The Shay has been confirmed as the venue for the 2013 Northern Rail Cup final on Saturday, July 20.
Courier Sport revealed last week that Halifax’s home ground was expected to get the nod to replace Blackpool as the home of the summer showpiece.
And now the Rugby Football League has confirmed that the council-owned stadium will host both the NRC decider and a new Northern Rail Bowl final, which will be contested between the top two Championship One sides who did not make the competition’s knockout phase, in a double header.
“We had to fight to get it, but it’s great for the town and great for the venue,” said Fax director Ian Croad.
Fax won the NRC last season, beating arch rivals Featherstone 21-12 in a thriller at Bloomfield Road.
But the Championship clubs voted last week to ditch the former Premiership soccer venue, which had hosted the competition since 2005, on commercial grounds.
In a post on a fans messageboard, Fax director Mike Riley revealed the winners had barely made enough money from the event to cover winning bonuses.
A similar decision has been reached over the Championship Grand Final, with Leigh Sports Village now confirmed as the replacement for Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Full reaction to the news in Friday’s Courier.
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