West stand

Absolutely agree. I would have been sad to see it go a few years ago and I still sit there from time to time. If it's not raining the back of the lower tier is one of the best spots in the ground. But the fact that we can't sell tickets for half of it is reason enough on its own to say it needs replacing. Architecturally I'm pretty sure we can build something which makes a nod to the history of the stand and maintains the ground's character. Notts County and the Sheffield clubs have both managed to do this. As for the current restrictions in the North Stand - absolutely embarrassing. Needs sorting ASAP.

 

I’m probably in a minority but I bloody hate the sight of it, I appreciate fans have a real soft spot for it but I’d love to see a lovely new stand in its place, I’m just glad when we’re on tv we don’t get to see it,

 

I sit there, and I love it to bits, but aye, it is time to move on.

 

To me it's a monstrous carbuncle.

 

Agreed, we need communication from the club on it. It's weird!

As for the West Stand, I think it's time to replace it - hopefully for something with a similar look, to maintain the character! Something with a similar shape of gable roof and gantry and the tunnel through the middle, but taller. Don't increase the capacity above the 23,000 - just make it so that we can actually use the seats we have!

 

This topic may as well have a reminder set to automatically pop up every 2 months.

The issues remain the same. We rarely fill our ground. We have a much newer stand with plenty of seating available that we somehow can't manage to get home supporters into. The owners don't own the ground.

It doesn't matter which side of the fence you're on, until ownership of the ground changes, it's a completely moot point.

 

Because if you're sat in it then you don't have to look at it lol

 

We do fairly regularly sell out enough in the newer stand that availability is limited though. Try buying two or three seats together for some games and you cant

 

What with this and the scoreboard fiasco, it' almost as if letting fans in is an inconveynience?

 

It's such a shame. For all the talk of growing the club in a sustainable way, we can't really grow the fan base without giving them somewhere to sit!

 

Yet there were thousands of empty seats. There were plenty of gaps in the East Stand and Ponte but I'd guess they were ST holders not attending.

The owners can do something about the North Stand. It makes no sense to do anything with the West Stand until (if they do pursue that) they buy the ground, and it may not make financial sense then either if what some of the suggestions about absestos removal are true.

Split the North Stand or they buy the ground. Until they happen, the West Stand is just a revolving thread every few months.

 

East stand is because of the Leeds game a few years ago

 

Can't split the north stand because they chose Doyle's again

 

The owners can choose what they want. I can't see them sinking £5m upwards on stand in a ground they don't own and are being sued for non payment by the previous owners who just so happen to partly own the ground.

 

If I recall, the North stand was designed so it could be split.... (isn't their gates in the middle of the concourse?)

But of course, the H&S bods won't let us sit near that end of the ground, so I think the chances of us ever seeing a split stand is little to zero.

Its widely speculated that we can't open the North end if the west stand, and facility wise we are being restricted on the rest of it.

But it's a lot of hearsay rather than confirmed knowledge.

So we don't really have much more room to do anything, so I suspect more games like Saturday to follow. Unless like you say the ownership is sorted.

 

I'm also in that minority. A replacement is long overdue as the facilities aren't fit for the 21st century. I took my young daughter in there a couple of years ago for her first game and she wouldn't use the toilets due to the utter state, filth and stench of them. She hasn't wanted to go back to Oakwell since. I'm taking her in the East Stand family area tomorrow in the hope she gets a better experience of attending football.

Not to mention I personally don't find it remotely nice to look at. A dirty asbestos roof, minging tv gantry and it's been patched up all over the place. Apart from a few iron pillars I don't see any architectural value.

 

I know it would upset a few, but there would be a case for swapping home and away ends around if they can't split the North.