Chelsea membership expected to break the 100k mark (more than Arsenal and Spurs) on top of 28k seasons this autumn with the arrival of Jose. 82k 10/11. 90k 11/12..... Maybe we need that new ground more than we realise. We have sold out pretty much every Prem match since we upped capacity in 2001, a couple of years before Roman arrived. So when you think we were averaging 40k pre Roman, surely we could fill 60k most weeks now. Roman has done a lot for us but a 62k stadium would be a great legacy
The big problem is still where. The potential sites have all but gone and the council have still not said how we can miraculously turn SB in to a big enough stadium to be in anyway cost effective.
I'm just gunna say... Most people will see the surge in season tickets as a glory hunting agenda now that Jose is back. Ok maybe a few but most of them are supporters who stopped going when Rafa came in and will continue now. The surge in season tickets on the last day is always normal but the press like to link it to Jose to make it out we're all glory hunting muppets.
I cant see why the club dont sit down with Hammersmith & Fulham Council again and figure out ways we can add 15k to our capacity without rocking the boat! I've been in a 70k , and a dozen 60k+ crowds at the Bridge in the past and with proper planning this could all be managed!
I really liked the look of the Battersea plans. They were perfect and losing that was a real kick in the teeth
The Battersea possibilty was a great idea and I would have gone with it, but I am a traditionalist at heart and leaving the Bridge would have been a big emotional shock!
The council keeps saying the same thing over and over. They simply say they think it can be done but won't explain how. Chelsea have spent 100's of K on it and every suggestion has been rejected by the same council. Until the council explain how it can be done that 100's of K and the best planners in London can't then I think it's pointless.
The thing is how could they expand. Theres very limited free space around the edges of the ground and beyond that theres buildings and Brompton Cemetery so theres no way to expand really..... Like another poster mentioned, battersea was ideal and looked good. why that was turned down for more housing i dont understand. It would have created more jobs and more revenue for the area.
I agree but there are those who hear the council say it can be done and would rather believe them than the club who say it can't. There are several of them on this site.
Just had a look on google maps at your stadium.... http://maps.google.ie/?ll=51.481511,-0.190249&spn=0.003208,0.006539&t=h&z=18 ...and one possible idea comes to mind. When they rebuilt Landsdowne road, they put the west stand over the rail line that runs beside it so they could accommodate the increased capacity, and made a tunnel for the trains under the stand, and rotated the pitch from its original layout. It's also a tight fit in that area of Dublin. With the Bridge, it looks like the east stand along the rail line could be pushed right back over it (obviously allowing for trains to travel underneath),and possibly reducing it's size as not to impact on the area behind it, then rotate the pitch 90 degrees and the north and south stands expanded along the new layout. It's a laymans view on things, but no doubt there would be a load of bureaucratic red tape involved for a plan like that.
What about that huge pile of land where they hold the Chelsea Flower Show ??? It only gets used once a year.
The Juventus game this season was ridiculous. Tickets stupidly hard to get hold of. First PL game will be nuts. Jose's return makes it inevitable the PL will pencil us in for a home game in the opener v a newly promoted side and Sky will probably switch it to 12.45 on the Saturday or 8pm on the Monday. I'd imagine any member that hasn't renewed before July 31st will have 0 chance of getting a ticket on the opening day.
