The RFL have confirmed a restructure of the Northern Rail Cup which will see the final played at Halifax's Shay Stadium,and the implementation of a Northern Rail Cup Bowl final. The Bowl will be contested prior to the inaugural final on July 20th by the two Championship One clubs which topped their respective groups prior to the knock-out stages of the competition. READ MORE ON THIS STORY....

The RFL have confirmed a restructure of the Northern Rail Cup which will see the final played at Halifax's Shay Stadium,and the implementation of a Northern Rail Cup Bowl final. The Bowl will be contested prior to the inaugural final on July 20th by the two Championship One clubs which topped their respective groups prior to the knock-out stages of the competition. READ MORE ON THIS STORY....

Dead against any team having a home game in the Final. Just not right.



And it's not much of a day out for Fax fans if they get there.



Are there no $uperleague teams with decent grounds or summat ?

I have to agree, would be happy if we had to play Leigh at their place.

Might get the scoreboard sorted early though!

Oops, that should have read WOULD NOT.

Why ?

There are a number of reasons, but to a Club reaching the Northern Rail Final, the actual financial return from the gate was exceedingly small, certainly far below the Ticket sales any finalists made. the reasons for this are that the costs of running the event in Blackpool were extremely high and to be honest the number of supporters relatively low.

The amount our Club received last year from the share of the gate was roughly 25% of our ticket sales and just about enough to cover winning bonuses

So it was decided not to use either a soccer ground or indeed a Super league ground for the this reason. . . too expensive

Mike R

Will the council before the final, get the North Stand sorted out? also provide the new scoreboard that has been promised?
and what state is the toilets etc in the Skircoat stand, will they need sorting before the final?
Not sure i agree with the Final been at the Shay. as i believe all finals should be at a netural venue.

I Hope the RFL will use the space behind the South Stand to create an entertainment area and maybe a section of the car park, to try and entice fans to the NRC bowl final etc

Colin Stout will be stomping in his romper suit over this news.

It could only happen to us in the championship the final wont be the same as it was at Blackpool A final should be at a neutral ground and all fans can enjoy something different it won't be a patch on last seasons final even if we are lucky enough to get there this season. I wonder why they didn't ask the fans and the players what they thought If Fax get there there in a no win situation playing at their home ground and I would of thought the players would enjoy it more at a neutral ground running out in front of there fans as its something different Anyway I would like to get to the final again and hopefully win this time but not too fussed if we don't make it I am interested how this thread goes and the opinion of your fans

Mike's point says it all really. If we cant stage a proper final at a neutral venue because the reward is eaten up by the people staging the event then we need to look at other options.

any team who wins a final should have not only the prestige of been crowned champions but also a nice wedge to top up the bank account.

last year we won, and gained little other than a large hangover!

this year if we win we will profit.

Halifax is a great day out, its a great stadium which will only be improved before finals day! i say good on the clubs to stand up and make a point.

I think I read somewhere that the use RFL paid £50k to hire the Blackpool ground

Mr Simms have you been on the 9% Cider again? Not impressed with this at all, just wont be the same if fax get to the final.

Do the RFL cover ALL the costs of the final or do the clubs have to pay anything?

No dispespect to the Shay , but if Leigh make the final I wont now be attending , I dislike Blackpool as a place more than most having worked there for a couple of years , it is a dump , but it is the perfect venue for the ' Junior ' Cup Final , and did generate interst among lapsed and potential new fans of the clubs playing

I cant see the Shay doing that , also how will they allocate the 2 Bowl finalists money ?

Clubs pay half each, pal.

It is not inconcievable that a reduced attendance will negate the financial saving

What?
Clearly your not an accountant like griff.

I have put this on your forum


If you look at our forum, Mike Riley has explained why it isn't Blackpool and why it isn't a Super League ground, check it out and then say where you would prefer it.

Answers on a post card with a fat lady and a thin man on the front.

I dont need to be an accountant to realise that if 2,000 less fans attend , the savings wont be very much , chuck in potentially less merchandice sales and you could end up worse off

You've stopped watching Leigh anyway haven't you? Or was it all hot air? One thing's for sure, we won't need your bloody hose pipe

Yep , but I had agreed to a weekend in ' pool ' if we got there , I did enjoy it against you lot 2 years back , but a holiday in halifax ?

Thacks for the answer. I think thats wrong really. The Championship clubs dont have much money to start with and the RFL must know that. The RFL have been making profit this past 7 years. And the comp has a sponsor. I would have expected the RFL to pay atleast 50% of the costs of hiring the ground etc.
I can understand why the final is moved but I would prefer a neutral ground maybe like Rochdale, Doncaster, Salford or Wakefield and the day special. Playing at The Shay if we get there willl just be another game. Same if played at Leigh and Leigh make it or Fev and Fev make it.

I would `ve chosen Swinton as a good venue.

Me too, they have that many different players from other clubs they wouldn't have home advantage even if they got to the final.



As i have said before it's just daft to me and takes something away from it.

Having said that if i'm not on my jollies i will be going whoever gets there.

Mixed feelings but it is good for Halifax as a town and the Shay as a venue, as for Fax well its an incentive to get to the Final as despite what others say we would have a good turn out as there is no travelling involved for us so will be cheap. Bringing it forward to the Saturday is a good idea as well as the Bowl Final as the Championship One clubs need another cup that they can win as they are very unlikely to get to the NRC Final especially with the enlarged Championship.
I will probably go even if we don't get there.

I take it that you mean the principle's wrong. Worth pointing out that it's not so long ago that a neutral venue took 10% of the gate money as ground rent.

Griff, Its also worth pointing out that if sheffield actually took some fans ( a reasonable amount ) when they got to finals then there would be more money in the pot, Perhaps this is a reason its also been voted on by the championship clubs. So they are not too reliant on who gets to the final, IE Fev, leigh, fax etc all bring the most fans and increase the gate.

Sheffield Vs Hunslet down at the shay would be a nightmare.