MIKE McMeeken knew only too well what lay at Wakefield, but seemed happy to ‘get by’ while playing in Super League’s worst ground.
Then along came two huge kicks up the backside – the arrival of owner Matt Ellis and relegation.
Now Trinity have been transformed into the top flight’s most progressive club and on the field, they have made the play-offs.
Had kitchen millionaire Ellis not come in, it is a fair bet the famous old name would not even be in the top tier, never mind the top six.
To describe their Belle Vue ground as dilapidated is being kind – but Ellis injected quality off the field, even improving a new stand that was already being built.
Facilities for players have been transformed to those worthy of the elite. Yet it has not stopped there.
Work is ongoing to further transform the stadium. A new executive area is going where the worst dressing rooms in the league once were and permission to develop the Arthur Street side has been granted.
The off-field transformation has been mirrored on it as Daryl Powell’s men made the play-offs in their first season out of the Championship.
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And skipper McMeeken has led what he knew could happen from his time across the divide at Castleford.
He said: “It was just a club happy just to get by and had no desire or no drive of where they wanted to go – relegation was a blessing in disguise.
“They just seemed like they were happy just to finish above relegation every year. Matt’s come in, torn that up straight away and drilled in this belief into the squad.
“He brought in Daryl and I thought, ‘He’s not taking his job just to do what they were doing before.’ He wanted to take this club on to bigger and better things.
“And while what we’ve achieved on the field is good, what they’re achieving off it is a massive part of why we’re so confident and playing well.
“It’s because of what Matt and his family have put into the club and improved the facilities around the place.
“It just makes that massive bit of difference to how we play. Whether it’s just a few per cent recovery bits that we have that make that slight bit of improvement.
“Internally, the top six was what we wanted and what Matt and his family have done is not just massive for the club, it’s massive for the city.
“We’ve given fans something to shout about, which they’ve lacked over the last few years and it’s showed what was lacking in the area.”
Now Wakefield have made it – finishing sixth in their first season back in Super League ahead of the likes of Hull FC, Catalans and Warrington – they head to Leigh in Friday’s eliminator.
But boss Powell has a simple message, no pressure.
He insisted: “We’re at our best when there’s no pressure on us. The mentality we show against teams who are expected to beat us has so far brought the best out of us.
“It was a drip feed – you’d have 10 players believing we could make it, then 12. It gradually crept up on us, ‘We could have a go at this.’
“But every game we play is a free hit, everyone else will be the favourite.”
That message is echoed by McMeeken, whose performances in the front row earned him a place in this year’s Super League Dream Team.
Not bad for a player from Fleet in Hampshire, who started as a centre at London Broncos and admits if he had been told then he would be one of the best props playing at Wakefield now, he would likely have told you where to go.
The 31-year-old added: “I’ve said, ‘Just take it in. Take in the experience.
“’Just treat it like another game, but also make sure you embrace it. They don’t always come around.
“’Enjoy it. There’s no pressure on us. Let’s go out there and have fun.’”
