new stadiums

[The Large One]

Personally, if we could have had a comprehensive slum clearance programme and everything, I would like to have had our stadium built at the level, and have the entire Hanover area as the Kop End.

 

[SeagullTim]

Nou Mestilla

Not bad,

 

[unnameable]

The Kassam Stadium is a three-sided wind tunnel.

 

[Robot Chicken]

But our stadium will "only" hold 22,500, which is tiny compared to the bigger stadia in the Premier League. What exactly is our ambition? After all our ground will only be double the size of Colchester's. We're not even filling in OUR corners either.

And I know we can expand if necessary...

 

[drew]

Trouble with the Goldstone, if you look at an aerial picture it never did look that great, despite some of the great games there, Ipswich in 76, Spurs in 78 and Liverpool in 84 stand out. As for modernizing it, I thought there were too many restrictive covenants in place which prevented building over 50 ft? My concern with Falmer is are there any contingencies in the design to allow for increasing capacity without knocking down one of the sides. 22500 will suit us for the time being but if we are successful and sneak into the premiership (one season should pay off the debt!) then we might need to look for larger capacity. Yes and before anyone jumps down my throat, at the moment this is dreamland but just look at Wigan and Reading.

 

[Conkers]

But our stadium will "only" hold 22,500, which is tiny compared to the bigger stadia in the Premier League. What exactly is our ambition? After all our ground will only be double the size of Colchester's. We're not even filling in OUR corners either.

And I know we can expand if necessary...

Madejski Stadium is only 24,000. You could argue they don't have much ambition only allowing for 24,000 but look where they are now.

 

[Simster]

Cuckoo Farm will be 10,000 capacity?! Talk about lack of ambition!

.

Is it though? How often would Colchester have got more than that in the past 2 years? Ipswich and Southend at home maybe?

Nothing is more soul destroying than playing in a cavernous new stadium with a few thou rattling around inside.

I guess if it's an identikit lego ground, they'd probably expand to 15,000 when they had a bit more money to do so, but surely a 10k ground is better than the 5,500 shed they play in now.

 

[Scotty Mac]

I am sure that if you asked the majority of our fans where they enjoyed going as a fan it would be to places like Ashton Gate, Loftus Road and Griffin Park, rather than some of the soul-less new stadia where the atmosphere is as plastic as the fork you eat your meat pie with.

spot on - my two favourite all seater grounds were highbury and hillsbrough

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Madejski Stadium is only 24,000. You could argue they don't have much ambition only allowing for 24,000 but look where they are now.

and they are expanding it to 40,000.

 

[Djmiles]

and they are expanding it to 40,000.

True, but they have managed to survive on 24k the last 2 seasons, which proves that clubs like Brighton could have a good shot at playing in the Premiership even with a relatively small ground.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Good comments

 

[Barrel of Fun]

They also have Guinness Premiership Rugby there which generates cash for them. Falmer is clearly the wrong site for it.

 

[Djmiles]

Baghdad!

 

[Djmiles]

Can I be the first to say....WOW! - Indianapolis

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Little harsh on Colchester I think.

Yes, it does give the impression that the design was chosen by sticking a pin randomly into the Ikea Footbol Staadium Katalog

"I'll have the Plopp please, and I'd like it with blue seats, and white trim"

"Certainly, sir, are you sure I can't persuade you to upgrade to the Krapp for only £2 million extra? It has filled-in corners and a Swedish minimalist-style grey corrugated steel surround on which we can customise the trim in a colour of your choice. Blends in seamlessly with the surrounding industrial estate, and very popular at Southampton and Middlesbrough, amongst others"

Col U have had crowds of between 3,000 - 5,000 for years, and there's no reason to suppose that's suddenly going to rocket. Even if their gates went up to 8,000 as a result of the stadium, it still wouldn't justify a bigger place to my mind. They're simply living to their means: besides, who wants to be stuck in a stadium holding 26,000 when only 2,500 people are paying to come in every week, like poor old Darlington? It would be like a graveyard.

No doubt COlchester can expand if the need arises but for now it makes financial sense to have it the size it is.

 

[Yoda]

Anyone else not think that Le Harve's looks similar to Falmer?

 

[Mr Blobby]

Season tickets for new applicants come in almost £600 for Colchester.

Mmmm I cant see the crowds being high for many matches!

Its £26 for adults in all stands on match days, season tickets are £508 until 1.6.08 for current season ticket holders, £553 for new comers. After 1.6.08 up to £598!

I guess they have to pay for the stadium and Dean hammond somehow! No idea why anyone would buy a full price season ticket as no cheaper then 23x£26, unless you get free cup tickets. Hardly an attractive offer!!

 

[Uncle Buck]

The Lazio one is a beauty and if you're a bit of an anorak about these things like me, has an end which is exactly like their old prewar ground which stood where Italy now play rugby now and features in the Bicycle Thieves. *stadiumgeek*

Are Lazio moving out of the ground they share with Roma?

 

[Gully]

The Kassam Stadium is a three-sided wind tunnel.

You are right about that, I went there last season, the ground was about a third full with a crowd of just less than 5k...I reckon that it could hold about 25k if you filled in the corners and built a fourth stand...the thing that struck me was how far from the pitch the stands were, it really is a big ground.

I feel sorry for Queens Park who play in front of a couple of hundred fans...at Hampden Park...that must be the sparsest regular crowd in World football.

 

[drew]

Aren't Colchester taking a big gamble at Cuckoo farm in that once they've built it someother club may move in and force them out!!!