Pack The Park

Artells first home game against his former club

Friend for a fiver

The club need to push it a bit and fill the place out IMO

People will have the buzz back for now and time to act on it .

I definitely agree with the concept of getting behind the team, getting the ground full again etc.  

However I'm not sure the buzz is back just yet, certainly not for the floating fans.  For those who will go regardless, it's definitely more entertaining of late and it's hard to not feel enthused by Artell's record at this level and indeed his interviews.   But for the more casual fans, the ones who perhaps add that extra 1000/1500 on the gate, it's probably not really the most exciting of appointments.   They've had their fingers burnt a bit with drab football in the last 18 months, littered with the cup exploits. I suspect will take a little bit more to be tempted back, even more so in the colder, winter months with Xmas coming.

A couple of good, impressive performances and results will certainly help create that additional buzz though.

It’s the right sentiment, defo. Would help if we can get some sort of a result tonight, although I don’t fancy us. Regardless, now is the time to rally and regroup. Plenty of the season left.

Regardless of the next two games results I still think we will get an increased attendance for the Crewe game. The fans that were unimpressed with the PH approach will understand that Artell needs a bit of time to introduce his ideas to the squad. When the Crewe game comes around he will have had almost 2 weeks to at least have some influence on how we play and with Ben and Shaun to help we could hopefully see some improvement.

Quoted from diehardmariner

I definitely agree with the concept of getting behind the team, getting the ground full again etc.  

However I'm not sure the buzz is back just yet, certainly not for the floating fans.  For those who will go regardless, it's definitely more entertaining of late and it's hard to not feel enthused by Artell's record at this level and indeed his interviews.   But for the more casual fans, the ones who perhaps add that extra 1000/1500 on the gate, it's probably not really the most exciting of appointments.   They've had their fingers burnt a bit with drab football in the last 18 months, littered with the cup exploits. I suspect will take a little bit more to be tempted back, even more so in the colder, winter months with Xmas coming.

A couple of good, impressive performances and results will certainly help create that additional buzz though.

We only need to get all season ticket holders to turn up to get several hundred more on the gate. We’ve already had 4 attendances below our total ST sales. At least we are giving the true attendance though - not a made up seats allocated / sold like Franchise, also Donny and I suspect a few others.

Quoted from Limerick Mariner

We only need to get all season ticket holders to turn up to get several hundred more on the gate. We’ve already had 4 attendances below our total ST sales. At least we are giving the true attendance though - not a made up seats allocated / sold like Franchise, also Donny and I suspect a few others.

There looked less than 5k there last night looked empty to me maybe 3500 or something , atmosphere was awful from them can't help everyone being so spread out ; it's a very weird setup more  stewards than fans and cans of lager at the bar that could be pre poured so there isn't the long queue like at half time for away fans .Bizarre.

As most seats are taken by season ticket holders, there isn't that many available to sell

Quoted from realist

As most seats are taken by season ticket holders, there isn't that many available to sell

Crewe won’t bring that many so that’s all the osmand seats to fill

Quoted from realist

As most seats are taken by season ticket holders, there isn't that many available to sell

Only about 4000 odd according to our capacity!!..

hope we get an equally enthusiastic turnout for the youth cup game next Tuesday

Quoted from Mappers

There looked less than 5k there last night looked empty to me maybe 3500 or something , atmosphere was awful from them can't help everyone being so spread out ; it's a very weird setup more  stewards than fans and cans of lager at the bar that could be pre poured so there isn't the long queue like at half time for away fans .Bizarre.

Last time I had a can at the ground was Salisbury away where they had to get an extra trestle table for the ‘big’ away following (I think it must’ve been about 200!!)

The best attendance we can hope for, presuming the away team sells out their full allocation e.g. Notts Co, is a touch over 8,000.

Not saying the capacity isn’t 9,000. I trust that it is.

Basically there’s always 8-10% that don’t turn up (holidays, weddings, stag dos, birthdays, illness, work, transport issues, etc).

So, when the club says it’s sold out, they probably have. But the number will never be 9,000.

It frustrates me when JS says we’re averaging only a touch over 6,000 so there are plenty of seats to fill. But those are attendance figures, not sales figures.

When we get a 6k attendance, the number of seats sold is more likely to be closer to 7k. And there will be a number of seats going spare in the away end that we can’t have.

So, in a crowd of ‘6,000’ there aren’t many seats available in the traditional home stands for floating fans to sit together.

Osmond is the only option. It’ll do, but it’s not where I wanna sit!

Quoted from RichMariner

The best attendance we can hope for, presuming the away team sells out their full allocation e.g. Notts Co, is a touch over 8,000.

Not saying the capacity isn’t 9,000. I trust that it is.

Basically there’s always 8-10% that don’t turn up (holidays, weddings, stag dos, birthdays, illness, work, transport issues, etc).

So, when the club says it’s sold out, they probably have. But the number will never be 9,000.

It frustrates me when JS says we’re averaging only a touch over 6,000 so there are plenty of seats to fill. But those are attendance figures, not sales figures.

When we get a 6k attendance, the number of seats sold is more likely to be closer to 7k. And there will be a number of seats going spare in the away end that we can’t have.

So, in a crowd of ‘6,000’ there aren’t many seats available in the traditional home stands for floating fans to sit together.

Osmond is the only option. It’ll do, but it’s not where I wanna sit!

A major re-fit of BP obviously isn't on the cards at the moment, but with lots of local and big games in the new year tickets will be at a premium,  especially if we get on a roll under the new manager.

A nice problem to have but if we are spending essential money in other areas I don't know what the answer is.

Pretty sure they mentioned at the fans forum something about the corners again and that may be something they look at down the line

Quoted from Mappers

There looked less than 5k there last night looked empty to me maybe 3500 or something , atmosphere was awful from them can't help everyone being so spread out ; it's a very weird setup more  stewards than fans and cans of lager at the bar that could be pre poured so there isn't the long queue like at half time for away fans .Bizarre.

4,962

Quoted from GrimPol

4,962

The best attendance though, in my opinion, was the 610 Mariner fans who attended.

I went to the MK Dons Stadium a few seasons back. Great place with lots of good food outlets close by but such a vanity project. It's far to big for any team outside the Championship and bigger than a lot of the ones at that level as well.

Quoted from LocalLadGTFC

Pretty sure they mentioned at the fans forum something about the corners again and that may be something they look at down the line

If and when they do, we should lobby for one corner, ideally Harrington street, to be covered safe standing. That’s one relatively simple project that could yield good benefits in terms of attendance and the BP atmosphere; mates standing together - get that away game atmosphere at home. It’s how I grew up watching football and how I’d still like it to be.

I had a great time at Milton Keynes, i arrived at 6am, it was cold even then, i had some business to sort out there, but at 9am i was at the ground having a Costa coffee with my guest for the match, it is such an impressive stadium & the restaurants next to it along with the multi cinema & the massive stores make it such a great place to hang about, my guest told me its actually not in Milton Keynes but in Bletchley. What a fantastic performance by the players & those amazing supporters that follow Grimsby, many Championship teams don't get that type of following. Fill Blundell Park for the Crewe game please.

Quoted from Limerick Mariner

If and when they do, we should lobby for one corner, ideally Harrington street, to be covered safe standing. That’s one relatively simple project that could yield good benefits in terms of attendance and the BP atmosphere; mates standing together - get that away game atmosphere at home. It’s how I grew up watching football and how I’d still like it to be.

I don't know if i'm mistaken, but didn't we trial safe standing a few seasons back? Did anything ever come from that as I know of a few grounds that have a safe standing iniative

Quoted from LocalLadGTFC

I don't know if i'm mistaken, but didn't we trial safe standing a few seasons back? Did anything ever come from that as I know of a few grounds that have a safe standing iniative

Wasn't it just a small demo set up next to the lower, at the Pontoon end?  Not really a trial.  Unless I've misremembered.

Get in temporary seats in the two corners either side of the pontoon stand.
There are some great temporary seat systems on the market covered with a roof costs cannot be that expensive for a few months.
1878 need to increase revenue surely the quickest and easiest way is to put in more capacity.
We have Stockport soon so are we reducing there capacity or limiting our own fans to attend the game.
either way we are turning money away.

Quoted from Yoda

Get in temporary seats in the two corners either side of the pontoon stand.
There are some great temporary seat systems on the market covered with a roof costs cannot be that expensive for a few months.
1878 need to increase revenue surely the quickest and easiest way is to put in more capacity.
We have Stockport soon so are we reducing there capacity or limiting our own fans to attend the game.
either way we are turning money away.

We will get the 600 in the corner , larger away followings are entitled to the 1200 i believe ; all the smaller followings must have agreed to have that 600 allocation .

Quoted from Yoda

Get in temporary seats in the two corners either side of the pontoon stand.
There are some great temporary seat systems on the market covered with a roof costs cannot be that expensive for a few months.
1878 need to increase revenue surely the quickest and easiest way is to put in more capacity.
We have Stockport soon so are we reducing there capacity or limiting our own fans to attend the game.
either way we are turning money away.

They cost a fortune to rent / hire and the £20 admission cost would go nowhere near the cost. these systems are used at festivals regattas and big sporting events like Grand Prix where tickets cost something like £200 and your guaranteed to sell them

Quoted from crusty ole pie

They cost a fortune to rent / hire and the £20 admission cost would go nowhere near the cost. these systems are used at festivals regattas and big sporting events like Grand Prix where tickets cost something like £200 and your guaranteed to sell them

The types of events that you mention only need them for a few days to a week. Hiring them for a footy ground when they could be left unused for a fortnight, and then occupied for a couple of hours, just isn't cost effective.

It’s not all about costs we could buy them.
It’s about turning fans away who want to attend.
Not all fans want to sit on a wooden bench at the back of the main stand or in a corner where you cannot see anything.

I can't make it, is it televised anywhere

Quoted from ginnywings

The types of events that you mention only need them for a few days to a week. Hiring them for a footy ground when they could be left unused for a fortnight, and then occupied for a couple of hours, just isn't cost effective.

Sorry but that’s rubbish. The reason they are expensive is because of the transportation erection and dismantling if it’s for one event iits expensive if it’s semi permanent temporary seating it’s much more economically viable . Parallel is the scaffolding industry once it’s up it’s cheap.

Quoted from Yoda

It’s not all about costs we could buy them.
It’s about turning fans away who want to attend.
Not all fans want to sit on a wooden bench at the back of the main stand or in a corner where you cannot see anything.

FFS IF YOU BUY THEM AND LEAVE THEM IN PLACE IT IS NO LONGER TEMPORARY AND THEN YOU NEED PLANNING PERMISSION AND MEETGOD KNOWS HOW MANY LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND £20 every two weeks would take years to  pay for themselves

Quoted from HerveJosse

Sorry but that’s rubbish. The reason they are expensive is because of the transportation erection and dismantling if it’s for one event iits expensive if it’s semi permanent temporary seating it’s much more economically viable . Parallel is the scaffolding industry once it’s up it’s cheap.

A temporary structure is classed by the building regulations as a structure that won't be in place for more than 28 days in a single calendar year. In some cases, this length of time reduces to just 14 days.

Quoted from HerveJosse

Sorry but that’s rubbish. The reason they are expensive is because of the transportation erection and dismantling if it’s for one event iits expensive if it’s semi permanent temporary seating it’s much more economically viable . Parallel is the scaffolding industry once it’s up it’s cheap.

You're wrong there pal, scaffold costs more once its erected. You pay rent per metre/tonne and it ain't cheap, erecting and dismantling is the cheap bit

Quoted from crusty ole pie

FFS IF YOU BUY THEM AND LEAVE THEM IN PLACE IT IS NO LONGER TEMPORARY AND THEN YOU NEED PLANNING PERMISSION AND MEETGOD KNOWS HOW MANY LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND £20 every two weeks would take years to  pay for themselves

Another poster talking balderdash planning application costs couple of hundred quid Barrow have had ‘permanent ‘temporary ‘seating for several years if it’s viable for them with 3000 crowds why would it not by viable for us?

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

You're wrong there pal, scaffold costs more once its erected. You pay rent per metre/tonne and it ain't cheap, erecting and dismantling is the cheap bit

Don’t bother trying to put him right Harve (knows everything ) will always have the answer

Quoted from crusty ole pie

A temporary structure is classed by the building regulations as a structure that won't be in place for more than 28 days in a single calendar year. In some cases, this length of time reduces to just 14 days.

So what ?

You apply for planning permission and get it.

Do you think Barrows is illegal?

Quoted from HerveJosse

So what ?

You apply for planning permission and get it.

Do you think Barrows is illegal?

It’s that easy is it ? Pay Joe bloggs from the council a couple of hundred quid and he signs it off you really don’t know half that goes into to getting a sports safety certificate don’t you think if it was that easy and cheap the main stand that is bleeding the club dry to keep open would not have been replaced with a maccano nut and bolt stand years ago

Quoted from crusty ole pie

It’s that easy is it ? Pay Joe bloggs from the council a couple of hundred quid and he signs it off you really don’t know half that goes into to getting a sports safety certificate don’t you think if it was that easy and cheap the main stand that is bleeding the club dry to keep open would not have been replaced with a maccano nut and bolt stand years ago

Luddites out in force again

Need to wake up.

With an engaging manager any improvement in the football on display and a few wins will see the few remaining home seats sold out very quickly .

The fanzone still hasn’t got planning permission, it’s been up nearly 2 & half years hasn’t it?

[quote=213]The fanzone still hasn’t got planning permission, it’s been up nearly 2 & half years hasn’t it?

it’s operating isn’t it unless i am mistaken?

Yeah been running since the start of the Conference season.

Another 18 months & we won’t have to worry about it!

There were plenty of building inspectors knocking around when we were doing the fan zone. The breeze block perimeter wall was done because they objected the metal one that was going to be erected.

Building inspectors are not responsible for planning, but I doubt the council weren't aware of what was going on.

I don't why why the subject of extra seating keeps getting dragged up every couple of months. The owners have made their position clear on the subject more than once. It's not economically viable.

Quoted from crusty ole pie

FFS IF YOU BUY THEM AND LEAVE THEM IN PLACE IT IS NO LONGER TEMPORARY AND THEN YOU NEED PLANNING PERMISSION AND MEETGOD KNOWS HOW MANY LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND £20 every two weeks would take years to  pay for themselves

Lots of clubs have temporary seating which is semi permanent, and of course there is no doubt some formalities to go through, but it is hardly insurmountable is it?

It can't be prohibitively expensive either as lots of clubs in non league have them.

It would seem the easiest short term solution wouldn't it if demand outstrips supply?

Quoted from ginnywings

There were plenty of building inspectors knocking around when we were doing the fan zone. The breeze block perimeter wall was done because they objected the metal one that was going to be erected.

Building inspectors are not responsible for planning, but I doubt the council weren't aware of what was going on.

I don't why why the subject of extra seating keeps getting dragged up every couple of months. The owners have made their position clear on the subject more than once. It's not economically viable.

The only statement they have made about temoratry seating was they were looking into it .

Making things up to justify your position does you no credit.

Quoted from Limerick Mariner

If and when they do, we should lobby for one corner, ideally Harrington street, to be covered safe standing. That’s one relatively simple project that could yield good benefits in terms of attendance and the BP atmosphere; mates standing together - get that away game atmosphere at home. It’s how I grew up watching football and how I’d still like it to be.

Even simpler the Osmond-Main Stand corner. Still has the terraces and is covered. A trial to see if there is a market for standing.

Quoted from HerveJosse

The only statement they have made about temoratry seating was they were looking into it .

Making things up to justify your position does you no credit.

Righto!

Glad you are around to steer my moral compass.

Quoted from ginnywings

There were plenty of building inspectors knocking around when we were doing the fan zone. The breeze block perimeter wall was done because they objected the metal one that was going to be erected.

Building inspectors are not responsible for planning, but I doubt the council weren't aware of what was going on.

I don't why why the subject of extra seating keeps getting dragged up every couple of months. The owners have made their position clear on the subject more than once. It's not economically viable.

It's not something of a priority is it , they have made that crystal clear (the capacity debate is something we can debate until the cows come home ) . Something I do think is a problem and although Stockwood & Pettit play it down they are not daft are they - the issue is priority and finance .

I think if it is ever possible a more permanent solution with the main stand will be the way to go tied in with better disabled facilities hopefully .

Quoted from Limerick Mariner

If and when they do, we should lobby for one corner, ideally Harrington street, to be covered safe standing. That’s one relatively simple project that could yield good benefits in terms of attendance and the BP atmosphere; mates standing together - get that away game atmosphere at home. It’s how I grew up watching football and how I’d still like it to be.

Great idea👏

When they remove the posts in the main stand carry on knock the police box down and put it in the corner near the fans zone nearer for the bobbies. to get a drink    

Carry on with permanent seating or safe standing to join the ponny.

Then that will save £50million because we won't need a new stadium for years if ever.

Quoted from ginnywings

There were plenty of building inspectors knocking around when we were doing the fan zone. The breeze block perimeter wall was done because they objected the metal one that was going to be erected.

Building inspectors are not responsible for planning, but I doubt the council weren't aware of what was going on.

I don't why why the subject of extra seating keeps getting dragged up every couple of months. The owners have made their position clear on the subject more than once. It's not economically viable.

Someone speaking sense

Quoted from ginnywings

There were plenty of building inspectors knocking around when we were doing the fan zone. The breeze block perimeter wall was done because they objected the metal one that was going to be erected.

Building inspectors are not responsible for planning, but I doubt the council weren't aware of what was going on.

I don't why why the subject of extra seating keeps getting dragged up every couple of months. The owners have made their position clear on the subject more than once. It's not economically viable.

I agree with you. We've posted and posted about a new ground, filling in the corners at BP, demolishing the Main Stand at BP ETC. It all would be nice but the cost has to be justified and as both JS & AP put it we do not have the numbers to fill BP, yet.

Perhaps we could do this again when we are promoted to L1 and, hopefully, numbers increase like they have done at Lincoln.

Anyone who has been to the Peninsula stadium in Salford will know that the whole ground is built of modular, almost temporary seats and standing. And they rarely fill it.

I’m sure a structural engineer with half a brain could work out some cost effective options to expand capacity . That would put to bed some of the incomplete guesses we keep seeing on this board.

Quoted from Captain Sensible

Wasn't it just a small demo set up next to the lower, at the Pontoon end?  Not really a trial.  Unless I've misremembered.

Yeah there was that, i'm sure there was something in the lower aswell but I could also be mis-remembering. I think the best idea i've seen is getting rid of that police box in the main stand. It's no longer used and the rooms in it was never used anyway, I remember when I was a mascot years and years ago, we played Wrexham at home and Richard Hope was there captain and that's where we got changed and that was literally all it was used for then. If it's still not used you could quite easily knock that down and get another 4/500 seats in that area at least.  

It's not a police box.  Other than spotters it's rare to see police inside the ground these days.

The upper section is the club's CCTV & comms room.  
There's a room to the rear underneath that last had washing machines in.

Not sure what the section underneath the cctv room overlooking the pitch is used for.

If replacing the tannoy system was quoted at hundreds of thousands I can't imagine how much the quote would be for moving the entire CCTV & comms setup.
There's a massive hidden cost there beyond just knocking it down.

Quoted from 141269

It's not a police box.  Other than spotters it's rare to see police inside the ground these days.

The upper section is the club's CCTV & comms room.  
There's a room to the rear underneath that last had washing machines in.

Not sure what the section underneath the cctv room overlooking the pitch is used for.

If replacing the tannoy system was quoted at hundreds of thousands I can't imagine how much the quote would be for moving the entire CCTV & comms setup.
There's a massive hidden cost there beyond just knocking it down.

The room below overlooking the pitch is the P.A. box also where the scoreboard is operated from.

Quoted from arryarryarry

The room below overlooking the pitch is the P.A. box also where the scoreboard is operated from.

I’m pretty sure the Score Board could be operated from a phone these days , same with the CCTV of its even still being used ?
I’d expect fans phones pick up more incidents than an aging CCTV system would anyway

Quoted from 141269

It's not a police box.  Other than spotters it's rare to see police inside the ground these days.

The upper section is the club's CCTV & comms room.  
There's a room to the rear underneath that last had washing machines in.

Not sure what the section underneath the cctv room overlooking the pitch is used for.

If replacing the tannoy system was quoted at hundreds of thousands I can't imagine how much the quote would be for moving the entire CCTV & comms setup.
There's a massive hidden cost there beyond just knocking it down.

Is that true, the massive hidden cost? Obviously everything does come with a cost but I find it difficult to imagine it would be so expensive to move with technology as it is today.

If we get on a roll, and it would be prudent to increase capacity for all sorts of reasons surely we can overcome obstacles like this?

Its removal and extension of the Main Stand would also unrestrict the view of a couple of hundred main stand seats. It’s a no brainer to shift as a first stage to enhance the capacity. A glass fronted area at the back of an extension to the main stand would surely do the same job.

I'm not at all business savvy, so this may be laughable - but I'll give it a go.

The owners find a Business Or Rich Individual Sublettee (BORIS) for one of the open corners.

BORIS pays to construct seats/safe standing in the corner.

BORIS receives (say) 50% of the match revenue for that corner until the development costs are met, and thereafter gets 10% (?)
of the income from that corner in perpetuity (or until BP crumbles to the ground).
10% is a decent enough return I would guess?

Not sure how Jason and Andrew would feel about subletting parts of BP, but probably the biggest challenge is finding BORIS.

UTM

Quoted from grimps

I’m pretty sure the Score Board could be operated from a phone these days , same with the CCTV of its even still being used ?
I’d expect fans phones pick up more incidents than an aging CCTV system would anyway

I assume they must have a direct feed from the gantry so they can switch between the normal PC operation of the scoreboard and the goal replays they show.

Quoted from 137

I'm not at all business savvy, so this may be laughable - but I'll give it a go.

The owners find a Business Or Rich Individual Sublettee (BORIS) for one of the open corners.

BORIS pays to construct seats/safe standing in the corner.

BORIS receives (say) 50% of the match revenue for that corner until the development costs are met, and thereafter gets 10% (?)
of the income from that corner in perpetuity (or until BP crumbles to the ground).
10% is a decent enough return I would guess?

Not sure how Jason and Andrew would feel about subletting parts of BP, but probably the biggest challenge is finding BORIS.

UTM

Not sure he would do that now he is no longer Prime Minister but I did see him just the other day on the news wearing his GTFC woolly hat.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

Is that true, the massive hidden cost? Obviously everything does come with a cost but I find it difficult to imagine it would be so expensive to move with technology as it is today.

If we get on a roll, and it would be prudent to increase capacity for all sorts of reasons surely we can overcome obstacles like this?

Commodore 64's are notoriously fragile when you unplug them, once the cassette player cools down it tangles the tape.

Where is this so called massive cost to maintain the Main Stand.

For those obsessing I’m sure you can see the full cost of repairs and renewals at BP in the accounts year on year.

Otherwise the talk of raising funds. Maybe best to stop fantasising and let the professional investors sort it.

For now David’s BAWA

Interesting that season ticket sales ended up at 5745 (it's on the new half season ticket promotion) was that more than last season in the end ?

After that how many 'natural' non restricted seats are actually available in the home end ?

Can't be many

I was told about this time last year that the plan was/is to knock that police/PA box down, extend from the Main into that newly opened space and move the box into what is the old disused wooden terrace between the Main and the away end.

That to me, as someone with absolutely no clue on these matters, made perfect sense.  Use the space you have but also make better those shocking views at the Pontoon end of the Main Stand.

Since then we obviously were hit with a larger than expected maintenance bill for the Main Stand so it might have curtailed any plans for summer of '23.  I'm sure Stockwood said that the plan for next summer is to do so some significant improvements in the Main to improve the views, possibly talk about removing some posts?

We've not had a really decent run of football and results since returning back to the league.  Every time we looked like getting going, we were brought back down to earth with a bump.   Some positive results and performances could test 1878's theory that we don't need extra capacity.

We shall see. While since we've had this debate (probably about thirteen days) but that it's raised its head again suggests there's a little bit of optimism creeping back in!

Quoted from diehardmariner

I was told about this time last year that the plan was/is to knock that police/PA box down, extend from the Main into that newly opened space and move the box into what is the old disused wooden terrace between the Main and the away end.

That to me, as someone with absolutely no clue on these matters, made perfect sense.  Use the space you have but also make better those shocking views at the Pontoon end of the Main Stand.

Since then we obviously were hit with a larger than expected maintenance bill for the Main Stand so it might have curtailed any plans for summer of '23.  I'm sure Stockwood said that the plan for next summer is to do so some significant improvements in the Main to improve the views, possibly talk about removing some posts?

We've not had a really decent run of football and results since returning back to the league.  Every time we looked like getting going, we were brought back down to earth with a bump.   Some positive results and performances could test 1878's theory that we don't need extra capacity.

We shall see. While since we've had this debate (probably about thirteen days) but that it's raised its head again suggests there's a little bit of optimism creeping back in!

I saw yesterday that Bristol Rovers had built a brand news stand behind their goal which looks like it could easily hold more than our Main stand for the cost of 3 million.
The stand they've modernised looks to have the same issues that the Main stand has backing onto houses etc.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/bristol-rovers-reveal-ambitions-treble-8180670

Quoted from moosey_club

Commodore 64's are notoriously fragile when you unplug them, once the cassette player cools down it tangles the tape.

Ah! A relic left over from the Fenty years for a manager that can "use a computer."

Nonetheless it cannot be beyond us to re arrange the facilities.

Sure at the fans forum £350k was mentioned regards the main stand in Summer  

Quoted from 1mickylyons

Sure at the fans forum £350k was mentioned regards the main stand in Summer  

Less than 10% of what a new stand seating 4000 cost Bristol Rovers then , plus we’ll still have to build one soon anyway

If you are looking for Boris,  he will be spending 2 days this week being grilled in the House of Common's about his lack of leadership for covid.

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

If you are looking for Boris,  he will be spending 2 days this week being grilled in the House of Common's about his lack of leadership for covid.

For fecks sake.  Yet another thread hijacked !!

There’s a lovely thread on non footy for all the Tory haters.
Try using that one !!    

Quoted from Mappers

Artells first home game against his former club

Friend for a fiver

The club need to push it a bit and fill the place out IMO

People will have the buzz back for now and time to act on it .

Looking online clearly our ground isn't too small. Lots and lots of seats still available in the osmond stand. A shame as I'd hoped we'd virtually sell out the home end for DAs first game in charge

Quoted from lukeo

Looking online clearly our ground isn't too small. Lots and lots of seats still available in the osmond stand. A shame as I'd hoped we'd virtually sell out the home end for DAs first game in charge

The problem is our league position suggests to the floating fan were poor and Crewe not really mouth watering opposition so close to Xmas.  The rest of us are committed already with good seats. Town get a good win and you can stick 1k home fans on the next home game vs I think Harrogate.

Looking ahead I can tell you the Upper is in need of some remedial work.
Because of the need for extensive scaffolding the bill is circa 750k.

Two weekends to go before Xmas is never a good barometer of crowd appetite in normal times, never mind when we're still in a cost of living crisis.

I'm incredibly enthused by what I've seen in the two performances under Artell and then what I've heard from the man himself.  I'm looking forward to tomorrow more than I have done for a long time to watch Town.  I suspect I'm not alone in that either.  But, for my sins, I was always going to be there.

The casual fan probably didn't watch/hear the MK Dons and Oxford games nor have they poured over everything they can find on Artell and how we'll be approaching games.  To them we've appointed someone who was a lower league centre-back and has then spent five seasons managing an equally as unglamourous lower league side as us.   Since he's come in we've drawn a game and lost a game.

If you're ever so slightly on the outside and looking in, you're not going to be frothing at the mouth....yet.

Give it time.  Good and entertaining football will get people really talking.  Hopefully the results will pick up too and that'll sharp object more ears.  I'm genuinely excited to see just how much appetite the area has for its own football team.  We've had a consistently fantastic following for the last two-and-a-half years now.  Really only six, maybe seven of those months were 'good' to watch, be it through entertainment or through results and even that in the fifth tier.  Just imagine what it would be like if we're consistently winning and consistently entertaining, at a level that a couple of generations haven't seen us seriously compete at!

Quoted from diehardmariner

Two weekends to go before Xmas is never a good barometer of crowd appetite in normal times, never mind when we're still in a cost of living crisis.

I'm incredibly enthused by what I've seen in the two performances under Artell and then what I've heard from the man himself.  I'm looking forward to tomorrow more than I have done for a long time to watch Town.  I suspect I'm not alone in that either.  But, for my sins, I was always going to be there.

The casual fan probably didn't watch/hear the MK Dons and Oxford games nor have they poured over everything they can find on Artell and how we'll be approaching games.  To them we've appointed someone who was a lower league centre-back and has then spent five seasons managing an equally as unglamourous lower league side as us.   Since he's come in we've drawn a game and lost a game.

If you're ever so slightly on the outside and looking in, you're not going to be frothing at the mouth....yet.

Give it time.  Good and entertaining football will get people really talking.  Hopefully the results will pick up too and that'll sharp object more ears.  I'm genuinely excited to see just how much appetite the area has for its own football team.  We've had a consistently fantastic following for the last two-and-a-half years now.  Really only six, maybe seven of those months were 'good' to watch, be it through entertainment or through results and even that in the fifth tier.  Just imagine what it would be like if we're consistently winning and consistently entertaining, at a level that a couple of generations haven't seen us seriously compete at!

Now there is a post to whet the appetite.

It's not as easy as it once was to "get on a roll" but often the start is the most difficult  bit.

The new manager does remind me of Buckley; he has an ethos and way of playing and is quite straight talking. I suspect he won't suffer fools gladly either.

Obviously the proof of the pudding is in the eating, but hopefully by the end of this season we will have a way of playing that is good to watch and successful.

Very disappointing to hear that maybe £750K needed to maintain the upper wotsits name stand.  Or anything like this cost.  This is a much newer stand compared to the other stands.  

Where did this information and costs  originate from please?

Equally disappointing that it would probably have saved some of this money if the previous owners had carried out preventative maintenance over time.  (And in the Main stand).

Someone will say “when did fixing a stand get you 3 points on a Saturday?”.   True.

However, health and safety and legislation at football grounds has come a long way since Hillsborough, Heysel and Bradford to improve safety for fans.  You can’t take shortcuts if money has to be spent.

Quoted from lukeo

Looking online clearly our ground isn't too small. Lots and lots of seats still available in the osmond stand. A shame as I'd hoped we'd virtually sell out the home end for DAs first game in charge

Determining long term infrastructure needs based on one wet Saturday in December sounds like a plan

If it’s true that the findus needs £750k of work, John Fenty needs dragging back here and shaking upside down until the money falls out to cover it. That’d be £750k on top of, what, £350k for the main stand, a new roof on the pontoon and another 6 figures on structural works in the Osmond? Plus hundreds of thousands in improvements at Cheapside. These problems don’t just crop up in a year or two.

Makes you wonder how we ever managed to be so bad on the field when we seemingly never spent a penny anywhere else (other than pension contributions to a certain board member).

Stockwood & Petit are clearly better people than me as I’d never stop hammering the bloke in public. Utter rat.

Quoted from ska face

If it’s true that the findus needs £750k of work, John Fenty needs dragging back here and shaking upside down until the money falls out to cover it. That’d be £750k on top of, what, £350k for the main stand, a new roof on the pontoon and another 6 figures on structural works in the Osmond? Plus hundreds of thousands in improvements at Cheapside. These problems don’t just crop up in a year or two.

Makes you wonder how we ever managed to be so bad on the field when we seemingly never spent a penny anywhere else (other than pension contributions to a certain board member).

Stockwood & Petit are clearly better people than me as I’d never stop hammering the bloke in public. Utter rat.

There's 201 mil available on the Euro lottery tonight, just saying!

Quoted from ska face

If it’s true that the findus needs £750k of work, John Fenty needs dragging back here and shaking upside down until the money falls out to cover it. That’d be £750k on top of, what, £350k for the main stand, a new roof on the pontoon and another 6 figures on structural works in the Osmond? Plus hundreds of thousands in improvements at Cheapside. These problems don’t just crop up in a year or two.

Makes you wonder how we ever managed to be so bad on the field when we seemingly never spent a penny anywhere else (other than pension contributions to a certain board member).

Stockwood & Petit are clearly better people than me as I’d never stop hammering the bloke in public. Utter rat.

Seriously makes you wonder how we’ve managed to renew safety certificates all these years.

Inspector: So, John, I’m afraid we’ve noticed some significant rot in several of the supporting beams holding up the roof of your Main Stand here. If this isn’t addressed immediately, I’m afraid we could be looking at a simply catastrophic outcome. But don’t be too disheartened, I estimate the necessary remedial works will cost no more than three hundred thousand pounds.

JF: Three hundred thousand pounds!!? Oh wait, look, a ghost! <points to Phil Day wafting around in a white sheet with holes for eyes in the centre circle>


Inspector: A ghost??

JF: Why yes, didn’t I tell you? Blundell Park was built on top of an ancient Indian burial ground.

Inspector: An ancient Indian burial ground!? In Cleethorpes?

JF: Er…yes. We must have you evacuated immediately.

Inspector: But all my notes and papers are in your office!?

JF: Oh, don’t worry about any of that, I’ll write up your report for you and file it to the authorities on your behalf. Oh look, your taxi’s here. Hop in!

Inspector: But I didn’t order a taxi? I drove here myself.

JF: I said… “hop..in”!!


JF & Phil <writing up the report>:

"No problem with the safety in this stadium. Don't check for another three.....hundred years.

"Nice people, especially the bloke with the turtle neck jumper and leather jacket…who wasn't holding a gun.”

It's becoming clearer by the week how much £££££ is going to be needed just to maintain BP let alone improve it ; is it actually financially viable to stay there?  - if this 750k is true (which I do believe is the case) + 350k for the main stand , other bits and pieces you are probably looking at 1.5mill down the drain already since the current custodians began their tenure .

You can imagine the handover

JF 'she's in great shape just needs a few touch ups and modernising of the ladies changing room '

Then a couple of years later the lads have done 1.5million down a rabbit hole only to be asked 'where's the cup money gone ?'

Is BP nearing being impossible to keep open ?

Quoted from IlkleyMariner

Anyone who has been to the Peninsula stadium in Salford will know that the whole ground is built of modular, almost temporary seats and standing. And they rarely fill it.

I’m sure a structural engineer with half a brain could work out some cost effective options to expand capacity . That would put to bed some of the incomplete guesses we keep seeing on this board.

The main Stand is an issue (has been a big issue since 1985) not because it is a rubbish stand for viewing the game (which it is) , but its made of wood. I know some 12 years ago the insurance for that stand was horrendous, I can't believe it is insurable today, and at what cost.  What's more, if it gets a Listing, and becomes insurable for use, then it will just stand there and not used, losing 2000 capacity.
It's a ticking time bomb.

Quoted from Mappers

It's becoming clearer by the week how much £££££ is going to be needed just to maintain BP let alone improve it ; is it actually financially viable to stay there?  - if this 750k is true (which I do believe is the case) + 350k for the main stand , other bits and pieces you are probably looking at 1.5mill down the drain already since the current custodians began their tenure .

You can imagine the handover

JF 'she's in great shape just needs a few touch ups and modernising of the ladies changing room '

Then a couple of years later the lads have done 1.5million down a rabbit hole only to be asked 'where's the cup money gone ?'

Is BP nearing being impossible to keep open ?

It's that Homeownership feeling.
I'm looking outside at some fence panels and thinking "another coat of Ronseal, or 3 New Panles"? Hmmmmmmmm

The problem is we haven't applied even the most watered down knock-off version of Ronseal for the last 20 years.

At best we had a thin coat of tea-stained water thrown at the fence in the hope it'll do for now.  

This is an absolute rock and a hard place situation.  We simply can't BP get to the point that certain areas are unusable.  It's not a Mansfield position were we would still have a relatively decent capacity without one of our stands, we simply don't have a 5,000 seat stand on one side.  A loss of any of the four stands is a near immediate 25% reduction in our capacity.   That prospect is flipping scary.  It gets even worse when you consider it's not just one of our stands that is in a state of significant decay.

On the other side of the coin, there has to at some point be a sensible discussion as to when you just stop throwing money down the drain.  All the remedial work in the world is surely only going to delay the inevitable, the ground is copulated and it needs rebuilding from the ground up.  Alas, that's ridiculously expensive to do so.

Don't envy 1878 the task at hand on this one.

Keeping Blundell Park ship shape is expensive, but all stadia needs substantial maintenance costs and we have no real alternative.

Obviously these costs are front loaded due to mismanagement in the past,  but if we get on top of it then it should be manageable in the future.

I'm not convinced we needed a new training complex at this stage of our development and would have preferred any money be spent on BP assuming we will be there for a long time to come.

GrimPol:

Re your garden fence fixing options:

We had a very old garden fence that was failing.  A handyman installed a concrete post next to where 2 panels joined.  The post was securely joined to the fence post.  For a small one-off cost the fence will stay in place for many years.

Pity football stands are not fixed so easily and so cheaply.  

I can't reveal my sources but it's bona fide info. Might be able to delay it this close season but it's not going to go away.
If you're in there tomorrow look at the framework and you'll see.

Quoted from ska face

If it’s true that the findus needs £750k of work, John Fenty needs dragging back here and shaking upside down until the money falls out to cover it. That’d be £750k on top of, what, £350k for the main stand, a new roof on the pontoon and another 6 figures on structural works in the Osmond? Plus hundreds of thousands in improvements at Cheapside. These problems don’t just crop up in a year or two.

Makes you wonder how we ever managed to be so bad on the field when we seemingly never spent a penny anywhere else (other than pension contributions to a certain board member).

Stockwood & Petit are clearly better people than me as I’d never stop hammering the bloke in public. Utter rat.

Your points are correct and my hatred for him grows every day.

However, this should, or was, picked up in the due diligence. Surely there was a thorough survey on the main fixed asset.

These costs shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

Your points are correct and my hatred for him grows every day.

However, this should, or was, picked up in the due diligence. Surely there was a thorough survey on the main fixed asset.

These costs shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

There was a 4 month gap between the purchase being agreed and completion so either they knew what they were taken on or the structural surveyor is currently living in Brazil with his 26 year old Brazilian girlfriend dreaming of M&S mince pies and wondering where it all went wrong

Quoted from ska face

If it’s true that the findus needs £750k of work, John Fenty needs dragging back here and shaking upside down until the money falls out to cover it. That’d be £750k on top of, what, £350k for the main stand, a new roof on the pontoon and another 6 figures on structural works in the Osmond? Plus hundreds of thousands in improvements at Cheapside. These problems don’t just crop up in a year or two.

Makes you wonder how we ever managed to be so bad on the field when we seemingly never spent a penny anywhere else (other than pension contributions to a certain board member).

Stockwood & Petit are clearly better people than me as I’d never stop hammering the bloke in public. Utter rat.

It's quite common now, apparently, for sellers of football clubs to insert clauses that forbid public comments disparaging them by the new owners. The fact that S&P have been so quiet on the previous owners would lead me to suspect that was the case with town too, esp as Fenty was notoriously thin skinned about criticism on here, nevermind by new owners and what they would have knowledge about...

Quoted from toontown

It's quite common now, apparently, for sellers of football clubs to insert clauses that forbid public comments disparaging them by the new owners. The fact that S&P have been so quiet on the previous owners would lead me to suspect that was the case with town too, esp as Fenty was notoriously thin skinned about criticism on here, nevermind by new owners and what they would have knowledge about...

Just on this subject I heard Debbie Cooks interview on Humberside before the game. They asked her what she was most proud of and she said something like "how we managed to turn the club around when I know the condition we found it in".

Think that's about as far as they've gone in an official capacity to state that the previous owner had let it go to save a few quid. Non round balls and all that.

Also said something like now "all the employees at the club would realise that a club is nothing without it's fans, which wasn't always the case". Probably pointing out in a subtle fashion about certain previous employees lying about the fans and directors who shouted at fans to shut up etc.