I like the West Stand

We're unusual as a club in that we have a genuine piece of history along one side of the ground, and I always think it's sad when people suggest that it be ripped down and replaced with a new one. Just as is done with fine old pubs or listed structures, I have always felt that the best way forward with the West Stand would be a sensitive restoration. Expensive, but we don't really need additional capacity and I'd love to see us spend money on properly preserving the club's heritage rather than tearing it down and replacing with something modern and soulless. I'd also say it was an excellent candidate for a safe standing area, if that was ever brought in.

Am I alone?

(As an aside, you never really hear of footballing structures being listed, or treated like the genuine pieces of historical and cultural significance that they are - are there any listed stands?)

 

Wasn't one at Highbury listed?..may be mistaken.

 

No you're not alone in your love for it, I can't understand why people want to see the back of it either.

Wouldn't want it listed though, it would mean that we'd need to apply for listed building consent every time we wanted to do something to it.

 

Costs thousands by sounds of it just to maintain it.

 

Yep, seems that you're right. A bit of quick research shows that part of Ibrox is as well, and a bid to list Bristol Rovers' Memorial Ground was turned down a couple of years ago.

 

That's par for the course with old buildings. A decent refurbishment would reduce the cost of maintenance to not much more than that of a new stand though. Just seems to me that if we ever got round to redeveloping it that would be a better way forward than demolition.

 

I'd like to see it made structurally sound for the 21st century, but mostly still intact.

It was funded by our FA Cup win in 1912 so I'm led to believe which itself makes it a massive piece of our history.

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Hillsborough should be listed........In the A-Z of Shitholes!

 

Pretty sure it's from earlier than 1912.

 

Definitely needs restoring, looks an eyesore really.


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30s

 

restore and preserve sounds a good idea. .....

Could not the capacity of the ground be increased without replacement? There are two undeveloped corners for starters... East Stand/North Stand Corner and Ponty End Stand/West Stand. Just a thought. I would have thought the footprint of any new stand and proximity to the road would prevent any sizeable re-development.

 

Re: restore and preserve sounds a good idea. .....

they probably wouldn't fill in the East/North stand gap 'cos then the away and home fans would be too close together - they don't even sell tickets for the bottom right hand corner of the East stand as it is

 

100% in agreement with you about the need to preserve the West Stand.

 

You're right I don't get why people say we need need to build more seats because we don't need it because we don't fill oakwell. I sit in the west aswell

 

i'd like to see it done up too. there arnt many like it these days. history

 

I agree, I think the West Stand is unique and a throwback to a bygone era. I hope we don't change our ground.

 

The 1912 cup winning team posed in front of it with the fa cup

 

The west stand as the layout is at present was built in the 1930s. Not saying there wasn't some sort of structure before that time.

 

Originally it was built in 1908.