Archibald was a great stand and stadium designer over a hundred years ago. The stand was built in 1900; renovated and completed by Leitch in 1910. There’s no doubt it has historic significance. But there’s a reason the majority of his work has been demolished or fully renovated. A similar reason as to why the great steam locomotives of yesteryear aren’t in general service, why cars on the road don’t have Wankel rotary engines. It is architecturally significant but it has no place being part of a 21st century professional football ground. If they could dissemble it carefully and re-assemble it as a museum piece or something, either in another place completely or at the bottom of the car park maybe - then fine save it. But it has to go from its current location and use at some point. It probably isn’t that far from being permanently condemned - and is already clearly costing nearly as much as it brings in every year just to keep open. Possibly even loss making. It’s a millstone around the club’s - or at least the stadium’s - neck. I’m in the lower section today by the way. I wouldn’t fit in the upper. I’m a decent size even after losing four stone this year but primarily due to my mobility, the knee doesn’t bend fully so I wouldn’t squeeze my legs in up there. Last time I was in that stand was before my road accident and all the surgeries - but it was tight then. I reckon I’ll enjoy the view from there though. Prefer a side view; it’s been rare I’ve been in the ponty. Though have tended to go in there for cup games at times just for a change.
A new stand with the future of the club in mind, plenty of opportunities for business etc to rent for functions, become a small business hub in the community during the weekend and create a show piece for the fans. Straddle the footpath aka newcastle style to increase the footprint. Nostalgia doesn't create opportunities for the future.
I've said it before but no one in their right mind is going to spend money on replacing or renovating the West Stand when we can't fill the ground as it is unless we draw one of the "Big Six" in the latter rounds of the FA Cup. Even then it would only result in the away end being full. I reckon you would have to go back to the Quarter-Final with Chelsea for the last sell-out at Oakwell (but I may be wrong).
Looks great We should either do that or rebuild it. Not that there’s any money to do that, of course! But we can dreM
No. We might have sold all home tickets but that was with half the west closed and we aren’t allowed to sell out the away end these days. I think the home capacity is around 14000 these days and away around 4500 not likely to sell out this season unless Huddersfield manage it
Archey is quite shy so asked me to respond. Can you hoover and blow dry? If so, I think we might have our first online wedding.
One reason we have lower crowds is because we run out of decent seats to sell. No one wants to sit by themselves in the odd one seats, right in the far corners or pretty much anywhere in the west stand. If the West was replaced with something half decent it’d attract more people, with just the odd seats and corners being empty except for the biggest matches. People aren’t going to pay the same prices as the East to sit in the West. Either replace it with something people want to sit in, massively slash prices for that stand to tempt bargain hunters or accept that we will never sell have decent crowds whilst it exists.
I believe that as well. I reckon a new West Stand would bolster average attendances by at least £2k. Especially if matchday tickets were priced sensibly.
Agreed. And while I accept that there is a large cost associated with building a new stand ot has to be remembered that it WILL need replacing eventually. Didn't Steve Houghton say that it's got another 10 years at most left in it? So at some point the money will need to be spent. Plus it's well known that it actually costs significant money in maintenance and repairs each year just to keep open so the sooner it's replaced the quicker you can stop hemorrhaging money trying to keep something just for the sake of it. I also agree that it will significantly increase our matchday attendance as it will encourage more pay on the day fans along with also allowing us to fully maximise the stadium for big games. The away fans could be housed in one side of it with proper built in segregation which would allow us to charge them more than we are currently allowed to do and again increase revenue. The current stand has absolutely zero revenue generating facilities. A new one could have shops, offices, cafes etc in the back due to its roadside location. It could have hospitality in it. In short it could make money on top of ticket sales which the current one doesn't. By building one taller than the present stand and with the roof closer to the pitch like the east stand it would also help keep the sound inside the stadium and improve the atmosphere which in therapy could and should lead to more successful performances at home. And again altho it costs money to replace there are ways to finance it or at least partially finance it to help with that. And again I'll say it needs doing eventually anyway and the price of things isn't going down anytime soon.
Agreed, there’s so many possibilities with a new stand. New corporate spaces, state of the art facilities for fans, new club offices etc which I bet could use a refresh. It’d provide opportunities for more matchday revenue, it could help with the atmosphere and it would make the club look more impressive and serious. I saw the recent Overlap interview with Daniel Levy talking about the various features of their new stadium - it looks amazing. There’s even a brewery. I wouldn’t expect that much from us, but I’m imagining something that looks impressive. Imagine it’s the height of the Ponty, corporate boxes, tunnel and changing room reinstated. I’d love it if it was still a gable roof, but covering all of the seats. Maybe keep the Barnsley Football Club triangular shape, but without the comms gantry in front of it. Keep some old school character, but with great facilities. Similar capacity, actually useable.
If we're going to have limited capacity for the bigger games, then we should work on opening the other half of the West stand. This would firstly increase income, but would also show the demand for seats in that part of the ground is there, which would increase the argument for redeveloping the stand.
