If you were a, E. Short, and not seeing things through the eyes of a foreign billionaire, but as a born Sunderland fan, who had inherrited SAFC. What would you change about the club. (not the team,or manager) Be it facilities, incentives, away fans, accses owt you like, but what would you like to see changed within the club. (expect pies to be brought into this somewhere).
I would have put the stadium at the bottom of Penshaw Monument. Where the park is now. No problems with drainage being over the coal tip. Would have been a doddle to add access roads from the A19. Would have been a stand out stadium with the monument towering above.
When they were discussing sites for the stadium, I always thought it's present position was the worst access wise.
I'm from fulwell mate, the only place worse for access then the SOL, was Roker Park. Obviously not for me, but for people travelling.
If I was a multi billionaire who owned SAFC, I would fill the stadium by dropping Season Ticket prices for all and then expand and sell more seats for <£250 a season. Then charge West Ham fans an extra £40 when they visited!! Although if I was a businessman then I'd probably be out of business with that philosophy!!!
Younger posters will probably not understand, mine and others feelings toward Penshaw Monument. Returning from holidays after a long drive, getting the first glimpse of the monument from miles away was so exciting. Trying to keep it in view as the road twisted and turned. Knowing you would soon be home. It even stayed with me when older returning from working away.
Worked in Surrey for 8 years, and travelled back nearly every weekend, once i saw the monument, i knew i was nearly home, only another 10-12 miles to go.
Move the away fans up to the top tier somewhere, have both ends behind the goals full of Sunderland fans and make them the singing sections. make it cheap for under 21`s not just the under 16`s or whatever it is now. Get rid of tombolla and try to get Nissan or another similar company from asia like Sony or something. I would scour the schools from Berwick to Hull to find good young footballers and try to get them into the AOL. I would get the best physios in the country to try to tackle out injury problems. I would put the price of drinks and snacks down to less than the pubs charge, if ppl want to watch it in the pub then they will pay more for eat and drink whilst there.
Buy red seats. Name the stands after club legends. More special deals (e.g. the u16s season ticket for £19 if you bought it with an adult was quality for families)
Well my surname matches Donald and Ivana but I am not related which is a bummer I would also have 4 real ale kiosks with different local and even national (and maybe even international) real ales, and change them for every home game, 1 week local, next national, next international like German/Austrian, then the next match local again. basically just mix it up a bit, might not work, but may be worth a try. I would also put old strip collection points outside the ground, and send them all over the world to underprivilaged kids (asia/south america/Africa even England etc)
Mr Trump, you are far to clever for this board... Way, way to many valid points in one post, you need to spread them out. All very good ideas, if it was the darkside i'd give you rep till you were ****ing sick off it...