The talk of moving to Weedon Street...

[Guest Grez Bez]

6 hours ago, S36 OWL said:

 

The railway line up to Stocksbridge is not up to the standard to carry passenger trains . Also it`s only a single line only used once a day by the steel train runing from Rotherham to Foxes in Stocksbridge. It would require a multi million pound upgrade the track . Plus , the track up here is used to stack the steel trailers ready to be picked up by the train. 

 

That is true but it has already been earmarked as a potential tram-train line if the trial to Rotherham is successful. The idea is to take it to Stocksbridge; not sure what would happen to the steel trailers.

 

FYI - A tram-train can travel on both train and tram lines so it could in theory share the line with the Steel trailers.

[billyblack]

2 hours ago, Utah Owl said:

Not saying it'll happen next year, but It's going to happen sooner or later.

 

The climate issues are going to force cars off the road and governments will have to invest in mass transit systems. Using the old railways is an easy way of getting this going and because trams are light rail, they are easier and cheaper to construct/maintain than standard rail lines.

I was reading an article about this the other day. Private ownership of vehicles will be a thing of the past in my opinion, when, 30 or 40 years maybe.

[Utah Owl]

8 minutes ago, billyblack said:

I was reading an article about this the other day. Private ownership of vehicles will be a thing of the past in my opinion, when, 30 or 40 years maybe.

Agreed, people will probably just use an Uber type app to summon transport as and when needed. It will all be automated and probably all electric.  Think that mass transit systems will remain especially for longer journeys. 

Edited October 16, 2018 by Utah Owl

[S1Owl]

6 hours ago, A12owl said:

Norwich has a very modern stadium with a capacity of over 27000.

Their attendances consistently are above 24000. I have been many times and it's a very good stadium. 

When they were in the premiership it was sold out every week. 

 

 

Yeah maybe a bad comparison, Hull, Wigan, Derby etc are examples of how bad it could be. 

Redevelopment like in the vid is all that's needed. Team comes 1st

[Guest Hillsborough Mole]

Pride Park is streets ahead of the Baseball Ground.

 

Wigans is a cracking stadium, as is Hull.

 

Not really sure what you're on about

[billyblack]

12 hours ago, Utah Owl said:

Agreed, people will probably just use an Uber type app to summon transport as and when needed. It will all be automated and probably all electric.  Think that mass transit systems will remain especially for longer journeys. 

I think you are right mate. Apparently congestion would decrease by 75% and parking issues a thing of the past. Give it 10 years and there will probably be no cars allowed in city centres anyway.

[OWL1969]

3 hours ago, Hillsborough Mole said:

Pride Park is streets ahead of the Baseball Ground.

 

Wigans is a cracking stadium, as is Hull.

 

Not really sure what you're on about

Baseball ground was far better than Pride Park as far as atmosphere and a real football feel is concerned.

As a fan Baseball ground any day, as a customer Pride Park.

Im in the fan category.

 

 

Edited October 17, 2018 by OWL1969

[billyblack]

5 minutes ago, OWL1969 said:

Baseball ground was far better than Pride Park as far as atmosphere and a real football feel is concerned.

As a fan Baseball ground any day, as a customer Pride Park.

Im in the fan category.

 

 

Arent fans and customers the same thing?

[OWL1969]

In principal yes, your right once your inside the ground you could be classed as a customer, but to me no, they are 2 different things a fan goes to watch football and get behind their team whereas a customer could go anywhere, be it theatre,  cinema, shops, trainstation, on a bus etc.  

 

At Hillsborough I'm a fan first and foremost and a customer secondly, I want a good team in a good atmosphere much more than a good customer service and nice amenities.

 

Don't get me wrong the nice amenities are a bonus but to me I would prefer to be stood up, watching my team win games with my mates than sat in a comfy stadium with no atmosphere at the side of people who I barely know, all just my opinion but to me in football terms Fans and customers are 2 different things.

 

For example imo 20 years since both Chelsea and Man City support was made up of fans whereas nowadays both are mainly made of customers.

    

[dorian gray]

On 14/10/2018 at 11:46, Quist said:

I think you could be correct and flooding is a major problem. insurance for all businesses in flood zone is higher as well as domestic insurance.

i live within 500m of a floodplain, and people relocating from down south have that included in their property searches, and have been known to duck out of buying because of that fact. the laughable part is it's 25m below us as we're on the top of a hill.

[Inspector Lestrade]

4 hours ago, Hillsborough Mole said:

Pride Park is streets ahead of the Baseball Ground.

 

Wigans is a cracking stadium, as is Hull.

 

Not really sure what you're on about

 

Pride Park is one of the better new build grounds but it pales in comparison with the Baseball Ground which was one of the best grounds for atmosphere.  Built close to the pitch with its two tiers it created its own vibe and was one of the highlights of the season.  The only thing which Pride Park does better is to offer a wider selection of food and who gives a monkey about that?  Same could be said for Leicester.

 

New grounds are nice but that's all they are. Breezeblocks and corrugated plastic.

[Sham67]

14 hours ago, billyblack said:

I was reading an article about this the other day. Private ownership of vehicles will be a thing of the past in my opinion, when, 30 or 40 years maybe.

 

14 hours ago, Utah Owl said:

Agreed, people will probably just use an Uber type app to summon transport as and when needed. It will all be automated and probably all electric.  Think that mass transit systems will remain especially for longer journeys. 

 

1 hour ago, billyblack said:

I think you are right mate. Apparently congestion would decrease by 75% and parking issues a thing of the past. Give it 10 years and there will probably be no cars allowed in city centres anyway.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45786690

[Guest Hillsborough Mole]

The Baseball Ground was an absolute shytehole. Ive stood on terracing there at the side of the pitch, and behind the goal. If you stood on the fhe front 5 rows of steps behind the goal you could only see the players at the far end of the pitch from the waist up due to the pitch being raised in the middle. At the end of its life its capacity was 18,000. One of the stands didnt even sit parralel with the pitch. A large proportion of the seats/terrace wasn't under cover. 

 

 

Pride Park has a capacity of amost twice that of the Baseball Ground, its modern, has fantastic facilities, car parking, is entirely undercover and the atmosphere there is fantastic - even when they're singing our songs. It is open all year round and generates a huge amount of income from its bars and restaurants on non matchdays as well as conferencing and weddings. It knocks Hillsborough into a cocked hat.

 

 

I'm all for this romantic notion of stadiums, but Hillsborough hasn't kept up with the times, its a name and stadium thats tainted all over the world. I would imagine there was plenty of opposition to a stadium move when Derby planned it from amongst their supporter base. The Baseball Ground was iconic - as much as anything because people couldnt understand why it was called a Baseball Ground and not a football ground. But I'll tell you sometghing else. I bet you cant find many Derby fans who would want to go back.

 

As an aside - Derbys average attendance in the 10 years before they moved away from the Baseball Ground was 16,034. Since they moved its been 27,406

[OWL1969]

Each to their own, I agree Pride Park has other uses outside football which will bring in other avenues of finance and has much better amenities but as I said earlier as a football ground, atmosphere wise give me The Baseball Ground everyday.

 

Ps I bet many Derby fans would love to go back to the Baseball Ground. 

 

[Sonny]

I guess what sets Hillsborough apart from many of the other grounds that clubs left behind is that it’s already big enough. Most others were small and falling apart, ours is plenty big enough and falling apart. It clouds some people’s judgement about why we’d need to address the situation and doesn’t provide an obvious impetus in terms of big crowds that we’re missing out on.

[steelcityowlsfan]

I wouldn't swap Hillsborough for pride park that's for sure.

 

Do Hillsborough up and it's one of the best stadiums for football in this country.

[Guest Hillsborough Mole]

3 minutes ago, Sonny said:

I guess what sets Hillsborough apart from many of the other grounds that clubs left behind is that it’s already big enough. Most others were small and falling apart, ours is plenty big enough and falling apart. It clouds some people’s judgement about why we’d need to address the situation and doesn’t provide an obvious impetus in terms of big crowds that we’re missing out on.

 

I agree with that

 

Little has changed at Hillsborough in 20 years - since the alterations to the South Stand that provided us with all of our conference and hospitality facilities that have paid back ten fold the investment made in building it, and the Grandstand above.

 

Our North Stand is like a trip back in time to football of the 1960s.

 

It makes it all the more obvious how badly we have been run as a club that other teams have managed to build new stadiums or hugely develop their own grounds while remaining competitive on the field.

[Sonny]

14 minutes ago, Hillsborough Mole said:

 

I agree with that

 

Little has changed at Hillsborough in 20 years - since the alterations to the South Stand that provided us with all of our conference and hospitality facilities that have paid back ten fold the investment made in building it, and the Grandstand above.

 

Our North Stand is like a trip back in time to football of the 1960s.

 

It makes it all the more obvious how badly we have been run as a club that other teams have managed to build new stadiums or hugely develop their own grounds while remaining competitive on the field.

 

Good point about the South Stand. Hadn’t really thought about it paying for itself but I guess it has, and that’s what we need again now.

 

Used to baffle me how the hell other clubs have managed to afford a new/redeveloped stadium but then we spent so long absolutely on our arsès financially that it’s never been remotely conceivable for us. Would be interesting to know how clubs outside the Prem do it. I wonder how many benefit from a favourable council in terms of land or loans or something. Not so easy in a two club city.

 

The North Stand is beautiful, I love it, but it’s only positive beyond it’s beauty is that the seats face the pitch. It can barely cope with half time in terms of food/booze even with a block closed for safety reasons (?) never mind provide anything the rest of the year. It’s not that far of being the least of our worries either which shows how bad the other two stands are.

 

Get promoted to the prem and tackle it then seems to be the plan. Or get promoted to the prem and DC flogs us to someone with deeper pockets. Would be good if we had a plan that doesn’t involve the prem. Just on the off chance we don’t get promoted.

[Guest Hillsborough Mole]

3 minutes ago, Sonny said:

 

Good point about the South Stand. Hadn’t really thought about it paying for itself but I guess it has, and that’s what we need again now.

 

Used to baffle me how the hell other clubs have managed to afford a new/redeveloped stadium but then we spent so long absolutely on our arsès financially that it’s never been remotely conceivable for us. Would be interesting to know how clubs outside the Prem do it. I wonder how many benefit from a favourable council in terms of land or loans or something. Not so easy in a two club city.

 

The North Stand is beautiful, I love it, but it’s only positive beyond it’s beauty is that the seats face the pitch. It can barely cope with half time in terms of food/booze even with a block closed for safety reasons (?) never mind provide anything the rest of the year. It’s not that far of being the least of our worries either which shows how bad the other two stands are.

 

Get promoted to the prem and tackle it then seems to be the plan. Or get promoted to the prem and DC flogs us to someone with deeper pockets. Would be good if we had a plan that doesn’t involve the prem. Just on the off chance we don’t get promoted.

 

If the Chairman really has got unlimited funds (as he suggests) he could do far worse than prepare us for the Prem with allowable stadium improvements now.  Infrastructure improvements make us a much more valuable asset - for when he sells us anyway.

[theowlsman]

1 hour ago, Hillsborough Mole said:

The Baseball Ground was an absolute shytehole. Ive stood on terracing there at the side of the pitch, and behind the goal. If you stood on the fhe front 5 rows of steps behind the goal you could only see the players at the far end of the pitch from the waist up due to the pitch being raised in the middle. At the end of its life its capacity was 18,000. One of the stands didnt even sit parralel with the pitch. A large proportion of the seats/terrace wasn't under cover. 

 

 

Pride Park has a capacity of amost twice that of the Baseball Ground, its modern, has fantastic facilities, car parking, is entirely undercover and the atmosphere there is fantastic - even when they're singing our songs. It is open all year round and generates a huge amount of income from its bars and restaurants on non matchdays as well as conferencing and weddings. It knocks Hillsborough into a cocked hat.

 

 

I'm all for this romantic notion of stadiums, but Hillsborough hasn't kept up with the times, its a name and stadium thats tainted all over the world. I would imagine there was plenty of opposition to a stadium move when Derby planned it from amongst their supporter base. The Baseball Ground was iconic - as much as anything because people couldnt understand why it was called a Baseball Ground and not a football ground. But I'll tell you sometghing else. I bet you cant find many Derby fans who would want to go back.

 

As an aside - Derbys average attendance in the 10 years before they moved away from the Baseball Ground was 16,034. Since they moved its been 27,406

 

Don’t go talking sense, they’ve all got their fingers in their ears going “la, la, la, I can’t hear you”.

 

I am as sentimental as the rest as far as Hillsborough is concerned but we need facilities that generate substantial non-matchday revenues. We can’t continue accumulating debt associated with maintenance of outdated and failing infrastructure. 

 

Sometimes the head has to rule the heart. Sad but true.