WARRINGTON Wolves are confident that there will be no repeat of their Halliwell Jones pitch problems after agreeing a new one-year deal to host Liverpool Reserves.

Liverpool attracted average crowds of 3,968 - comfortably the highest in the country - as they won the Barclays Premier Reserve League during their first season in Warrington.

But they had to move their final two home matches to Wrexham because of the deterioration of the playing surface at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.

That threw into doubt the possibility of Liverpool remaining in Warrington but the Reds are now satisfied with improvements made to the pitch.

Liverpool will play 10 home games at The Halliwell Jones Stadium in 2008/09, starting with the ‘mini derby’ against Everton on Tuesday, October 14, which had to be delayed by two weeks because of the National League finals day in Warrington on September 28.

Wolves director of commercial development Dave Hutchinson, who says the club are planning to announce special Liverpool ticket offers in the near future, said: “There were obviously discussions to be had in the close season about the pitch but Liverpool have seen the investment we’ve made on it since last year.

“We did have a drainage problem but that’s been rectified and the improvements are there for all to see.

“The work Mel Jones (the groundsman) has put in has been tremendous. He’s worked round the clock and we’ve had help from Liverpool’s experts and Mallinsons.

“I don’t believe we’ll have the same problems this year but it’s a funny game.

“We’re certainly in a much better situation than last year, though, when we didn’t realise what was in front of us.

“And this is great for the town and the community. The records that were set last year showed there is a hunger for first-class football in Warrington.

“Hopefully people who enjoyed that will come to watch the rugby and vice versa.”

Liverpool reserve team boss Gary Ablett visited The Halliwell Jones - on the night of Wolves’ infamous defeat to Castleford - and was encouraged by the playing surface.

The Reds had viable options to return to some of their previous homes but they were keen to remain at The Halliwell Jones because of its ability to attract and accomodate large crowds.

Assistant secretary Ian Silvester, who says it has always been Liverpool’s policy to go on a year-by-year basis with reserve venues, said: “We had a fairly successful first year and the team under Gary Ablett won the league and the play-off final.

“The manager and the players obviously want a good pitch. For the first three games we had that but then it deteriorated.

“We could have moved closer to Liverpool.

“But credit to Warrington, they’ve spent a considerable sum of money and the pitch has been renovated. We’ve worked together and hopefully we can play all our games there and not have to move any this year. We’re more than confident it will be okay.

“Attendances were far and away the highest in the league last year and to get more than 10,000 against Manchester United was beyond even our expectations.

“If we’re being realistic attendances do tend to drop away a bit after the novelty factor wears off but Warrington hope to have some initiatives to maintain the crowd levels or even increase them. And for the first home game to be against Everton, there’s no better way to start. Hopefully we can get over 5,000 again.”

The deal does not, however, mean an end to Wolves’ traditional Boxing Day friendly.

The 2007 home fixture against Leigh saw wet weather damage the pitch and Wolves suffer defeat.

Paul Cullen had suggested before his departure that he was considering scrapping the fixture for rugby reasons but Wolves are currently in negotiations to arrange this year’s Boxing Day game, although it could still be home or away.