I do not feel shame about my club, but I do feel sadness that we have been unable to build - on and off the field and definitely on the stadium - but we plough on!

I've found this thread quite thought provoking.

I'm a Hull FC fan who's nearer to 70 than 20, I'll let you try and guess my age. With that in mind, I've been around a bit. I went to POR, for the first in years, for a friendly. Not long after getting in the ground my partner and myself got chatting to Fev fan. He was, quite rightly in my opinion, very proud of their stadium. He spent a while giving us the run-down on changes they'd made.

I know that as a Hull fan I'm quite lucky to get to go to a fairly nice stadium to watch our home matches. However, as a kid I spent more time than I can remember running around the Boulevard with my brother while "my old man" was standing on the same spot, on the same step, in the threepenny stand. Freezing cold, soaking wet, happy days. Now we've got nice seats, a roof that doesn't leak, clean toilets (actual toilets, not the back of the stand), along with decent access to food and beer. The only thing that's missing is a bloody atmosphere.

I, along with quite a few other I know, thoroughly enjoy the games at your place. Good old fashioned rugby. It's good to be close and feel involved rather than be a distant spectator.

The grass isn't always greener.

On that note, good luck for next year. I get the feeling you're going to go a lot better this time round.

Good post.

Heard a rumour myself this week Fev's ground ground was in that bad a state after the Cas game that they were considering moving it to BV. It must have been just that as Im sure the fans would have been imformed by now if that had been the case.

Quote: inside man "How about we look at setting up a register of skilled volunteers who can help, there must be hundreds who could help with this kind of thing.'" not as easy as that bit of DIY, there are implications that go deeper than a simple stadium refit insurance issues for a start off but yes it could be achievable if a firms like www.cbrengineering.co.uk/ who help Castleford and www.cngengineering.net/ who I believe help Featherstone you need someone to stand the insurance cover as its open to the public, I can't see why not you set up a company your self if you have the right skill set

Quote: inside man "How about we look at setting up a register of skilled volunteers who can help, there must be hundreds who could help with this kind of thing.'" not as easy as that bit of DIY, there are implications that go deeper than a simple stadium refit insurance issues for a start off but yes it could be achievable if a firms like www.cbrengineering.co.uk/ who help Castleford and www.cngengineering.net/ who I believe help Featherstone you need someone to stand the insurance cover as its open to the public, I can't see why not you set up a company your self if you have the right skill set

That's a great perspective and even though I'm an advocate of moving to a new ground, a lot of what you've said strikes a chord with me; I developed a love for RL and WTW by attending matches at BV as a kid - and being close to the action and amongst a brilliant atmosphere was part of what got me hooked. And I'd agree that the atmosphere at supposedly top drawer stadia like Shudds and Hull FC is almost non-existent - and you feel several times removed from the action on the pitch - it's actually better to watch on TV than to watch at many modern grounds.

The problem of course is that in the modern world, we want it all - ideally, a BV experience and atmosphere, but in a clean, well designed, modern facility; I think that's doable with a new build, provided the designer has some understanding of what the supporter is actually after - unfortunately, it's not doable with a revamped BV, because of the constraints of where it's located and the fact that it's hemmed in on all but one side.

This could all be academic of course, given the total lack of news on anything stadium related, but I'd like to think that in my lifetime, we could have a good stab at getting the best of both worlds.

The points about Huddersfield and Hull stadiums are valid. I like Hull more than Huddersfield but both do seem a little removed.

Saying that, I do like Hull KR's ground and Warrington's ground. They seem to have made an effort to keep something of the old, close in ground.
Leigh to a certain extent too but looks like it's better for home than away.

I'd love BV to be developed to a better standard, but I fear that we won't get it to the standard that would make it the "nice place to attend" that we need.

Quote: Mike1970 "I've found this thread quite thought provoking. I'm a Hull FC fan who's nearer to 70 than 20, I'll let you try and guess my age. With that in mind, I've been around a bit. I went to POR, for the first in years, for a friendly. Not long after getting in the ground my partner and myself got chatting to Fev fan. He was, quite rightly in my opinion, very proud of their stadium. He spent a while giving us the run-down on changes they'd made. I know that as a Hull fan I'm quite lucky to get to go to a fairly nice stadium to watch our home matches. However, as a kid I spent more time than I can remember running around the Boulevard with my brother while "my old man" was standing on the same spot, on the same step, in the threepenny stand. Freezing cold, soaking wet, happy days. Now we've got nice seats, a roof that doesn't leak, clean toilets (actual toilets, not the back of the stand), along with decent access to food and beer. The only thing that's missing is a bloody atmosphere. I, along with quite a few other I know, thoroughly enjoy the games at your place. Good old fashioned rugby. It's good to be close and feel involved rather than be a distant spectator. The grass isn't always greener. On that note, good luck for next year. I get the feeling you're going to go a lot better this time round.'" Get you entirely “You can’t always get what you want - but sometimes - you just might find - you get what you need” I’m a huge Rolling Stones and for me you can stuff the rest. www.dewsburyrams.co.uk/commercial/advertising for style of terrace (maybe a bit deeper) can be purchased pre-cast. 5: Remove the flats and put temporary seating behind the sticks from March to September. Leave the existing club house but make it purely for team use i.e. move the gym etc into it. www.tieredseatinghire.com/outdoo ... ating.html This could all be done in manageable chunks over a long period with much of it done by volunteers who I feel may be more plentiful than we think. All people really want is an actual plan with an end result to get them motivated it when people have to imagine about maybe’s that they lose heart. I know my argument could be ripped to shreds compared to the opportunities at NM but it’s how I feel.

Quote: Mike1970 "I've found this thread quite thought provoking. I'm a Hull FC fan who's nearer to 70 than 20, I'll let you try and guess my age. With that in mind, I've been around a bit. I went to POR, for the first in years, for a friendly. Not long after getting in the ground my partner and myself got chatting to Fev fan. He was, quite rightly in my opinion, very proud of their stadium. He spent a while giving us the run-down on changes they'd made. I know that as a Hull fan I'm quite lucky to get to go to a fairly nice stadium to watch our home matches. However, as a kid I spent more time than I can remember running around the Boulevard with my brother while "my old man" was standing on the same spot, on the same step, in the threepenny stand. Freezing cold, soaking wet, happy days. Now we've got nice seats, a roof that doesn't leak, clean toilets (actual toilets, not the back of the stand), along with decent access to food and beer. The only thing that's missing is a bloody atmosphere. I, along with quite a few other I know, thoroughly enjoy the games at your place. Good old fashioned rugby. It's good to be close and feel involved rather than be a distant spectator. The grass isn't always greener. On that note, good luck for next year. I get the feeling you're going to go a lot better this time round.'" Get you entirely “You can’t always get what you want - but sometimes - you just might find - you get what you need” I’m a huge Rolling Stones and for me you can stuff the rest. www.dewsburyrams.co.uk/commercial/advertising for style of terrace (maybe a bit deeper) can be purchased pre-cast. 5: Remove the flats and put temporary seating behind the sticks from March to September. Leave the existing club house but make it purely for team use i.e. move the gym etc into it. www.tieredseatinghire.com/outdoo ... ating.html This could all be done in manageable chunks over a long period with much of it done by volunteers who I feel may be more plentiful than we think. All people really want is an actual plan with an end result to get them motivated it when people have to imagine about maybe’s that they lose heart. I know my argument could be ripped to shreds compared to the opportunities at NM but it’s how I feel.

Belle Vue could be made good but either way we need to make a decision soon

Yep I'm afraid it does - NM needs sorting or moving a hell of a lot nearer this year or we abandon it. Take the swines to court etc etc but the project is over for me - not because I want it to be but there has to come a point where you stop flogging the dead horse and move on.

just take a walk down st catherine street I didn't think that people could live like that they should be ashamed the ones that leave the street in that condition, I would prosecute each house for littering, its a hole

I’d personally like to go back to 1998 & there was no V.R, giving Fev an undeserved victory.

Then fast forward through an alternative path for the club, to be honest I’m not sure who’s supporters have had the greater elation?

I mean, I’d say the 2004 game at Hull gave me the best buzz, how depressing is that?

At least the Fev fans have seen their club win a few trophies, who’s had the best time here?

Having thought about it – I still wouldn’t change it – enjoy the ride.

Interesting point but I was refering to the history of the ground and SWAG since 2004 - not the team, that's a whole different can of worms

Ok, I'll bite!

We don't own BV.
We don't own SB.
We don't have PP for BV.
There is little room for parking at BV.
We have no funding for BV.
BV is in a run down location away from the Motorways.
BV requires detailed site investigation and, no doubt, a myriad of Groundworks and demolition to create space for anything new.
BV will still be a difficult site to manage.

Apart from all that, it's easy!

If someone had told me 12 years ago that we could have £10m to spend on BV, and we owned the ground, then I wouldn't be here now as there would have been no campaign, no SWAG. They didn't, and we all knew that either the council puts in or we find a development to piggy-back our way to better facilities! We eventually found our way to NM and we are still owed a debt from this. Until such time as that debt is made good we will continue to pursue it.

I did not put that petition together to dupe the people of Wakefield. We did not get 15,000 people to support it for no reason, or to have a big white box built with no pay-back!

I love BV, warts and all, but unless there is a minor miracle, the only deal we have is one that provides a new stadium at NM or a future of 'make do and mend' at BV, which is frankly unsustainable in the longer term.

I read, and take note of, all the comments on here and don't wish to pee on anyone's bonfire, but the chances of a 'perfect storm' occurring to allow BV to become the destination of our new facilities are very slim IMO - and that is from first hand knowledge of discussions surrounding the idea.

Nothing is set yet, but please do not lose focus on NM - if you walk away from that deal you will lose ANY chance of anything anywhere!

As for letting Fev win that game in '98 and winning trophies - sod that! We're Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and we play in Super League!