Even if you do not support the Sheffield Eagles, Please take a few minutes of your time and sign this petition. As you are fans of this club you will know what it feels like to think they may no longer exist. I'm hoping for as many signatures I can get to keep Sheffield Eagles in Sheffield or even in existence! You will have to register to sign, please follow the link. https://sheffield.moderngov.co.uk/mgEPe ... spx?id=115 Thanks so much in advance if you took the time. We the undersigned petition the Council to : We the undersigned would like to express our concern for the future of our club SHEFFIELD Eagles. It’s taken 13 years for Mark Aston and his team to recover from being disbanded to where we are today the current CHAMPIONS of the Championship League. He’s worked tirelessly within the community to encourage young people to be involved in the game, some of which have already gone on to play in our first team. Sheffield prides itself on being a City of Sports and now Sheffield Eagles are asking the council to ensure their future is in Sheffield and not in doubt. We would like the council to reassure us that this work has not been in vain and to keep Sheffield Eagles in SHEFFIELD. We are probably the most successful team that Sheffield has had in recent years. We want the council to help the Sheffield Eagles remain in Sheffield by helping with fundings, like they have offered to help the athletics relocate now the Don Valley Stadium is to be demolished.

Even if you do not support the Sheffield Eagles, Please take a few minutes of your time and sign this petition. As you are fans of this club you will know what it feels like to think they may no longer exist. I'm hoping for as many signatures I can get to keep Sheffield Eagles in Sheffield or even in existence! You will have to register to sign, please follow the link. https://sheffield.moderngov.co.uk/mgEPe ... spx?id=115 Thanks so much in advance if you took the time. We the undersigned petition the Council to : We the undersigned would like to express our concern for the future of our club SHEFFIELD Eagles. It’s taken 13 years for Mark Aston and his team to recover from being disbanded to where we are today the current CHAMPIONS of the Championship League. He’s worked tirelessly within the community to encourage young people to be involved in the game, some of which have already gone on to play in our first team. Sheffield prides itself on being a City of Sports and now Sheffield Eagles are asking the council to ensure their future is in Sheffield and not in doubt. We would like the council to reassure us that this work has not been in vain and to keep Sheffield Eagles in SHEFFIELD. We are probably the most successful team that Sheffield has had in recent years. We want the council to help the Sheffield Eagles remain in Sheffield by helping with fundings, like they have offered to help the athletics relocate now the Don Valley Stadium is to be demolished.

I'm probably not the best person to speak to as I'm fully supportive of the decision to demolish Don Valley.

As a sports facilities manager with a considerable amount of experience managing such facilities, I can accurately comment on the fact that stadiums of this kind are a huge financial drain on councils and as such have no use to the local community.

The plans drafted up for Woodburn Stadium more than meet the requirements for athletics, and its good news as this will mean that Sheffields most succesful sporting export (Jess Ennis-Hill) will be able to continue to train in the city.

I do strongly feel for the Eagles fans and would hope a suitable venue could be found within the city to accomodate them. Your club was well and truely shafted during the Hudds/Sheffield Giants dibacle and should not be forgotten.

However, I do feel its worth pointing out that Sheffield Eagles haven't always fully supported the council either. It was only 2-3yrs ago that they turned their back on the Don Valley in order to shack up with Sheffield United.

[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/9227535.stm[/url

The little rent that Sheffield Council got must have been considerably hit during this period, yet nobody felt sorry for them did they?

Perhaps I could suggest that there are other options within the city that the club could have pursued (Owlerton and Sheffield Hallam spring to mind) yet they appear to have sat back waiting to be spoon fed a stadium on the basis that they are mildly succesful.

Spending millions on a stadium upgrade for a club averaging crowds of just under 1000 doesn't rate as a high priority for a council in desperate need to cut millions off the budget imo.

So for me it would be a big good luck to the fans of the club in your quest to keep RL in the city but I won't be offering my support on the petition as I believe it shouldn't be up to the council to provide this kind of investment.

And before anyone goes shouting off about Bradford MC helping us out, yes we received business loans but that is exactly what they are... LOANS and we are fully expected to pay these back.

I think a simple "No" would have sufficed!

So, let me get this right. It's OK for the Council to support Athletics (due mainly to Jess Ennis Hill's success) but they must draw the line and helping the Eagles? mmm! Yep, that seems fair enough. Lets hope Jess has a very long and successful career so she may continue to train within the City.

Maybe we could get the RFL to buy the ground? We didnt turn our back on the DVS, we were told that Rotherham United had priority at the stadium and they were not keen to have RL played there. It was made clear we could only play when Rotherham would allow it, hence the move to Bramall Lane.

As for sitting back and waiting, the club had planned all year to move into a site at Sheffield Hallam Uni at Bawtry Road, this had been cleared by the RFL, with the club purchasing temporary stands. Sadly two weeks ago the university pulled out of the project, leaving the club high and dry. The management at Owlerton have kindly stepped in at the last minute. All the club are asking for is some help to get the work done on updating Owlerton in a feasible time, as I said the club have already bought stands which can go in at Owlerton so it wouldnt cost millions to convert.

Hopefully down the line there will be a purpose built ground, this is already going through a feasibility stage, and is entirely privately funded with no help from Sheffield Council.

Steel City Bull is right when he says about the support for athletics, the council argue that it is because its an amateur sport, however the Eagles are run not for profit and are a community club with amateur teams such as the Hallam Eagles needing a ground and a junior set-up that puts many Super League teams to shame. I dont think its a lot to ask for a bit of support at this time, as the club rose from the ashes of the Shudds debacle on the condition of no RFL funding.

Sorry for the long message anyway, appreciate why many people wont want to sign it, as Councils are cutting many services, just had to correct some totally incorrect statements.

Hmmm. I'm not sure about that.

I thought it was the cack handed way that the council handled Rotherham United coming to the Don Valley that rather forced the Eagles to act. Didn't they struggle to use the pitch to train etc?

[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7459409.stm[/url