Tony Bloom - Fans' Forum

[Notters]

Not really sure you guys understood what he actualy said.

Of course the Amex is expandable, it just requires structure change. All this talk of delicately balanced roofs does my head in, throw enough money at it and it's possible This will probably be many tens of millions for fitting in another 10k seats which would take years and years to pay for themselves, by which time we may have been relegated and not even have demand for them. This is not something TB has any plans for, even long-term, unless we massively exceed expectations. Then there's the small matter of planning permission.

Is it possible? Of course it is. Are we going to do it in the next 20 years? Most probably not, unless we start pushing for a CL place like our friends up the road are doing.

How many millions have you got? The roof is held up by the arches and the arches are held up by the roof. It would need a complete rebuild, whether it does your head in or not.

I guarantee you, that if we get promoted to the Premier League and stay there, after two seasons, we won't have sell outs every single match.

It would not be that difficult to expand, because the top half of the north stand is currently a wall/offices and has nothing to do with the roof. These could be relocated elsewhere with the stand going back twice as far. I do not believe this would cost tens of millions.

Yes, it would be impossible to significantly expand the east and west because of the reasons you cite.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

I didn't get the same 'certainly given impression' when I watched the video of the forum.

Maybe it was edited out ? Or perhaps I understood a different emphasis.

No. Don't think it was edited out. He simply said that overseas investors were a fact of modern football.

He gave no impression, however, of any change to his stated aim of retaining ownership for the long run. (And we are all dead in the long run.)

 

[Sussex Nomad]

I have it on good authority that the Wardy's love the bit 1:01 in.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

At what time is the kids question?

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[SIMMO SAYS]

At what time is the kids question?

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Now

 

[Machiavelli]

I didn't get the same 'certainly given impression' when I watched the video of the forum.

Maybe it was edited out ? Or perhaps I understood a different emphasis.

I was there, and I didn't get that impression either, quite the opposite.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

No. Don't think it was edited out. He simply said that overseas investors were a fact of modern football.

He gave no impression, however, of any change to his stated aim of retaining ownership for the long run. (And we are all dead in the long run.)

I was there, and I didn't get that impression either, quite the opposite.

Agreed

The only thing you COULD suggest was at the end of his answers about naming stands at the Amex, he said "Future owners might have other ideas".

 

[Easy 10]

It would not be that difficult to expand, because the top half of the north stand is currently a wall/offices and has nothing to do with the roof. These could be relocated elsewhere with the stand going back twice as far. I do not believe this would cost tens of millions.

Not sure I get you. Are you talking about adding another tier on top of the existing one, or just expanding the single tier back further ? (thus wiping out the police box and the TV studio). Either way, I think its a complete non-starter. There just isn't the room to build more seats and a concourse behind them to serve it. The slant doesn't help either!

 

[Lush]

He was asked specifically about a striker. His response that our strikers were performing well, and scoring. His words indicated that that might be an area that would be addressed in January. His body language and tone suggested much, much more than that.

Have you ever played poker against Mr Bloom? You should give it a try.

 

[El Presidente]

[The slant doesn't help either!

Racist

 

[theboybilly]

We'll just play our Champions League matches at Wembley. :

Stuff that, too far. How about the San Selhurst complete with new cladding?

 

[warmleyseagull]

I didn't get the same 'certainly given impression' when I watched the video of the forum.

Maybe it was edited out ? Or perhaps I understood a different emphasis.

My interpretation sitting 3 feet from him. He is a business person as well as a fan.

 

[The Maharajah of Sydney]

Agreed

The only thing you COULD suggest was at the end of his answers about naming stands at the Amex, he said "Future owners might have other ideas".

And then followed what for me was the best comment of the afternoon, " how about we name the toilets after crap BHA players, we could start with Kemy Agustien "

 

[Albion my Albion]

And then followed what for me was the best comment of the afternoon, " how about we name the toilets after crap BHA players, we could start with Kemy Agustien "

Of course the first named loo would be for the Palarse coach driver. Also there would never be any loo paper.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Not sure I get you. Are you talking about adding another tier on top of the existing one, or just expanding the single tier back further ? (thus wiping out the police box and the TV studio). Either way, I think its a complete non-starter. There just isn't the room to build more seats and a concourse behind them to serve it. The slant doesn't help either!

I was talking to a Buckingham group engineer when the stadium was being built, he seemed to think that expansion to 30k was easy (as we know). But the east could have another tier added by removing the arch and replacing it with one bigger than the West and have a middle tier that goes almost all the way around and having a 3rd tier on the east. Taking the stadium up to 38k. Yes major structural work, but nothing that is too difficult. The bigger you go, the more expensive, but all stadiums are built so that expansion is fairly straightforward. Planning and regulations is another thing but it can be done.

 

[Easy 10]

I was talking to a Buckingham group engineer when the stadium was being built, he seemed to think that expansion to 30k was easy (as we know). But the east could have another tier added by removing the arch and replacing it with one bigger than the West and have a middle tier that goes almost all the way around and having a 3rd tier on the east. Taking the stadium up to 38k. Yes major structural work, but nothing that is too difficult. The bigger you go, the more expensive, but all stadiums are built so that expansion is fairly straightforward. Planning and regulations is another thing but it can be done.

Those arches are embedded deep underground in concrete thrust blocks. They are connected by a ring of steel that goes all the way round the entire stadium - the weight of the arches holds the roof up as they "lean back" against each other, counterbalancing the weight by pulling the roof up into place and holding it there.

So removing the arch, any part of it, would involve excavating under the stadium to get back down to the thrust blocks, and then taking down the roofs in their entirety along with the arches - effectively you're starting again from scratch. Neeeever gonna happen.

 

[Easy 10]

Racist

Well it was that or SLOPE

#clarkson

 

[Dirk Lehmann's Python]

I can't believe how lacking in awareness some people are. I appreciate the guy must have felt strongly about his programme collection but to think it appropriate to ask the CHAIRMAN, one who has pumped millions of pounds into an organisation with over 30000 customers needs to take into account, about the spine binding on his £3.50 magaizne is just incredible. As if Bloom knows or cares about that.

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[El Presidente]

An extra 3,000 seats in the North, assuming all are sold, and generate £25 per match, (both of which are generous assumption). would bring in additional income of £1.5 million a season. To put that into context, the team that finishes 17th in the Premier League, and so avoids relegation, earns £103 million.

The cost of extending the North would be in the region of £20 million, and there would be disruption for those that already occupy the North. In addition there would be issues in terms of safety certification.

It's not going to happen for structural, logistical and financial reasons, so people should stop talking nonsense.

Also remember that if the club is promoted, there will be empty seats for matches against the likes of Swansea, Boro, Burnley, Stoke, West Brom, Hull, Sunderland, even though these are probably the matches that we would most need to win.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I can't believe how lacking in awareness some people are. I appreciate the guy must have felt strongly about his programme collection but to think it appropriate to ask the CHAIRMAN, one who has pumped millions of pounds into an organisation with over 30000 customers needs to take into account, about the spine binding on his £3.50 magaizne is just incredible. As if Bloom knows or cares about that.

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Quite agree.

I did though, give Bloom yet another opportunity to demonstrate what a TOP bloke he is - giving a loyal if slightly needy / misguided Albion FAN his time, and continuing to be polite and charming, rather than just rolling his eyes and moving on to the next question!