£20 in the current economic climate and given this seasons attendances seems like suicide to me.

Like digging your own grave.

100% agree. It seems barmy.

6100 at Saints with a decent following from Shudds.
11,000 @ Headingley with a very decent HKR following.
So ours against Catalan and with a 8pm Sat Night KO is not too shabby and was expected.

This subject is worthy of a thread in its own right, anyway here are a few of my thoughts.

At Present a core support of 4000 and I can't see how we can easily build on that at Belle Vue.

A move to Barnsley for instance I think our faithfull would go and we would still retain a core support of 2000.

I would also hope we could quickly build a further 1000 'locals' to add on to that.

I also think away supporters are now deliberately staying away from Belle Vue and there has been obvious evidence of that this season. I would estimate that a good ground, with modern safe facilities would give you
on average about 500 more away supporters.

So in effect stay at BV 4000 tops,

Move on and I would think 3500 minimum with much more potential to build.

I would then hope to return to Stanley in 2 or 3 seasons, build even further and at the meantime we have expanded the area of our fan base with our spell at Barnsley.

One final point, I would move at the end of next season at the latest, giving us the last of our three years of our franchise at Barnsley and this would certainly help our next franchise should Stanley be delayed.

Just an idea, all sensible comments appreciated.

Start a new thread, it may get lost in here.

I can see something in the argument. I reckon it would help if we were very clear that this was a temporary arrangement for one or two seasons maximum. Oakwell would strike me as the logical place as relatively close and not a rival SL clubs patch. The Doncaster suggestion is ridiculous to me, it is a long way away. Whether or not it would be viable, in terms of Barnsley wanting it, our club being able to agree terms, etc, is a different matter.

Worth thinking about.

I think Barnsley is an "untapped" area for us and £20 in a stadium with decent facilities may not look too bad. Also may attract more away fans as you have said.

One stumbling block I can see is the rent. What would it cost to rent Oakwell, of course that assumes Barnsley would be willing to rent it to us. Having to cover the rent may make the move unviable.

Well worth a thread on its own to see how many would be prepared to travel to Barnsley for home games - if it helped the club progress I would.

From what I know Barnsley have already asked us to go there when Thornes Park went belly up

As far as costs, Belle Vue is costing quite a bit just to keep going day to day. I know we have got to replace some floodlights again and the bill for that is significant. I would imgaine the cost of staying at Belle Vue would go a long way to match day rent.

This seasons crowds have confirmed to me that Belle Vue is Killing us off slowly, next season will be even worse. All in all I don't think a move to Barnsley would be a gamble. It would be a smart move and more importantly retain SL status for the next franchise period.

I would probably grumble about it but would still go.

I suppose anything is worth a try as I can't see us increasing our crowds while at Belle Vue.

by the comments on here i suggest the newmarket plans have gone to pot

Start winning the important matches ie cc semi final last year, last nights playoff to name just two and the crowds will increase at belle vue. Yes we need a new stadium but to attract new supporters you have to win something or at least reach a final, something we have failed to do for too many years. The die hards will always be there, but to get new fans you have to give them a reason to choose Wakey to spend their hard earned money on. IMO Oakwell would be out of the question due to the cost, I am sure it cost a fortune when we played Saints there on the one off occasion.

Far too expensive, reflected across at Saint as well, 20 pound is all well and good maximizing proits at Headingley but its too much. While the RFL set the prices for these games I raised an eye-brow when it was mentioned that this would be the standard price next year too or our gate, I would suggest a re-think.

20 quid for Rugby League is certainly pushing it, I would like for us to see us at half the price, extra bodies in the ground and making up the shortfall on the extra funds you would generate in the per head spend a la Huddersfield.

Although we would probably need more lightbulbs in the loos.

i think you are all reading too much into last nights attendance, yes 4000 wasnt great but at our game at saints there was only at most 4500 saints fans, it looks like the play offs is suffering the same problems the cup is and that only time people seem interested are at the semi stage, for what its worth i cant see us getting many more next friday against catalans, maybe 5000 if we are lucky, do think the pricing policy for these matches needs looking at though, it always seems when the big games come around us the fans have to dig very deep, which at this moment in time is very difficult finacially for a lot of us, yes the die hard fans will do there best to get to the match, but the average floaters wont.