Imagine that actually being the case, be the stupidest decision every made by a Barnsley board and would alienate half the fans
Smarten up the three stands, fill the corners in with either seats, a new scoreboard or cladding like ibrox, Hawthornes etc and rebuild the West and jobs a good un.
The club would die or at the very least fall down the leagues because fans would stop supporting Barnsley if they didn't play in Barnsley. Ground improvements that are more likely would be corporate boxes with balconies and the females getting built a bigger ladies room so they don't have to queue so long to get in. To be fair when our stands were built nowhere near as many females went to games as they do these days, so demand wouldn't have been there.
I've always liked Craven Cottage. If we could do something like that with preserving how the west stand looks that would be great.
Toilets fine in Ponty end hardly ever have to queue. A better stadium just hikes up prices. Having been to a lot of grounds you cant beat history. A club needs to be where its fans are and always have been. Sunderland fans still bemoaning the loss of Rokers park atmosphere. Eventually when we're a full time premiership club we might have to make these decisions but we're nowhere near that yet.
That would be me done after 50 odd years and probably my grandkids who’ll revert to plan B armchair Man Utd or Liverpool watchers
It's good to see an increasing number of fans with a progressive and aspirational outlook. My view is that 3 sides of the ground are more than fine and very much fit for purpose, however due to the exposure and the feeling of the ground having open expanses something needs to be done with the North/East stand corner and the West/Ponty corner - maybe in the form of walls with a few rows of seating similar to West Brom (I think). As for the West Stand... I've spent the second half of this season sitting in the lower tier. Having been an East Lower resident for the past decade I just fancied a new perspective. After a few months of experiencing what the West has to offer, I have no reservations in believing that it is simply not fit for purpose and has become a relic in need of replacement. I took my 6 years old daughter to the Burton game, sitting in the West lower, and after her suffering the horror of using the toilet facilities I would never take her to watch a match in the West again. They are simply disgusting and sadly representative of the overall facilities on offer in the West. I fully accept and understand that neither the finance or capacity needs currently exist for redevelopment of the West Stand on the whole, but I look forward with hope to the day that something can be done to redevelop or replace the stand as it has no place for me in a progressive, family inclusive football club in the 21st century.
Got int ground very early yesdi and the Ponty pissers stank vile, hed to owd mi breath, dus anybody actually clean em reight.
Agree with all of that, when the time comes knocking down the west stand seems the way to go for me, a new stand incorporating the corners at either side to make the ground feel more enclosed. As you and others have said something to fill the corner between the west and the North Stand too. The first ever match I went to was with my dad and we went in the West stand upper, it will be a shame on some levels to see it go, but its time is sadly reaching a end.
In my opinion there should never be any talk about taking Barnsley away from Oakwell. We have a capacity we rarely fill and exceptional training and academy facilities. The East Stand, Ponty etc could be improved with relatively minor investment. The big question is about the West Stand. Like many posters my first game was in the West Stand Upper with my dad. I am nostalgic about the West Stand - but taking the rose tinted glasses off - it's not fit. The question is what do we do to replace it?
