Gary's January Transfer Window

[edwin_price]

Nonsense. What we 'know' is that when something is said often enough it becomes fact. There is no reason - other than cash, and maybe a less than sympathetic planning department - why we couldn't have a stadium with a much larger capacity at SJP.

I could build a twenty story glass and steel extension on my roof with a reptile house containing Komodo dragons on the top if it weren't for the lack of funds and the quibbling bureaucrats at city hall.

Isn't the point that were in a position where that's very difficult to make sense... Eg an extra 1000 seats would need engineering solutions that wouldn't make sense for an extra 1000 seats? I'd love is to make SJP 12-15K, but wheres it going? Compulsory purchase at James road and build something big where they away end is would be good. But what can we do there that isn't fantasy land?

 

[fred binneys head]

Nonsense. What we 'know' is that when something is said often enough it becomes fact. There is no reason - other than cash, and maybe a less than sympathetic planning department - why we couldn't have a stadium with a much larger capacity at SJP.

You've always struck me on here as someone who knows their onions when it comes to the potential for ground redevelopment Ant, I would genuinely like to hear your ideas about how it would be possible to increase the capacity of SJP, finance and planning consent notwithstanding.

EDIT: I think edwin has asked the same question, albeit in a slightly different style

 

[Banksy]

Would love to see a young Ted Calland up front a proper centre forward with someone like Graham Rees alongside him.

Agree with you about what we have built up over the years we now have a Club which is respected in the football world generally for the output of quality players from our academy and are no longer a Club to be laughed at.

Up to the departure of MT we had an identity but all this seems to be vanishing and GC appears to show no desire in wanting to coach and continue to develop our Acadamy players.

Ah Graham Rees! You’ll be on about Nelson Stiffle next!

 

[Antony Moxey]

I could build a twenty story glass and steel extension on my roof with a reptile house containing Komodo dragons on the top if it weren't for the lack of funds and the quibbling bureaucrats at city hall.

Isn't the point that were in a position where that's very difficult to make sense... Eg an extra 1000 seats would need engineering solutions that wouldn't make sense for an extra 1000 seats? I'd love is to make SJP 12-15K, but wheres it going? Compulsory purchase at James road and build something big where they away end is would be good. But what can we do there that isn't fantasy land?

Thing is, we're not interested in 20 storeys, however I would imagine the planners wouldn't be particularly sympathetic to our cause in such a built up urban area. My post was in response to someone saying Lincoln are moving forward with plans to upgrade their stadium to (I think) an 11.5k capacity one. We could do the same, however, as I say, I'm not sure the planners would be particularly happy about it.

 

[Antony Moxey]

You've always struck me on here as someone who knows their onions when it comes to the potential for ground redevelopment Ant, I would genuinely like to hear your ideas about how it would be possible to increase the capacity of SJP, finance and planning consent notwithstanding.

EDIT: I think edwin has asked the same question, albeit in a slightly different style

It's not knowing onions, I don't, other than I was involved in the construction industry for about 30ish years. Anyways, plans: knock down the Doble and SJC. The pitch can then move towards the Doble creating a wider area on the NOG side. A bigger, deeper stand could be built replacing the Doble. Any access, car parking, Red Square etc etc could be incorporated under the stand - there's bucket loads of room under there if it's cleared properly.

Same with the BB. Knock it down, clear it out, start again. There's still a bit of room behind to increase capacity, plus there's loads of (currently) empty space between the Bank and Doble. Again, there's an awful lot that could be incorporated underneath. Knock down the NOG and build a bigger NNOG in the wider strip, which means it can be pushed further towards the Bank, and wrap around to the away end. Shorten the pitch. We are longer than the minimum length so shorten it to maximise the area of the away end. A wider away end means a bigger stand can be built, even to the extent that we could if needed have a double decker one like they used to have at Brentford. This could again wrap around at each corner to join in to both the Doble and NNOG.

That should easily gain us a few thousand capacity - I reckon just filling in the three corners would give us an extra 1k at least with the current configuration.

But I'm neither an architect or planner so it's probably all just a load of old guff.

 

[edwin_price]

Thing is, we're not interested in 20 storeys, however I would imagine the planners wouldn't be particularly sympathetic to our cause in such a built up urban area. My post was in response to someone saying Lincoln are moving forward with plans to upgrade their stadium to (I think) an 11.5k capacity one. We could do the same, however, as I say, I'm not sure the planners would be particularly happy about it.

Yeah, excuse the sarcasm, but I'm genuinely interested in what you see as possible, within reasonable financial constraints ( eg not spending 5* per seat what lincoln do for an easier build) and what a more flexible council might sanction. I'd love us go add some capacity, but wheres it going? Between bank and old grandstand seem like prohibitive engineering costs. How much could we add at the away end with a reasonably supportive council/local residents? Maybe another 1k?

We're at what now? 8k give or take depending on the game. How many seats you think we can add? Another 4 or 5k would probably do is. Can we put more on the Doble stand or where do you see space to build?

 

[MJP_Exeter]

Thing is, we're not interested in 20 storeys, however I would imagine the planners wouldn't be particularly sympathetic to our cause in such a built up urban area. My post was in response to someone saying Lincoln are moving forward with plans to upgrade their stadium to (I think) an 11.5k capacity one. We could do the same, however, as I say, I'm not sure the planners would be particularly happy about it.

I think the biggest issue, isn't per say that we couldn't create two tiered stands across both sides of the pitch, but the ability to get people in and out safely in the surrounding areas of the ground. I am sure i read somewhere part of the issue isn't per say the space and getting to 10,000 / 12,000, but the concern around in an emergency how quickly we can move people out and about from the ground due to the surrounding areas? I might have dreamt that. I am also sure it was said when the Stanno stand was built, it was built in a way that a second tier could be added if needed.

Obviously the other factor is financial, which renders a lot of the discussion pointless at this stage.

 

[denzel]

It's not knowing onions, I don't, other than I was involved in the construction industry for about 30ish years. Anyways, plans: knock down the Doble and SJC. The pitch can then move towards the Doble creating a wider area on the NOG side. A bigger, deeper stand could be built replacing the Doble. Any access, car parking, Red Square etc etc could be incorporated under the stand - there's bucket loads of room under there if it's cleared properly.

Same with the BB. Knock it down, clear it out, start again. There's still a bit of room behind to increase capacity, plus there's loads of (currently) empty space between the Bank and Doble. Again, there's an awful lot that could be incorporated underneath. Knock down the NOG and build a bigger NNOG in the wider strip, which means it can be pushed further towards the Bank, and wrap around to the away end. Shorten the pitch. We are longer than the minimum length so shorten it to maximise the area of the away end. A wider away end means a bigger stand can be built, even to the extent that we could if needed have a double decker one like they used to have at Brentford. This could again wrap around at each corner to join in to both the Doble and NNOG.

That should easily gain us a few thousand capacity - I reckon just filling in the three corners would give us an extra 1k at least with the current configuration.

But I'm neither an architect or planner so it's probably all just a load of old guff.

I think filling in the corners is more likely, though pointless if we go down and the fans go away.

 

[edwin_price]

I think the biggest issue, isn't per say that we couldn't create two tiered stands across both sides of the pitch, but the ability to get people in and out safely in the surrounding areas of the ground. I am sure i read somewhere part of the issue isn't per say the space and getting to 10,000 / 12,000, but the concern around in an emergency how quickly we can move people out and about from the ground due to the surrounding areas? I might have dreamt that. I am also sure it was said when the Stanno stand was built, it was built in a way that a second tier could be added if needed.

Obviously the other factor is financial, which renders a lot of the discussion pointless at this stage.

It's not pointless. Well, only to the extent that most chatter on here is. I'd like to know what we could do with the ground. Appreciate Ant Moxey's thoughts on how we could expand within the same space, but would also be interested to know if anything can be done to the existing set up.

We've not got 10m to throw at it now, but it's much more conceivable that we will have at some point than be in position for a compete rebuild in the same footprint. Is there anything we can do to add 1-2000 even? Is filling in corners of building on the Stanno stand realistic (eg if we had 20m would it be realistic)? Or are we at a dead end short of moving out of town or doing a full knock down and rebuild. It's good to know if your house is extendable even if you don't have the funds

 

[edwin_price]

I think filling in the corners is more likely, though pointless if we go down and the fans go away.

I think building stands needs to be looked at on a slower cycle than relegation/promotion cycles.