I expect Southampton to announce either an expansion of St Mary's or a relocation to a new stadium relatively soon. "I wouldn't exclude the possibility we would build a complete new stadium somewhere else" - words of Nicola Cortese An interview on 13th March 2010, from 36:00 Cortese is asked about the stadium... http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/8565914.stm For him to say that, they clearly have HUGE plans for Saints, be it expanding St Mary's or building a new stadium at a huge cost. A new stadium would have to be a lot bigger than 32k to justify moving. A number of Saints fans are underestimating just what the Liebherr/Cortese plan is for this club. ............................. Reading in 2006 put in a planning application to extend their stadium by 14,000 seats to 38,000. Proposal document... http://www.readingfc.co.uk/staticFiles/e/a2/0,,10306~41486,00.pdf (an interesting read I think) The planning application was accepted but they shelved the idea because they were relegated. Their potential new owner Anton Zingarevich has stated since they have now been promoted again that... "If we stay up after the first year then we will upgrade the stadium". http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17753759 So they will likely use the plans that already have been granted planning permission. These plans have a deadline of November 2013 and construction must start by then. What Reading and possibly Saints might expect to see... Design of the Madjeski development ("similar" to be done at St Mary's?) please log in to view this image Unlike Wolves who are currently knocking down Molineux and starting again, Reading will extend the current stadium and Saints will likely do similar. Schedule for the original Reading plan please log in to view this image As you can see it is relatively quick. Stages of development at the Madjeski Stadium please log in to view this image Reading - Reading average attendance in Championship 19,028 - 14,000 more seats on a 24,000 capacity stadium - 38,000 capacity in the Premier League Southampton - Southampton average attendance in Championship 26,149 - 14,000 more seats on a 32,000 capacity stadium - 46,000 capacity in the Premier League (similar to the size Cortese has spoken of wanting at the fans dinners) Cortese/Liebherr estate have already shown their ambition and resources to back up those ambitions with a £15 million development at Staplewood training ground and going for category 1 academy status under the EPPP. please log in to view this image Expanding St Mary's is the next step and will need to be done in order for the club to progress to the levels Cortese has set his sights on. Every season in the Premier League at St Mary's averaged over 30,000 so it is clearly too small as it currently stands. Southampton won't be able to do any major work during the summer of 2015 as it hosting Rugby World Cup games. So given the planning application length and the length of construction we might see work over 2013 and 2014 perhaps?
Something like this would be good... [video=youtube;Ppy65d5QHcI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ppy65d5QHcI[/video]
It would be amazing if we could get something like that done by the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Like Reading, I think it should be dependent on us staying up next season though.
Good post MLG. I suspect Cortese has plans in waiting, ready to be submitted, or in the process. Posters who keep their eyes and ears open to what Nicola says will recall that he said Saints will never be relegated while he's in office, and that is going to be for many, many years, so I don't think he's the sort to worry about Saints settling into the Premier League before he decides to go ahead. The prospect of failure just doesn't arise in his head. He doesn't seem to worry about the if's... he just works out the when's. Going at Reading's plans, if the same/similar were implemented at St Marys, wouldn't there be a bit of a squeeze around the back of the Kingsland stand, near the railway line, or am I getting the scale all wrong..?
I think if we do ever increase to around the 50,000 mark, it will be a new stadium and not an expansion on SMS.
Cortese is a clever man. He will have plans in place but stability is the key first and foremost. As long as we survive the first year or two then maybe in the future there will be an increase. Most probably not for a few years. I'm still not expecting us to sell out every game. I think I'll average will be about 28,000
Good point, and I know Nicola mentioned that before, but where..? Stoneham would almost certainly be out as the Eastleigh Council would probably veto it again, especially one that is almost double the original 26,000 size.
Why would that be a condition? It didn't seem to be when they unveiled a £15 million training ground whilst in League One. In any case expanding the stadium will help the club whilst in the Premier League, I don't see the point in waiting. Why not? Every season in the Premier League at St Mary's averaged over 30,000, including the year Saints came 20th and were relegated.
Yes, you may average 28,000 RLGB [le god knows where you put them, mate], but St Marys historically averages 30,000 in the PL.
Don't really know where we would put it to be fair, but I just remember him saying the costs would similar for new ground and expansion.
I'm just taking a small step back to look at what we have. We can't go gambling money. Training ground = £15m. Due you honestly think we're going to gamble another £20m+ upgrading St Mary's? Plus buying new players etc... Stability in the first step
I agree with you MLG, I don't think he will wait. Plans take time to submit and can be shelved in any case. I think Cortese will act sooner rather than later.
Saints are averaging 26,149 in the Championship and you think they will only average 28,000 in the Premier League? The Premier League will see larger away followings at St Mary's which will boost the average, plus more high profile game to attract home fans. Every season at St Mary's in the Premier League saw averages over 30,000 including the relegation season... 2004–05: 30,610 2003–04: 31,699 2002–03: 30,680 2001–02: 30,633
I will be shocked if we don't average of 30k, although the prices are going to put some people off, I reckon we could be looking at around 700 for a season ticket...I know I won't be buying one, espescially as this my first season as an 'adult'.
£30 million is nothing to the possible benefits of massive investment from possible buyers in the future , i am all for expansion as long as it's viable , I think if we were a consistent prem team then 40,000-45,000 is a realistic option as long as it's built the right way and when it's not a sell out the atmosphere does not suffer too much , we are a business now whether we like it or not we have assert ourselves when we are in the ascendancy but obviously with caution as well in mind .
If St Mary's could be expanded to 40-45k that would be ideal and would tide us over for a while. I think an average attendance of around 40k is not out of the question. If we ever get to be a regular top-4 side then we can look at where to go next.
NC knows that we will get around 30000 by just being in the Premiership, but that the attendances will increase when we are top half of the table and beating great sides on a regular basis. I say when, simply because I don't think that he will accept anything less than that. Then decisions will have to be made, but I think outline planning consent doesn't take that long and doesn't need to be done too far in advance.
Let's get promotion first, worry about survival and then think of expanding our stadium Look at Wolves for a prime example
I agree but times waits for no man , I believe we failed to capitalize hugely from the initial build and steady progress in the premiership , we need to have at least a 40,000 as we would sell out for Chelsea United City Liverpool Spurs Arsenal So that 6 out of 19 and the others would depend on our League position but say at least 30,000 ? Cortese on every sell out would see this as a lost opportunity to expand and get more bums on seats , its also a prestige thing , bigger is better .
