There is absolutely no need for a two tier West Stand. We could take the seats out of the upper section and have 80 wheelchair spaces, with 2-3 accompanying seats for each. The front of the stand should be regular seating as it is now, with the intention to make it safe standing should the opportunity arise. Any development should be to turn the Ponty and East Stand into a single two tier structure. Build a structure similar to the existing corner stand between the redeveloped West Stand and the Ponty providing permanent media facilities
Two tiered stands behind the goal are awful. Completely dilute the atmosphere, especially if it's the home "end".
I personally don't see any need to start building new bigger stands, until we start filling the current one. What's the point? Even in the PL, we only just about filled it. I don't think we'll ever be a 30k club.
Visually maybe that would look best but it would not make sense practically. Oakwell is too big for us at the moment anyway. A decent sized single tier stand that went round the corner to the ponty end would probably increase the capacity or keep it around the same which would be plenty really.
I would like to see a new roof on the west stand covering all seating with new seats in the upper section , make the corner between the Ponty & West stand a safe standing area with a roof on to make it comfortable for the fans & help create atmosphere
We were sold out in Prem most games! Any spare were in away end. Hence they when built the North Stand, they did it so it could be segregated. For me, taking it up to around 27.5k in the future would be about right - if demand was there or the West Stand was beyond repair. However, until then, everything just wants tarting up.
Nice, but capacity would be roughly the same? A new West (when/if needed) needs to incorporate changing rooms, Media, boardroom, scouting room (which has only just been refreshed at Oakwell) and officials facilities. It should also add on a bit more capacity too. A 25-27.5k all seater it what is required. 30k probably a bit too much currently.
Doesn’t the current Ponte End have foundations and supports in place to potentially take another tier above it - sure I read it somewhere that the basic design allowed for this?
I understand that but when we built the East Stand you could have fitted in to it our entire attendance! Build it and they will come.
The North Stand was positioned where it is to allow the pitch to be lengthened should we ever qualify for the European football competitions. There's ambition/lunacy for you.
Whatever happens with the West Stand development, I think we can all agree it should be called The Patrick Cryne stand...
That looks nice! Maybe replicate the corner 'Welcome' stand between the East & North stand and a nice big screen filling the corner between the West & North stands and it would look spot on.
All that needs doing at the moment is knock the stand down completely, modernise it, and ensure the media facilities are top notch. In the future hopefully the bottom tier of the west stand behind the dugouts becomes a safe standing area all the way across. If we ever manage to get promoted then the corner between ponty and west stand should be filled with seats.
Hehe. We would still look tinpot in the champions league though, the advertising boards are larger so we would have to net off the front few rows, Dennis didn't think of that, the pillerk.