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Coley surveys a rosy future

Tony Howard
9/ 9/2005

SALFORD Reds star Andy Coley reckons the new stadium will be a winner, and he should know - he's a qualified quantity surveyor.

The back row forward cast his eyes over plans for the City of Salford Stadium to be built at Barton and after giving them his seal of approval he can't wait to run out of the tunnel in 2007.

Andy knows what he's talking about following his experience of stadium development, when he worked as a surveyor at Manchester United's Old Trafford ground, when the Stretford and Scoreboard Ends were redeveloped in 2000.

He undertook the assignment while completing his qualifications at Liverpool's John Moores University before turning professional with Salford in October 2000.

Now with a planning meeting date set for the Salford stadium plans to be discussed in October, he is keen to help the club get the go-ahead.

He said: "I have seen the designs and artists' impressions of how the new stadium will take shape and I must say it looks the part.

"It will be a massive boost to the club and the rest of Salford if the plans are passed and I'm pleased to be able to support the planning stage and can't wait to get on the pitch."

Andy is considering a return to his qualified specialty when he hangs up his boots. He said: "I enjoyed working on Old Trafford with Birse Construction and was responsible for the steel and brickwork and ensuring those working on the project got paid. It was a good experience and something I may do again in the future.

"The qualification is there now so I might go back to it when I have to finish playing. I decided to take up rugby as a living because there's not many people who get the chance to get paid for doing something they love and enjoy. I'm very lucky."

The City of Salford Stadium is set to go before Salford's planning committee in October and if passed will then go to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister before approval for work to begin in early 2007.