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RedVee Admin
5th February 2012, 02:50
The first real game at the City of Salford Great White Elephant (and not cos of the snow) Stadium and the most they could manage was a 5,242 attendance.

Looked wonderful on TV with more stewards than spectators. And to think that they originally planned to build a 20k stadium...

saintgeorge
5th February 2012, 07:16
It looked amateurish really. The bloke with the wheelbarrow, the flat pack stands miles away from the pitch, the big screen precariously balanced in one corner, tiny stand three quarters empty. I know it was a dreadful night - lets hope next Friday goes well for us.

wardies love child
5th February 2012, 08:59
Only looked like 500. Could be a cash burden for reds.
Is it theirs or rented? Could prove more expensive than willows. Hope It improves for them and RL.

eddiewaringsflatcap
5th February 2012, 09:07
Whole thing looks a joke really. For a start there is the blue and red seats - who were Salford building the new ground for? Themselves or on the assumption that they could get Sale to move in with them? Then the ground just looks like a lego kit. Perhaps it is better to reserve judgement until we go, but the Leigh SV looks a mile better. At least Salford managed more for their TV game than the London Broncos yesterday who drew an equally pathetic 4,900 or so.

Saintfryer
5th February 2012, 09:19
Only looked like 500. Could be a cash burden for reds.
Is it theirs or rented? Could prove more expensive than willows. Hope It improves for them and RL.
It's owned by peel holdings and the council think there was 4500 on last night,
It looked a joke

eddiewaringsflatcap
5th February 2012, 09:34
Attendance was given at a shade over 5,200.

St_Anders
5th February 2012, 09:41
Whole thing looks a joke really. For a start there is the blue and red seats - who were Salford building the new ground for? Themselves or on the assumption that they could get Sale to move in with them? Then the ground just looks like a lego kit. Perhaps it is better to reserve judgement until we go, but the Leigh SV looks a mile better. At least Salford managed more for their TV game than the London Broncos yesterday who drew an equally pathetic 4,900 or so.

And we took around 1500-2000 apparently.

somerset-saint
5th February 2012, 09:47
The first real game at the City of Salford Great White Elephant (and not cos of the snow) Stadium and the most they could manage was a 5,242 attendance.

Looked wonderful on TV with more stewards than spectators. And to think that they originally planned to build a 20k stadium...


I read the attendance at just over 4'500

somerset-saint
5th February 2012, 09:48
Whole thing looks a joke really. For a start there is the blue and red seats - who were Salford building the new ground for? Themselves or on the assumption that they could get Sale to move in with them? Then the ground just looks like a lego kit. Perhaps it is better to reserve judgement until we go, but the Leigh SV looks a mile better. At least Salford managed more for their TV game than the London Broncos yesterday who drew an equally pathetic 4,900 or so.


I know a wigan fan who went last week and said it was OK inside

eddiewaringsflatcap
5th February 2012, 09:57
I know a wigan fan who went last week and said it was OK inside

I really hope it is mate. To be honest when I used to cycle past it to work it looked ok, but it worrie sme when people say stands are far away from the pitch. i just don't get that. It should never happen as the beauty of english sport has been that our fans have always enjoyed been close to the action, KR being an old case in point. I hope Salford manage to get decent crowds this year. If they can average over 5,250 say, then thats not bad progress for them. They need to do more because I think the likes of Leigh, Featherstone and Halifax are upping their game.

Harri81
5th February 2012, 09:59
I hope the attendances approve for them, last night was their biggest attendance, have to admit I was crying with laughter at the farce the fireworks, one man and a wheel barrow, not very professional is it.

Hopefully things will get better, maybe the location of the stadium is hampering people attending.

eddiewaringsflatcap
5th February 2012, 10:02
I hope the attendances approve for them, last night was their biggest attendance, have to admit I was crying with laughter at the farce the fireworks, one man and a wheel barrow, not very professional is it.

Hopefully things will get better, maybe the location of the stadium is hampering people attending.

To be fair, Salford were told to tone down their fireworks display because of adverse weather and the proximity of the ground next to the motorway.

As for your point about location of the ground - I am afraid its a no goer, because the ground is right by a major motorway, i.e. easy to get to and the old ground was in one of the crime hotspots of the country.

Salford really need to pull their fingers out this year, but I can't see it because they are the club equivalent of the RFL - a closed shop who can **** up as many times as they like and not be brought to acount. London are another club who need to book up their ideas or face the chop.

Rogues Gallery
5th February 2012, 10:09
To be fair, Salford were told to tone down their fireworks display because of adverse weather and the proximity of the ground next to the motorway.

As for your point about location of the ground - I am afraid its a no goer, because the ground is right by a major motorway, i.e. easy to get to and the old ground was in one of the crime hotspots of the country.

Salford really need to pull their fingers out this year, but I can't see it because they are the club equivalent of the RFL - a closed shop who can **** up as many times as they like and not be brought to acount. London are another club who need to book up their ideas or face the chop.

It maybe close to the motorway but it isn't easy to get to. There is only one way in and one way out to the ONE car park.For anybody who doesn't park on the car park it is a minimum 15 minute walk to the ground. I haven't checked the Cas site on Rl fans but I'll bet there are complaints.

Just checked on the Cas site

"Great mate, it only took about 50 minutes to get out of the car park. For a massive crowd of 5200, that was fantastic.

Heaven forbid when they play wire, wigan on a sunday afternoon when there's 7500 there"

Wild Bull
5th February 2012, 10:16
Well, looking at Sale's attendance yesterday at Edgeley Park - a paltry 3,012 - they aren't going to bring much to Salford's party at SCR Stadium!

RedVee Admin
5th February 2012, 10:19
I read the attendance at just over 4'500
Suspect you may need new reading glasses! ;)

Salford: Patten; Broughton, Gleeson, Moon, Williams; Holdsworth, Smith; James, Godwin, Jewitt, Ashurst, Anderson, Wild.
Replacements: Howarth, Paleaaesina, Adamson, Gledhill.
Castleford: Owen; Dixon, Arundel, McGoldrick, Griffin; Chase, Orr; Emmitt, Milner, Mitchell, Holmes, Walker, Jones.
Replacements: Clark, Ferres, Massey, Nash.
Attendance: 5,242
Referee: Thierry Alibert (France).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/16835949

Harri81
5th February 2012, 10:43
It maybe close to the motorway but it isn't easy to get to. There is only one way in and one way out to the ONE car park.For anybody who doesn't park on the car park it is a minimum 15 minute walk to the ground. I haven't checked the Cas site on Rl fans but I'll bet there are complaints.

Just checked on the Cas site

"Great mate, it only took about 50 minutes to get out of the car park. For a massive crowd of 5200, that was fantastic.

Heaven forbid when they play wire, wigan on a sunday afternoon when there's 7500 there"

My point exactly, the ground is near one of the major motorways in the country, but that's no good if it's a pain to get to, and takes ages to get off the car park. Personally I was thinking more about those fans who don't drive and have to make that journey to a home game.

As I said I really hope it improves, it's sad to see a new stadium struggle to bring a bigger crowd.

Dynamite Don Brennan
5th February 2012, 10:54
To be fair, Salford were told to tone down their fireworks display because of adverse weather and the proximity of the ground next to the motorway.

As for your point about location of the ground - I am afraid its a no goer, because the ground is right by a major motorway, i.e. easy to get to and the old ground was in one of the crime hotspots of the country.

Salford really need to pull their fingers out this year, but I can't see it because they are the club equivalent of the RFL - a closed shop who can **** up as many times as they like and not be brought to acount. London are another club who need to book up their ideas or face the chop.

Yea when they build that access road directly to the car park your point might be valid. Even for the friendly matches(2000?att) fans were moaning about car parking.Theres a big lack of amenities local to the place that would make It a better experience.
Martyn Saddler Is always banging on about Its position and how visible It Is from the motorway,big deal. Saints Is In the ideal position,town centre with all the amenities that go with It. Cant see It from the motorway though Martyn!
Unfortunately I think the o.p has called It right and It could be a white elephant.

Saintfryer
5th February 2012, 10:55
Suspect you may need new reading glasses! ;)

Salford: Patten; Broughton, Gleeson, Moon, Williams; Holdsworth, Smith; James, Godwin, Jewitt, Ashurst, Anderson, Wild.
Replacements: Howarth, Paleaaesina, Adamson, Gledhill.
Castleford: Owen; Dixon, Arundel, McGoldrick, Griffin; Chase, Orr; Emmitt, Milner, Mitchell, Holmes, Walker, Jones.
Replacements: Clark, Ferres, Massey, Nash.
Attendance: 5,242
Referee: Thierry Alibert (France).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/16835949

Watching the game on Sky it gave the attendance as just over 4500

RedVee Admin
5th February 2012, 11:36
Someone is telling porkies in that case.

Sadfish
5th February 2012, 11:44
Someone is telling porkies in that case.

I think the biggest problem is the camera on the wrong stand, should be on the other side, looking towards the big, more sold up side.

ploughman
5th February 2012, 11:48
Regarding car parking at Salford,i'm sure there is a park and ride facility from the Trafford Centre.Not perfect but quicker than 5o mins to get out of the club car park.

rally
5th February 2012, 11:57
I went last night and they did announce there are shuttle buses goin g over to the Trafford centre. Parking at the ground wasn't bad but we did leave 10 minutes early to avoid any traffic

St Leigh
5th February 2012, 12:14
I went when they played their first game there (against Leigh). The main stand looks impressive but the rest of the ground is less so. Even with a small crowd getting away took some time so it is disappointing to see it hasn’t improved.

I am reluctant to knock Salford because it doesn’t match Langtree Park. Whilst it is not luxury, at least they have built a good facility for spectators and I bet Wakefield and Castleford would welcome a ground as good as that. What it does do is make me appreciate what a good stadium we have.

RedVee Admin
5th February 2012, 12:46
Despite knocking the GWESS, in reality it was a huge success for Salford last night (ignoring the scoreline)



Engage Super League
17th Jun 2011
KO 20:00
Ground: The Willows (http://www.skysports.com/rugbyleague/venue/0,20142,11070_1,00.html)
Att: 3,587

From Sky's figure, there was a 25% increase.

From the BBC's figure, there was a 46% increase.

Split the difference and a third more people braved the weather conditions at the GWESS, compared to the pleasant surroundings the last time the two met, at the Willows, last June.


So woop woop, well done Salford! :!

saintgeorge
5th February 2012, 14:03
Fair point but how much of that was due to the novelty factor of it being the first game?

bewareshadows
5th February 2012, 14:17
I don't get the bagging of Salford? You have to look at the baseline they where working from.

We have had consistent GF appearances, a stable and steady player roster and coaching set up.

Salford are consistently bottom of the pile or there abouts, they have had a coach leave mid off season (unheard of), and a playing staff that are not top 8 quality.

How many fans where people expecting? Over 5k in that weather is pretty decent. On a balmy Sunday afternoon against Saints they could easily get 10k. Park at the trafford centre, go shopping have some lunch. head to the ground watch the game then home. Or back to Trafford centre for some Tea, maybe a film. Nice day out if they can tie it all together.

RedVee Admin
5th February 2012, 16:08
The key point is, they originally planned for a 20,000 stadium and then went with a cheaper 12,000 which has the ability to be upgraded to 20,000. Which I believe will never happen unless Sale start playing there and start to draw sell out crowds.

markrvr
5th February 2012, 16:20
As I posted elsewhere Salford is a football city an unfortunately most football fans don't even want to look at RL or give it a go. They would rather watch a sport where nothing happens.
I felt sorry for them as they have put some effort in building a new ground with little or no response. Hope I picks up for them.

rally
5th February 2012, 16:31
As I posted elsewhere Salford is a football city an unfortunately most football fans don't even want to look at RL or give it a go. They would rather watch a sport where nothing happens.
I felt sorry for them as they have put some effort in building a new ground with little or no response. Hope I picks up for them.

The team just needs to start performing and then people will go. Im looking forward to going in June when we play them.

aldosarmy
5th February 2012, 16:56
As I posted elsewhere Salford is a football city an unfortunately most football fans don't even want to look at RL or give it a go. They would rather watch a sport where nothing happens.
I felt sorry for them as they have put some effort in building a new ground with little or no response. Hope I picks up for them.

The game was also up against a man city home game as well which cant have helped, and that game was on the telly, so cant have helped the gate.

markrvr
5th February 2012, 17:09
As a sport we don't get much media coverage which doesn't help so people have to actively seek out news etc. Whereas football gets so much it's unbelievable. I stopped watching skysports news because the unibond conference north premier division 1 or whatever it's called gets more air time than RL.
People are set in their ways and won't change even in the boring code heartland of London we can't get people interested even though I believe its only a tenner for broncos first 3 home games.

somerset-saint
5th February 2012, 19:54
Suspect you may need new reading glasses! ;)

Salford: Patten; Broughton, Gleeson, Moon, Williams; Holdsworth, Smith; James, Godwin, Jewitt, Ashurst, Anderson, Wild.
Replacements: Howarth, Paleaaesina, Adamson, Gledhill.
Castleford: Owen; Dixon, Arundel, McGoldrick, Griffin; Chase, Orr; Emmitt, Milner, Mitchell, Holmes, Walker, Jones.
Replacements: Clark, Ferres, Massey, Nash.
Attendance: 5,242
Referee: Thierry Alibert (France).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/16835949


ha ha lol....... maybe too much beer yesterday, still thats what happens when our game gets called off and we go to the pub instead

Kakariki
6th February 2012, 08:49
I don't get the bagging of Salford? You have to look at the baseline they where working from.

We have had consistent GF appearances, a stable and steady player roster and coaching set up.

Salford are consistently bottom of the pile or there abouts, they have had a coach leave mid off season (unheard of), and a playing staff that are not top 8 quality.

How many fans where people expecting? Over 5k in that weather is pretty decent. On a balmy Sunday afternoon against Saints they could easily get 10k. Park at the trafford centre, go shopping have some lunch. head to the ground watch the game then home. Or back to Trafford centre for some Tea, maybe a film. Nice day out if they can tie it all together.

I agree entirely.

The weather was predicted to be atrocious over the weekend and would have put off a lot of people, worried about getting back home. I'm not sure it would have been played had it not been for Sky and the fact that it was first game, etc..

Like the above poster, I feel a bit uncomfortable about the amount of what seems like gloating over Salford on this website (not only this thread). Their ground isn't as big or aesthetically pleasing as ours, their team isn't as good as ours, but does that mean we have to take the P***?

Salford haven't had the success, the money or the fans for years now and I admire what they are trying to do. Good luck to them. I hope the new ground is a success and that they improve on and off the field and get a licence again in three years time.

KentishBarry
6th February 2012, 09:07
Yes. Good luck to them.

I've always felt that the sport needs a 'Manchester' team anyway. As it does a 'London' team...But that's another debate.

I'm looking forward to a trip there in June.

RedVee Admin
6th February 2012, 10:36
I get all the talk of Salford not being big and wealthy but not so long ago they were. And you can't measure Saints' success as the reason for LP season tickets flying off the shelf, when was the last time we actually WON anything?

Rugby League has seen a "build it and they will come" attitude: Hull FC, Warrington, Saints, have all seen a jump in supporter numbers with the advent of new stadia. Back when Salford were at their prime, the Willows would be regularly packed out. It's not unreasonable to say that their support fell because the Willows was falling apart or was in a horrible location with regard to the local brick and knife wielding community. So naturally, it would be expected that all the latent Salford fans would re-appear just as they did in Hull, Warrington and St Helens. But they didn't.

Is my criticism aimed at Salford Reds? Or at the people of Salford? I'd say 25-75.

ploughman
6th February 2012, 12:55
I get all the talk of Salford not being big and wealthy but not so long ago they were. And you can't measure Saints' success as the reason for LP season tickets flying off the shelf, when was the last time we actually WON anything?

Rugby League has seen a "build it and they will come" attitude: Hull FC, Warrington, Saints, have all seen a jump in supporter numbers with the advent of new stadia. Back when Salford were at their prime, the Willows would be regularly packed out. It's not unreasonable to say that their support fell because the Willows was falling apart or was in a horrible location with regard to the local brick and knife wielding community. So naturally, it would be expected that all the latent Salford fans would re-appear just as they did in Hull, Warrington and St Helens. But they didn't.

Is my criticism aimed at Salford Reds? Or at the people of Salford? I'd say 25-75.

When they were packing out te Willows,MUFC were on the slide and ended up getting relegated and City were mediocre at best.It's a different scenario now,football is king in Manchester.Salford have some hard work to do to catch up.All this and only one local club (Eccles), and a virtually non existent accademy system leaves me worried for them.But i really do wish them well and hope they do well.

DD
6th February 2012, 13:55
When they were packing out te Willows,MUFC were on the slide and ended up getting relegated and City were mediocre at best.It's a different scenario now,football is king in Manchester.Salford have some hard work to do to catch up.All this and only one local club (Eccles), and a virtually non existent accademy system leaves me worried for them.But i really do wish them well and hope they do well.

When they were packing the Willows in the 70s, City were a top five team and United were averaging 63,000 a game. In fact, until the 21st century boom in terms of football crowds, the 1970s saw both Manchester clubs average higher crowds than at any other point in their history.

Salford played on a Friday night then, there was no other competition for crowds and they had a damned good side. That's why their crowds were big.

As for now, well the location of the ground is not going to help one jot. The ground is in the middle of nowhere and it's actually easier to get to in terms of travel time in car from Warrington than it is from Manchester. Therefore any hopes of attracting support from the city has been lost for good.

At The Willows a lot of that support was 'walk up'. There is no possibility of a 'walk up' support at the new stadium due to it's location.

All in all, the added crowd from the new facilities is going to end up being negated by the location and the sheer difficluty of getting to the place for non-drivers and the established old-timers who used to just walk up to the ground.

Noel Cleal
6th February 2012, 15:06
The negative posts are a bit unfair. Salford are a team that have suffered from a lack of investment for a long time. Being a Salford fan over the last 20 years must have been a very difficult experience. Expecting thousands of Salford fans to start coming out the wood work just because they have a new ground is unrealistic.

I like the "flat pack" stands that Salford have. They know that they cannot fill an 18/20k capacity stadium but they have the ambition to do that one day. The solution is to invest in the main stand then rebuild one of the three smaller medium term stands, if the demand is there to fill a larger one. The park 'n' ride at the trafford centre is a good idea as well and could open the game to new fans. It is also easier to get a "pass out" from the wife/girlfriend if she gets to have a shop as a result. O_O

Noel Cleal
6th February 2012, 15:13
Fair point but how much of that was due to the novelty factor of it being the first game?

I think the novelty value sells advanced tickets. As there was no risk of a sell out and the weather was poor I am sure a lot of fans planned to walk up and changed their minds about going on the day. Saints have sold so many season tickets on the basis that it will be hard to get a good seat or even be able to get a ticket for many matches. Having a advance ticket buying culture guards against poor crowds due to the weather.

headtackle
6th February 2012, 15:16
Salford attendance poor but still double Sale Sharks (arguably a more successful club in their sport)

Dont think that even at their peak they were pulling in massive crowds and in these economic times is a hard sell not helped by both City and United being successful.

Saying that from looking over Barton Bridge the ground looks bland and built in the most inconvenient spot imaginable. I propose to arrive by barge from Irlam as think will be quicker than going by car !