Wow.

Good point, very well made.

Saw you on South Park last night btw.

Not much competition though - more the best of a poor bunch

Has more advantages than any other side in SL yet it cannot find sufficient funds to bring its place of business out of the stone age.

I can't understand why this is the case. Over the last 12 years or so, we've played in numerous finals and show piece games, all of which shouldn't have been budgeted for, so should be considered bonus money, if you will.

Where's all that extra revenue going?

Go to Leedsrugby and look at the coaching/conditioning set up - all that expertise to finish in the middle 8s and virtually zero quality coming through the academy!!

Don't forget that we were paying debts off for a while and even if the club made a £500k profit every year it would take 12 years to accumulate enough money to fund a new South Stand.

Leeds getting a new south stand is the financial equivalent of Tesco spending £32bn in one year on one project.

Then why are we doing it?! Most of the people who stand in the south stand are pretty happy to stay standing.
If you want to update it and maybe make it a bit safer (though I don't recall any injury incidents), then just add in more barriers and replace the rest of the stone steps with the metal ones.

I think we will look a bit stupid converting our stand to seats when football teams all over europe are going the other way and introducing safe standing.
Why? Because standing means a better atmosphere and our team plays better at home.

Even if it were to stay as standing it needs knocking down and rebuilding at some point. It's required lots of money spending on it recently just to keep it available for use and that will only get worse.

Why does it need knocking down? As I said you can just make a few adjustments and it will be as good as any stand in SL

It needs expensive maintenance every few years to strengthen it.

I love standing in the south stand, but it's not close to being as good as any stand in SL. The access is relatively poor, there's pillars blocking people's view, holes in the roof, an outdated TV gantry and inadequate food and drink areas and I still dont know how they get away with the kids sitting on the wall with such a large drop behind them.

It really does need doing at some point, whether it's now or 10 years time or somewhere in between is largely irrelevant. If there's an opportunity to get it done along with the North Stand then I say do it.

Knock it down, build a new terrace. Cheaper and its what all South Standers would be happy with.

What Bang said.

Perhaps the club needs to look at alternative arrangements - smaller clubs like Warrington and Saints have managed to build new stadiums without it causing financial meltdown - so if they can do it why can't Leeds?

The North stand will have to be done at least the cricket side - are the club really prepared to let the opportunity of economies of scale disappear and let only half the stand get built.

As I understand it both Saints & Warrington sold their previous grounds for housing (?) & used the proceeds to build their new stadia elsewhere in their respective towns- both with a significantly smaller capacity than Headingley.
So that's not an option for the Rhinos if the desire is to rebuild Headingley.

What would the rugby side of the Headingley complex be worth and what purpose would it be used if it did get sold? Maybe a car park for cricket .

So GH very recently became the Director of Leeds Rugby Limited. Does that mean Caddick is no longer a/the Director?

Could we have some information posted from the people who have it please?

Is Headingley sustainable long term as a sporting venue?

The cricket is already struggling to attract profitable test matches and the issues with the western terrace makes the full redevelopment of the rugby side troublesome

I know its heracy but perhaps a radical re-think is required for the long term financial stability of both clubs?

The combined value of the whole site would be significant in that area

Of course the stadium is viable. Well the rugby league stadium is anyway. For what it's worth, since Hetherington has been in charge at Headingley only Warrington have spent more on their stadium than Leeds. It's not that money hasn't been spent, or indeed that money isn't available (for the south stand at least), but getting it done in the way that works best for the club is proving challenging. I'm sure the vast majority of Leeds fans are happy for the club to try and work through those challenges rather than set up shop in a flat pack out on the ringroad somewhere.

Has there been another flood ?

Durham losing test match status must help Yorkshire as it leaves one less northern venue to compete against. Also this city based T20 they're on about introducing I would imagine Leeds/Headingley would be one of those involved if it happens.

It's a bit of a self fulfilling cycle with Headingley for test matches. The ECB say we don't sell enough tickets to justify giving us a big test match in July/August so they give us a test against Sri Lanka/West Indies etc. in May. Then because it's not an attractive game and it's still a bit cold no one comes. Then the year after the ECB say we don't sell enough tickets.... and on we go. Which is stupid because if they'd have given us a Pakistan test and Old Trafford a Sri Lanka test we would have sold out and they'd have had hardly anyone there. Once we have an Ashes test in 2019 things might start to change a bit.

That is a fair point but the much improved facilities at OT will give Leeds a run for its money.

Things would be easier if London didn't have to have at least 2 sometimes 3 test matches a year

Wouldn't be so bad if Lords could produce a decent test match once in a while.

The decision on green belt land in Weetwood and Tingley will determine a host of policy decisions at the club, including those who participate in policy decisions at boardroom level.

PS: It's lovely jubbly positive news when the club announces that it has made a profit but there ain't much point going overboard with praise for the alleged [i'best run club in SL'[/i when potentially crippling long term debt is not being serviced adequately.

So we await the next piece of spin patiently