You've moved the goalposts again, so now you are on about the ground and not the home ends. So if we moved the away fans into the West Stand we'd still need to have it open? So to summarise we can't really close the folly can we because it needs to be used?
Ironic you say I'm the one thats moved the goalposts. The folly is spending millions on a stand that we can't fill just for "facilities". We can have fans in the West Stand as it stands. The North Stand is wasted 99% of the time. if you're getting to the point of issues of capacity, it makes most sense to better utilise that, no? The return on investment there is significantly better than sinking £5m, £10m, god knows how much just to raze the West Stand and make the ground so it looks a bit prettier. My point on closing the West Stand (said way back) was a flippant one. Unless it's condemned, I wouldn't spend anything on it until we have to. And thats ignoring the giant elephant in the room wearing a jacket that doesn't quite button.
Would be nice for our lads to walk out amongst us lot rather than next to the away support! Only other club I can think of, off the top of my head, is Fulham. But even then, they have home support on one side
My fundamental point remains and is unchanged. Spending multiple millions of pounds on a stand that we can't fill is one of folly and vanity.
Judging by the increasing crowds in recent years (biggest league 1 average since the early 80s and the biggest Championship average for 20 years) we may not have a choice soon, somethings got to happen. Be interesting to see our crowds for next season regardless of division, season tickets sales already going strong - it might be getting a lot more use than normal.
And at that point it makes sense to judge it commercially doesn't it? At this point it's not a critical decision in a global pandemic for a ground not yet owned by those who have a majority stake in the club. If we get promoted, that's a different kettle. If our fanbase grows sizeably, thats also a different situation.
To some extent it depends what the running costs of the West stand are. It will probably cost a lot to maintain and insure. Borrowing is currently cheap so it may make financial sense to replace it.
As far as I’m aware safe standing is not yet legal? If we have to redevelop the west stand next year to bring it up to Premier League standard how do you expect them do incorporate safe standing?
Agreed, but we're not saying it's critical, we're saying its outdated and not fit for purpose. From the comments from Conway at one of the fanzones I'd say it on the agenda to do something with it when they buy the ground.
We could do what a lot of enlighted clubs do and just ensure any future development allows for safe standing when it comes into England.
Which games? How many? How many times have we reached full capacity in the last decade? I genuinely don't know the answer, I'm just not aware that we have.
You can still sit in part of it if you want. Thats some form of purpose. It's certainly not ideal and at some stage, a decision will be made on it I'm sure. The decision making driver I'd suspect will be commercial, unless of course it gets condemned and we choose not to split the north stand.
Agreed. @DannyWilsonLovechild we will have to spend the money at some point - why not now, whilst the goings good? There might be a situation where this season is a one-off and we end up with a new squad and flirt with relegation again. That, coupled with financial uncertainty and rising building costs would put us under tremendous pressure. Did I mention the Burnley stand?
Personally don’t see the need to increase the capacity, but it does need sorting. IF we were to go up, now would seem like the sensible time to do it. Cash rich, lots more investor/sponsor revenue and we’re probably already ‘under the bonnet’ because of the PL snagging list. Unlikely we would get many better opportunities, any time soon.
Well technically, we don't have to spend the money. Unless building prices are suppressed now (but I suspect they will boom for multiple reasons) or some form of short term grants were able to be had, the commercial reasoning just isnt right for me. Let's also see what our accounts show. I suspect this current accounting period is worse. We've also £1m to find in compensation re Wilks. And we still don't have the ground ownership resolved. If we get promoted in a few weeks, all of this is moot anyway and the scenario fundamentally changes. Or if we're in the championship next season and crowds show signs of resilience and significant growth, then the conditions may be right. Of course we could borrow to do something speculatively, but I'd rather we didn't.
This is a tricky one, if you were analysing it you’d have to account for >9?% capacity or something, because at that stage people will be unable to find seats they want* and will choose to not come. It takes a massive draw for people to put up with substandard seats. So 100% capacity is a red herring. You’d also need to forecast improved attendance due to improved match day experience (so a new improved W Stand might improve desirability ergo more likely to get bigger crowds) *either because they’re in parts of the ground they don’t want to sit, they can’t find enough together for their party etc.
I don’t think anyone’s yet mentioned a post Brexit / post Covid economic slump either. Whilst Premiership opponents might mean huge crowds whatever the economy does. I don’t think that’s true of a season of mid table mediocrity in the Championship. Whilst we’d have had massive crowds this season to see us potentially beat Brentford, the same’s not true of us potentially losing to Wycombe mid week.
Other than improved media, anyone have a list of what PL standard is (it probably won't matter for us) but just wondered.
