RUFC - Today's the Day!

Today is a historic day in the life of Rotherham United when the keys will be handed over to the club to their brand new home, The New York Stadium.



As Millers fans we've watched it grow from nothing to a brand spanking new home - and it is home.



Speaking to Radio Sheffield this morning, Millers Chairman Tony Stewart said that it was a 'fantastic and exciting morning.'



'I`ve watched this project for twelve months and we`ve gone from a brown site to now, which is the end bit - the good bit,' Mr Stewart said. 'This is when we all get excited because we`ve got access to the site and we`ve two roads that bring us into the stadium and it`s looking like a leisure park.



'I`ve had people from Tottenham and Chelsea asking me what`s happening in Rotherham so we are certainly getting national acclaim which is because of it`s style and it`s investment.



'`Rotherham at Don Valley was not making money but here we will obviously get a bigger crowd and it`s a better venue but there will also be revenue streams coming in from different activities in and around the stadium. And that investment will go back into the club as we rise up the leagues.`



Speaking about 'phase two` of the project, Mr Stewart said, 'What we want to do is maximise the usage of the position the stadium is in and we are probably looking at Leisure facilities with a gym and maybe a pub and some entertainment but, of course, all this is subject to planning.



'All this will also help Rotherham United and looking into the future Rotherham United are now going to live within it`s means and what we want to do is get the people of Rotherham to come and support us to get that investment and ambition to get us to where we want to be.`



Karl Battersby the strategic director for environmental and development services at Rotherham Council said that the new stadium can only be good for the whole town. 'With most new stadia tending to be on the outskirts of towns to have something of this scale and quality practically in the heart of the town is fantastic.`



Asked if it being in the heart of the town could cause any problems with traffic, Mr Battersby didn`t think so saying, 'Obviously this is a busy part of town but we are confident that the stadium can deal with that and we`ve worked very closely with the club and transport people and we are confident that the two things can co-exist without causing a problem.



'It`s good that the ground is called New York because the site it`s on is called New York Riverside and it`s where the New York fire hydrants were made many years ago so it`s a local reference point but somewhere that will be very memorable for people.`



So, today we finally get out new stadium - today we move back into the town - today we move to New York, New York, so good they named it - well just the once actually but once is just fine by me!











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