and the majority of fans, in practice I don't think it would ever get the stakeholder support it would need, so I fear the worst. We can't even agree to share a stadium FFS. Should have got our heads together years ago, but I'm going off at a tangent....

Snowie, as usual you are spot on, except in my opinion its already dead!

One intresting point made to me by a chap in the legal profession actually said to me that our petition could be turned against us at some point as many did not know they were signing for an industrial development as well as a stadium!

its all crap and i feel let down...badly!

My love of the game means i wouldnt stop watching rl, but it would be lock lane, a team that i care about and have pride and passion towards (incidently the only team i have ever supported against cas) i wouldnt have any loyalty or pride towards a merged club, in fact if i'm being honest i would have a hatred towards any merged club as it would be what killed off the club i love.

Steadgetyerbootson - Good post and I wholeheartedly agree with you. A strong merged team with no senior partner is the ony viable way forward to enable us to to compete with the big boys.

For godssake forget the tribal loyalties and lets start competing with the likes of Wigan, Saints, Leeds etc - we certainly aint going to do it as two struggling entities.

(from a Wakey supporter of almost 50 years)

I'm not involved with the club so I don't know the details. But Surfworld is part of the stadium and I would assume would be built into one stand, yes.

We'll just have to see when designs come out in three weeks.

with you there mate, id go watch dewsbury or batley.

Would it really though after all these years of chairman, who at times have held both clubs together but have also held them back. It seems to me we CAS and WAKEY have failed to move with the times for whatever reason and someone will now pay the price, lets be fair its not long till next franchise applications and we are scurring about at the last minute looking for a bolt hole.

Just who's fault is it i ask.

in order
1. the 2 clubs for believing they were big enough and strong enough financialy to justify 2 new stadiums.
2. frankly all the rest of us for letting them carry on with this folly and blindly believing it was viable without WMDC
3. SL for the criteria in the first place
4. Danny Brough, because everything is his fault

That's your perogotive, however IMHO it's the RFL's obsession with new stadia, the poor management of both clubs and parochial attitude of many fans which would have more to do with the demise off any club.

Sorry if this sounds elitest but it's SL or bust for me. I know it's not "keeping it real" but I just couldn't get myself up for Dewsbury vs Keighly (no disrespect to those teams). Just want to watch RL at it's highest standard (no wisecracks about why I watch WTW then please).

There will be no SL future for either Cas or Wakefield, not a chance.

The bull we have been fed is starting to give me serious reflux, and can only now be cured with some honest reflection of the situation, and a unblinkered look to the future.

I dont believe a thing RW tells us, and think SWAG just give us no information of any substance, and imho its all straw clutching, and under the current economical crisis, and its still getting worse remember there is not that amount of money around to fund, support two grounds.

I want to continue watching RL at the top level, and after 30 plus years of yearly upset, worry, dissapointment, and let down if a merged team is the answer than that gets my vote.

St George the single greatest club side in the World up there with Wigan merged, then good enough for them, then good enough for us !

The merged team would attract all the top quality players from the area as kids, would have a much bigger pull for sponsorship, and be much more attractive to a new owner.

Cas and Wakefield need a ground to continue, the RFL dont care about heritage, and have proved that of late with their attitude to NL sides running scholorship teams, we need a ground, and unless we are together we wont get one.

I WILL watch a merged team in either Cas or Wakefield, I WILL NOTwatch a Wakefield team in Cas.

I do agree with that, so why have a heritage at huddersfield.

I dont know if I am correct, but is that not owned by Stevo ? I am sure it is.

I get that grounds need to be up to a certain standard for health and safety, but surely if the ground isn't safe enough for SL it's not safe enough for the other leagues? Are fans in the NL not as important so it doesn't matter if they aren't safe?