Get it done ASAP. If we dont sell them out, let the away sides have extra allocations. With probably 5 London clubs(allowing for QPR going down), plus maybe Bompey, i am sure that is 6 games that the away clubs could sell a lot more than we would normally allocate. Man Utd, Liverpool would easily sell out, plus probably Man City, then you have the first and last matches of the season that would probably be close to sell out no matter who we play. That takes care of nearly half the fixtures every season. Some games like Stoke, Hull etc wont sell out, but games like Villa, Everton ,Newcastle could pull in 35,000 or more quite easily.
I think we will see a decision on either extending or new very soon. To compete at the top and on a regular basis means more income through the turnstiles is part of a bigger better squad and the capability to pay higher wages. Plus we could then put the away fans in a corner somewhere with both begind the goals filled with home fans.
I hear that plans are already being drawn up for a new stadium not a redevelopment as Cortese envisaged. AFL are not tendering either, the guy I know (who is normally right about club affairs) reckons Foster + Partners are drawing up the plans.
Ah, Milton Keynes here we come Any suggestion where it would be sited...or will we just knock down the neighbours.
I've always thought the Stoneham area would be the best place for a new stadium, with the access to the motorway and so on. Do Pompey still have a training ground up there?
Good for most apart from Islanders...day matches okay, tough to make the ferry after a night match. Not a consideration I know...just an observation.
What are people's general feelings on what they would prefer? An extension or new ground? If it was to happen I would like a new ground as St Marys is a bit boring - could easily be the Riverside, King Power, Pride Park etc. Also if we build new I would hope they focused on the acoustics as St Marys is shocking for this.
There will need to be a period if significant success to build a bigger fan base. We actually started getting "glory hunters" in the 80's. No, no,no, please never! The Northam gets up a head of steam precisely because the away fans are next to them. The Anfield Road end is split, and this genuinely adds to the banter and rival singing, while the Kop, like the Chapel end at SMS, sit and politely applaud. Look at Goodison - awful atmosphere - and Old Trafford has gone silent since the away fans were shut off in a corner.
Surely talk of a new ground is a bit pie in the sky? Yes studies might be being done, but st mary's is still one of the newest grounds in the league, with facilities that have proven capable of hosting England games, big concerts etc & there's nothing particularly *wrong* with the location. If it's as straightforward to extend as most believe, then building new would be a waste of a perfectly decent asset. Unless cr@ppy industrial land now suddenly commands a ridiculous price...!
Depends on how much we can extend by? And the cost? Might be more feasible to build rather than pay a similar sort of price for an extra 8-10k
We will never be a big club while we have a 32,000 stadium. In the next few years, Spurs, West Ham, and Liverpool will all be playing in 50+ stadiums. We have to keep up. I know some people say having thousands of empty seats will be detrimental, but how negative is that attitude??!!! Imagine the opposite, seeing 45,000 fans packed in to St.Mary's. What an atmosphere it could be for those big, important European nights
People say that but I'm pretty sure I remember Nicola saying before that it could be more cost effective to start again rather than build on top?
Like I said I might be wrong, just sure I remember Nicola saying that before. Also I'm pretty sure we can only expand by 'x' amount at St Marys - not sure what it is but if it's only 8k or so is it really worth it ?
Agree with this, plus the longer it is left the more money it will cost in the end so it makes perfect sense to expand now.
Am just sat opposite the mighty SMS by the Yacht.... Looking over the water, it seems the site immediately around the stadium is ripe for redevelopment of the stadium and the industrial units around it. I think a new stadium next door to current location could be key to a massive redevelopment of that side of the water...
When a Stoneham located stadium was submitted Eastleigh Borough Council vetoed it, Chilco. Besides, the capacity was set at 26,000, so I'm sort of glad they did.
