And yet still, we are in a miles better position than you will ever be

Im sure most supporters would be willing to spend one season at another ground if they knew that they would have a permanent home ground that was purpose built for Rugby League in the near future.

I don't think its embarassing at all.

Great stuff!

This is the best news Saints have had for many a year.

A purpose built stadium of your own is the dream for many a club.

The fact we are moving down the road for a few games (13) is not an issue for many, indeed I'd say most.
Especially as transport options will be provided by the club.

Season Ticket sales have never reached 13,500 so that wont be an issue for us, also deals are going to be on offer for those who take up the ticket at Widnes.

Only issue is for away fans who may get a lower allocation than this and previous seasons.

Fantastic news

You've been saying that to yourselves every year since 2002 though

Good to see you've given up on finishing in the top 4 next year...

We will see....

I can't believe a wigan fan just said that

I have no idea what revenue Saints will be able to generate from their new ground but it must be enough to pay for its upkeep as well as financing the team. They owned KR did they not and look what happened there.

If it isn't used Oct through Feb it's just a drain on the finances for those months.

I hope thay can make it pay but it isn't a simple matter of ownership being great, leasing being bad.

Dave

From st helens to widnes stadium is 5 miles not 13 miles as someone on here have said.

Only a club who don't own there ground but have to lease it off a football team would see that saints getting there own brand new stadium is a bad thing

He must be using the same calculator that mo had when we went over the cap

I would imagine we will get 3-3.5k for our game against next them next year, we will have the end nearest on the main rd

no, just using Google maps, and if you think that you will 'OWN' your new ground outright, you are deluded.

Only Wigan fans could mock our good news. Say what you like but for just one season on the road, we will be blessed with a state of the art RL stadium which will be infinitely better than nearly all other "Rugby" grounds (DW not included as you are tenants). Probably only the KC stadium and Galpharm will be an equal.

We will generate much more income when we move in. I would anticipate a notable increase in the average attendance and the fact that it will be used all year round i.e conference facilities, wedding receptions etc, then its a real money spinner for the club.

We are still St. Helens RLFC and from 2012 we will be St. Helens RLFC with a brand spanking new stadium that we wont need permission to play in. You have the cheek to have a go at us, when you had to play a play off game at Widnes because Uncle Dave called the shots.

We won't be renting it off a football team.

Wigan is a football town now.

IM A WIGAN FAN

St Helens will never have a 20,000 crowd on as long as I live. It just shows that St Helens is not really a RL town. They don't even have the excuse of a Premier League team to compete with! They will never even have a Premier League team as long as I live. What is the point of the town of St Helens and thier existence in all honesty? For us just to laugh at?

And do St Helens fans really think they will OWN their stadium from 2012?! Deluded.

First of all i don't think Saints position is embaressing, staying in that dump of a ground would be embaressing, they'll have a new stadium then and i'm glad to be honest.
But also, all this 'renting it off a football team' business, who cares? it mean we have a bigger stadium with far better facilities and on match days it doesn't seem to me like we don't own it.
this thread was just asking for trouble really

Of course we won't have a 20,000 crowd on, given our capacity will be 18,000



And we have had maximum crowds on against Wigan and Warrington over the years (17,500) and if our capacity would have been 20,000 would probably have filled it. Can't really see your point there, given that your 20,000 crowds are against us and Wire also.

And seeing as you are such an expert, who will own the ground then?

I'm not an expert at all.
Do you think you will own the ground?
And why is it not going to have a 20,000+ capacity?
Surely a 'purpose built RL ground' when you don't even have a pro football team to compete with would be at least 20,000.

Am not going to lie and say that we would get 25,000 crowds, so there is no point in us having a 25-30k capacity if two thirds are constantly empty.

Have no idea why the 18,000 was mooted but given we only really sell out against Wigan (and sometimes Wire) then its about right. A capacity crowd (with standing behind the sticks don't forget) will make for a great atmosphere.

And you have not answered my question. If we don't own the ground (which you state we won't) then who does? Put it one way, we won't have to ask permission to play or be forced to change fixtures due to a football team

Well you not gonna pay for all the stadium upfront are you!

Your club is simply not big enough for a 20,000 stadium. You only wish you were.

Your little town is not good enough to ever have a Premier League club. You can only dream of watching your home town club in the Premier League. Sorry mate.

Quite ironic comment that given that Latics fans and Wigan RL fans can't stand each other. Now, because it suits your argument you are using their Premier League status. Fact is mate, you share your ground and the football team calls the shots. As Benitez says, thats a fact. They say jump, you say how high.

I too wish we had more fans. Am very disappointed that with the size of the town and no other sports to compete with, that we had a better average attendance. But having put up with the Old Girl for so long, we will have an increased average attendance in the new stadium much the same as Wire did, as more families will attend, better facilities etc.

Latics fans and Wigan RL fans can't stand each other? Haha! Only because it suits your argument! haha! What percentage of fans don't like each other?
Yeah some fans don't like each other but I live in Wigan, have done all my life and the general population of Wigan like both teams.
It suits my argument? Think about it, who's come onto another club's board to start arguing? Haha! Go back to your small town board!

The stadium WILL be owned by St Helens RLFC.

It has been set at 18,000 with a view to aiming for those as a regular attendance for the time being, with the possibility that if popularity were to improve, there is then room for growth. This is a very long term aspiration, however. Although market research done in 2007/8 showed that the location put many people off attending. The new stadium is a short walk away from every district of St Helens via the bus station. Some people have to take 3 or 4 buses to Knowsley Road.

As for any trouble with finance over the next season, Eamonn, and other board directors are worth a pretty penny. After next season, the plan is for the new stadium to be used year round, not just for sport, but utilising the facilities it will house with the centre of the St Helens business focusing around the stadium.

I'll take a year of chemical poisoning for the long term future of the club.