Maybe similar to what Wakey are doing with a mortgage from the Council. I'm not sure how much rent Fax are paying, I think it was £40k pa a few seasons ago, which of course is just dead money.



We're talking about the council here (another reason to get away). I'm sure they would love to get rid of this white elephant, and sell it for housing development making a tidy sum as well as generating even bigger income streams from the resulting additional council tax. Where would Halifax Town end up? Who knows, probably end up on some local park.

The two clubs should worth together for the benefit of each other,but attitudes like that and from the football forum prevent this.I love the Shay and would hate to be housed in a resticted subbuteo stadium-5 miles out of Town,like last Sunday...

It's a sad state of affairs when the clubs in a town don't have mutual respect among their fans. But can you name a single town where there isn't some perverse jealousy / dislike? Bradford are sneery, Wigan are, Hull are, Fax are. The one and only shining light is Leeds where people in the city are proud of their clubs no matter what.

Leeds has an elevated opinion of itself, but in this regard the rest of us are light years behind.

Hold on! Who's turning this into a RL v Soccer slanging match? Certainly not me. My reference to Town ending up in a local park was nothing to do with me WANTING them to end up in a local park, just that knowing the council they'd cash in on the Shay and let the soccer lot fend for themselves.

I agree, and I believe the biggest stumbling block for the two clubs working together in recent times has been the FCHT owner. Regardless, I dont think the 'dislike' between the two clubs supporters is as big as some make out. Yes, there are some on both sides who really have a problem with the other club, but I think most accept that we have to live together and want to see both teams flourish and prosper.

As for Tony Fax's comment about the rent. £40k is peanuts when you consider what it covers. The ground staff, stadium management, maintenance of the facilities, utilities, etc. Obviously both clubs are restricted on the matchday income (through the bars, food stalls, etc), but I dont think the deal is particularly bad.

What I would like to see is the Council have a bit more ambition; invest in the stadium to make it more self sustainable and potentially get to a stage where the two clubs either pay less rent or have greater opportunities of increasing their income. The south annexe could/should have been better utilised by now instead of being left to rust. Is all the office space in the East Stand being fully utilisied?

As Bubba says, the two teams can't work together while the current owners are in charge of Town. I mean they wouldn't even back us in trying to get the rents lower which would have been to their benefit and the previous board had reached out to them multiple times and only got hit with a brick wall. The fact is both teams need each other and have the council a bit over a barrel with regards to the ground but it needs them both to be on the same page which is a mile off at the moment.

Or thinking well outside the box, you could have a "sporting club Halifax" model. I've always thought the Bulls and Park Avenue could easily be two sides of the same club. Why don't the Town owners like you?

In 1998 when Asda bought Thrum Hall the £800k was meant to be invested in Shay but was kept by fax board to pay off their loans and debts is how it eminated if that is the truth.....

Im not sure the Town owners hold an opinion about HRLFC either way. They certainly arent tied up in the history of Fax moving to the Shay as they have only been around 15 years (previously a director at Bradford City and life long City fan). They just dont talk to anyone...the supporters, the council, Fax, etc.

It's all very well saying the clubs "need" each other, but we've been waiting 20 years for Town to be co-operative and the council to be pro-active. Maybe we can sit on our hands for another 20 years for the above to happen, but don't hold your breath. Hence why I think it's best to move on and be self sufficient.

A tough task, I know, but we cannot carry on like this. Even Barrow who are having a poor season consistently get over 2,000. I understand they charge £15 admission which probably helps. Whether Fax would gamble on reducing the entrance charge and hoping for a more than proportionate rise in attendance is exactly that .... a gamble which could backfire. Seemed to work at Batley when they got nearly 3k for the visit of York after reducing their admission to a tenner. Will be interesting to see what the crowd will be at Batley this Sunday as they continue to charge just a tenner.

Get on Google Maps and take a look at Calderdale and see if you could find anywhere for a new stadium. Dont forget that Planning would be a nightmare taking into consideration things such as car parking, public transport, etc. Our Borough is naturally hilly, so whilst you might find some open space, it probably wouldnt be suitable.

Both teams are stuck with the Shay. It by no means perfect but it ticks a lot of boxes. Close to the town centre, on a main route into/out of town, walking distance from the train station and has decent facilities. I certainly know from a football point of view, that away fans love their away day at the Shay.

That's why I suggested developing existing grounds such as Ovenden RU (never been there, just guessing it's developable). Don't agree with your view that being a town centre stadium is an advantage ... on the contrary it tends to put folk off as car parking is a nightmare as the Council has made sure the centre is a no go area. Like to think away RL fans enjoy their away day at the Shay .... that's if we had any!

Just think as a Fax breakaway a bit like Brexit. Not popular with many but better in the long run as we'll grow stronger through independence and not have to depend on unreliable partners. It's all about having confidence and self belief.

Doesn't the athletics stadium have enough land to develop it. It's roughly 45 seconds away as well!

Could have had one stand along the side nearest the road but they built something there, both ends have no space (bus garage at one side and registery office, likely a listed building at the other) and the side furthest from the road backs onto the railway.

TonyFax mentioned Siddal, but access would prevent planning permission from ever been granted, they can get 1000 up there already and it makes the area terrible for parked cars etc.

Siddal also are probably closer in terms of relationship to Huddersfield now than Halifax, I believe the Giants train there and I know they host scholarship games there also.

Plus people have this grand idea of what a stadium should look like, when the reality is that Sheffield's latest home is what new RL grounds are going to look like if any more get built, a single stand containing most amenities. And many people wouldn't like that

Not necessarily, Brew. Salford and Warrington both built tidy RL stadiums and Wakey are developing their existing ground which should also become a nice compact RL stadium. It depends who you jump into bed with .... Sheffield are nomads who don't seem to have a choice.

Good point about Siddal. It was just a suggestion as to how there are available spaces scattered around and I've always felt strongly about the shortcomings of the Shay in particular its central location. Thrum Hall was a couple of miles from the centre (on the top of the hill at that) but always proved more popular.

The proof is in the pudding, we're getting poor crowds despite the hard work put in by the directors in giving kids free tickets and laying on entertainment. It's quite disheartening to be standing in the thinly spread South Stand looking across at empty seats in the East Stand and entirely empty North and Skircoat stands. It's as if everyone is expecting crowds to suddenly get better, but tbh even if we were sitting in 2nd place I reckon the crowds will be the same. Just a general observation

An out of town ground won't increase attendances. I agree with Bubba, yes the Shay has some flaws but it is central, close to amenities and accessible via car or public transport for both home and away fans.

It's also more than adequate for championship rugby and lower league football and I'd say better than some SL grounds.

The idea of Spring Hall track is also a no go as this now houses Ravenscliife School.

Why is this being talked about. We are at the Shay and staying there. Yes the west stand needs to be pulled down and redone with proper toilet facilities but over all it’s a good ground east stand is comfortable to sit and great views of the pitch (never Been in the south or north stand. ) the playing Surface always looks good (except after the football season)

This thread was about SG we have lost some but when the season started everyone agreed it was going to the closest competition for some years. We are still in the play off positions and still allot of the season to go.

The crowd at the season opener was 2,150 or something similar against Sheffield who hardly brought the fifty. Not great but a decent figure to build on. The problem being we didn't build on it due to poor results, Widnes/Barrow. A missed opportunity. I disagree about The Shay's location, most sports teams would kill to have a town centre site in the heart of the community, just ask anyone who's club have moved out of central locations. As for the future of the ground how about this, the council see The Shay as a millstone around it's neck whilst I see it as a fantastic amenity for sport and fitness for the young people of Halifax and District. Give the ground to the two clubs presently incumbant there and safeguard it for sport in Halifax. Everybody wins. P.S. Even our green 'friends' from Tod and Hebden would be welcome lol!

The Shay! FCHT, HP, ground share and seemingly that is where the cordiality ends, It seems there has been sniping by both sides since the move from ThrumHall some 25 years ago, Fax ( Blue Sox as was) did not want to be there, but regularly drew crowds of circa5000, the football club was on the wane and did not have the same crowd pull, hence a little jealousy.
Added to this the Almighty Council could not decide how to finish the rebuild.
Possible solution as mentioned previously, the council hand the running of the ground to Halifax Sporting Club, both having 50% ownership, get both sets of directors round the table, they are grown adults (allegedly), working together for the common good, share marketing ideas and common resources, and drive both clubs forward as a united venture,
Will it work, not a snowballs chance in hell.

It won't work if you don't try it!

Halifax Town were promoted to football league in 1998 with similar if not greater crowd averages of 5k.....

Really? I could have sworn I attended Town's last ever football league match against Hereford in the 80s.

Hereford was 1993,promoted back 1998 and relegated again 2002.

@Beaujangles, if I am wrong about the football I apologise,and defer to more knowledgable persons.

Thats a totally different issue (to the Shay) and is a reflection on how RL has been run, rather than how the rugby club has been run.