It's not a particularly large project, I smell lack of oversight and mismanagement.
Main Stand redevelopment thread
- Topic starter Penge Eagle
- Start date
not really that side hasn't had ground broken in years also change of plans , we are not building on a clear area were you have the complete stadium to build , plus we kicked Bovis due to not sure , but you get new firm in
TheBigToePunt
Member
- Country
England
I appreciate a certain amount of frustration over the speed of progress. The press releases promote the new stand in a way which suggests it is part of the club's immediate plans, and the club does little to suggest otherwise when it talks about it. In that context, it's quite a time delay between the initial planning permission in 2018 and today.
That said, whilst other projects appear to have happened quicker, not all do. Fulham are just putting the finishing touches on their new main stand having got planning permission for it in 2012. They didn't start work until summer of 2019. For three whole seasons their capacity was temporarily reduced to 19,000. Even the small lower tier wasn't opened until 2022–23.
We, on the other hand, are trying to build the new stand around the old one so that nobody loses their seat in the process. We are also hoping to finish it fairly quickly after starting proper. These things are not nothing. Few other clubs have achieved them.
In terms of wider context we've had covid, ridiculous price increases, and have built a top class academy since the planning permission, and that's without all the complications with the wooderson close houses and the usual planning obligations.
More importantly than any of this, we are like any club our size engaging in this type of project: It only makes sense if we will be in the premier league, but we are never guaranteed to stay up. We have to take the plunge on a project that will take years and years to pay for itself whilst knowing that the income to do so may realistically cease at any given point. The overall viability is crucial, and potentially ruinous at worst for clubs like us. It's very different for Liverpool, for instance. I do wonder if the increased value of the playing squad in recent years is relevant. It must help Parish sleep easier at night as far as the new stand finances are concerned. Better than he would have slept a few years ago.
Finally, I don't accept that the club are out of order for not keeping us posted in detail. All these things may be commercially sensitive. If Parish is guilty of talking it up a bit then perhaps that's just him trying to retain interest in the project and the club. I'd rather he risked slightly misleading us than risked underselling the club, if that helps him deliver.
That said, whilst other projects appear to have happened quicker, not all do. Fulham are just putting the finishing touches on their new main stand having got planning permission for it in 2012. They didn't start work until summer of 2019. For three whole seasons their capacity was temporarily reduced to 19,000. Even the small lower tier wasn't opened until 2022–23.
We, on the other hand, are trying to build the new stand around the old one so that nobody loses their seat in the process. We are also hoping to finish it fairly quickly after starting proper. These things are not nothing. Few other clubs have achieved them.
In terms of wider context we've had covid, ridiculous price increases, and have built a top class academy since the planning permission, and that's without all the complications with the wooderson close houses and the usual planning obligations.
More importantly than any of this, we are like any club our size engaging in this type of project: It only makes sense if we will be in the premier league, but we are never guaranteed to stay up. We have to take the plunge on a project that will take years and years to pay for itself whilst knowing that the income to do so may realistically cease at any given point. The overall viability is crucial, and potentially ruinous at worst for clubs like us. It's very different for Liverpool, for instance. I do wonder if the increased value of the playing squad in recent years is relevant. It must help Parish sleep easier at night as far as the new stand finances are concerned. Better than he would have slept a few years ago.
Finally, I don't accept that the club are out of order for not keeping us posted in detail. All these things may be commercially sensitive. If Parish is guilty of talking it up a bit then perhaps that's just him trying to retain interest in the project and the club. I'd rather he risked slightly misleading us than risked underselling the club, if that helps him deliver.
Last edited:
Hrolf The Ganger
Member
- Location
- a sofa somewhere in Kent.
- Country
-
England
The war ended for them after a few days. All they have is big words and the Straits of Hormuz. Once that is sorted they will be at the mercy of Israel and anyone else they have pissed off.
Back to the Main Stand. It's happening. Just chill.