Tesco are a means to an end, it could have been any other supermarket chain, first and foremost Langtree where charge with building a Stadium for St Helelns RFLC not a Supermarket, remember the plans for a Casino. Tesco though always had the inside track because of the Market St developement, plans to develope that part of town are nigh on 15 years old.
All parties do well out of the Saints need for a new stadium, the Council get Market Street developed, Tesco get their new Supermarket, and to develope their old site (Market street) the bottle shop is saved, much needed housing on Knowsly Road.
What do the club bring to the table, money from the sale of Knowsley Road, money from the NWDA, this money is for the club not for the developers or to build Supermarkets, Tesco involvement in all this will come at a cost that cost will help build the Stadium for the club, Langtree are not imune from costs either, they will make a lot of money having Tesco on their developement.
No doubt Sadfish will be the one to find out first about the fine details of this deal from some shareholders meeting in the future.