Interesting bit about the East Stand from WSB's interview with John Dennis

http://www.weststandbogs.co.uk/

Yes, yes - I know it's a bit late! WSB published two brilliant interviews in April with former chairman John Dennis and former manager Danny Wilson. For some reason I had forgotten to read them and have only just got into them this morning. I have finished the DW one (superb stuff) and got part way through the JD one, but am only up to the bit where he appointed Viv Anderson and Danny. I'll get to the rest later today but I wanted to share this little bit about the building of the East Stand (I had never heard this before). With apologies to the WSB guys for quoting your stuff John Dennis said the following about the stand:

"The final cost was around £2.3m – it equated to £300 a seat which was great value, clubs were paying up to £750 a seat. We built it to try & future proof it as much we could – the structure can accommodate another level if desired & the hope was that we’d put another floor in there that would host events all week, the new boardroom etc".

Another level?? That would put us into St James Park kind of territory for needing binoculars to watch the match! I've seen a few matches from the top tier and that is too high for me - I prefer to be closer to the pitch (ESL is perfect). I can't ever see us being in a position where we need to build that extra level but it is interesting to hear that the club were thinking about it at the time it was built.

We shouldn't forget, by the way, that a lot of the Carl Tiler transfer money went into building that so maybe the club are thinking of doing something similar with this pile of cash that is apparently slushing around at the moment? I know many love it but I would love to see us replace the old West Stand.

Finally, you can see I have put a link to the WSB site at the top. If anyone hasn't bothered I really recommend going there and reading the two interviews. It is fascinating stuff about our recent history (ie the last thirty years or so). Well done to the editors for getting DW and JD to open up the way they did.

 

Those interviews were great.
I can't see us ever extending the East Stand but nice to know the option is there in case we suddenly become Barcelona.

The West Stand could be a great opportunity for the club: we should take our time and build a really individual looking stand with a similar capacity to the current one. Make it look taller and more imposing. It could also have new corporate facilities etc.


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Found this piece on a motion made in the Commons in 1994 by Mr. Eric Illsley.

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1994/nov/22/barnsley-football-club

 

I really wish we would. Sentiment aside, the building is not fit for purpose any more. Put up something that fits in with the rest of the ground, move the changing rooms back to that side and let's have a half way line tunnel again. I hate seeing them come out and go in right next to the away fans.

 

Yes, I've seen that before. I used to be a regular reader of Hansard in my MOD civil service role when it was part of my job to draft replies to Parliamentary Questions and Parliamentary Enquiries on RAF matters.

This piece by Eric Illsley must be the longest ever reference to Barnsley Football Club in Hansard

 

If it was £300 a seat to build a stand in the early nineties imagine how much it would be now to build a new West stand? It would take us years to pay it off. Investment in the playing squad comes miles before investment in the ground in my book.

 

I can see your point, but it wouldn't have to be as big a stand - not much point really. Something in the region of 3500-4000 seats would be ideal with all the infrastructure beneath to include changing rooms, board room, offices etc. What we have is a bit of an eyesore - a piece of history yes, but it doesn't do a job any more.

Mind you......I haven't seen this summer's improvements yet. Maybe it will look better walking down the hill than it used to?

 

Given we are upgrading the West Stand cleary we aren't planning to replace it. Seems more important than buying players to me but I guess we all understand prioritisation

 

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1989/apr/25/engagements#S6CV0151P0_19890425_HOC_114


2 Months before the Hillsborough disaster.

Mr. Illsley In view of the fact that in February of this year the south Yorkshire police instructed Barnsley football club to admit 2,000 spectators to an FA cup match at one minute before the kick-off without payment and without tickets, will the Prime Minister now consider delaying the Football Spectators Bill until after Lord Justice Taylor reports or, even better, withdraw it altogether as such police action clearly makes that Bill unworkable?

 

"including a social club"
Wonder what happened to that?!

 

not sure if im in the minority here but i'd like us to keep the west stand. Im all for tarting it up...a lick of paint, some new seats and a new roof perhaps but largely i'd like to keep the structure as it is. I love the character it gives the ground and from a selfish point of view having grew up watching us from the front of the stand stood on a milk crate i want to be able to show/tell my kids about it when theyre old enough.

The cost of a new one which would hardly get used seems pointless to me anyway, but what i wouldnt mind seeing is the introduction of safe standing in that bottom tier; i'd be back in there straight away!

 

Disabled access bays with accompanying seating and ramps to Street level in the upper tier. Safe standing when possible in the lower part. Solar panels on the roof.

 

I always though another level meant actually behind the stand as in a concourse level, would be too high if they stuck some more seats on

 

I don't think he's not talking about another level of seats. From the outside the structure would look no different if it was upgraded. He's talking about another level inside, for a boardroom and a bar/restaurant/conference facility. Look up from the concourse on the ground floor, that's the area he's alluding to.

 

Correct he's talking about the mezzanine floor that I've been hanging on about for years. The floor which I have asked a few times for the club to provide a rough figure to convert so that fans could attempt to fundraise. The answer has always been 'too much at the moment'.

 

I love Oakwell to bits and wouldn't want to see it change a bit. I'd be heartbroken if they tore the West down. The 1912 team had their photo outside of it. The trophy cabinet there held the FA Cup and every manager who ever had any success with us was appointed in that boardrom.

Nothing will happen unless we become a Stoke or Swansea established in the Premier League. Rightly so - Oakwell is fit for purpose as we need at the moment and the priority for funds is to go into making what's on the pitch as best it can be.

 

If they rip my seat out for safe standing I'll be furious.


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Carl Tyler = East Stand
Steve Agnew = Ponti
Ashley Ward = North Stand
Craig Hignet = Training Ground

Them wert days when John Dennis used transfer money to build on or OFF the field.

 

West Stand should stay. I don't care whether fans of other clubs say it's crap either. Its a piece of history and way better than any modern characterless stand youd find at Keepmoat/Ricoh/Amex

 

It's already been said but he was definitely referring to the mid level rather than extending at the top.

Thanks for the kind words on it - loved doing it.