The ground has got to stay in the city for me ... also, would affect all us who come from Hythe and the Island via ferries
I'd prefer it stayed where it was and got extended (at some point), but often it makes more sense financially to build elsewhere whilst matches can carry on being played at the old ground (as we did during the switch from The Dell). A major refurb whilst matches are still ongoing means that the gate is severely reduced for some time. I can remember when Highbury had one stand unavailable as they enlarged it....they had a nice painting of fans hung over the scaffolding to try and maintain the atmosphere....the painting actually made more noise than the real fans.
The biggest miss I think with our stadium is the railway track. The main railway line runs 40-50 yards from the back of the Kingsland, but we didn't want to pay Network South West or whoever to build a Station there. It would only need to be open Matchdays. That would drop the traffic off substantially. I know not everyone uses the train, but away supporters could be coached in somewhere else and get the train in, and I'm sure a few more drivers would think that it is worth it to ditch the car and train it if the stop was 40 yards from the entrance?
The old Ford works would be an incredible logistical location....just off the M27 and next to the railway and the airport Trust me the worst part of going and coming away from the games is the journey up the Avenue to get to the M3 especially when you have another 175 miles to go
Would be a waste of time and money to build a new stadium so soon after moving to St Marys. I don't really think expansion is needed just yet but if/when that time comes 6/10k will be more than enough.
I'm ITK on this (sadly not on more important football related matters) and there is not enough space for a station to operate safely.
Then have a rail strike every match day? I think it was looked in to when Nicola first arrived (and perhaps when we moved to SMS)....the cost was horrific I believe with no financial advantage to the club. Saving fans a 20-30 min walk (?) from the station not being relevant apparently.
Woolston and St Denys are a walkable distance but the service is minimal and no attempt is made to make it any better on match days.
Without giving the rail strikes any thought, I looked at the service from Southampton to Worthing one day and discovered it would take at 4.5-13 hours Might give that a miss.
If a Chinese takeover stops us selling our players as soon as they get recognised as top performers then I would be all for it....VVD and Nathan are the latest already sold by the press...
Not aware of the industrial site on the opposite side of the road.? It's quite extensive. Friend of mine used to work there.
I have been fairly happy with Redmond, but if someone wants to pay us big money for him I'm happy to sell him.