In the Premiership season I could only get a Season ticket in the West Stand lower concourse. During periods of inclement weather in keeping with others in close proximity, waterproof trousers, jacket and a large waterproof overcoat with hood we're the order of the day. I quite often resembled a North Sea fisherman rather than a football supporter.The only redeeming feature of sitting in the West Stand area is that the other three sides of the ground looked half decent. If the new owners were contemplating moving away from Oakwell I would think it unlikely that they would waste time in meeting the Lord Mayor and Councillors and discussing the possible purchase of Oakwell without exploring that optionn first. As Paul Conway said, they like the present Stadium. An extensive facelift of the West Stand would be a sensible starting point if they buy the ground, followed by the gradual upgrade to the internal cladding in the East Stand and the Ponte Road end. To my mind, we would lose the very soul of Barnsley FC and our fond memories of the " old lady" that is Oakwell were they to move us elsewhere.
Quickest answer New stadium next door on the old brewery site still close to all the training pitches everybody happy
Moving from Oakwell would be a sin! I like the look of how Craven Cottage looks with the old stand still there so if we could do some restoration with the West Stand but still retain its looks whilst developing the rest of the stadium that would be fantastic.
We should have moved up to where the Dodworth Business Park is now. Ideal location just off M1 plus rail connection with town.
/\ This, all day long, cheers oh wise one I was going to post summat similar but nowhere as eloquent, oakwell rulez ,sithi.
Would our kids and grandkids forgive us if just to feed our nostalgia we were against moving into a modern, fit for purpose facility that provided the opportunity for the club to progress to the next level?
They said in their initial presser that moving stadiums isn't something that's on the table. Improvements to Oakwell are though.
The stadiums being used at the Qatar World Cup are to be 'flat packed' I believe so they can be sold on after the tournament.
I'd rather stay at Oakwell. Three sides are more than good enough at present and the West Stand is obviously the weakest part of the ground that in time must get replaced if we stay. The inner is dingy though and I've always felt the ground never got finished. But it's the same in most grounds, the brutalist concrete finish. As has been touched on, if access to the ground by car can be improved and the speed to get to the ground and out again, its a pretty good location. Its close to bus and train hubs, lots of residential areas and the Town centre. There is huge amounts of room around the ground to extend if need be or to make the Ponty bigger if we ever needed better capacity. For me the name is something iconic.... Oakwell, I suspect the ground will become sponsored at some point, but to fans it will always be Oakwell. As fans we might just have to accept if we want bigger budgets and ore revenue to compete, we might just have to do a few things that impinge our natural local traditionalism.