To be more specific, after spending 25 years being used to standing on half way a reasonable height above pitch level, I'm not sure standing behind the sticks in a fairly shallow stand will ever provide the same "home" spectator feeling.

FFS does it really matter who owns what , who can possess or repossess what. Saints have got a cracking new stadium, that's all that matters. I look forward to our (Wakefield) annual flogging at their new stadium.

Not necessarily. If this is how the stadium has been funded it will probably be secured (if it is secured at all) on some sort of guarantee from their chairman or an agreement that ownership of the club transfers to the lender if the loan agreement is broken.

Whatever terms have been agreed will be far more generous than any bank would have offered.

Us Saints fans think the same thing. McManus has been an excellent chairman to take us through the development of the new stadium. His contacts alone have been invaluable. Of course we have no idea about the terms of the loan with Mike Coleman but I'm quite sure after all the work undertaken over the last ten years that McManus would have not put the stadium project in jeopardy. I'm also sure that Coleman would have protected his own interests in some way or another!

We do actually, the terms were set out in detail in the pack sent to shareholders to ratify the financing, which I received. Don't have it in front of me or I'd confirm.

Um, how many people on here are shareholders at Saints? Very few I would suggest. I have no idea what the terms are and I imagine nor do most people. Perhaps I should have said 'most of us' or 'the vast majority of us' or something as I should have assumed somebody would pick me up on my generalisation!

I'd be very interested to learn about the terms if you care to share (just so long as your explanation was in laypersons language!).

I'm pretty sure it didn't go into that much detail.

i am for one, and from my understanding of it, the new loan is basically a standard (if there is such a thing) directors loan. i.e. he could claim it back agsainst Saints future profits, thats about it. As such its a loan in as much as i would loan a mate a tenner, if i get it back thats lovely, if i dont, he's still my mate

If you seriously think a near £7million 'loan'(AKA DEBT) is a mates loan with no implication if it is not paid back then you're sadly deluded. The arguement that St.Helens RLFC own the it (stadium) 'outright' is neither here nor there in some sense (though legally speaking you do not) as the debt/loan owed is going to be properly managed to ensure no future problems.

ATEOTD though you've got a belting stadium fit for the fans & no matter how long it'll take to pay back the debt it's still a million times better situation than pouring that money into the financial blackhole that was KR. With already substanstial increased season tickets sales plus other business avenues this will give Saints a significant edge financially over most if not all clubs in SL especially in the long term IMO.

A fair amount of damage to the Saints stadium caused by strong winds this morning, apparently.

Pictures on the Saint helens stadium pictures thread. Doesn't look good. Wind/storm damage shouldn't be part of the roofing of. whether something has hit the roof and damaged it or the fastenings in place arent strong enough i dont know but that shouldnt happen.

Ouch.