Sheffield’s return home delayed

Steven Hughes

Sheffield have announced they have switched their first home game of the season against Workington due to a minor delay with construction of the Community Stadium.

The Eagles have been playing in Doncaster since 2020 due to ongoing work at the Olympic Legacy Park. Their last home game in Sheffield was a 44-18 win over Barrow in 2019.

Work initially started in late 2019 on the stadium, which would see an extra 750 seats installed. However, it was not ready in time for the start of the 2020 season.

However, Covid then hit which saw work delayed even further. In March 2021, construction resumed and was due to finish in February.

However, the delay means their round five fixture will now be played at Workington on 6th March. The match will kick off at 2pm. They will now host Workington in July.

Speaking of the news, Eagles General Manager Liam Claffey told the club website: ‘Whilst this is regrettable we have moved swiftly resolve the situation and our thanks go to everyone involved to helping ensure we resolved quickly.

“In particular we’d like to thank Workington for their understanding and prompt assistance in agreeing to reverse the fixtures.

“The build is progressing brilliantly and despite this slight delay hopefully everyone can see what a fantastic, permanent home the Community Stadium will provide for the club, for years to come.”

The wait goes on for Sheffield

The news means Sheffield will now not be able to play in their home city until Good Friday. They welcome London Broncos that day.

They were already scheduled to play their first four games- against Barrow, Bradford, Dewsbury and Batley- away from home. Including further away clashes against Whitehaven and Featherstone, Sheffield will now play their first seven matches away from home.

Read More: Championship ins and outs for 2022: Signings and retentions club-by-club