New Ground ........... why?

I'd love to know how all the clubs smaller than us or even bigger are surviving with out a flashy new ground ?? Accy stanley , Exeter  etc    or is it just a smoke screen ?

How are Accrington Stanley and Exeter surviving? Unsustainably, just like us. They survive for as long as directors continue to prop up their losses, and no longer.

John Fenty is a wealthy man, but I doubt he has the wealth or inclination to continue financially supporting the club forever. If that were to happen tomorrow, then the only options are to shrink rapidly or die.

That's the start reality of the situation, but to look at it in a more aspirational way let's consider our collective ambitions for the club to return to something like it's former glory - somewhere between a mid-table Championship side and a top-half League One outfit. Admittedly, I'm plucking numbers out of the air here but I suspect a squad capable of that would cost somewhere between £10m and £20m a year in salaries in today's climate. I think our entire turnover last year was less than £2m.

Plot the success of clubs of clubs who have moved to a new stadium in recent years that they own (ownership is key) and you'll find that in most cases their financial and footballing fortunes have had a massive shot in the arm. Off the top of my head:

Stoke City
Cardiff City
Swansea City
Rotherham United
Brighton
Chesterfield
Etc.

Hull don't own their stadium, but there's no way they'd have got to where they are now at Boothferry Park. Ultimately, if you want Town to still exist in any meaningful way in 20 or 30 years time (or perhaps even less) then we're going to need a new stadium. The same is probably true for most clubs of our size who continue to do what they can in some decrepit old shed with a pitch in the middle.

thanks for that ... does that mean Football is over stretching itself at all levels?

Poojah wins Post of the Day

Quoted from Poojah

How are Accrington Stanley and Exeter surviving? Unsustainably, just like us. They survive for as long as directors continue to prop up their losses, and no longer.

John Fenty is a wealthy man, but I doubt he has the wealth or inclination to continue financially supporting the club forever. If that were to happen tomorrow, then the only options are to shrink rapidly or die.

That's the start reality of the situation, but to look at it in a more aspirational way let's consider our collective ambitions for the club to return to something like it's former glory - somewhere between a mid-table Championship side and a top-half League One outfit. Admittedly, I'm plucking numbers out of the air here but I suspect a squad capable of that would cost somewhere between £10m and £20m a year in salaries in today's climate. I think our entire turnover last year was less than £2m.

Plot the success of clubs of clubs who have moved to a new stadium in recent years that they own (ownership is key) and you'll find that in most cases their financial and footballing fortunes have had a massive shot in the arm. Off the top of my head:

Stoke City
Cardiff City
Swansea City
Rotherham United
Brighton
Chesterfield
Etc.

Hull don't own their stadium, but there's no way they'd have got to where they are now at Boothferry Park. Ultimately, if you want Town to still exist in any meaningful way in 20 or 30 years time (or perhaps even less) then we're going to need a new stadium. The same is probably true for most clubs of our size who continue to do what they can in some decrepit old shed with a pitch in the middle.

Every club is different. Brighton had their ground sold and had to play at Gillingham for 2 seasons before getting back into Brighton courtesy of the council.

Chesterfield were virtually broke as were Swansea and both were kept in being by new stadia funded by retail parks that were part of a much bigger development plan. Interesting that the same financiers that saved Hull City by brokering the deal with the council over the KC sell-off were involved in the same thing at Swansea.

Rotherham have a very wealthy owner but also got help to develop a brownfield site while cheating their way through administration.

The point is that new stadia do not save clubs on their own though they can be part of the saving of clubs as long as it fits with someone else's financial agenda.

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

courtesy of the council.
.

What's that mean. Thought councils meant "no". Surely other councils can't be wanting their local team to be a success.  

I was playing Devils Advocate to try and get a debate going on Why we need a new ground and where it should be. It is alright the club telling the fans to back the compaign but it is also nice to look at the UN biased facts surrounding the move .....................The club seem to be losing 20k per month as it stands ........... How much would they lose in a 14k all seater ? I'm just asking the questions thats all ?

And i get a red cross for asking a question, Glad my kids dont go to your school

Quoted from fleabag1970

I was playing Devils Advocate to try and get a debate going on Why we need a new ground and where it should be. It is alright the club telling the fans to back the compaign but it is also nice to look at the UN biased facts surrounding the move .....................The club seem to be losing 20k per month as it stands ........... How much would they lose in a 14k all seater ? I'm just asking the questions thats all ?

Should've posted on here and not started a thread, but ch4 @ 9pm

Quoted from GrimRob

Poojah wins Post of the Day

That's twice now innit...?!?!? I seem to recall another popular post of Poojah's?

We need a new stadium because the current one's location.

It lowers attendance due to where the ground is - I.e. by the cold north sea and in a dodgy part of town. I've also heard that Blundell Park's location makes policing difficult (which the club contributes to) so hopefully we could save some cash on that.

The old ground is creaking will need cash to do up and most importantly doesn't produce the commercial revenue  needed to sustain the club in the long term. One of my friends went to a business forum at the Pirelli stadium and he reckoned Burton were making a packet off the businesses. You simply can't do that at Blundell Park.

One thing is I don't want a 14k all seater, 14k is fine but I'd like a couple of stands to be standing - which would surely be cheaper. I know that we would have alter them if we get back in the championship but to be honest could be a generation away.

All good points but apart from the Main Stand the rest of the ground is pretty sound?  The Osmond and the Pontoon were refurbed in the mid 90's and are still doing ok, the Findus stand is just over 30 years old and doing ok  . The main stand is the problem as well as the empty corners. Lincoln and Rochdale never moved but have nice little grounds ?

Quoted from fleabag1970

All good points but apart from the Main Stand the rest of the ground is pretty sound?  The Osmond and the Pontoon were refurbed in the mid 90's and are still doing ok, the Findus stand is just over 30 years old and doing ok  . The main stand is the problem as well as the empty corners. Lincoln and Rochdale never moved but have nice little grounds ?

The Main Stand is the problem but apparently there's loads of little things the ground needs that all add up. Halifax is the best example of a nice ground, I would love the new town ground to be like the Shay.

Quoted from horsforthmariner

The Main Stand is the problem but apparently there's loads of little things the ground needs that all add up. Halifax is the best example of a nice ground, I would love the new town ground to be like the Shay.

Is the Shay on the site of the Old Ground? How many does it hold?

Quoted from horsforthmariner

The Main Stand is the problem but apparently there's loads of little things the ground needs that all add up. Halifax is the best example of a nice ground, I would love the new town ground to be like the Shay.

Yes it is - just over 14. The Shay was always in an ideal position though.