The Future Without Aston Vale

[CotswoldRed]

I'm in favour of the new ground and am still quite positive about it been given the green light.

If, however, it doesn't happen what do people think will be the future for the club over the coming years? I'd like to think that SL will continue with the job, but I fear he might consider that he will have done all he can to take the club forward.

With restricted turnover and inevitable(?) cutbacks to the playing budget I wonder where SL will get the day-to-day drive to take the club onwards and upwards. Ever since he became chairman the club has progressed and the new stadium fits nicely into his plans for BCFC becoming a rising force in English football, especially with a bit of luck along the way.

SL has been picking up the shortfall in recent times, but of course with his love of the club he's happy to do this whilst there is the promise of bigger and better things.

If the next 10 years without a new ground suggests consolidation as a good Championship side within a "small ground" framework, do people feel SL will still want to be here? He is an astute businessman after all and he can be a fan without owning the club.

Has SL even hinted at his position should permission not happen?

Please no posts saying I'm being negative. I'm simply interested in knowing what the future holds based on both possible outcomes.

[madmax]

I don't think SL will leave but on a budget tart up Ashton Gate. He will redevelop the EE and maybe the Williams and install Corporate boxes but capacity will be around 26k-28k thats it. It's probably the bear minimum to host Prem games and survive.

If Ashton Vale doesn't go ahead I think we will never get a new stadium in Bristol, ever!

MM

[EASTEND WURZEL]

I don't think SL will leave but on a budget tart up Ashton Gate. He will redevelop the EE and maybe the Williams and install Corporate boxes but capacity will be around 26k-28k thats it. It's probably the bear minimum to host Prem games and survive.

If Ashton Vale doesn't go ahead I think we will never get a new stadium in Bristol, ever!

MM

I concur

[milo1111]

im pretty sure ashton vale will get approved, eventually, but the tescos im not so sure about. problem will be whether SL is true to his word or whether he is bluffing when he says no tescos no new stadium. interesting times ahead.

[Geoff65]

Just bare in mind that Vale was one of three Bristol County Council's short listed sites for a stadium, the other two have no chance of being developed for a stadium - in my mind it is inconceivable that Ashton Vale wont be granted planning permission.

If you're worried about the financing then I am not too concerned if Tesco doesnt get the nod first time around, all it will take is to look at the detailed reasons for the Council to refuse and then let loose the Tesco legal team who will shred the arguments to pieces, failing that I'm sure SL would be able to find an additional £15m from somewhere.

Despite all the press and protests, there is more than enough in the application and the independent report to approve the Tesco application.

Any way why speculate? 2 weeks time the decisions will be known.

[Red Ferret]

2 weeks time the decisions will be known.

ooooooh

exciting

[CotswoldRed]

ooooooh

exciting

It is a bit. I'll have a few beers at the ready to celebrate if all goes well.

[citynut54]

I don't think SL will leave but on a budget tart up Ashton Gate. He will redevelop the EE and maybe the Williams and install Corporate boxes but capacity will be around 26k-28k thats it. It's probably the bear minimum to host Prem games and survive.

If Ashton Vale doesn't go ahead I think we will never get a new stadium in Bristol, ever!

MM

I believe that if Ashton Vale doesn't go ahead (although i think it will) then something has to be done with the EE as it won't get another safety certificate as it is. I remember this coming up in one of SL's Q&A sessions a while back, and also that planning permission is in place to do this and the Williams.

[Bris Red]

I don't think SL will leave but on a budget tart up Ashton Gate. He will redevelop the EE and maybe the Williams and install Corporate boxes but capacity will be around 26k-28k thats it. It's probably the bear minimum to host Prem games and survive.

If Ashton Vale doesn't go ahead I think we will never get a new stadium in Bristol, ever!

MM

In all honesty i would and always have been more in favour of that, i dont give a shit about the WC to be perfectly honest. There is a very good chance that England wont get it anyway, and in all fairness it will be a few games that will be forgotten about.

A redeveloped AG to say 26/27/28 k would be ideal. A stadium that would not lose its character but would still have all the crap you need to make money from the coporate side.

I will support the new stadium if it does happen of course, but if it dosnt i would be more than happy with a redevloped AG.

[CotswoldRed]

... something has to be done with the EE as it won't get another safety certificate as it is.

Hasn't life changed. I must confess I feel no less safe in the EE than I ever have. The only thing that threatens my health and safety is the quality of the hot dogs and I don't think the safety certificate covers that

[beaverface]

In all honesty i would and always have been more in favour of that, i dont give a shit about the WC to be perfectly honest. There is a very good chance that England wont get it anyway, and in all fairness it will be a few games that will be forgotten about.

A redeveloped AG to say 26/27/28 k would be ideal. A stadium that would not lose its character but would still have all the crap you need to make money from the coporate side.

I will support the new stadium if it does happen of course, but if it dosnt i would be more than happy with a redevloped AG.

The new stadium isn't about the World Cup, the World Cup is meant to be the cherry on the top!

The new stadium is about City progressing off the field and a redeveloped AG will fall way short of what a new stadium can provide.

[Hanhamreds]

[Guest]

The new stadium isn't about the World Cup, the World Cup is meant to be the cherry on the top!

The new stadium is about City progressing off the field and a redeveloped AG will fall way short of what a new stadium can provide.

What exactly can the new stadium provide?

Will it stop us being relegated or get us promotted? will it give us an extra 10,000 city fans every game? it could however give the club an extra 50million of debt even with Tescos cash.

The potential is there for any scenario good or not so good.

Many fans/players/chairmen have left their mark at AG, Dolman Stand; Atyeo Stand; Wedlock Stand; Williams stand; all our memories of past battles/games gone by, are it seems are to be left in the past in the name of progress;

News Flash; it aint always greener on the otherside of the fence;

Our home will always be for me Ashton Gate whatever happens over the next weeks/months

[Nogbad the Bad]

[Will Rollason]

If Fulham can manage to maintain Premier League football with a capacity of 26,600 there's no reason why we couldn't do similar in a partly redeveloped Ashton Gate, especially when such a large percentage of PL revenue is not attendance related.

How do they do it though? Is it all down to Al fyad ( spl) ?

[Nibor]

How do they do it though? Is it all down to Al fyad ( spl) ?

They bought their way into the Prem with Al-Fayed's money when it was pretty cheap to do so and now live on the TV money and by being very astute in their decision making.

One slip and they will plummet and find it very hard to recover.

These days you need an awful lot more money to buy your way back up.

[Nogbad the Bad]

They bought their way into the Prem with Al-Fayed's money when it was pretty cheap to do so and now live on the TV money and by being very astute in their decision making.

One slip and they will plummet and find it very hard to recover.

You can say that about almost anyone who gets relegated though and certainly some 'bigger' clubs than Fulham.

My point was is it possible to survive happily in the PL with an old fashoined ground and a capacity of only 26,600. The TV money means capacity is now of secondary importance.

You need to live within your means, but it can be done, especially if you choose the right manager and don't panic at the first sign of trouble.

I've got to admit Roy Hodgson has surprised me and I don't see Fulham being relegated while he's in charge.

[Nibor]

You can say that about almost anyone who gets relegated though and certainly some 'bigger' clubs than Fulham.

My point was is it possible to survive happily in the PL with an old fashoined ground and a capacity of only 26,600. The TV money means capacity is now of secondary importance.

You need to live within your means, but it can be done, especially if you choose the right manager and don't panic at the first sign of trouble.

I've got to admit Roy Hodgson has surprised me and I don't see Fulham being relegated while he's in charge.

It can be done but the clubs that do it are rarer than hen's teeth, nothing I said about Fulham was untrue and they do not have the support, facilities or infrastructure to make it back into the Prem if they dropped out without massive bank rolling.

I know you don't want a new stadium but arguing against it on the grounds that we don't need one or it won't benefit the club is farcical really.

The facilities a new stadium can offer are a massive advantage to a club whether in the Prem or at this level, and I'm not talking about capacity I'm talking about the extra off the field revenue they produce.

It's nostalgia and emotion, not reason, that makes people want to stay. That's fine but don't dress it up like it's a sensible choice.

It would be far, far riskier to try re-developing Ashton Gate.

[grifty]

I will support the new stadium if it does happen of course, but if it dosnt i would be more than happy with a redevloped AG.

i think that is the majority of City fans right there!

Obviously, we'd all love us to be in a brand new spanking stadium, but deep down a mad ashton gate is what we all want

[Guest]

It can be done but the clubs that do it are rarer than hen's teeth, nothing I said about Fulham was untrue and they do not have the support, facilities or infrastructure to make it back into the Prem if they dropped out without massive bank rolling.

I know you don't want a new stadium but arguing against it on the grounds that we don't need one or it won't benefit the club is farcical really.

The facilities a new stadium can offer are a massive advantage to a club whether in the Prem or at this level, and I'm not talking about capacity I'm talking about the extra off the field revenue they produce.

It's nostalgia and emotion, not reason, that makes people want to stay. That's fine but don't dress it up like it's a sensible choice.

It would be far, far riskier to try re-developing Ashton Gate.

That to is farcical really in some fans eyes; there is no proof that it will benifit the club in the long or short term; in some new stadiums it has had the opposite effect Southampton.Coventry.

This stadium will not be free, debts on it will have to be repaid and no doubt costs of everything in it will rise. Your belief that this somehow magic cash machine of a stadium will only produce more cash for us is not shared by me.

We are going to have to agree to disagree on this, time will tell.

[Guest]

[Barrs Court Red]

Brilliant, Glos Boy accusing someone else of being a doom merchant.

[Hanhamreds]

[Nibor]

That to is farcical really in some fans eyes; there is no proof that it will benifit the club in the long or short term; in some new stadiums it has had the opposite effect Southampton.Coventry.

This stadium will not be free, debts on it will have to be repaid and no doubt costs of everything in it will rise. Your belief that this somehow magic cash machine of a stadium will only produce more cash for us is not shared by me.

We are going to have to agree to disagree on this, time will tell.

As I've told you before the problems at Southampton and Coventry are nothing to do with their stadiums.

Southampton's stadium paid for itself in a few years and Coventry never owned theirs.

I am not saying a new stadium WILL make us better on the field, I am saying two simple things.

A new stadium WILL generate far more money for the club. Clubs with more resources tend to find it easier to get to the Prem and to establish themselves once there.

[CotswoldRed]

[Hanhamreds]

[CotswoldRed]

[SimplyRed]

I think the requirement for a new stadium stems from the fact that it will be an attraction for other events, not just football, or the World Cup for that matter.

The point is for the stadium to be used more often that one a week for football (and not at all in the summer).

The attempts for the summer concerts at the Gate in recent years are testament to that.

The stadium needs to finance itself by selling its facilities in the open market.

One of the most inovative uses I've ever seen is the 'hotel' at West Ham's Stadium. On non-match days, they convert the executive boxes into bedrooms and rent them out as a hotel rooms.

I've stayed there and it is a fabulous experience. As far as I can tell, the beds 'fold up' into the walls to provide the space for the guests when used on matchdays, and each 'room' has a full picture 'window' with patio door, overlooking the pitch with the seats and balcony outside. As a hotel guest, the patio door is kept locked.

All in all, a great idea and it's things like this that need to be devised in a new stadium to extract all possible revenue from it.

[Hanhamreds]

I think the requirement for a new stadium stems from the fact that it will be an attraction for other events, not just football, or the World Cup for that matter.

The point is for the stadium to be used more often that one a week for football (and not at all in the summer).

The attempts for the summer concerts at the Gate in recent years are testament to that.

The stadium needs to finance itself by selling its facilities in the open market.

One of the most inovative uses I've ever seen is the 'hotel' at West Ham's Stadium. On non-match days, they convert the executive boxes into bedrooms and rent them out as a hotel rooms.

I've stayed there and it is a fabulous experience. As far as I can tell, the beds 'fold up' into the walls to provide the space for the guests when used on matchdays, and each 'room' has a full picture 'window' with patio door, overlooking the pitch with the seats and balcony outside. As a hotel guest, the patio door is kept locked.

All in all, a great idea and it's things like this that need to be devised in a new stadium to extract all possible revenue from it.

Bolton have a similar thing http://www.devere.co.uk/our-locations/whites.html

[Ian M]

What exactly can the new stadium provide?

Will it stop us being relegated or get us promotted? will it give us an extra 10,000 city fans every game? it could however give the club an extra 50million of debt even with Tescos cash.

The potential is there for any scenario good or not so good.

Many fans/players/chairmen have left their mark at AG, Dolman Stand; Atyeo Stand; Wedlock Stand; Williams stand; all our memories of past battles/games gone by, are it seems are to be left in the past in the name of progress;

News Flash; it aint always greener on the otherside of the fence;

Our home will always be for me Ashton Gate whatever happens over the next weeks/months

Not St John's Lane then?

That to is farcical really in some fans eyes; there is no proof that it will benifit the club in the long or short term; in some new stadiums it has had the opposite effect Southampton.Coventry.

This stadium will not be free, debts on it will have to be repaid and no doubt costs of everything in it will rise. Your belief that this somehow magic cash machine of a stadium will only produce more cash for us is not shared by me.

We are going to have to agree to disagree on this, time will tell.

Southampton did not take enough advantage of the footprint available to them in providing non-matchday facilities and even now they appear to be approaching the whole Conference Hosting side of the business with a slipshod attitude (see the official website for Events at St Marys..... under construction! - how long has the stadium been there and they still don't have an on-line brochure outlining exactly what facilities they can offer).

Coventry don't own their stadium so the non-matchday revenue generated by the Arena goes to someone else...

The new stadium won't guarantee promotion, neither will it guarantee we stay up - two arguments no-one appears to be making but you seem darn committed to prove incorrect - what it will do is provide us with revenue on around 300-350 days a year as opposed to the traditional 23-30 days a year.

It is then up to the accountants to maximise that revenue, & the manager to use the extra money he is given better than the other 19/23 managers in his division.