Quote Pumpetypump="Pumpetypump"It's hard to tell what "Standards" you meant Atomic, but taking the stadium in which we play as one of them, I think there are two types of fans where pointing out the failures in other people's ground is questionable. The first are fans who's own club play in a dump (which is why as a Bradford fan I am absolutely never commenting negatively on other people's stadiums), and the second are fans who have the good fortune to have been built a new stadium.
The Championship is HUGELY variable. Ranging from a lovely stadium built for them at Leigh, all the way down to the farcical dump of Odsal which is actually worse than most people will remember it. A muddy mess where the stock cars race, mud on the seats, run off turning the pitch into a bog. Its a travesty. I think the landlords need to spend millions on it, and I'm sure you'd all agree. If we are talking about Feath then yes the pitch was unfortunate but it's had a lot of traffic on it over the last few months. In terms of the overall ground, what that club and their supporters have achieved in putting together a tidy little ground is really impressive to me.'"
I 'almost' completely agree here.
Fev as a club & community have achieved a lot & they should rightfully be proud. Fev own their own ground & surrounding patch and so also keep their concessionary bar sales etc which puts them on a good sound footing (as now do K.R), something which Leigh do not have.
The one negative is the pitch which on the opening fixture wasn't even fit for Championship R.L. Now, Leigh have the enviable position of having one of (if not the best) playing surfaces in the entire of R.L including Super League ( I actually believe it is the best) & we have the quality of ground staff to keep it so.
The argument that Fev's pitch has "seen a lot of traffic" doesn't hold water (unlike their pitch) for me, as the LSV pitch has Leigh Centurions, Manchester United Reserves, Manchester United Ladies Premier + R.L International's & on the odd occasion big concerts held upon it. Yes it is relaid every season & yes Wigan Council pay for this but they also reap the financial rewards.
So what is my point ? Well, I applaud Fev's invigorated rise both in stadium standards & on field recruitment & professionalism as well as their commitment to reaching Super League. I do however feel that a good proportion of their new £2M Council windfall should be reinvested in both the playing surface & the recruitment of the calibre of ground staff to maintain it.
Fev look here to stay & challenge for Super League & that can only drive up the standards & competition in the Championship.
Bradford need a dose of good fortune & unfortunately for them multi million pound investment if Odsal is not going to fall down completely around their ears. I really do feel that Odsal is all but lost & it is time for Bradford as a City & a community (this is aimed at your Counci & investors really) should be fighting together tooth & claw to invest in a new multi purpose built arena of a size & standard that can attract the events the LSV currently caters for. No longer do Bradford require a 23,000 + capacity stadium, they require a circa 15,000 - 16,000 capacity stadium, seated on 3 sides with great hospitality & the ability to attract R.L Internationals & concerts & shared tenants to pay the bills. Hopefully one day this can become a reality rather than a pipe dream.