I know we have been through this before but some new interesting facts are coming to light. JS did say some months ago that any new ground/development was on the back boiler unless attendances started to sell out.

It has now been suggested that season tickets may hit the 5,000 mark and the maximum home support is posted on here at 6,800 ( excluding the Osmond). That means it only needs about 1,800 walk-ins to achieve a full house. A figure that is achievable.

If this constantly happens during the season I wonder if JS & AP will bump up a new ground/development as first priority at the end of the season.

It will definitely be on the agenda as it’s becoming increasingly clear that we’re going to need to upgrade the facilities, as much as we love Blundell Park, it’s probably not cost effective to make improvements.

A new ground with plenty of revenue opportunities is the way forward.

We have talked about a new stadium many times but nonetheless it is always good to talk through the options, because like you say the owners will have some decisions to make.

Personally I think they will improve the capacity at Blundell park over the next year or two and see where we are at in say 5 years, both in terms of league standing and support numbers.

A new stadium is such a huge commitment and will take up so much of their time and energy I think it will wait until we are an established league club and all the other things in and around the club have been addressed.

As for a new stadium, if it is characterful, a thing of beauty sited in the right place with a healthy capacity and a jewel in Grimsbys crown then great. If they conclude we could only afford a soulless mecanno box then I would rather redevelop BP and use a new training complex to try to generate more income with conference rooms and public football pitches etc. All easier said than done but whatever they do is going to cost a fortune but I fully expect the owners to find every financial opportunity to share the cost.

The immediate problem isn’t getting a new ground as attendances won’t match the required ROI to warrant the spend required. This will only happen with some form of partnership to enable the project. Years off in reality.

The immediate problem is the match day facilities at BP, toilets, catering, disabled accessibility, effective stewarding will all need to be upweighted with what could be more or less full houses most weeks.

All that said I wouldn’t be surprised to see the temp seating back soon. The club are doing things in the right order at the moment I think.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

The club are doing things in the right order at the moment I think.

Agreed,
      I'd rather be in the EFL thinking about a new stadium than sat in one watching National League football.

No updates on the new training ground unless I’ve missed something, seems to have gone quiet.

Realistically, in the current financial climate, how can the club afford a new stadium? We are talking tens of millions of pounds. Without a generous benefactor, it really is pie in the sky, magical thinking :-/

Quoted from heppy88

Realistically, in the current financial climate, how can the club afford a new stadium? We are talking tens of millions of pounds. Without a generous benefactor, it really is pie in the sky, magical thinking :-/

The same way you buy a house. A mortgage.

Didn't the club only finish paying for the Findus Stand a couple of years ago?

Quoted from heppy88

Realistically, in the current financial climate, how can the club afford a new stadium? We are talking tens of millions of pounds. Without a generous benefactor, it really is pie in the sky, magical thinking :-/

There’s no doubting that the current economic situation complicates matters; a £20m stadium a year ago probably costs the best part of £30m to build now.

But clubs of similar size to and smaller than us have found various ways to finance new stadia. Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it. Blundell Park, at least in its current guise, will not last forever and so it’s something which has to remain on the agenda if we are to ever fulfil our potential as a club.

Quoted from Poojah

There’s no doubting that the current economic situation complicates matters; a £20m a year ago probably costs the best part of £30m to build now.

But clubs of similar size to and smaller than us have found various ways to finance new stadia. Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it. Blundell Park, at least in its current guise, will not last forever and so it’s something which has to remain on the agenda if we are to ever fulfil our potential as a club.

I don't disagree and would love to be proven wrong. But, if we are looking at 30 to 50 million for a relocation we can all be proud of, how on earth does a club the size of GTFC, in an area of the size of N.E. Lincs, with its average attendance (Not some pie in the sky predicted attendance), REALISTICLY finance that kind of money ?

Quoted from Humbercod

No updates on the new training ground unless I’ve missed something, seems to have gone quiet.

It’s being worked on behind the scenes. Location has been chosen and seems a good fit. There was mention of it being kept on the down low for legal reasons.

Smaller clubs that have moved to new stadiums have had massive help from their local councils.

Do you think N. E. Lincs council could help us realise a new stadium?

No, me neither

Quoted from heppy88

I don't disagree and would love to be proven wrong. But, if we are looking at 30 to 50 million for a relocation we can all be proud of, how on earth does a club the size of GTFC, in an area of the size of N.E. Lincs, with its average attendance (Not some pie in the sky predicted attendance), REALISTICLY finance that kind of money ?

Am sure Preston have an NHS hub that brings in revenue
Bolton I think have a university
Other ideas such as gyms, schools, conference facilities, wedding venues are favoured by other clubs

I've said it before but there's a lot could be done with those three open corners.

Would it be possible to put seating in the corner between the main and osmond? could add some much needed extra seating.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

The same way you buy a house. A mortgage.

Didn't the club only finish paying for the Findus Stand a couple of years ago?

Really can’t see anyway the club would be able to obtain a commercial loan to fund the stadium. On £25m the interest would be 1.25m a year.

The other issue is security, a second hand football stadium has limited alternative use and we’d probably only be able to borrow a small fraction of its cost to build as I imagine the resale value would be significantly lower than the cost to build.

The only way I can see it working is part of a much larger project. It needs the council to be fully behind it, possibly something like ‘levelling up’ money coming in and private investment like a housebuilder, hotel, medical centre. My biggest concern at the moment is the council are planning to spend £25m on Freshney Place, that’s going to take a huge chunk out of their budget.

We’re all assuming that the council aren’t interested or don’t want to invest when in truth, the new regime haven’t been to them. Perhaps they were reluctant to work with Fenty, I know I wouldn’t have wanted to go in to business with him and by the looks of it, few others would either…

Perhaps the new owners are going about things the right way in the right order and will look to connect with the council at the right time.

If we’re talking name stands I suggest the JSF stand, complete with sinks for the ladies…

Finance is the killer not location or desire, say a new stadium comes in at £30,000,000 your looking at £125,000 per month for the next 25 years, serious outgoings unless your in the Premier League

That's a lot of wedding receptions, business conferences and the like to prop the business up

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

We have talked about a new stadium many times but nonetheless it is always good to talk through the options, because like you say the owners will have some decisions to make.

Personally I think they will improve the capacity at Blundell park over the next year or two and see where we are at in say 5 years, both in terms of league standing and support numbers.

A new stadium is such a huge commitment and will take up so much of their time and energy I think it will wait until we are an established league club and all the other things in and around the club have been addressed.

As for a new stadium, if it is characterful, a thing of beauty sited in the right place with a healthy capacity and a jewel in Grimsbys crown then great. If they conclude we could only afford a soulless mecanno box then I would rather redevelop BPand use a new training complex to try to generate more income with conference rooms and public football pitches etc. All easier said than done but whatever they do is going to cost a fortune but I fully expect the owners to find every financial opportunity to share the cost.

What exactly do you mean by 'characterful'?  Surrounded by houses? An old-fashioned roof with lots of vertical supports that restrict views? One stand twice the height of the rest of the ground?

I doubt the club would get planning permission to increase the capacity of Blundell Park to more than the 10k we had with those green seats.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

The same way you buy a house. A mortgage.

Didn't the club only finish paying for the Findus Stand a couple of years ago?

Inflation could potentially take care of a large portion of that loan if we took it out today but the bank would want reassurance we would be good for it. Pettit has experience in delivering commercial property which would come in useful, but I think our best hope would be if a housebuilder such as Cyden were to come on board. Boston are owned by David Newton who owns Chestnut Homes. On the other side of the roundabout to their new ground is the enabling development of a Chestnut Homes housing estate.

Loaning money for a new stadium is a big risk and could harm the budget significantly.

Quoted from heppy88

Realistically, in the current financial climate, how can the club afford a new stadium? We are talking tens of millions of pounds. Without a generous benefactor, it really is pie in the sky, magical thinking :-/

Boston Utd new stadium cost £12 mill a minimum.
4300 capacity 1700 seater.

New BP, 10,000 seaters £20 million minimum. Hell of a mortgage.

It’s not like we didn’t know we needed one is it ?

The continuous kicking the can down the road makes it more and more expensive and costs us more and more in lost revenue.
If we had managed to move more than  25 years ago when it was obvious it was needed we’d be sitting pretty now.

Currently we’re sat in a ground with only two stands that people want to sit in with open spaced corners being used for the staff to park their cars.
I honestly believe Blundell park has held us back for more than 2 decades and moving or renovating what we have should be made a priority

The council said after the election in May that they were not bidding again for funding for a western relief road.  In my opinion, that doesn't mean Grimsby West can't help to enable a new stadium.

The development comprises of four areas called Church Fields, St Nicholas View, Freshney Springs and Laceby Holt:

https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/3800-homes-shops-primary-school-5443612

The first two are adjacent to the A1136, which should be acceptable for stadium access.  St Nicholas View will include a primary school, community hub and village store.  A new stadium could incorporate all of those.  Bear in mind that schools are not usually open on Saturday afternoons and Tuesday evenings.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.5700496,-0.1480863,1306m/data=!3m1!1e3

If Freemo isn't happening, then Grimsby West is the next best location.  One plus point is that it would keep visiting fans well away from the town centre.

The cemetery extension land on Peaks Parkway is simply wrong, wrong, wrong in so many ways.

On new ground there is always a reason not to do it until someone does it.

I've made my views clear on this many times it's an imperative not an option and we need to get on with it.

Consider this thought on construction inflation what are we going to do if we faff about for another decade or two and then all of a sudden we have no choice but to build one new stand at Blundell Park because one of them finally can't limp on anymore?

What will one stand cost then 10m, 15m? We could have had a statium for a little more than that if we had got our act together a few years back,  a full stadium that would have been fit for purpose for the next 60-80 years.

First things first the club would not take out a mortgage for 10’s of millions of pounds to build a stadium. If it was that easy JSF and his cronies would have done it to satisfy their vanity hard on.

The only way this will happen will be a mix of club financing though the sale of the land BP sits on (provided we own it) private investment from a party/parties who can make money from the new location and government financing relating to regeneration etc.. I’m not sure whether the Council would want a part of it but there are a lot of stake holders to align and despite what people may think bigger priorities.

I suppose this perpetual thread will keep coming up alongside the “announce Bogle”, Papa John’s Trophy & Lincoln City obsession topics now that we’re back in the EFL, Scunny have finally proven their worthlessness and found their true level in the pyramid, Fenty has gone and anyone even suggesting “Hurst out” will quite rightly get carted off to the funny farm.

What I’m trying to say is that this is something we all know including Jason & Andrew and Jason has been on the position so just stop posting about it as it’s f****g stating the obvious. Enjoy what is a great ride at the moment and just trust the trustworthy to do what is right for the football club which they undoubtedly will.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

First things first the club would not take out a mortgage for 10’s of millions of pounds to build a stadium. If it was that easy JSF and his cronies would have done it to satisfy their vanity hard on.

The only way this will happen will be a mix of club financing though the sale of the land BP sits on (provided we own it) private investment from a party/parties who can make money from the new location and government financing relating to regeneration etc.. I’m not sure whether the Council would want a part of it but there are a lot of stake holders to align and despite what people may think bigger priorities.

I suppose this perpetual thread will keep coming up alongside the “announce Bogle”, Papa John’s Trophy & Lincoln City obsession topics now that we’re back in the EFL, Scunny have finally proven their worthlessness and found their true level in the pyramid, Fenty has gone and anyone even suggesting “Hurst out” will quite rightly get carted off to the funny farm.

What I’m trying to say is that this is something we all know including Jason & Andrew and Jason has been on the position so just stop posting about it as it’s f****g stating the obvious. Enjoy what is a great ride at the moment and just trust the trustworthy to do what is right for the football club which they undoubtedly will.

My apologies to you Herts for starting the thread. However, it appears that the conditions of JT ( Full House ) will be met, given some of the posts on here. It, to me, given these circumstances seems a good reason to visit this the subject again.

Quoted from DB

My apologies to you Herts for starting the thread. However, it appears that the conditions of JT ( Full House ) will be met, given some of the posts on here. It, to me, given these circumstances seems a good reason to visit this the subject again.

You don’t have to apologise you silly sausage as I respect your opinion as you respect others views. In the relatively short time you posted on here you’ve added value as well as numerous correct predictions.

I do agree with the principle point you make as well but like I said in quite an over stated way we now have proper owners who have a track record mostly before buying shares of successfully doing things at the right time in the right way for the right reasons and we should trust in them.

Quoted from Oly1987

Would it be possible to put seating in the corner between the main and osmond? could add some much needed extra seating.

There already are seats in the corner between the main and the Osmond. Do you mean between the Osmond and the findus? Isn’t the Fanzone there?
Think the imperial corner might have some scope. Maybe the Harrington but there’s a police box, catering etc there.

It’s clear we are outgrowing BP on this trajectory but there’s no quick fix. I’d start my limiting visitors to the seats in ‘the cage’ - between main and Osmond. Don’t know how many that holds (maybe 1000-1500?) but it’s more than some clubs give away fans in L2 and exclusively offering the Osmond to Town fans if demand is there.

Quoted from chaos33

There already are seats in the corner between the main and the Osmond. Do you mean between the Osmond and the findus? Isn’t the Fanzone there?
Think the imperial corner might have some scope. Maybe the Harrington but there’s a police box, catering etc there.

It’s clear we are outgrowing BP on this trajectory but there’s no quick fix. I’d start my limiting visitors to the seats in ‘the cage’ - between main and Osmond. Don’t know how many that holds (maybe 1000-1500?) but it’s more than some clubs give away fans in L2 and exclusively offering the Osmond to Town fans if demand is there.

Think it's only about 600 I'm afraid which is why we can't do that, it doesn't meet the 10% of capacity requirement.

Quoted from chaos33

There already are seats in the corner between the main and the Osmond. Do you mean between the Osmond and the findus? Isn’t the Fanzone there?
Think the imperial corner might have some scope. Maybe the Harrington but there’s a police box, catering etc there.

It’s clear we are outgrowing BP on this trajectory but there’s no quick fix. I’d start my limiting visitors to the seats in ‘the cage’ - between main and Osmond. Don’t know how many that holds (maybe 1000-1500?) but it’s more than some clubs give away fans in L2 and exclusively offering the Osmond to Town fans if demand is there.

Possibly they reinstalled some and I missed it but in the pic there's none there

just realised HOW old that pic is..... ignore me

Did we not have this exact discussion about a week ago?

https://forum.thefishy.co.uk/Blah.pl?m-1654577141/s-0/

Quoted from Oly1987

Possibly they reinstalled some and I missed it but in the pic there's none there

There never were seats in the cage . It's still the original terrace from the standing days . Not suitable for seating

Quoted from It Bites

There never were seats in the cage . It's still the original terrace from the standing days . Not suitable for seating

What are you talking about?! It’s got seats in.

Quoted from It Bites

There never were seats in the cage . It's still the original terrace from the standing days . Not suitable for seating

There’s a thin slither of the corner that has nothing in but the majority of the corner is seated and has been for a long time!!!

It's not a thin slither

I always thought that corner section was unuseable for some reason, but I can't think what it is.

Not had any fans in it for years.

I think our friend It Bites is referring to the very corner between the Main and the Osmond, an area of old terracing which is currently inaccessible because of the way it has been ‘caged in’.

[img]https://i.ibb.co/1ZXCG2p/8651-FB70-608-B-44-F1-A0-E7-EDD1-DCAF6-A2-F.jpg[/img]
It’s years since I sat over that side of the ground, but you used to be able to see the fixings in the concrete where the old crush barriers used to be. You can see them when that part of the ground was in use in this photo.

[img]https://thebeautifulhistory.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/059grimsbytownoppositemaincopyright.jpg[/img]
I’m not sure what year that is, but at a guess it’s late 80s or early 90s, pre-Taylor report. When I first started watching Town in 1992, I’m sure that area was in use then but I might be misremembering that through the eyes of a child.

I don’t know why that wasn’t converted along with the rest of the Osmond at the time, perhaps the angle of the corner terracing is too acute to accommodate seats. If it were possible, there would be quite a lot of work needing to be done to the terracing itself as you can’t just bolt seats onto old steps designed for standing.

Interesting idea though.

I’d have thought it is fairly straightforward to extend the Pontoon round the corners. There will probably be some egress limitations but you just have to do things a bit different like opening the big gate at the back of the Ponny/Imp corner. Surely though they could be overcome. What would that add 750 to 1000 perhaps. Then phase things around the ground starting with the dear old beloved Main, you could add additional capacity there too without much impact on the roof line.
Short term we need 2-3000 more seats, that could do it.

Quoted from Poojah

I think our friend It Bites is referring to the very corner between the Main and the Osmond, an area of old terracing which is currently inaccessible because of the way it has been ‘caged in’.

[img]https://i.ibb.co/1ZXCG2p/8651-FB70-608-B-44-F1-A0-E7-EDD1-DCAF6-A2-F.jpg[/img]
It’s years since I sat over that side of the ground, but you used to be able to see the fixings in the concrete where the old crush barriers used to be. You can see them when that part of the ground was in use in this photo.

[img]https://thebeautifulhistory.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/059grimsbytownoppositemaincopyright.jpg[/img]
I’m not sure what year that is, but at a guess it’s late 80s or early 90s, pre-Taylor report. When I first started watching Town in 1992, I’m sure that area was in use then but I might be misremembering that through the eyes of a child.

I don’t know why that wasn’t converted along with the rest of the Osmond at the time, perhaps the angle of the corner terracing is too acute to accommodate seats. If it were possible, there would be quite a lot of work needing to be done to the terracing itself as you can’t just bolt seats onto old steps designed for standing.

Interesting idea though.

Thank you 💝

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

We have talked about a new stadium many times but nonetheless it is always good to talk through the options, because like you say the owners will have some decisions to make.

Personally I think they will improve the capacity at Blundell park over the next year or two and see where we are at in say 5 years, both in terms of league standing and support numbers.

A new stadium is such a huge commitment and will take up so much of their time and energy I think it will wait until we are an established league club and all the other things in and around the club have been addressed.

As for a new stadium, if it is characterful, a thing of beauty sited in the right place with a healthy capacity and a jewel in Grimsbys crown then great. If they conclude we could only afford a soulless mecanno box then I would rather redevelop BP and use a new training complex to try to generate more income with conference rooms and public football pitches etc. All easier said than done but whatever they do is going to cost a fortune but I fully expect the owners to find every financial opportunity to share the cost.

I have just re-read this and wince at my "until we are an established league club" quote. Of course, I meant to say as one of the oldest established Football League clubs, who found themselves temporarily in the National League.

Sorry about that.

Quoted from It Bites

Thank you 💝

No worries. I think I may have misremembered there being fans in there in my time watching Town though. I can’t remember that many truly packed out away ends in those days, largely as the Osmond will have held over 3,000 at the time with most of it standing, but Newcastle when they won promotion at BP certainly did and it doesn’t like like it was in use.

Probably tricky to bring an area of the ground which hasn’t been used in 30+ years back into action, but who knows.

[img]https://i.ibb.co/gm7LQrL/52675571-123-E-49-FC-973-A-86218-B4-FCF1-A.jpg[/img]

Also noticeable that the Osmond still had fences up. I didn’t think I’d ever seen that in my time watching live football, but apparently I have.

Hell of a team Newcastle had out that night. Probably the best I’ve seen Town face in a league game.

Quoted from Poojah

No worries. I think I may have misremembered there being fans in there in my time watching Town though. I can’t remember that many truly packed out away ends in those days, largely as the Osmond will have held over 3,000 at the time with most of it standing, but Newcastle when they won promotion at BP certainly did and it doesn’t like like it was in use.

Probably tricky to bring an area of the ground which hasn’t been used in 30+ years back into action, but who knows.

[img]https://i.ibb.co/gm7LQrL/52675571-123-E-49-FC-973-A-86218-B4-FCF1-A.jpg[/img]

Also noticeable that the Osmond still had fences up. I didn’t think I’d ever seen that in my time watching live football, but apparently I have.

Hell of a team Newcastle had out that night. Probably the best I’ve seen Town face in a league game.

Was that when Newcastle had the bottom of the Findus ?

Quoted from It Bites

Was that when Newcastle had the bottom of the Findus ?

I’m not sure. I’d have been 7 or 8 and sat with my mum of all people in the Upper that night; one of the very rare occasions I can ever remember her going to a game.

The thing I remember most was just how many Geordie’s there were in there. I was too young to quite understand what a ‘Geordie’ was back then, I hadn’t even had chance to get into Byker Grove yet, but we were totally surrounded by people who I couldn’t understand a word they were saying. It was just noise, to my ears.

So not sure whether we gave them the lower but we may as well have done - they were everywhere!

I stood in the terraced corner between the Main and Osmond for a while in the seventies when our crowds were large. It always seemed to be big area and held a couple of thousand standing had great acoustics and for a while was a rival to the pontoon for singing.

That tiny bit of terrace in the corner between the Main Stand and Osmond Stand still has the pre-1995 terracing which isn’t suitable for installing seats on.

In 1995 we didn’t just put seats in the Pontoon & Osmond standing area. Both stands had the terracing completely replaced.

The cage resembles something not too dissimilar to the away ends I’ve been in in Italy.

I guess it’s been covered already but I’m not sure redeveloping it for a few games is worth it.

When we eventually get a new ground I hope we have a ticket tout terrace to go with the JSF stand…

Quoted from Poojah

I’m not sure. I’d have been 7 or 8 and sat with my mum of all people in the Upper that night; one of the very rare occasions I can ever remember her going to a game.

The thing I remember most was just how many Geordie’s there were in there. I was too young to quite understand what a ‘Geordie’ was back then, I hadn’t even had chance to get into Byker Grove yet, but we were totally surrounded by people who I couldn’t understand a word they were saying. It was just noise, to my ears.

So not sure whether we gave them the lower but we may as well have done - they were everywhere!

The Osmond  held around during 6k when it was standing with a few seats.Newcastle were given half the lower they also got hundreds in the Main and a sizeable number in the Upper. At one point during the game around 100 or so where in the terracing with Town fans mainly in the corner between the Pontoon and Lower. They decided to make themselves known to a packed Pontoon and got very quickly removed after a brief but nasty skirmish.The gate officially was just over 14k in reality there were far more in the ground than the 17k V Spurs.I would guesstimate in excess of 10k Geordies got in that night

Quoted from 1mickylyons

The Osmond  held around during 6k when it was standing with a few seats.  Newcastle were given half the lower they also got hundreds in the Main and a sizeable number in the Upper. At one point during the game around 100 or so where in the terracing with Town fans mainly in the corner between the Pontoon and Lower. They decided to make themselves known to a packed Pontoon and got very quickly removed after a brief but nasty skirmish. The gate officially was just over 14k in reality there were far more in the ground than the 17k V Spurs.I would guesstimate in excess of 10k Geordies got in that night

I remember that vividly, I was in the Pontoon that night, and the Newcastle fans WERE everywhere, although I don't actually remember any in the Pontoon itself.

Pretty sure when we beat Exeter in 1991 the handful of visiting fans were in that cage area.  At an absolute push maybe some of the away fans in the cup run the following season (Villa and Spurs) may have been in there but I can't remember to be honest.

It's pretty small and because of the shape of it l and I don't think you would get anywhere near the required 10% in there.  I mean the other option could be to have it for home fans if needed, even if it's an extra 200 seats it's better than nothing - providing the outlay isn't too big.

Still maintain that some sort of temp seating in the 3 open corners is the best option.  Bristol Rovers and a few others have done it quite well.  If the biggest obstacle to this is catering options and staff cars then I think they're quite workable.