Belle Vue (Wakefield)

Belle Vue

Full name	Belle Vue Stadium
Location	Doncaster Road, Wakefield, WF1 5EY, England
Coordinates	53°40′11″N 1°28′46″W
Owner	88m Group
Operator	Wakefield Trinity
Capacity	5,333 (Expanding in 2017)
Field size	120 by 74 yards (110 m × 68 m)
Surface	Grass
Scoreboard	Philips Vidiwall
Construction
Built	1895
Opened	1895
Renovated	2011
Tenants
Wakefield Trinity (1895–present) Wakefield F.C. (2000–06, 2012–14) Sheffield Eagles (2017)

Belle Vue (known as the Beaumont Legal Stadium under sponsorship agreement) in Wakefield, England, is the home of Wakefield Trinity rugby league team. It is beside the A638 Doncaster Road, approximately one mile south of Wakefield city centre.

History

The site was purchased in 1895 after the split between rugby league and rugby union, to provide a permanent base for Wakefield Trinity who had been playing on fields in the area since 1873. Money was provided by the Wakefield Athletic Club, and the ground was also used for cycling and athletics competitions.

Belle Vue was the venue of the 1922–23 Challenge Cup final, in which Leeds beat Hull 28–3 in front of a crowd of 29,335, the only occasion that Belle Vue was the venue for the Challenge Cup final.

The 1937–38 Rugby Football League Championship Final was due to have taken place at Belle Vue, but as both finalists Hunslet and Leeds were from Leeds, the authorities switched the match to Elland Road.

Scenes from This Sporting Life were filmed at the Belle Vue Stadium during Wakefield Trinity's third round Challenge Cup match against Wigan in 1962.

Floodlights were installed in 1967 and were upgraded in 1990/91.

The stadium was called the Atlantic Solutions Stadium for 2005.

On Saturday 16 September 2006 the stadium played host to the 'Battle of Belle Vue' when 11,000 fans from Wakefield Trinity and Castleford watched the match which would decide who was relegated from Super League. Wakefield Trinity won the match 29–17 sending their nearest rivals Castleford down to the National League.

The capacity of the stadium was increased to 12,600 in 2008, to help with the application for a 2009 Super League licence, which was granted in July 2008.

Wakefield Trinity have long been in negotiation with the local council to find an alternative site, as the present Belle Vue stadium does not comply with the proposed standards required by the Super League. However, there have been difficulties in agreeing with the council on a suitable alternative site.

Plans for a new stadium in partnership with Wakefield Metropolitan District Council were rejected after the council decided that it would be difficult to deliver within budget on an appropriate timescale. Plans for a 12,000 seater stadium near junction 30 of the M62, in Stanley, were unveiled on 17 April 2009, with the development proposed by Yorkcourt Properties and a community trust, chaired by former Rugby Football League chairman Sir Rodney Walker.

Layout

North Stand

Capacity: ? (standing)
The North Stand is terracing located behind the goal posts and houses the big screen. A roof was erected over the stand in 2012 to meet Super League regulations.

East Stand

Capacity: 5,333 (seating)
The East stand is the only stand in the ground to contain seating which is covered. The is a small amount of uncovered terracing in front of the seats.

South End

Capacity: ? (standing)
The South End of the ground has a four storey building that houses the hospitality and supporters bar. In the South East corner is the tunnel and players' changing rooms.

West Stand

Wakefield Trinity Belle Vue ground west main stand prior to Bradford City fire

Capacity: ? (standing)
The West Stand is mostly uncovered terracing and is where the TV gantry and dugout is. It mostly houses away fans and has toilets and food outlets.

Sponsors

Years	Sponsor	Name
2005	Atlantic Solutions	Atlantic Solutions Stadium
2009-2010	Hearwell	Hearwell Stadium
2011-2014	Rapid Solicitors	Rapid Solicitors Stadium
2017-	Beaumont Legal	Beaumont Legal Stadium

Rugby League Test matches

The list of international rugby league matches played at Belle Vue is.

Game No.	Date	Result	Attendance	Notes
1	4 December 1909	England def. Wales 19–13	4,000
2	21 October 2016	Wales drew with Jamaica 16–16	1,378

Rugby League Tour matches

In addition, Belle Vue has also played host to numerous Australian and New Zealand touring teams.

Game No.	Date	Result	Attendance	Notes
1	23 October 1907	Wakefield Trinity drew with New Zealand 5–5	5,000	1907–08 All Golds tour
2	18 December 1907	New Zealand def. Yorkshire 23–4
3	20 December 1908	Wakefield Trinity def. Australia 20–13	3,000	1908–09 Kangaroo Tour
4	18 November 1911	Australasia def. Wakefield Trinity 24–10	5,000	1911–12 Kangaroo Tour
5	22 October 1921	Australasia def. Wakefield Trinity 29–3	6,000	1921–22 Kangaroo Tour
6	7 December 1921	Australasia def. Yorkshire 24–8	6,000
7	28 September 1929	Wakefield Trinity def. Australasia 14–3	9,786	1929–30 Kangaroo Tour
8	20 November 1929	Australasia def. Yorkshire 25–12	7,011
9	28 October 1933	Australia def. Wakefield Trinity 17–6	5,596	1933–34 Kangaroo Tour
10	9 October 1937	Australia def. Wakefield Trinity 17–10	8,696	1937–38 Kangaroo Tour
11	25 September 1948	Australia def. Wakefield Trinity 26–19	20,040	1948–49 Kangaroo Tour
12	12 November 1952	Australia def. Wakefield Trinity 58–8	7,239	1952–53 Kangaroo Tour
13	10 December 1956	Wakefield Trinity def. Australia 17–12	3,381	1956–57 Kangaroo Tour
14	28 November 1959	Wakefield Trinity def. Australia 20–10	17,615	1959–60 Kangaroo Tour
15	26 October 1963	Australia def. Wakefield Trinity 29–14	15,821	1963–64 Kangaroo Tour
16	4 October 1967	Yorkshire def. Australia 15–14	19,370	1967–68 Kangaroo Tour
17	28 October 1967	Australia def. Wakefield Trinity 33–7	10,056
18	3 October 1973	Australia def. Wakefield Trinity 13–9	5,863	1973 Kangaroo Tour
19	10 October 1990	Australia def. Wakefield Trinity 36–18	7,724	1990 Kangaroo Tour

See also

• List of rugby league stadiums by capacity

External links

• Belle Vue on Worldstadia.com