The Accy Stan Stagger

Never_Shay_Die · 24-12-2005, 11:38

Hello to all! First off, to wish you all a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year. Looking forward to our two games against each other over the festive period. Should both be brilliant games, good crowds and good atmosphere.

Just like to make everyone aware of our sponsored walk to Accrington for the return fixture at your place on Monday 2nd Jan. A group of 9 Halifax supporters will be setting off at Midnight from The Shay and walking the 29 miles (that's a bloody long way to walk) through the night and day to reach your stadium for the 3pm kick off. 1/3 of all proceeds will be donated to a local hospice, with the rest being donated to Halifax Town Football Club.

If you see us, feel free to make a donation. We will be walking onto the pitch before kick-off as the walk officially finishes when we reach the centre spot!

Will no doubt see loads of you down The Shay on Boxing day and hopefully you will provide a colourful display like you did last season. Feel free to make as much noise in jest about our unfinished East Stand. You may be aware that our council are planning to sell the ground rather than agreeing to realistic proposals to complete the stand which has been an embarrasment to our club for the last 5 years. As Halifax supporters we will be doing all we can to oppose these plans including voicing our disapproval at matches (you will see an vast array of banners in opposition to the plans) and embarrasment heaped upon us from visiting fans will help the cause!!

Just hope the embarrasment doesn't extend to the score-line itself! I'm confident about the home game. Our home form has been superb and we haven't lost a game in the league at home this season. Not too sure about the away game though! I'm imagining walking all that way to see us lose. Or the game to be called off! That'll be worse!

Finally, Merry Xmas once again to all of you. See you on boxing day.

harwood red · 24-12-2005, 11:43

Merry Xmas to you too. Good luck with your sponsered walk and I hope you raise loads of dosh!

As for the games I'm praying for 6 points as I'm sure you are too, lets see what happens.

I hope the stand probs are sorted soon in favour of the club

fettler · 24-12-2005, 13:31

I was born in Halifax but support Stanley so theres a dilemma!! Away the boys (Stanley) and up the white rose (Yorkshire)

maccawozzagod · 24-12-2005, 13:41

good luck with the walk.

I once walked from Fleetwood to Accrington before the corresponding fixture. The first 29 miles were easy but the last 12 were a nightmare.

Are you still walking if the game is called off the day before?

Never_Shay_Die · 24-12-2005, 14:03

We've told all our sponsors and competition entrants (£1 a go, guess how long it is gonna take us in hours, minutes and seconds. Prizes for three closest guesses) that we are walking on 2nd of Jan so can't change that now!

Also, we're setting off at Midnight so we'll probably be half way over the Penines before any decision is made to call the game off (if it is called off at all)!

AccyMad · 24-12-2005, 23:02

Good luck with the walk but hope you won't expect me to wish you luck in the match as well (only kidding, looking forward to both games) Merry Christmas

qualtrough · 25-12-2005, 15:27

Good luck with the walk - you deserve it! Just one query...does your unfinished stand have a roof?

Never_Shay_Die · 25-12-2005, 19:53

The East Stand has half a roof and a few seats where directors, sponsors, etc sit.

http://www.shaystadium.co.uk/images/eaststand.jpg

If completed the stand would have 4,000 seats (too many for us unless we draw a big team in the cup, but it is hoped that it would be filled against teams like Wigan, St Helens, Bradford Bulls, Leeds Rhinos etc if Halifax RLFC were to get back into Super League) and hospitality boxes along with superb bar, restaurant, conference facilities and perhaps even a hotel or entertainment facility such as a casino at the back, generating more income for the clubs. An artists impression is as shown...

http://www.shaystadium.co.uk/images/...impression.jpg

The stand closest to the front is the incomplete stand. The rest of the stadium is as it looks now. The Shay Stadium Trust, who had been given the job by The Council of finding a way to complete the stadium, had been given approval of a loan to finance the completion of the stand providing they could secure a 125-year lease of the stadium from the Council, who own the ground. The extra revenue created from the completed stand would have been enough to pay back the loan. The Trust did not ask the Council for a penny, just the long term lease. The stand would have created jobs and provided facilities for the whole community, not just the sports clubs. The Council would still have recieved income through rent.

However, as The Shay Estate is worth up to 5 million pounds, due to it's size, location and potential for development, the Council did not want to effectively 'lose' this asset for over 100 years. So instead the Council suggested that they provide the loan. They then back-tracked and said they did not want to use tax-payers money to finance the stadium, so instead of providing Halifax with a community sports stadium to be proud of, they've decided to cash in and sell the land to the highest bidder.

There's the basic story although there is a bit more to it. Sorry to go off on one; I know this is probably more information than you care about but it annoys me so much that I tend to go a bit overboard when writing about it! If anyone IS interested this article (RIP SHAY STADIUM 1921-2005) summarises just about everything:

http://www.shaymenonline.org/sol2/news.php?id=845

Why did you ask about the roof anyway?

Oh an Merry Xmas! Big game tommorow

keyco · 25-12-2005, 20:02

hope you raise alot of money i would never be able to walk that distance good look hopefully it will be a good sunny day for walking and have you checked it out with stanley if you can go onto the pitch

maccawozzagod · 25-12-2005, 20:24

that half a roof would probably fit down the Clayton end......... Eric can we buy their roof?

Never_Shay_Die · 25-12-2005, 20:30

Our Supporter's Club have sorted it out with your lot. I think you are holding some kind of 'Family day' on the day of the game and our walk will be tied in with that in some way.

Also, just had a proper look and the roof covers about three quarters of the stand (there is some of the stand missing from the photo) and the stand runs the entire length of the pitch. If the Clayton End is the one behind your goal, you'll probably only need to buy part of the roof!

qualtrough · 26-12-2005, 21:52

In-joke really......our proposed stand and roof were last seen in Barbados!