If my maths are correct it is nearly 20 years since our first game at the HJ. When I think about it that time has flown by when I realise that I have watched us at the HJ almost as long as at Wilderspool.

So what were fans hopes and expectations from the move to the HJ. And have those hopes been realized.

I wasn't born when we won the challenge cup in the 1970's so the heartache of growing up and getting beat by the mighty Wigan in semi finals and finals meant I was desperate to see a win at Wembley.

In 2004 the play off system and Grand final was in it's infancy but it was starting to grate on me that Wigan, Saints, Bradford and Leeds would be at the end of season party whilst I was battling with the wife on Saturday nights in September and October to see if we were watching Rugby League or the X Factor / Pop Idol.

Be interesting to read what people's thoughts were at the time as we were about to move into our "sexy" new stadium.

The last Wilderspool years coincided with me taking my young kids with their Wolfpack season tickets. At times it was horrible, standing in the rain with poor views for them. If we went under cover, they couldn't see over people, so the move was very welcome.
I wonder if the old codgers living nearby that were vocal in objecting to the new stadium ever had their fears confirmed.

Despite Wilderspool being the home of my RL education I don’t miss it. HJ is a massive improvement. The only old ground I really miss is visiting Central Park which always looked to my young eyes as a cathedral of RL.

You’ve brought back memories of walking the perimeter of the new stadium every week to watch the build progress! It was an exciting time to be a Wire fan.

I expected / hoped the stadium would secure our future financially and allow us to challenge further up the table. Let’s not forget what the club was at the end of the Wilderspool era prior to the stadium getting approval. Undoubtedly my hopes have been realised, It convinced Simon Moran that we were stable enough for him to invest in us which brought us a level of success that previously would have been unheard of to a generation with LLS’s and challenge cups. We haven’t kicked on as we should and I think the squad was the focus of further investment and focus, when the club, academy and amateur scene should have taken a greater priority if we wanted to genuinely take ourselves to the next level.

"So what were fans hopes and expectations from the move to the HJ. And have those hopes been realized."

I hoped it would be the beginning of the end of us being an also-ran, which has pretty much been realized.

I think by any measure the stadium move has been a huge success. Nice stadium (certainly by RL standards), great location, wasn't a big financial burden, and has been the home of plenty of great memories.

I’ve never felt the HJ as home to be honest.
Never feels like an experience.
Just a tin box with plastic seats, hyper inflated beverages and snacks, and the most filthy toilets.
That with lacklustre performances on the pitch, makes it a tough call to find the spirit to bother going at times.

Blimey, that's passed quickly! I loved Wilderspool, which must be because of the personal memories such as the same group of people in the Fletch who were there for most games, with the banter and camaraderie between us. That all disappeared with the move and I just didn't get the character of the HJS, which still seems soulless in comparison. I totally get the extremely uncertain times at the end of Wilderspool's life, and that we couldn't challenge the likes of Wigan, Leeds, Saints and Bradford with a capacity of only around 6k. The move had to be made, and it has been successful, other than having that elusive GF victory. It's very sad that Wilderspool is still an empty field and hasn't been repurposed to make the site live again once more. Our move was done at the optimum time, as I don't think it would have happened had we left it much longer.

Short memory (and I haven’t noticed any problems with HJ toilets to be fair.

Having watched Wakefield for nearly 50 years, take it from me your stadium is top drawer and I love going there, now we’ve got the new stand and new pitch up and running my match day experience will be a pleasant one.

Well i watched a handful of games when i was younger at Wilderspool so don't have any real memories of it. Then i had a big break and started watching again at the start of the 2005 season. So i've only really known the HJ really, and i love it.
My hopes and expectations now is simply a Grand final win. I'd like to think i'll see it im my lifetime, but my Dad was born in 1955 so he's never seen it himself, although he's not a rugby league fan and if he did he'd support Salford.

Some strange comments, I get the nostalgic and atmospheric connection to Wilderspool, that will never be beaten for some irrespective of what the HJ ever would or could be. But my memories of the toilets at Wilderspool seem to differ to yours! Drinks / food inflation is what it is, would have happened regardless of staying at Wilderspool or not.

I’ve also seen far better performances at the HJ vs Wilderspool, but I guess that depends on how many years you spent watching at Wilderspool. Totally understand the emotive connection to the old place though.

Or maybe RD is channeling Alanis Morisette?

Those early years of the HJ saw some rocking nights. I seem to recall a ding dong fixture with Bradford in that first season among others. It has certainly changed since then, it seems so sanitised and stale, maybe that's more a reflection of what's offered on the pitch, but something just seems different compared to those days of Nat Wood running through the away end,Joey Johns spanking Leeds, or even the 2011 champagne rugby.

As a facility, I can't say much more than the previous posts really. It did play a big part in pushing us into the top 4 and out of mediocrity. At the time, it was easily the best purpose-built RL ground in the league and unlike some of our rivals it gave us an independence where we didn't need to go 'cap in hand' to someone else in order to have a home of our own. I'm pretty sure 20 years on it's still the envy of most away fans, perhaps barring Saints and Leeds.

It does need some maintainance, however. The white cladding is rusty and the seats are starting to fade. She needs a touch up, but here's to the next 20 years.

What’s being served on the field definitely impacts atmosphere, especially when there is a greater expectation on results as there has been since our move to the HJ. That Johns night was special and there have been many others.

Agreed on the maintenance, ironically it seems to be the corners that have aged more, rather than the existing structure.

i'm actually quite surprised the club hasn't made more of this, or it being their theme for season ticket renewals, maybe they've got plans for next year but you'd be expecting them to push it a hell of a lot. maybe do some 20 year merch.

KFP is too busy desperately chasing Luke Littler around the world

its really not mate

I’m at the club every week. I see them and smell them at first hand.
I keep thinking about taking some bleach down with me.

When vs HJ & Wilderspool.
The HJ hadn’t floated my boat.
It looks and feels like a spam tin can.
Lining the inner tin shell would have put a closure on that…never done.
The roof structural beams are filthy brown, not white. The toilets are breeze block still with tin troughs, not an easy clean tile in sight.
The troughs are stained disgusting brown and sludge and stink foul.

Wilderspool was no challenger on the toilets, but it’s excuse was it’s age.
But I was watching Alex Murphy, Parry Gordon, John Bevan, Bob Eccles, Tommy Martyn, Dave Chisnall, Phil Blake, Andy Gregory, Mike Gregory, Les Boyd, Jonathan Davis….

So no, in the 20 years that followed watching such greats I mentioned and feeling the atmosphere throbbing from their veins to performance, I would say only Briers and Westwood have brought some of that to the HJ.
2011 was great rugby, and an opportunity to kick on and keep the momentum, when it looked like the club would finish the stadium to match the games…but no, the following seasons are on par with the lack attention to the troughs in the toilets.

Karl is maybe trying to recreate the retro 'Wilderspool experience' of rusted steel, medieval latrines and general progressive decay.

RD leaving the stadium to one side for a minute 2 points occur to me.
1) Nostalgia is very selective. Yes we had some fantastic players post ‘74 but for the most part we had poor teams serving up some absolute dross (Jiffy’s 1st year excepted).
2) Given your views I’m amazed you still go

CH.
Every now and again I have to clear the pipes to get up for bigging them up as the best team in the best stadium in the world.

I’m all crystal and pumped….bring it on.

I don't that often go much these days. I agree the stadium is looking tired especially on the outside. The first few years at the HJ were definately rocking. There was plenty of entertainment in those Nathan Wood years. I recall we would often up our game and play the likes of Wigan and Bradford off the park but then we would often lose the next week to Huddersfield or Wakefield. We never really made it like a fortress. But i suppose that is a Warrington team all over. Inconsistent. But they have been the best memories for me. It was the last time SL was exciting. Even during 2011-13. Sure we won most games and played excellent rugby but there isn't much that sticks out in my head. Especially as a great memory. Not sure why?

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