New Ground Feasibility Study

[Oldsmobile-88]

Traditionally, football clubs have always been a focal point of a community and there to give entertainmemt as sustenance to local supporters through that connection of match day rituals which is almost indefinable. Facilities have improved over the years but the connection is changing.

I've seen City play competitively from everywhere from Old Trafford and Wembley to Moss Lane and Underhill. They are very different experiences, but each have their own place and my main purpose of visiting is always City, facilities don't really come into it. I might prefer a trip to Gay Meadow over Montgomery Waters Meadow (yes, I did have to look that up) but more people maybe increasingly don't.

Indeed.

At most clubs the connection between club & community has vastly improved compared to ‘the good old days’

 

[Red Bill]

You have clearly not worked out yet that Lower league football clubs need More than just the football side of things to survive.
I would love city to have the same facilities and money making opportunities as Stadium MK but we have lacked a forward thinking vision for years and probably left it too late for an ideal location for a new stadium that is within the city border.


What next if the club don’t find another Ethan or Ollie over the next 5 or 10 years?

Ironic really that in your attempt to hold up the soul and integrity free zone that is MK dons as a football and commercial exemplar, what you've actually done is highlight exactly the opposite.
For all their shiny new permanently two thirds empty stadium with its wonderful facilities and plethora of money making opportunities that you seem to assume are raking in the money day after day, what has that actually achieved for the club? Because in the 16 years since they conned their way into existence at the expense of a club with real integrity, they have achieved absolutely nothing. Far from the commercial nous you endow them with propelling them up the leagues and filling their souless stadium with delirious fans, they are now as they have been in all but two seasons (one up one down) of their existence, exactly where they started, just about holding their own in the third tier with their rich owner constantly having to plough more and more money into them. I don't know about anyone else but i'd describe their venture as abject failure, and certainly not a sign that big new ground equals success!

 

[citytillidie72]

Ironic really that in your attempt to hold up the soul and integrity free zone that is MK dons as a football and commercial exemplar, what you've actually done is highlight exactly the opposite.
For all their shiny new permanently two thirds empty stadium with its wonderful facilities and plethora of money making opportunities that you seem to assume are raking in the money day after day, what has that actually achieved for the club? Because in the 16 years since they conned their way into existence at the expense of a club with real integrity, they have achieved absolutely nothing. Far from the commercial nous you endow them with propelling them up the leagues and filling their souless stadium with delirious fans, they are now as they have been in all but two seasons (one up one down) of their existence, exactly where they started, just about holding their own in the third tier with their rich owner constantly having to plough more and more money into them. I don't know about anyone else but i'd describe their venture as abject failure, and certainly not a sign that big new ground equals success!

Darlington's George Reynolds stadium or whatever they called it, another prime example.

 

[i8cornwall]

Out of interest, How many football stadiums are used 7 days a week? I genuinely have no idea.

clubs with 3G pitches are used 7 days a week such as Sutton, Merthyr and Dorchester. Granted 3G’s are not allowed in the football league which really limits us and other clubs to the corporate side of things.

do think this is why Harrogate are in no rush to play there home games in Harrogate due to them having a 3G pitch currently.

 

[DB9]

clubs with 3G pitches are used 7 days a week such as Sutton, Merthyr and Dorchester. Granted 3G’s are not allowed in the football league which really limits us and other clubs to the corporate side of things.

do think this is why Harrogate are in no rush to play there home games in Harrogate due to them having a 3G pitch currently.

Could be, The price of relaying a pitch with no gate income is a real expense I'd imagine.

 

[i8cornwall]

Could be, The price of relaying a pitch with no gate income is a real expense I'd imagine.

Imagine it is plus they are still use it for schools and stuff while they aren’t getting gate receipts and money from fans.

 

[PeteUSA]

On the point about relocating to a new site - I think that all of the options put forward many years ago are now off the table. I cant think of anywhere near the city that would suit - short of the old Whipton Showground. I'm of the firm belief that if we had some sort of purpose built stadium constructed out in the sticks, we would end up like Darlington after they moved from The Feethams. The support we get is not monumental as it is, but moving away from SJP would further bugger that up for the fans who can catch a bus from all corners of the city at the moment, sometimes at the last minute. Further to that, I dont think the C&F would work either, since I dont recall a regular decent bus service out there. IMHO, we should stay where we are as long as we can.

 

[RedPaul]

Imagine it is plus they are still use it for schools and stuff while they aren’t getting gate receipts and money from fans.

The plastic pitch rule is one of the more daft. Lower league clubs are supposed to be community hubs. Let them have plastic if they want it. Saves the vast majority of postponements and provides income source. They are a world away from what Luton and QPR had in the 80's

 

[Super Ronnie Jepson]

On the point about relocating to a new site - I think that all of the options put forward many years ago are now off the table. I cant think of anywhere near the city that would suit - short of the old Whipton Showground. I'm of the firm belief that if we had some sort of purpose built stadium constructed out in the sticks, we would end up like Darlington after they moved from The Feethams. The support we get is not monumental as it is, but moving away from SJP would further bugger that up for the fans who can catch a bus from all corners of the city at the moment, sometimes at the last minute. Further to that, I dont think the C&F would work either, since I dont recall a regular decent bus service out there. IMHO, we should stay where we are as long as we can.

Stagecoach provide a matchday service to Sandy Park so no doubt the same would happen if we moved out of the city.

 

[ramone]

Can anyone truly imagine the C&F pub being able to cope with the amount of people for pre match beers including away fans ? And before anyone says there would be bars in a new ground not everyone is able to get served within the confines of SJP as is.
The thing with having the club in the centre of town is the amount of other food outlets in town that people prefer making it a full day out for adults and kids alike, I know people who before covid would their their kids swimming in the morning have a bite to eat in town somewhere like kfc etc then go on to the football afterwards.