What it's missing is a big carpark. Other than that i think it's comparable to most new grounds. Leeds is a pretty big place, it's not reasonable, unlike Warrington, to just expect a centralised location with good motorway links.

On a similar theme, I loved Wilderspool. Very atmospheric. Good bar at the back of the Railway End. A bit too much sand on the pitch though

Give over, Wilderspool had the best grass pitch anywhere in world sport for several years. We covered it in manure every other week.

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Big game ?, there was only 13k on today , Headingley regularly handles crowds of 17-18 k comfortably

Not when all the support is away.

not quite getting the 'semi final at a neural ground' thing are you?

Stick a roof on the away end and it'd be my favourite ground in the league.

I think this is spot on & sums Headingly up.

I hate semi finals, it brings all the weapons out, had to contend with some areshole and his dad who turned up just after kick off, who were chucking beer around just cos they thought it was funny. Also they had his gf with them who had snuck a full glass bottle of sambuca in, which was getting passed to a couple of teenage girls who I don't think we're with them.


They spent I'd say over half the match not looking at the pitch and struggling to stay upright.

If you got hit by the Pringles can, today, it was this that did it. And to top it all off he openly starts snorting coke in the bloody crowd, like no one is going to notice you sniffing your house key mate.


wigan away is usually like this as well, kids on the booze.


Wasn't sure afterwards if the girl that was in a mess near the coaches(she was in a bad way) was one of the ones near me.


Bloody ridiculous.

no it wouldnt, if it was in lancashire, it would be the worst SL ground

What does Lancashire have to do with anything?

Love the western terrace when the suns out, miss swapping ends like in the old days.

Headingley easily the best traditional ground in world rugby, maybe even world sport.
And it's still miles better than most of the soulless new grounds. Once the new north and south stands are built it will still be world class Rl venue.

Will it still be a 'traditional ground' with two new stands?

I don't doubt that it is a great ground for Leeds fans. Easy access either on foot, local bus or by car with local knowledge of street parking. Not so good for away fans having to contend with very poor access by road and then being exposed to the elements if the weather is poor.

But as a neutral venue with thousands of fans arriving from outside the city is is simply inadequate. Without a suitable area for coaches to drop off, or more importantly pickup passengers then Headingley should not be used as a neutral venue except maybe if it is a local derby (Cas v Wakey for example)
Yesterday I saw at least two families struggling to keep their young children with them whilst attempting to get on the coach, and an elderly couple were squashed up against the side of the coach unable to move. And we were all getting soaked in the process. This is the 21st Century for gods sake. Some of these 'soulless' grounds, such as our own, may not have the character of the older grounds but generally they do have better access, facilities, and roofs.

I was sat in the North stand today on the 40 with the luxury of my very own TV screen it was brilliant....unfortunately the TV screen was stuck on a post but given our performance it wasn't such an inconvenience.

I understand that as it's propping up the cricket ground that it's not a simple thing to resolve but with this shambles the open West Stand Headingley a great traditional ground in rugby/world sport my ar$e

I think maybe your question about the attendance is answered by the ground's poor access for visiting fans of which there were two lots yesterday. Traffic really is a problem wherever you go these days but i can't help think Huddersfield would have been more convenient for all concerned.

Agreed. The away end at Headingley is brilliant on a sunny evening but I will acknowledge that I hope the weather on Friday is better than it was yesterday. I was quite impressed with that terrace we were on yesterday though. I haven't been down at that end in about ten years since the last time we swapped before it was all done up. The terrace was bigger than I thought it was and it was perfectly dry where we were standing.

I acknowledge some of the comments above about transport issues as it is fair comment that for a family the coach will be a lot more affordable than the train, but I stand by my earlier posts about Headingley itself - it's a great ground.

You're wrong on both counts there pal. I walked from Headingley centre to the stadium yesterday and it was definately further than the HJ to Warrington town centre. Also I got wet through yesterday near the front of the Carnegie, whereas I have stood near the front of our south stand for 10 years and never got wet.

Huddersfield ground is awfull to get to just on a normal day never mind match day Leeds road always slow and busy

you said its comparable to most new grounds. Most are in LAncashire as the RL said they needed them. A memo most Yorkshire clubs obviously didnt get

Oh, I see. The memo was never sent to Leeds as Headingley got top rating. And I don't recall that being the reason why Wigan had to sell their own ground and start having to pay rent on somebody else's.

was well before that sunshine we sold our ground to share with the club with the same owner, exactly, how did headingley get top rating?? Floors falling apart.

You sold your ground to save you from going bust sunshine.
Thankfully Headingley wasn't inspected by Wigan fans, but an independent panel.

Wigan probably sold their ground to help pay for the salary cap cheating.

Top rating by whom? Two of your stands North and West are poor pee poor. I went on the train so didn't have any travel chaos and Headingly had enough on offer pre and post match

In defence of pieman and despite the jibes to the likes of Wigan, Salford, FC and Huddersfield you don't have to own a ground to have the right to play in it and with the exception of Salford's AJ Bell they are better than what you have to offer IMO

no we didnt, get the facts right.