Well it's looking very positive taken from today's Star



Sheffield Eagles hope to return to playing at Don Valley in time for the 2016 season.


Planning is advanced on a new up to 10,000 capacity stadium on the site of their former home.

Outline plans have been drawn up and it’s hoped architects will be appointed next month with building work starting in the first half of next year.

“We have to get a design and the planning permission and be within the budget so we can’t take anything for granted but there is a ground swell of support for the scheme,” said a club source.

“There are hurdles to overcome but the major one we believe we have overcome with the funding.

“There’s time to refine the design and get planning permission and hopefully start building in the first half of next year with completion ready for the 2016 season.”

The proposed stadium would have a main stand with around 2,500 seats which would be linked to a hotel which forms part of the complex. The other three sides would have standing terraces.

Demolition work on the old Don Valley Stadium, which was built as the centrepiece of the ill-fated World Student games is almost complete.

The stadium was the home of the Eagles for more than 20 years before it was closed in 2013 and the bulldozers moved in.

The team has moved to Owlerton Greyhound Stadium but has struggled in the league this year and hopes of a return to Don Valley would be a major boost.

The new stadium would would also be a major community resource with a proposal to build a £17 million, 1,200 pupil super school already given planning permission by the city council.

It is also anticipated that the new stadium could be used by one of the area’s rugby union clubs.

A new venue would add another major sporting resource in an area that already boasts English Institute of Sports and Ice Sheffield.

....Plans are afoot to play elsewhere next season,possibly Bawtry Road....

Has that been mentioned before? If so,is it suitable?

rlSourcerl

In my opinion, no. But no doubt changes will be made if that's to be approved by the RFL.

I can't see us going to Bawtry road. To much needs doing to it just for one season I did hear a rumour we could be off to Rotherham next year but it is just a rumour

After 7pm tonight,on BBC Radio Manchester,Rugby League Extra programme,the chairman of Oldham,Chris Hamilton was interviewed. Oldham are in the Championship 1 Grand Final and certain rumours abound. Their Whitebank Stadium isn't the best and Hamilton was informed by the RFL that an upgrade in criteria for Championship stadia is required and despite only 3 clubs averaging over 1,000 attendances,each club must have 1,500 seats. The show should be available to listen to on the BBC Radio Manc website fairly soon. It was on after 7pm so it may come under the coverage of the Cas v Warrington game. www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/extra

After 7pm tonight,on BBC Radio Manchester,Rugby League Extra programme,the chairman of Oldham,Chris Hamilton was interviewed. Oldham are in the Championship 1 Grand Final and certain rumours abound. Their Whitebank Stadium isn't the best and Hamilton was informed by the RFL that an upgrade in criteria for Championship stadia is required and despite only 3 clubs averaging over 1,000 attendances,each club must have 1,500 seats. The show should be available to listen to on the BBC Radio Manc website fairly soon. It was on after 7pm so it may come under the coverage of the Cas v Warrington game. www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/extra

Presumably the RFL would need to give clubs time to update their facilities so hopefully this would come into force from 2016 when we should be in our new stadium. I would be happy to play at Rotherham however they did not allow Rotherham RUFC to play there so would be surprised if they allowed us. Re Owlerton I thought we signed a 3 year contract so if Bawtry road is not good enough i am afraid it is likely to Owlerton again next season. If we do get into the Top 4 and are not playing at Rotherham we will struggle to host our "middle 8" games Keepmoat could be fully booked so we may have to play outside south yorkshire possibly Wakefield ?

Don't think we'd've signed a three year contract at Owlerton when the forecast was for the new ground to be built two seasons down the line.

These contracts often have option clauses. Wait and see.

Sorry.My error.From the start of the 2015 campaign.

Here is a bit in tonights Oldham paper - rlStoryrl

It is true

“Minimum standards have been hiked up for next season: each ground must have 1,500 seats. But most clubs below Super League struggle to get four-figure crowds, so there has to be an element of realism in setting standards, doesn’t there?”

So if we cant find a ground with 1500 seats what will happen will we be relegated ? If so it will ruin 4 years off hard work and success if you have plans to build a new ground there should be some leeway

We'll just play somewhere else, duggs. I'd like to play at the Keepmoat. We've won more games there than we have at Owlerton this season.

Doncaster possibly during the Summer but in the football season would be tough with the Rovers and Belles playing football there would be fixture problems. If Rotherham Chesterfield Sheffield Utd and Wed all say no i would choose Wakefield (Belle Vue) I know it is not in South Yorkshire but potentially easier to get to and has better real ale pubs !!! However i know they were planning to move miles north out of town but not sure what the current situation is

Lot of ifs in there, duggs.

The 1500 seats thing just seems bizarre to me. Do Workington, Dewsbury, Batley and Whitehaven have 1500 seats? That's a genuine question as I honestly don't know.

You can get around 200 seats along a full length touch line, so I'd guess Workington do.

Dewsbury probably, Batley probably, Whitehaven not so sure.

Whether they need them is a different matter.