I've just watched a feature on Sky Sports News, and presumably it'll be repeated a few times today.

Seems very nice. Capacity of 12 000, and in the shadow of the M60. There looks to be the now almost traditional mix of seating and standing. This could be the making of Salford.

Seems a bit boring though. I mean, all the stands bar one are almost identical in height, size etc. I suppose they did that so they could fill in the corners if necessary.

Cant wait to be sat on a coach for 2hrs stuck in the traffic for the Trafford centre on route to thier ground.

In all seriousness though, it does look like a very big step in the right direction, bless the willows but they had to move on to thrive. Hopefully now they can start pushing up thier supporter numbers.

Good luck to 'em i say.

Looking forward to visting it reminded me of Leigh spv.

As GCH says, it's in the shadow of the M60.
I haven't been around that way since building started, is it highly visible and could a roof have something RL-related emblazoned across it?

I actually quite liked the Willows, apart from not being able to see from one end of the ground to the other at night.
This looks like a great move for Salford though. let's hope they can kick on and build their fanbase enough to pay for it.

The only downside for me is that for the past 3 Leeds games at the Willows I've managed to park for free, on the road just a few metres from the Family Stand Turnstiles. Shortest distance from car to seat that I've known at any ground.

I drove past the place a couple of weeks ago on the way back from Cheshire, seems a tidy little ground from what I could see of it. Traffic access from the M60 at busy times could be an issue though. We play them early on on a Friday night I believe, that might be a "fun" journey for me, seeing as I will probably be working till 5pm!

Looks a decent ground and regardless has got to be a step in the right direction for salford

Looked fairly tidy, although unfinished when I drove past it earlier in the year.

I don't remember an obviously big roof for advertsing El B but I could be wrong

Somewhere in the deepest darkest recesses of my mind I have a vague recollection that the Willows is/was the oldest ground in rugby league – can anyone confirm?

If it was I wonder which ground is now the oldest Belle vue -Wakey -Headingley ?

I think Headingley might well be. IIRC Headingley was built in 1890 and Belle Vue was in 1895. I might be wrong but I think the other traditional stadiums in SL were all built after that.

Salford first played at the Willows in 1901 and therefore it was our home for 110 years. The new ground is exciting whilst many of us are still upset at having to leave our spiritual home!

Some have mentioned the look of the new ground and the size of the 3 smaller stands being identical/ boring. Firstly I think that you could level that criticism of most new stadia which are built basically to the same sort of design and are uniform right the way round.

Secondly, those stands are only part 1 of a 3 phase build which could see the capacity increase to 20,000 in the future. Building would take place behind and above the existing structures making the stands higher. However, I don't think there are any plans to fill in the corners, something that when i watched MOTD last week I noticed on the BBC graphic that most Premiership soccer grounds don't have filled in corners either! Strange but true!

Lastly, I don't think it will be any harder for you guys to get down to Barton than it was to get to the Willows. I have to go past the Trafford centre on a friday to get to the Willows myself as I now live on the Wirral and I have rarely encountered many traffic problems. However, an a;iternative route for any Yorkshire folk coming across would be to exit the M62 at Swinton, go down Bolton Rd towards the East Lancs, down Lancaster Rd to Hope hospital and then drive through Eccles until you come to the round about junction with the M60, across the round about onto the A57 signposted Irlam and Warrington and you are about 500 yards away from there. Parking may be an issue if you want it gratis but there should be ample parking at the ground although the stadium company who own it will be charging £5 a throw I believe.

I look forward to seeing you there in numbers. All the best from Lancashire!!!

Wakefield Trinity moved to Belle Vue in 1879, Jesus we need a new stadium!

I think Mount Pleasant could be quite an old ground

According to wiki both Belle Vue and Mount Pleasant were built in 1895

Quote ="Him"According to wiki both Belle Vue and Mount Pleasant were built in 1895'" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakefield_ ... arly_years =#4000FFWakefield Trinity was founded by a group of men from the Holy Trinity Church in 1873. Early matches were played at Heath Common (1873), Manor Field (1875–76) and Elm Street (1877) before the club moved to Belle Vue in 1879

Quote ="Him"According to wiki both Belle Vue and Mount Pleasant were built in 1895'" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakefield_ ... arly_years =#4000FFWakefield Trinity was founded by a group of men from the Holy Trinity Church in 1873. Early matches were played at Heath Common (1873), Manor Field (1875–76) and Elm Street (1877) before the club moved to Belle Vue in 1879

Yet according to the Belle Vue wiki page

"The site was purchased in 1895 after the split between rugby league and rugby union, in order to provide a permanent base for the Wakefield Trinity team who had being playing on fields in the local area since 1873"

BV has been the stadium since 1895 the club has existed since 1873

So we're all agreed then.
Although Wakefield played at Belle Vue since 1879 they didn't buy it until 1895, at the time of the split, to give them a permanent base.
Makes sense to me.
It will be Headingley eventually.........hopefully

It depends which wiki page is correct. 1 says they moved to Belle Vue in 1879 (whether that actually means the stadium or just a pitch nearby?) and 1 says they played on fields nearby since 1873 and doesn't mention the stadium until Wakefield bought the site (depends what that means) in 1895.

Would be interesting to know how many games, if any, were played at belle vue between 1879 and 1895. The second quote only mentions Belle Vue being 'purchased' as a 'permanent' site from 1895. This doesn't mean they necessarily didn't play all, or most, of their games there before then, just that they didn't own it.
I'm a bit of a part-time, plastic fan and I didn't get to many games in the late 19th century, but I've heard you've got a few old-timers on here that keep stats and probably attended a few games

Apologies for drifting off-topic somewhat. How is Wakefield's, or even Salford's, ground being discussed on the Leeds forum?

I did a bit of digging and found some other sources. The site from our resident author seems the most well researched, and therefore most reliable, and seems to suggest 1892 for the current site.

[urlhttp://www.neilwhite.net/history.html[/url

[urlhttp://conservapedia.com/Wakefield_Trinity_Wildcats[/url

[urlhttp://www.talkrugbyleague.co.uk/guides/super_league_clubs_wakefield_trinity_wildcats.html[/url

P.S. congratulations on the friendly and belated congratulations on the championship.