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.

we never cheated the cap

every club in lance, hudds, HKR, Cats and Hull are better, even some clubs in the camphionship have better

Hysterical

Few facilities outside ? Trains Headingley station is just round the corner.Few facilities there are restaurants galore 2 or 3 minutes walk up north lane to Otley road .

You cheated the cap once and got docked points for it and following year you got docked points for "something" with a warning that it may be increased to 6 Points .poor old Cas got relegated and you should have been

you did stuart fielden remember him

Quote ="Pieman"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.'" Wigan sold Central Park because they were bust. Everyone knows that apart, seemingly, from you. They were off to play at the Reebok until Whelan finally stepped in and took control, giving the club access to the new football stadium he was building, which you continue to rent. www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugb ... 71381.html

Quote ="Pieman"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.'" Wigan sold Central Park because they were bust. Everyone knows that apart, seemingly, from you. They were off to play at the Reebok until Whelan finally stepped in and took control, giving the club access to the new football stadium he was building, which you continue to rent. www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugb ... 71381.html

This threads gone a bit off. ......... I only came here to see how many coaches the hull KR fans bricked and set fire to. .....and it's turned into a stadium willy measuring contest. ...

The selling of Central Park indirectly led to Wigan's loss against Hull KR in this years cc. It was to be expected that bricked and burnt out Wire coaches would be the aftermath of frustration passed on by Wigan fans to KR fans to us as a result of the Central Park/tesco conversion.' Every little helps' as we own our own ground and Wigan are tenants. By the way, I wonder if Whelan as the landlord has to gain permission from Wigan RL, the tenants, to enter the property?

They might have done if they would have been able to find the coaches

Fair comment fella

Huddersfield have the advantage of a large coach park at the stadium. Headingley could easily have sorted the coach issue by using that spare bit of grass in the "ground" next door.