Development delays force rugby league club to leave stadium
Wakefield Trinity are set to move out of their Belle Vue stadium after more than 100 years at the site, to a ground share proposed by the Featherstone Rovers.
The rugby league club are set to move into Post Office Road at the behest of Featherstone for at least the entirety of 2018.
The announcement comes after a statement made earlier in the week by Trinity chairman Michael Carter, who confirmed Wakefield would be leaving the Beaumont Legal Stadium at the end of the season.
He said that Wakefield’s current home, at Belle Vue, will not meet a recently-introduced ‘minimum grounds standards’ policy going into next season.
The potential partnership would see Wakefield Trinity use the Rovers’ home as their training, playing and day-to-day operational base.
The Wakefield club are already using the Big Fellas Stadium as their training base.
Property developer the 88m Group, which was founded by investor Manni Hussein, acquired the site for an undisclosed sum in September 2016.
Rovers general manager Davide Longo said: “We completely understand the situation Wakefield find themselves in and would be more than willing to support them where we can.
“Informal conversations between ourselves and Wakefield have been had in recent weeks and, prior to last night’s announcement, we formally offered Trinity an opportunity to begin formal discussions regarding a potential, temporary ground-share agreement for 2018 and, if needs be, beyond.
“We believe Wakefield playing here at Featherstone would be the best-possible fit for Wakefield supporters, given the fact our stadium is situated less than five miles from the Beaumont Legal Stadium.
“From a playing point of view, we believe it would be a favourable move for Wakefield’s performance department, given the fact Trinity have been training here for some time now.
“I would imagine it would be highly beneficial for the club to have all of its departments working from the same facility and we are more than able to accommodate such a move.
“I for one sympathise a great deal with the Wakefield board of directors, staff, players and supporters, given the predicament they find themselves in.
“There are some real frustrations surfacing as the people of Wakefield continue in their fight for a new community stadium, in which Trinity would act as anchor tenants, to be constructed.
“While efforts to ensure its construction eventually goes ahead, we would be extremely welcoming towards Trinity.
“We hope to commence talks with Trinity officials in the weeks ahead and, should they go ahead, we hope to be able to help them come to a positive solution.”
