IF there is one Super League club that has made the most rapid improvements to their stadium in the past year then it is Wakefield Trinity.
Back in June 2022, the West Yorkshire club outlined their intention to redevelop their East and North Stands – a project that would take until August 2023.
In that time, the progress has been remarkable and the new East Stand looks impressive to say the least.
Of course, in the past, Trinity have been criticised for their venue, but no one can say a bad word about the current redevelopment that is taking place.
That redevelopment, however, was necessary in order for Wakefield to remain in Super League, according to Trinity chairman John Minards after a number of “false dawns”.
“We were intent on doing this before IMG came on this scene,” Minards told League Express.
“When I first got involved with the club back in 2018, I said priority number one is the ground – we knew we had to do something.
“50 years of me watching this club and it wasn’t fit for purpose in the 1970s, but there have been lots of false dawns.
“Whenever I posted anything about the stadium, the first reply was “I’ll believe it when i see it” and I would have said that as well, but now we are seeing it.
“We wouldn’t be in Super League now. We were on notice and we took that seriously. There was no point if not, we wouldn’t be here today.”
Minards went on to explain how Trinity were relying on an annual dispensation from the RFL and that this could not have continued for much longer.
“I just don’t think we would have been allowed in Super League because Super League had minimum standards.
“We were failing in terms of the stadium and we fell short of it. We were operating under an annual dispensation from the RFL adn that can’t go on forever.
“It hadn’t been withdrawn but our view is you can’t run your business on the basis of an annual exemption. You have to take it seriously.
“I wouldn’t have come onboard in this sort of capacity unless I believed we could make a difference.
“When these criteria come out from IMG we will take a keen look at them. If we think we can attain a Grade A we will crack on and do it, if we think it’s impossible for us we won’t. There’s no point.”
