I agree. First and foremost I love the game. Ideally, I would like to see a successful Wakefield team competing with the best in Superleague. However, in reality there is a very real risk that if the staus quo is unchanged both Wakey and Cas could either disappear completely or have to eke out an existance in the lower league. If a new merged club located in the Wakefield District, without any ties to either club was created I would definately support it.

Without a ground it's pointless merging!!!
With a ground we don't need to merge, unless the rfl impose a new doctrine for the next franchise!
If we want any real long term success, there would be som sense in a merger.
if we don't, plod on as we are.
These are the decisions for the future, but I have no faith whatsoever in the people who will make them.

I'm with you.

Even with a new ground, which is far from certain (and on which the club and developers have been ominously silent in recent weeks) we'll still have 2 poorly funded clubs vying for the same supporters, talent and advertising revenue and as a result, providing the same mediocre product; that cycle needs to be broken - the harsh reality is that the Wakefield District cannot suppport two SL clubs.

A merged Wakefield District team with a brand new identity will attract a significant cash injection from the RFL and build a solid platform for the future, both on and off the field. Given the right marketing strategy, it could also generate significant interest from the public - 10k+ each week is not beyond the pale in my view, if it's sold properly.

Reality check - I don't think the current adminstration of the club is capable of delivering any of the above; as long as its run as a family affair with a colloquial, small-town, penny-pinching attitude, things will never change, new stadium or not.

Spot on

A district club, though whoever decided cas and wakey were the same district obviously came from the south and just look what damage he / she has done. But, it's obvious the capitol of this "Wakefield" district / metropolian blah blah etc. is Wakefield City and hence the name and ground should reflect this....Wakefield. But will Cas fans stand for this? Doubt it. But Wakefield it should be otherwise it would be like a club represesenting the whole of London being called Peckham or Tower Crows. Just ain't right.

I'm completely on message with the last few posts. Egos must be parked now for the benefit of RL in a heartland area. We must also be realistic about the timescales and chances of 'going it alone'. Hopefully, somewhere, 2 or 3 clubs are meeting to discuss!

To those who say they wouldn't follow a mereged team; the reality is if the 'built it they will come' strategy which has been behind our stadium plans is carried through you will be replaced and then some if a new, well resourced team in a shiny ground is procured.

But none the less the fact is we are in Wakefield district, and to my mind this would show preference.
Wakeford Wildtigers, just doesn't sound right, and i refuse to where a shirt of red, black, White, amber and blue!!!! Ooooh no girlfriend!!!!!!

Perhaps we consider a tartan?????

I'm liking it........not!!!
Although we may get more funding and security from the rfl for being a jock team, expansion etc. etc. etc.!!!!!

You sound like a man with a future at Red Hall!

news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_l ... 753275.stm If Smiths suggestion was to happen, it would almost certainly spell the End of one of the Wakefield clubs if not both! We have to move on from the past and look to the future, a merged team is the way forward. Calder Chiefs?

news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_l ... 753275.stm If Smiths suggestion was to happen, it would almost certainly spell the End of one of the Wakefield clubs if not both! We have to move on from the past and look to the future, a merged team is the way forward. Calder Chiefs?

You all keep talking about it should say Wakefield or should say Cas, how about it does not have Wakefield or Cas in the name??

Plus Cas have a better chance of getting a stadium at the minute the Wakefield, so i think that you need Cas more than Cas need you.

Airedale Monkeys?

Reply to Jambon, just in case there was any confusion...

Cas need Wakefield much, much more. Castleford saying they will play at Newmarket won’t make it anymore viable than it is now, however, if Wakefield were prepared to go to Glasshoughton it would greatly improve the chances of that project coming to fruition.

Everyone who is suggesting a merger, assumes we will become a force, a side capable of winning trophies and we'll have a superb stadium will masses of fans. Why?

What would happen if the merged club performed similar to that of either Cas or Wakefield, the crowds were around 6k and the stadium didn't come off? Short term it may gain a franchise but in the long term i don't see fans sticking with the club if it doesn't become a top 4 side

I reckon that Stanley Rangers and Lock Lane would get a big influx of fans.

Note that these calls for a smaller league always come from the teams that would be guaranteed to get a place though.
If Smith were coach of Salford or Wakey or Cas do you think his opinion would be the same??? He'd be lining himself up for losing his job or coaching in the lower leagues. I would be willing to bet that he would be completely against reducing numbers if he worked at one of those clubs.

me thinks it will either be a merged SL team and feeder teams cas/fev for the SL ..

in reply to rebel more like the Glasshoughton Hubcaps

Doubt you would find many cas fans willing to support a team called wakefield. Would you support a team called castleford?

Like all these coaches or players from 'top' teams they can speak from a position of security. They don't worry about players or fans from teams lower down the league.

I realise the problem Cas fans would have with this but as the district is called Wakefield they would just have to suck it up just as we would if the reverse was the state of afairs.
In answer to your question. Yes, but only because cas was my first club when I lived at the top of Duke Street in the Wheldale pub. But that was a long time ago.

This merged team people are talking about will play somewhere within WAKEFIELD MDC.
It will also represent the area of WAKEFIELD MDC
It will be a merger of two or maybe three teams that are already situated in WAKEFIELD MDC.

I can't think of any other name that would be more suitable.

However seeing as the public who live in the little suburb of down town Cas won't support the team I say we forget about the merger and let a team with WAKEFIELD in the title be the club that represents the district.

The wakefield fan in the qoute i posted had pretty much the same opinion as i do, that whoever put us all under one council clearly didnt know the area. The name wakefield does not represent the people of castleford and featherstone, who have no affiliation with that city, other than sharing a rather inept council. If leeds countiues to grow and wakefield council gets amalgamated with it would you want to merge wakey with leeds and support a team called leeds?

And no i wouldnt support a merger, why would i stop supporting my own team to support one of my teams rivals?

I agree that it could be logical to call a merged team Wakefield, but logic wouldn't come into it if you were cas fan. They support cas, they dislike wakefield, they wouldn't support a team called wakefield. No amount of logic will convince most cas fans to support a team called wakefield or vice versa.

Then they will wither on the vine.....