Show us the money

Quoted from Mappers

How far off do you think that is ?

I mean is there a point in the short to medium term when the Main stand could be condemned/ not safe to use?

Quoted from gtfc_chris

I've never previously been a fan of this idea, lending my support more to the brand new crisp stadium in some open space with better commutability. Appeals to mine aesthetic eye.

In the last year or so however I do find myself coming back the other way and wondering if redeveloping BP might be a better option. The one thing I see as difficult within that project though - and why I don't think it would be feasible without substantial cost - is the proximity of houses.

Although we wouldn't need towering stands all the way around like the Findus, the whole point would be to build something to cater not just for today but for the future and hopeful success that might be part of said future. The corners will obviously add an awful lot of extra capacity without the need for height.

The bit I can't see though is how the work will be able to take place, without disrupting the season in terms of encroaching on the pitch and with the houses all round. People within the construction industry may easily point out how simple it could be but I can't see past the limited space for construction without impacting the pitch and ability for games to go ahead.

It also just occurred to me that an improved stadium with improved corporate facilities would require increased car parking availability which again I can't see being possible without a number of houses being purchased and knocked down. Obviously not a show-stopper and still possibly cheaper than a brand new stadium but I imagine could be more tricky to achieve.

It certainly does feel we're between a rock and a hard place at the minute. We've had two seasons out of two with the new owners where ST sales have been fantastic and shows the support is out there, yet we'd perhaps be jumping the gun to rush into a brand new stadium. But we can't prove the height of that support given the limitations BP has. It's a nice problem to be in, and better discussing this than discussing how can we get more local football fans into BP to support the club which was more the case pre JS and AP.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

Wouldn‘t have a clue, it`s not my area of expertise. It`s all about safety and as long as it`s deemed safe we can keep going. While the Main is the most obvious potential issue the Osmond is hardly a new stand and will probably attract interest from the safety inspectors as much as the Main.

It`s not just the stand though. The Main has all the changing rooms and other `facilities` and they are woefully out of date. I understand the changing rooms are tiny and just not up to a decent standard (despite sinks being put in for the ladies).

Someone suggested we could knock down BP and rebuild on the same site - the footprint of BP is very small and hemmed in by houses on 3 sides (3 and a bit really). So to increase capacity we would have to build bigger stands and that may not go down well with the residents backing on to the ground. They may also object to the potential increase in traffic and congestion from a bigger ground. And it`s a more expensive option, very few clubs have rebuilt their ground where they were struggling for space - Liverpool took a chunk of Stanley Park, Chelsea had a huge footprint to begin with, Old Tafford has loads of space round it but The Dell, Maine Rd, Bolton (The Old Show Ground!) were all like BP.

Luton is a potential exception as their proposed new ground is slap bang in the town centre but it`s (verbally at least) backed by the council who see it as a focal point for regeneration, very much like the plans we were shown for building a new ground on the old market/flats on Freeman St.

But the owners say a new ground is not on the agenda for the foreseeable future. For their sake, I hope the safety inspectors feel the same way.

Quoted from Simon

I would stick my neck out and predict that our next ground will form some part of the "Freshney Valley" project, it's a huge development that could quite easily house a football stadium and other retail space on the land between Great Coates & Healing

Rail network already in place, ample space for car parking and a perfect location for visiting supporters being on the A180

Just needs a few intelligent local folk to get together to make it happen, could be great for Grimsby/Cleethorpes and could solve many of the local issues with just the one development, i.e. park and ride into cleethorpes which would solve traffic/parking issues during the summer months, decent conference facilities & wedding venues etc which the town is lacking the list is endless and all extra commercial income for the club

I love Blundell Park especially on a freezing cold Tuesday evening in December to me that is football but i speak to plenty who don't see the old girl like i do and stay away because the facilities are so poor, speculate to accumulate give the fans a bit of quality and you watch the attendances rise  

Quoted from Heisenberg

I am 100% behind any new stadium, but let’s be honest, there is no money for this and never will be. Even a town fan winning the Euro Millions probably wouldn’t pay the bill.

A new ground is never, ever going to happen. It’s taken me years to realise it, but I believe it’s very likely fact. Gutting.

Quoted from aldi_01

It’s a genuine question but how many people do we ‘turn away’ each home game?

We heard all last season there were loads being turned away yet it never seemed more than a handful of fans who had a mate of a mate who couldn’t get a ticket…