please log in to view this image Bristol City owner Steve Lansdown reveals stadium plan 'hell' Bristol City owner Steve Lansdown says getting the League One club's stadium redevelopment under way ends "seven years of hell". City had hoped to relocate to a nearby site, but the move was severely delayed by an application for a town green. Instead, a £40m revamp of their current home, Ashton Gate, will take place over the next two years, with Bristol Rugby also playing there from next season. "It's a relief," said Lansdown, before the start of the renovation on Monday. He told BBC Radio Bristol: "I've been through seven years of hell trying to get a new stadium for Bristol City. "We've now reverted to making Ashton Gate a first-class stadium and we're now at a point where we can start." please log in to view this image Defender Greg Cunningham helped pull up the pitch at Ashton Gate on Tuesday. Plans were approved in 2009 for Bristol City to move to a new site at Ashton Vale, but fervent opposition by residents resulted in two planning inquiries and an abandoned judicial review. The club confirmed last year that they had opted to rebuild their current home and plans were approved in November. The first stage of the redevelopment started on 27 April, with the pitch being dug up and replaced. The Wedlock and Williams stands will then be rebuilt while the other two stands, Atyeo and Dolman, will be refurbished and altered. Bristol City will continue to play at the ground during the renovation in addition to Bristol Rugby. "The memories of the East End [Wedlock] will be there and it will be sad to see it disappear but this is a new beginning," said Lansdown. "To see it come down and the new stand start to go up is the start of what I believe will be a purple patch for the club. "Am I disappointed Ashton Vale didn't take place? Of course I am. But I'm pragmatic. The reality is this is what we can do and we can do it now." Billionaire businessman Lansdown became involved at City in 1996 and is thought to have invested over £50m in a bid to take them to the Premier League. However, they are set to finish the season mid-table in League One after initially fighting a relegation battle. But their form improved dramatically after the appointment of Steve Cotterill as manager in December, and Lansdown believes the stadium redevelopment could help them reach the top flight. "Seeing teams like Burnley going back up there again gives us all hope," added Lansdown. "Burnley, in terms of stadium size and fan base, are smaller than Bristol City. There's a great opportunity for us when we get it right. "We've turned the corner this season to start getting things in the right place, to build us a Premier League outfit." please log in to view this image "We've turned the corner this season to start getting things in the right place, to build us a Premier League outfit” Steve Lansdown Bristol City owner http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27215002
Steve Lansdown has pointed out that he has gone through 7 years of hell trying to get Bristol City a new stadium and moving us upwards to be considered a contender for a better league status. All of us supporters can empathise with his comments because, let's not forget, the ride has been just as bumpy for City's beleaguered fan base. Let's hope the positive vibes being generated by the rebuild of Ashton Gate can revitalise the club in such a manner that we can put all the relegation, and managerial, nightmares of the last several seasons behind us for good and start to regain some of our self respect. As many of you know I have been a regular critic of the comings and goings on in BS3 and a lot of my concerns have been directed at Steve Lansdown because, let's face it, he carries the biggest stick in our hierarchy. Today will hopefully be the start of positive changes and recreate the love of our club in good time for next season and perhaps it's time I voiced my support of Steve Lansdown in his efforts to create a club of which we can all be proud. Onwards and upwards to better times and I am looking forward to my next, rare visit, to the new Ashton Gate. Have a great summer one and all and we will talk again later this year.
You beat me to the point by one minute wize! Perhaps one of our mods can weld the 2 threads together so as not to dilute the comments. Nice one.
Let's see what next season brings before we get carried away Lansdown has been responsible for a ship that started sinking in 2008/9 and hasn't stopped sinking yet, and so I reserve judgement until we have clearly arrested the slide.
Fair point. Except I blame the players and I blame SOD for trying to develop a footballing side with cart horse players. And the biggest except of all is - we HAVE stopped sinking.
We've stopped in the same way that we stopped under Millen, and how we stopped under McInnes. Come August, it'll be a new season, and I'm holding my judgement of SC for the first ten games of that season.
Get on board what? Cracking day on west street followed by another dull game amongst dull games. Seven years of hell? He is a multi millionaire and some who lives on the channell ilsands and goes to work in a helicopter!!
