Thetownend.com

Well partially anyway.... Atleast we won't have a bowl!! :D

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/8148751.Project_chief_reveals_County_Ground_plans/

Would love them to fill in the corners another way though - like Sampdoria!

further expansion if we push for the premiership one day maybe???!!!  :D we can all dream

Do the Council still own the land. I think we should try and buy the land if possible. Just giving the council money annoys me.

I think the board were looking at that option IIRC.

They have to come to a deal with the council I'm sure they will be looking at some of the land around the CG to use as well, the FC should own the ground perhaps in partnership with the council

Loved what this fella had to say, ie ref. income-streams, not just copying the DR, not having another Southampton/Derby/Leicester/Sunderland, giving us the first dose of feedback around the start of next season....

It was as much as I could do to stop myself from milming my kecks.

Milming?

Oh and if feedback is listened to...KEEP THE FLOODLIGHTS

At Leyton Orient, they have blocks of flats in the corner (revenue to the club in rent?), I saw the people that lived there cracking a few tins open and watching the game from the comfort of their own balcony. Dont care what footy team you support, but that is a cracking flat.

Taken from Roger Mellie's profanisaurus;

"Milm v To cover something in jism."

Anyone remember "We can see you washing-up!" a couple of years ago?

Quality! There was a bloke who looked just like Phil Mitchell on one of the balconies there that day too.

I would buy a flat on the corner definatley :sherlock:

If they do it at the Bin Laden Stadium, I say we club together to buy a flat, then draw all the curtains every time they have a home game.

Surely if we built flats (luxury or otherwise) on the corners of the ground, a residents committee would be set up by those living there?

That could lead to all sorts of problems if the club wanted to then hold events like pop concerts etc in the redeveloped stadium.

Our erstwhile deal maker / general business advisor Michael Diamandis spotted this potential problem fucking ages ago when the trust club put forward that idea and he sung it from the rooftops as being a bad, bad fucking idea.

I really hope the club and their newly appointed property developer blokes have given due consideration to the wise words and the vast experience Mr Diamandis has earned in the football industry.... ;D

Not if the properties were rented, or the club granted a lease under certain conditions...

They should build towers in the corners and make it look like a castle.

Like Djurgardens...as I've said before. We should also have a portcullis.

Puts a new spin on making the County Ground a Fortress. I like it.

And a moat. Which I think I've said before. And dragons in the towers

That was my idea!

Go the whole hog and have gargoyles with holes for hot oil at the away end. We could be the St Pauli of England

You'd need Herthab's permission to use his likeness for that though.

I suspect for that comment you may be sporting a great big wedgie next time you see him.

:D

What sort of capacity are they looking at? 20k ?

Hey, no worries...when it all comes off, we'll all enjoy it.

I'm going to put the finishing touches to that Harry Potter look you've got going on.

(I'm going to cut your forehead open)

I came across the new stadium in Mainz and thought a smaller version of this would be tidy and realistic... The capacity of this will be 33,500

[url width=900 height=556]http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r108/bitchler/innenbereich.jpg[/url]
[url width=800 height=400]http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r108/bitchler/spielfeld.jpg[/url]
[url width=800 height=533]http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r108/bitchler/stadionecke.jpg[/url]
[url width=800 height=504]http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r108/bitchler/coface-arena-von-oben.jpg[/url]

I swear I posted in this thread

[url width=800 height=612]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v365/robus1971/010-1.jpg[/url]

Hopefully we should be hearing some more about the CG redevleopment plans soon as it has all gone very quiet, the original story said 2 to 3 months(6th May) and in time for the new season.

Yeah I think we're probably looking at next month. Wonder if we'll get some mock designs?

Where are theese from yeo?

I think the clue is in the Mainz flags they are waving ;)

Using my vast powers of deduction. I.e. I looked at the picture. That's Mainz's ground in Germany.

Yeah, but i ment why does mainz ground have anything to do with the county ground, are we getting an identicle stadium?

Crispy, I tend to find reading the words which accompany the pictures quite helpful.

Fuck words.

Crispy and I want pictures.

Or shaky videos.

God im a fucking retard.

I thought this was a new thread, didnt see we were on page 3, and thought it was just opened with a picture.

Fucking hell :(

I thought that too but only for a second.

Meanwhile, on County Ground: Dugout Watch ...

http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10341~2088083,00.html

What sort of people have we got running our club? The last pic "The new look exit from The County Ground Tunnel" shows just what they are really like. The astroturf is not symmetrical!

Fitton out!

Just for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg62mgtUXSM

See in the programme yesterday Watkins mentioned that Frank Whittle are coming back with their initial thoughts on redeveloping the CG this week. Could be an interesting week.

I guess they are following the timescales of most large construction projects, which would mean the phase 1 submission has pretty much what the design will be. They will then go away and tweak ready for the phase 2 submission in around 3 months, the sign off and financial close should then be around about a month  after that. So end of Jan/early feb should see everthing ready to roll.

Cool, so does this mean we'll get artists impressions or more accurate schematics?

At worst they should have detailed architects drawings.

Great, should be an interesting week, lets hope for something more interesting than a standard, off the peg, souless bowl.

It is unlikely to be a bowl as it is being done while we are still playing at the CG and we will be keeping the DR Stand, more likely a corner infill with 3 new stands and non matchday revenue generating build up outside etc, depends if an expansion onto the sports area is feasable

Would love to see a Deepdale style Stadium plan submitted, with potential to raise capacity by raising the current Arkells side stand in the same way the Don Rogers stand can be increased and filling in the 4 corners.

Would like to see 20,000 capacity, with scope to expand to 30,000 or so if that's possible (I can dream that one day we'll regularly need that kind of capacity can't I?  :hmmm:).

Wow, exciting times at the CG continue! Roll on tomorrow evening and another 3 points...  ;)

"We" might not see anything. I read the piece to mean Frank Whittle & Co would be doing a presentation to the board. Whether they'd choose to make them public at this stage is another matter

Are Frank whittle the developing company? I thought they were the project managers appointed, which if so would surely just mean a timeline of what can be expected when would be announced, rather than detailed plans?

It is highly possible i'm wrong though :)

Unless they've mis used the term, every Phase 1 submission I've been involved in has included the design drawings. As Pauld says though, we probably wont get to see them until it's all signed off.

As long as they come out and let us know what's going on i'm in no rush to see drawings, they've already highlighted the Deepdale project as something to draw inspiration from, never been but I've always liked the redevelopment they did there.

Deepdale is a very nice ground, it used to be a bloody run down shit hole but they have worked wonders with it.

Found this slightly old article from June 1st, via the wonders of google. Down side is that it does quote that phase 1 is only a "business plan and financial viability study"....

http://architectnews.co.uk/fwp-to-revamp-county-ground-cms-574 (http://architectnews.co.uk/fwp-to-revamp-county-ground-cms-574)

Also, not sure whether to read anything into this, but FWP are working with 'FC United of Manchester' (breakway supporters group following the Glazier takeover in 2005) to build a new 3.5 million stadium for the club. Importantly though, they are only listed as project managers for the project, not architects --> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Acres_Lane_Stadium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Acres_Lane_Stadium)

Hopefully I'm wrong though, as certainly wouldn't mind seeing some pictures!  :-[

Sutton,
what profession you in then cockle?

If it ends up looking like Deepdale then I will be pretty happy with it, around a 23,500 capacity would be ample for our needs.

[url width=900 height=220]http://www.freewebs.com/tims92/Preston%20North%20End/Deepdale%20Panoramic%203.jpg[/url]

According to FWP's own website, they are acting as architects for Preston, Marine AFC, Farnborough, Fleetwood and Peterborough.  You can see pictures for each of these developments.

http://www.fwpgroup.co.uk/projects/default.php?c=2

Yeah I saw that, was looking at the Deepdale redevelopment as everyone keeps mentioning it. Looks pretty good! Let's hope for some pics... :P

I'm wondering if building the North Stand up to the edge of the cricket pitch and getting rid of the road is an option. There are other access roads to the athletics track / football pitch, the away end could be accessed from Shrivenham Road and the main entrance / administration could be moved to the revamped Town End. Probably unlikely, but a possibility.

I'm an IT PM involved in new builds mainly.

Check out the pics of Leicester tigers new ground

http://www.fwpgroup.co.uk/projects/default_item.php?id=49

The final photo of the completed redevelopment looks awesome, and different.

Welford Road is a very difficult site to work with, and the solution that the architects have come up with is ground breaking and imaginative.  Going to look amazing when completed.  More discussion on this development in the thread below:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=558617

They were building that stand at Leicester when we played them last, I remember seeing the frame for it being up when we went past it (near Nelson Mandela park?) on the way to the Walkers stadium. Didn't they build the new stand behind the old one while still using the old one on match days? Or something like that. Must admit the image of the proposed complete stadium looks quality (for a rugby ground).

Curently the answer is No. At this moment, they've basically got the footprint of the current stadium...and that's it. I sometimes go to local residents meetings at Broadgreen, and a few weeks ago council leader Rod Bluh was there, and he basically said that, when asked. He also said that that part of green space behind Stratton Bank must remain also, but I can see the Athletics Club moving, as they've not got any changing facilities over there, if another site was found for them.

I guess the majority of the new revenue streams and improved facilities will be on the Town End car park then?

In the Trust plans, done in 2005,there was mention of building flats behind the TE, similar to Orient, to help cover the cost of development.

What does the current footprint mean? Just the current stadium? What about the car park and land behind the DRS?

What does the green space behind the SB cover, the entire field or just a part of it?

I'm sure the athletics club will be gone in a shot if they get a half decent facility in exchange. If I remember correctly, a few years back they were actually doing pretty well in their league structure and the facilities weren't up to scratch which was causing them some problems.

SBC are closing the sports center at the county ground anyway aren't they?

I believe the current footprint is currently the land the stadium is on. The car park land is owned by the council, I believe.

It's all owned by the council?

Yes it is. The club have a lease on the stadium itself ("the current footprint"), but not the rest of the overall site, which is what I think So69 means

I think they should base the stadium on the shape of a footprint.

We may have to change our name to thetoeend.com though.

Or maybe a massive cock and balls, just for the kicks of messing with the Adver's aerial photoshoots, they'd have to blank out the ground

Then we could be thebellend.com

25% Talk Talk, 80% Bollocks

I asssume everyon'e read this, but just in case... AF stated after the game that the CG could be similar to the Reebok stadium. Link below...

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/8419690.Fitton_reveals_County_Ground_redevelopment_could_mirror_Bolton_s_Reebok/ (http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/8419690.Fitton_reveals_County_Ground_redevelopment_could_mirror_Bolton_s_Reebok/)

Cheers for that!

So somewhere in the negotiations with the council will likely come a request to purchase the CG and adjoining land, this may just be the right time, the council are complaining they have to find money from different sources and save money so an injection of moneys from selling the CG may help them to look good and take a bit of pressure of them.

I thought SBC have always been prepared to sell the CG, with the sticking point being the price. SBC would want more than its current value, to take in to account the increased value that any future developments bring - so if apartments were built there they would want they cut of it.

No, the sticking point was that Diamandis expected the council to give him the whole lot (including the athletics track, cricket ground, car park etc) for nothing. But yes the council have always been prepared to sell us the ground and would probably be glad to get us off their books as a troublesome tenant

But now they haven't got a problematic tennant they don't have any problems to worry about.

SBC have always said they won't "give it away", which to them means selling it for less than it would be worth once any re-development is completed. At present based on the current rent it's probably only worth say 2-3 million, but no way would they go with a figure that low. I'm sure they will try and screw Fitton for every penny they can.

I also understand the club has been in discussion with the Goddard Estate in regards to the Sporting covenant on the CG.

Looked at from the outside, I think it takes more than a couple of years of a reasonably good board to wipe away the memory of the previous 20-odd years of problem tenant history. And whatever their faith in the current board they have no guarantee they will remain in place. I'm sure the council would still dearly love to be rid of us as a tenant. Albeit not at any price, you're right about that.

They have a legal obligation to ensure value for the taxpayer. So when the plan was to put hundreds of houses on the site, they had to take into account the potential value of the land once developed in the sale price undeveloped. (ie you can't sell off land that is going to be developed for commercial use at a market value as if it was going to be used for agricultural use even if that is its current use)
They were a couple of years ago. And yes of course they will. As they are legally obliged to. But that may not just be in terms of the sale price, they can also reasonably claim to have obtained value for the taxpayer if (for example) facilities for the local community that the council would otherwise have had to provide are provided/greatly enhanced by any development.

This was why Terry Brady did one...

Like all these projects, I'll believe it when I see it.

I've never fully believed this and am convinced to a large degree it comes down to how much the council wants to support the club. If no planning permission has been given for re-development then the land is worth what it is worth, plus there are pre-existing conditions regarding the lands usage in the case of the CG. At the moment that would make the land worth maybe 20 times the income they get from it.

Saying the CG is worth xx millions on the basis of planning permission being granted, the funds being raised, the re-development being completed and everything being worth what it is at the moment when it's completed and so on is a lot of ifs, buts and maybes. What happens if planning permission isn't given or the re-development falls through, will SBC give a refund?

I'm not sure of the exact details of the deal that was done between Reading and their local council but from what I've read it sounds like they got a very good deal as the council wanted to support them. I'm sure there are ways and means for SBC to support the club if they wanted to, unfortunately I don't think they do and they just want to get as much money out of it that they can and if that means the whole thing going tits up then so be it.

Maybe with the state of the economy and the rest of the town centres re-development stalling they will be a bit desperate to get the CG re-development to happen. They could also consider the fact that the clubs owners are never going to make a massive profit from the club no matter what happens and the financial risk they've already taken. I doubt it though.

Its true whether you believe it or not and councillors can be personally liable for losses if council assets can be shown to have been sold on the cheap.

You have to be careful about some of the figures with Readings deal for the Madjeski too. They paid almost nothing for the land but a lot of money had to be spent decontaminating the site before it could be developed. They got a good deal, but it wasnt a giveaway.

I think there is a deal to be done at the County Ground as long as the club can get planning permission for enough new facilities to make it pay.

It depends what you mean by being cash strapped and where additional money comes from. The council have two pots of money, revenue and capital. Funds from selling an asset like the CG land would go in the capital pot. It is illegal to move money between the two so it can only be spent on another project such as say the compulsory repairs to the Mechanics. It could not be used to ease the shortfall in government grant or council tax.

Reading's stadium was built on a disused tip so the land value was low, it was not 'sold on the cheap'. As mentioned that would make the local councillors personally liable for the difference. And yes, the remediation costs were significant.

PS  the Goddard covenant on the County Ground area regarding sporting use only is not a given, during the Shaw debacle the family's solicitors said that they would be prepared to bin it for the right price.

It's worth bearing in mind that the economic situation has changeed beyond all recognition since either of the previous development attempts. The price of development land in Swindon must have fucking plummeted in the last year, and SBC, like all other local authorities are sure to be looking to make 30-40% cuts across general fund revenue budgets over the next 3-4 years.

If you've got a few quid, as our board do, I can't think of a better time to make an offer on the ground.

I think that is unlikely.

http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/-england-land-values-up-201005114115.html (http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/-england-land-values-up-201005114115.html)

Think jonny confused this with the Paranormy thread

If you have another look on Goggle I'm sure you can find an estate agents trade site that suggests the housing market is bouyant as well.

I may have misheard during my random radio 4 listening throughout the last week, but I think that Halifax have said that house prices are down a couple of percent. I'm not sure if I've imagined that or what it's got to do with this thread, but personally I think it's a good thing.

Been up the Mad Stad for an interview today and was blown away by the place. I know Mr Fitton has been up there a couple of times on recon missions, and if we get anything even remotely like it it will be incredible for both the club and the town, especially in the current location.

I've been around the MadStad a few times....don't think AF has anything like it mind.

The stadium itself is impressive.  The location is poor and hardly conducive to a cracking day or afternoon out at the football.

Ours is going to be a town centre stadium which means the experience of going there is going to feel quite different to the Madejski (or Coventry's Ricoh Arena, which is in a similar type of location).  I doubt the architecture of the place will be quite as symmetical/uniform either.  It should have a few more quirks, a nod here & there to the past and a lot more character.  (I hope.)

I was more talking about the facilities and the revenue streams. If we can get those right in a similar way but in the CG location it'll be great

Can someone remove the !!! from the title? Everytime I see this thread as 'new' I think somethings happened and get all excited :(

I concur...

Perhaps lock the thread until something does happen.

My interpretation of Fitton's words, are that they don't yet know what extras there will be.

The MadStad is largely the hotel.....does Swindon really need another?

Think Preston which is often mentioned as a similar development has a healthcare facility built in.

Just needs renaming so we don't all wet our pants each time.

Just some info which Nick Watkins told us at the Danny Wilson Q&A :

They've got a broad plan,which he and and his Finance Controller are going over the figures on costs and revenues.

The plan is to do the Town End first, turning it into a 4,000 capacity stand, followed by the Don Rogers, which they plan to raise the roof and put exec boxes there, and at the same time move all the office staff plus changing rooms/medical, etc. over to that side.

The Arkells and Stratton Bank will then follow.

They are looking for the project to take 3-4 years.

I've got some added information, which could be classed as useless but i'll spill anyway.

The Don Rogers won't have SWINDON painted on the seats anymore, it will instead be "The Robins"

And The Town End will have "Founded in ..." somewhere on it.

I hope the TE is going to remain a single tier stand!

If it is 4,000 I would think it's going to be a two tier stand.

What would the stands behind the goals at Molineux hold?

With regard to the TE, they could put a single tier stand there, it would probably be a 5 yard stroll to the CGH  :D

Hull City's North Stand has a capacity of 4000

[url width=499 height=374]http://crabfootball.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/kc.jpg?w=499&h=375[/url]

The Atyeo Stand at Ashton Gate has a capacity of 4,249. I've sat in there before and you get a decent view (I was cheering for Bath in a Rugby match against Bristol a few years ago  :nod:)

Supporters?

Correct. Are you attending the quiz night this year?

About 6,000

Unlikely they would do something that complex unless there was a very good reasno for doing so. A single tier stand could easily accomodate 4,000 at that end.

The Trust plans were based on continuing the Don Rogers stand round both ends of the ground which worked out at roughly 3,300 capacity behind each goal and a further 1,000 in the corners.

From everything thats been said publicly so far it sounds quite similar. We even proposed adding exec boxes to the Don Rogers stand. Maybe we should ask for a fee! :-)

They better not develop the Town End.

If they do redevelop the town end all they need to do is to take the seats out and replace with old school terrace metal bar things. Thats it.

Can't redevelop the town end surely?

If they redevelop the town end they need to think about the acoustics and nothing else, keep the view poor and the legroom poorer. otherwise you run the very real risk of people sitting down whilst retaining feeling in their legs, and thus feeling comfortable to stay seated and watch the match, and worse still shutting the fuck up. (see intel stand)


Keep the rake shallow keep the natural light out of there, keep the roof low and the view sketchy at best. This is what makes my matchday experience, please don't take this away from me

Plymouth have managed to leave their old school stand haven't they? can't we do the other three sides first then have a consultation about if we still need to do the town end?

I'm scared.

It's up to the fans to keep atmosphere, nothing to do with the stand. If it's a single tier stand, the right side will still stand up I hope and would imagine

Because they ran out of money.

The stands at Molineux are both over 5,000, one 5,100 & 5,300 - they are fairly big one tier stands. Didn't the board say though that they were looking at something like the Reebok? If so, they have two-tiered stands behind the goals, both with boxes.

I think we're getting carried away with the Reebok example, it was only mentioned the rroof may look something like it

Watching Dortmund on TV at the moment we need a smaller version of their one stand behind the goal, looks awesome to be in, just a shame any version in this contry would have to be seated and thus ruined.

German grounds are awesome. They are all the proof you need that safe standing can work and enhance the atmosphere ten-fold.

Spoke with Nick Watkins today. When questioned about the development of the town end and design of the stand, he suggested it would be 2 tiered rather then 1. Not sure what to make of that really. Would it work as a home end?

All the people who wanted a view could go in the top tier I guess

So long as it's the Brentford away end on steroids it'll be fine.

Just the example I gave (without the steroids).

The home end at Walsall would be a good example of what it might look like. I would think that to minalmise the disruption during re-development wouldn't it make sense to redevelop the Stratton Bank first and then when the Town End is being rebuilt there is an end of the ground rather than having just two sides. By the time the Don Rogers and Arkells are being done there is sufficient capacity elsewhere

Two tiered approach makes sense to ensure the footprint is kept to a minimum - can't see them rotating the ground 90 degrees 9which was an original consideration) so if you look at the arial photo the key restrictions to this are the the stratton bank/south stand corner and cricket pavillion side of the North Stand - they can get more seats in the North stand for the same footprint area by doing two tiers.

From what I understand the Townend will be redeveloped first and accommodate hospitality, admin and changing rooms. Next will be the North stand (demolished and rebuilt) followed by the South Stand - the Stratton Bank will be last as there are additional complexities around this and remain 'as is' for some time.

The New Den has a cracking atmosphere with it's two tiered stands close to the pitch. The stands behind the goals both hold 4,000. Something like that for the Town End would be great.

There is going to be work on the DRS after the TE to accomodate exec boxes, admin and changing rooms, as they plan to raise the roof for the exec boxes on the DRS.

if there is information like this flying about surely there are visual designs which could be released?

The reason I prefer the single tier is because I have been to matches with two tiers behind the goal, and if the bottom tier sing you can't hear them in the top tier....especially when the bottom tier actually goes back underneath the top tier.

I can't see that ever being a problem with us

Ouch!

QPR springs to mind

I think QPR is particvularly bad though, rather than being the norm. As somebody said, Millwall is probably more the model to consider which would be much better. And if attendances weren't huge then you could always leave one tier shut anyway.

Of all the stands at the County Ground, I would have said the Town End is the one stand for which there is not a footprint restriction problem.  If the stand does need to extend backwards for another 10 or 15 metres to accommodate a second tier...so what?  We would lose some of the car parking space, but that's it.

As R4E suggests, I would imagine that the overhang of an upper tier would be less than that at QPR (which happens to be one of my favourite away grounds anyway).  I do remember hearing years ago of plans to rebuild the Town End - I think in the Rikki Hunt/Steve McMahon era.  Obviously, they never got off the ground, rather like the casino idea that was floated around the same time, but I am sure they talked about taking the roof off, sticking a row of exec boxes at the back, then another tier of seating and then putting the roof back on.

The Trent End at Forest would be a good example I think.

It's a bit big for us, but a nice design nonetheless

Yeah I checked and the capacity is 7,300. Something smaller would be good (I read this stand is where the atmosphere comes from at Forest)

Very nice.  Take the top half (behind the walk way) of the upper tier away...and maybe an approximation of what we could expect?

[url width=500 height=375]http://farm1.static.flickr.com/193/448698256_2dc9d5db56.jpg?v=0][/url]

like that ^^^

i also like Wycombs away end. something similar but slightly larger would be good

Wycombe's is average as they come, not even got concourses

Obviously the size of the stand will depend on what the capacity will be once finished. I like The Bobby Robson stand at Ipswich. A bit big perhaps.

no but take off the roof and then imagine boxes above + a second level of the same design and there you have the new townend. It's a tight footprint with decent acoustics and a good view

I would love to have a smaller version of Duisburg's Nordkurve in place of the Town End.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/MSV-Arena_Duisburg_01.jpg/800px-MSV-Arena_Duisburg_01.jpg

especially with the safe standing at the bottom + seating at the top.

Would be great but no chance we get any safe standing.

As Dogs said earlier, German grounds are (on the whole) brilliant.  Duisberg average a little more than we do though (approx 14,000).

I would vote for any political party that would guarantee the introduction of safe-standing.  It works incredibly well on  the Continent yet an emotionally-charged pressure group (Hillsborough Family Support Group) can almost single-handedly stop that from ever happening.  How is that fair?  We've moved on a fair bit since the late 80s/early 90s...

Incidentally I'm off to watch Exeter Chiefs vs Leeds Carnegie on Saturday at Sandy Park (free tickets) where I will be standing and drinking on good old fashioned terracing.  One rule for us, another for them.

There is certainly a bias against football in terms of terracing, which really needs to be addressed, especially you can watch rugby standing whilst drinking a pint.

Yes but rugby's shit. You need beer to stop you falling asleep.

We could really be pioneers for getting safe standing back into UK football with a model like the germans with the seated on top. That stand looks superb. Would be great for the club to consider trying to get something like this off the ground

Standing will never be brought back into english standing. You may aswell wish for candyfloss seats, or naked cheerleaders

Yes please!

I'm not greedy, i'll take the naked cheerleaders and terracing and leave the candy floss seats. Got to be realistic

Or not, at least, until the number of Hillsborough survivors starts to dwindle...so not until most of us are old!


Take it you didn't see Chris Ashton's try vs Australia on Saturday?!  If not, force yourself to take a look.  You won't regret it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6W0IqUcL60

The try is Ok but it doesn't give me a rodg on like our second goal Saturday

Like I said a couple of pages back.....

[url width=540 height=415]http://chasseurdestades.com/photos/Millwall5.jpg[/url]

The upper tier is steeper to give a better view.

Got to say the Aussie comentators seem to be a bit underwhelmed by the try !!!

I agree, but how do Morecombe who moved to a new ground in the summer, get away with having terracing in their new ground?

Surely if you move to a new ground or have it developed then the powers that be, must insist (rightly or wrongly) that it should be all seater.

I think the ruling is something like if you build a brand new ground and you aren't in either the Premiership or the Championship then you can have terracing. If you develop a ground, you CANNOT go from it being a seated stand to terracing.

Or something.

Because they play in League 2. If they play in League 1 or 2 they can get away with terracing. Only the Prem and Championship have to play in all seater stadiums, or have 3 years to upgrade their stadium to all seater. That is why Scunthorpe are about to have problems, as if they remain in the Championship they will have to play in an all seater stadium from next season.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Brilliant how he manages to wrong foot the aussie full back, even though full back stood about 20 yards back...bet he felt stupid...

They're not doing it single handedly. There are plenty still up for some fighting and trouble at football matches, which plays right in to their hands. Sure we've moved on but it still kicked off at plenty of games last season.

I'm not convinced it will even be that popular. Safe standing takes up a similar amount of space to seating so you'll most likely end up paying the same which will put a lot of people off.

Is this stage 1 of the ground improvements?

http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10341~2221180,00.html

I may be totally wrong here but wouldn't we need the coucil to approve something like that being done on the ground? If so maybe things are moving along nicely in regards to the developement etc.

I thought the club owns the stands (or some of them) and the council owns the land or something along those lines

All the work needs planning permission, so I would think the plans will go to the council over the next few months, especially if they want to start next summer.

I think it would be given that a significant number of fans stand all game at present despite repeated calls to sit. Nor sure price is that much if an issue as lots would go just for the atmosphere. Kinda like why i tend to go to more away games than home....

If the TE has 2 tiers, I would like for the bottom tier to be safe standing, but unless there is a major change of Government policy very quickly, it's not going to happen.

Brucie bonus question - Does anyone know what that common/popular tune they play when the try was scored is called? I've always wondered but with the lack of words it's hard to google it! ;-)

Tom Hark isn't it ?

3 points for that man!