With us having more money than we have ever had following recent transfers and success, surely now is the time to build a new west stand. It doesn't have to be flashy, just something in a similar design/size to try and stick with tradition. The costs must be terrible to keep the current one going, and I honestly think more people would sit in a new one. Tomorrow we could have had 20,000, but now we have a stand half empty, and we are slowly selling the remaining tickets in one half of the stand at only £10 each!! We don't seem to want to spend millions on players because we can't afford big wages, so I think the ground could be completed with a nice new stand, it would help with the atmosphere as well with more people in it, even more so if it was closed in a bit more in the Ponty end corner.
What difference would a new stand make. It's the cost of policing/stewarding the bit near the away fans, that's stopping them using the whole of the current one.
I'd hate to see the west stand go. It's a thing of beauty, a wonderful piece of nostalgia that sets Oakwell apart from many other generic football grounds. Can't imagine walking down to the ground without being able to marvel at that tremendous corrugated shed.
I agree. Unfortunately the chances seem zero. And, whilst I share the nostalgia attached to the Weet Stand, progress is often sneered at in our town. Sadly.
The club doesn't own the stadium, so who would own the new stand? If we're flush with cash we should be looking at buying the stadium back.
Definitely, a new roof (a like for like replacement) and a lick of paint but no change to the look of it would be ideal. I love the character of it and the fact you can look on at the other stands. It's the only unique thing about our ground and should remain as is for as long as possible.
It would need a new roof, wooden flooring replaced, media outlets updated, underneath the stand updating, new seats in the Upper, new toilet and refreshment facilities, turnstiles updating - it would cost a small fortune. It needs knocking down, it's not fit for purpose.
Considering that the current regime have not given the ground so much as a lick of paint I don't think the ground is even a consideration. They can't even be bothered to replace the cracked boards at the Ponty end turnstiles.
Agreed. They're replacing the seats with ones from the Academy pitches and the concourses of the stands are terrible - Old Admiral signs, not painted for years etc etc.
That's the problem though, there wouldn't be more people in it. The occasional local derby aside we don't get anywhere near capacity crowds so paying to build a bigger stand seems a bit mental. There's be the same number of people dotted around a bigger stand which if anything would make the atmosphere worse. Plus the West Stand is mint.
We only need to build one to the half way line. Half the cost. The police make it impossible for us to use the rest anyway.
Im not overbothered about spending money on players but the grown definitely needs a spruce up. Repair and paint the rest and renovate the west.
Folk saying the West Stand should be knocked should be banned from Oakwell. Should be banned from Oakwell.