a serious question ref what if Bloom had not had the money for the ground

[Fef]

I'd add Martin Perry to that list as well. Worked tirelessly on the project from the minute he came in and never gave up even after some of the setbacks.

Is the correct answer.

Yup, I must apologise again. Martin Perry must go on the list of canoe-paddlers, and I also believe that Derek Chapman has had a seat in there too.

 

[Cheshire]

Wasnt it to be built and open in stages over a few years, with the West Stand being the first stand originally?

The first released plans was for the ground to be built in four stages. Stage 1 - West stand similar in design to the one we have now of 10,718 and a temporary East Stand of 3,600. Stage 2 - permanent East Stand of 6,888. Stage 3 - North Stand of 2,384 and stage 4 - South Stand of 2,384. The first stage would have cost £29 million; rising to a total of £41 million on completion. Once stage one was open - the rest of the other three stages would each take anything between 12 - 18 months to complete a time scale of around 4 seasons before the ground had 4 complete sides.

Even this plan had it not been for Bloom would most probably not of started or been left unfinished due to finances had it started. Can you imaging the ground now with just the West Stand and a temporary East Stand - but would it have been better than Withdean? Also no plan for a quick infill to make capacity up to 30.000 in preparation for Premier league football!

 

[Questions]

When the original quotes of 56 million were being bandied about under Knight chairmanship I thought it was unlikely to happen and that was before the banks went loopy. Then when it went to 90 million it was all over. Cue Tony Bloom who was NOT plan B during those years and only came to the fore when Dick Knights plan was totally scuppered.
Whether Bloom even knew himself that he would come forward if Knights plan failed is debatable. How mush dosh did he have all those years ago. Nobody knows that.
Without Bloom we would have been at Withdean for forever more, that I do know.