Your both right.



Saddened has covered one angle in that we dont own any training facilities of our own at present and we can't realistically expect full time pro's to do ball work in the winter months in a disused Stobart warehouse or beg, stealing and borrowing suitable indoor facilities to train inside as we had been doing as a part time side. The pitch wouldnt take being trained on each day in it's original form so we have solved an immediate and pressing problem thanks to SOC.



I was under the impression that the Leigh Rec site was going to be more of an academy centre and to be used to give other amateur junior sides a decent base of facilities to run from. In any case as far as a training venue was concerned it is still a fair way away and something was needed for this year and in all likelihood next.

Who? Halton Council? Regardless of who, makes perfect sense to try and get maximum cash out of the stadium. We tried it with Liverpool reserves and it ruined the pitch - if we had something more durable, they'd probably still be playing at the HJ.



If widnes' experiment works I'd expect to see most teams decide to switch.

Thats my understanding of it to. I was also led to believe that us not having ironed out the training facility was one factor in one or more players choosing to go elsewhere.

My understanding was that the academies would be based there and the first team at the stadium. But a training facility is a training facility and it would be utilized by all. It would be partly financed by allowing amateur sides to train there (For a fee) so they don’t have to use Morrison’s car park or, like once did, the car park near the Prince of Wales.



I think it is a case of killing two birds with one stone here, as it does cover the period between now and when the Liverpool Rd site is ready. Even so, i suspect that the main reason is to bring in income from the stadium and start to turn a profit on it, for a change. That would be good news all-round, both as a local tax payer and a Widnes fan.

Quote Ian 77 Redux="Ian 77 Redux"Who? Halton Council? Regardless of who, makes perfect sense to try and get maximum cash out of the stadium. We tried it with Liverpool reserves and it ruined the pitch - if we had something more durable, they'd probably still be playing at the HJ. If widnes' experiment works I'd expect to see most teams decide to switch.'" Steve O’Connor: [i“This will generate income for the club and the stadium.”[/i www.widnesvikings.co.uk/article.php?id=5601 If it works, it would be a great income boost for many clubs and could make a massive difference. But I reckon as soon as the first injured player limps off the pitch, Eddie Hemmings will be going on and on about it possibly being the pitch and then Oooooooooh there’s another! “It must be the pitch” and then he’ll be whinging about it again on B&A , every chance he gets, regardless of whether it has anything to do with the pitch or not. And that will be that – Back to grass everyone.

Quote Ian 77 Redux="Ian 77 Redux"Who? Halton Council? Regardless of who, makes perfect sense to try and get maximum cash out of the stadium. We tried it with Liverpool reserves and it ruined the pitch - if we had something more durable, they'd probably still be playing at the HJ. If widnes' experiment works I'd expect to see most teams decide to switch.'" Steve O’Connor: [i“This will generate income for the club and the stadium.”[/i www.widnesvikings.co.uk/article.php?id=5601 If it works, it would be a great income boost for many clubs and could make a massive difference. But I reckon as soon as the first injured player limps off the pitch, Eddie Hemmings will be going on and on about it possibly being the pitch and then Oooooooooh there’s another! “It must be the pitch” and then he’ll be whinging about it again on B&A , every chance he gets, regardless of whether it has anything to do with the pitch or not. And that will be that – Back to grass everyone.

Quote Pepe="Pepe"Steve O’Connor: [i“This will generate income for the club and the stadium.”[/i www.widnesvikings.co.uk/article.php?id=5601 If it works, it would be a great income boost for many clubs and could make a massive difference. But I reckon as soon as the first injured player limps off the pitch, Eddie Hemmings will be going on and on about it possibly being the pitch and then Oooooooooh there’s another! “It must be the pitch” and then he’ll be whinging about it again on B&A , every chance he gets, regardless of whether it has anything to do with the pitch or not. And that will be that – Back to grass everyone.'" I'm not so sure. I think most teams in the league are watching eagerly for how the experiment goes. The pitches they use in the NFL are just incredible. They look so lush yet play so fast in any weather conditions. If it works I think a lot will adopt them as long term the savings would be enormous I'd expect. Only problem is that NFL players cover all their skin, so it'll be interesting to see how badly burned the league players get in dry conditions on a hot day.

Quote Pepe="Pepe"Steve O’Connor: [i“This will generate income for the club and the stadium.”[/i www.widnesvikings.co.uk/article.php?id=5601 If it works, it would be a great income boost for many clubs and could make a massive difference. But I reckon as soon as the first injured player limps off the pitch, Eddie Hemmings will be going on and on about it possibly being the pitch and then Oooooooooh there’s another! “It must be the pitch” and then he’ll be whinging about it again on B&A , every chance he gets, regardless of whether it has anything to do with the pitch or not. And that will be that – Back to grass everyone.'" I'm not so sure. I think most teams in the league are watching eagerly for how the experiment goes. The pitches they use in the NFL are just incredible. They look so lush yet play so fast in any weather conditions. If it works I think a lot will adopt them as long term the savings would be enormous I'd expect. Only problem is that NFL players cover all their skin, so it'll be interesting to see how badly burned the league players get in dry conditions on a hot day.

As soon as anyone gets an injury on it, particularly during a Sky broadcast, Hemmings will question the pitch. Every time it happens, he’ll question the pitch. He likes to create controversy and, once he gets a bee in is wig, he rattles on and on about it. He was an embarrassment when we played the Aussies last week; whinging constantly about the ref. And what about when your lot played here? Hemmings was blaming the stadium for Saints’ early form every time his baggy face appeared on telly.



If he doesn’t go on about the injuries, it will be about Widnes gaining some massive advantage by using it. God help us if we win a few games at home. That kind of thing tends to stick, and could kill this great initiative stone dead.

Quote Pepe="Pepe"Steve O’Connor: [i“This will generate income for the club and the stadium.”[/i www.widnesvikings.co.uk/article.php?id=5601 If it works, it would be a great income boost for many clubs and could make a massive difference. But I reckon as soon as the first injured player limps off the pitch, Eddie Hemmings will be going on and on about it possibly being the pitch and then Oooooooooh there’s another! “It must be the pitch” and then he’ll be whinging about it again on B&A , every chance he gets, regardless of whether it has anything to do with the pitch or not. And that will be that – Back to grass everyone.'" I know that's what O'Connor said, I just thought the stadium was council owned so not sure how widnes will get any money out of it. Sure there is some arrangement in place. As for the pitch, you're right. It's inevitable that the first player that goes down on the pitch will be highlighted by Sky, or the first 'non grass' bounce that leads to a try. League Express letters page will implode if widnes kick well one week and a team can't deal with it. Knee jerkery is a certainty.

Quote Pepe="Pepe"Steve O’Connor: [i“This will generate income for the club and the stadium.”[/i www.widnesvikings.co.uk/article.php?id=5601 If it works, it would be a great income boost for many clubs and could make a massive difference. But I reckon as soon as the first injured player limps off the pitch, Eddie Hemmings will be going on and on about it possibly being the pitch and then Oooooooooh there’s another! “It must be the pitch” and then he’ll be whinging about it again on B&A , every chance he gets, regardless of whether it has anything to do with the pitch or not. And that will be that – Back to grass everyone.'" I know that's what O'Connor said, I just thought the stadium was council owned so not sure how widnes will get any money out of it. Sure there is some arrangement in place. As for the pitch, you're right. It's inevitable that the first player that goes down on the pitch will be highlighted by Sky, or the first 'non grass' bounce that leads to a try. League Express letters page will implode if widnes kick well one week and a team can't deal with it. Knee jerkery is a certainty.

[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/mobile/football/15722636.stm?psdata=11_3_8_4_9_10__CD11__CK12_14_15_[/url



Soccerball taking our lead it seems

Steve O'Connor has already pumped millions into the infrastructure that stadium. HBC also own 10% of the club and have a seat on the board. So, I would expect that the stadium is run for the benefit of both. What form the agreement takes, we'll probably never know, but there clearly is some agreement in place. Maybe the revenue from the new i-pitch (which is funded by SOC) will pay for the rental of the stadium, or something like that.

I think the new pitch just outlines how much of a visionary genius Steve Jobs was.



Glad we got it off him before he popped his clogs

.

Can't see it being an issue to be honest and you'd be surprised. I played on this rubber stuff earlier in the year at an indoor Football venue near where I live and from sliding on it (and being tackled awkwardly) the potential for injury in terms of cuts and carpet burns is far less than playing on a hard pitch. Not entirely sure when it comes to rolling ankles over etc. I expect Eddie & Stevo will be creaming themselves come February.