One thing the east stand closure has shown me

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It looks nice as a museum but that's all it's nice as. Actually would make an absolutely amazing fanzone if the original section (edge of 18 yard box to 18 yard box) was moved to the east stand carpark or even onto the unused land at the side of the academy behind the east/north. Would be a good fanzone and keep costs down too

 

The only good things about the stand for me are 1. It's quick to get out of. but that's nothing to do with the stand, just the geography of the land and stadium. And 2. That you don't have to look at it when you're in it.

 

I am completely of the opposite view. I loved it. It's old and its ours. I like the way it's not changed one bit since the seats were put in, and other than the seats in the lower, pretty much looks the same as it did when I first visited it in the 80s.

 

68 Grove Street recently sold for £115,000; they couldn't have tried that hard to buy it.

 

I sit opposite in the East Upper. I don't mind looking at the West Stand. It has a strange, almost unique, charm about it. Part of the club's history.

When my lad was little, and we only came to Oakwell occasionally, we always sat in the West Stand - mainly for access reasons. When he got bigger and we became ST holders, we opted for the East Stand. I wouldn't ever want to move back, but I have no strong opinions about the future of the West Stand. I'll leave that to the folk who sit there, week in week out.

 

Most of us will be long gone by the time it’s replaced. Even then, we don’t want these East Stand Jessies migrating over with their jumped up notions of a ‘match day experience’. Otherwise, I’ll be having words with Suella Braverman..

 

Go tut pub 15 minutes earlier. Problem solved. Unless you go to wethers at opening time mind.

 

I shouldn’t be taking so much pleasure in how much it annoys you. But I am..

 

Pull it darn.

 

Who says we aren't looking at the possibility of standing. Cos when I went to a previous meeting I'm sure it is being talked over.
I also believe the experiment is only being allowed to take place at certain grounds at the mo. Eg those applying for a license in the premier and championship . But not yet rolled out to L1 and L2 all seater stadia.
Which tbh is a farce considering some clubs in the lower leagues have legal standing.

 

Blasphemy.!!

 

To my mind, the West Stand was never the same after they stopped hiring out cushions at 5p a time. Withdrew them after a particularly useless referee was pelted with hundreds of them after one match….

 

Pull it down and build something that won’t cost hundreds of thousands a year to keep less than 50% open.

I know there is a lot of sentiment but once the lease is sorted the west stand has got to go. The east stand needs modernising as well in all honesty, it’s thirty years old and was never finished properly as it is.

But the west has to be priority.

 

I believe from myth they tried compulsory purchasing the whole block, not sure if true but buying one wouldn’t gain them much if the others are adamant about not selling.
Allegedly something about higher structure blocking the light out.
It’s a wonder the ginormous scoreboard doesn’t cast a shadow.

 

The other thing about the West, they got rid of some toilets to build the media centre but what’s up with hose pipe on seats and putting some portaloo/festival toilets and some food trucks then the full stand could be used when required.

 

See also - every other League 1 stadium except Bolton, Derby, Ipswich and Forest Green.

 

I get that people don't want a concrete bowl. Neither do I.
I get that it would be nice to build something that's a nod to the old one.
I also get that the current one is torture to sit in if you're much over six foot, is half open to the elements, has toilets that would disgrace the filthiest pub in Yorkshire and can only be used fot 50% of its capacity.
It's a shambles and an embarrassment but its also a moot point as we don't have the money or incentive to replace it.
For now we're stuck with it.

 

I understand that is actually the plan if/when eventually it might be required - but that is more of a longer term thing.

Ad-hoc games, where away fans allow, the North would be segregated to allow more home fans.

 

As someone earlier said, if it's got to go I'd like to see it replaced with one that has a similar look - a gable roof, but a bit steeper and taller. Then make half of the ponty safe standing.