Fastest Builders In The West...

[Guest North Street]

That was the mock up of the new "East End".

I know mate.

If it was blue it would be Prenton Park add some yellow Vicarage road.

Seven or eight milllion for that. No nods to our history or anything that screams "WE ARE BRISTOL CITY", no love in it.

[Claverham_Red]

I've been reading this particular topic a lot today, and some people are getting way too ahead of themselves completely!

The East End's capacity at the moment, according to the official website, stands at 5,500. The amount of restricted views in there must be so high, and difficult for the club to sell. The new stand will mean City have 5,300 clear, unrestricted views to sell - all at a good price. Not forgetting the new facilities the fans will get, as well as the advanced marketing opportunities the club will have on offer to businesses throughout the week.

A football club is a business, and to make any sizeable profit, the club need to maximise their non-match day activities - the new stand will do this exactly for us.

Only when we have fully established ourselves in the Championship, say 4-6 years, and attendances are up there in the 20,000 region week in week out, can the club even consider to redevelop the Williams Stand.

Please, guys, one step at a time!

[BB.]

I know mate.

If it was blue it would be Prenton Park add some yellow Vicarage road.

Seven or eight milllion for that. No nods to our history or anything that screams "WE ARE BRISTOL CITY", no love in it.

Ah, I see... I did wander if that's what you ment, but thought I'd clear it up anyway.

If I had my way, I think I'd have terracing as the lower tier, boxes along the middle, seating in upper tier and boxes along the top, then everyone would be happy and the club would make a mint.

[Boltsy]

Building bigger stadiums leads to bigger crowds, irrespective of how the team is doing. Look at Derby, Southampton, Leicester. They all built bigger stadiums and their crowds increased despite doing no better (Derby) or worse (Southampton and Leicester).

It seems pointless replacing one stand with another of the same capacity. Why not wait until its viable and necessary to build one of significantly increased ccapacity.

For god sakes listen,

the view and the seats and everything else is much to be desired in the East End. its not all about capacity.

It will be great for this club to have this stand.

see sense man!

[old_man_terry]

as the website said "the stand will be as big as planning permission allows"

what they are saying basically saying is we can't actually build any bigger than what we have permission for? so are building a big a stand as they can , although the orginal idea was for a 2 tier stand, I'd imagine the it would no doubt seriously impact on the houses behind, not just in height but in depth and it is quite possible that when they tried this a few years ago, that the reason it was down-sized was because of lack of planning permission

Yes we have a stand at the moment of 5500, but when was the last time it was allowed to have 5500 fans for a football match? it doesn't for safety reasons and is basically a 3500 stand!!!

this new stand will be 2000 seats bigger!!! and will have the benefit of Coporate and conferencing facilites, all of which will bring in more money for the club.

Personally I think todays annoucement is something to celebrate, not another thing for the usual number to bemoan

[old_man_terry]

this backs me up in that it already has 5,500 seats

http://www.bcfc.co.uk/page/Stadium/0,,10327,00.html

Yes, but how many of those can you actually see the pitch from???

and HOW MANY seats can be actually used on match days............3500.......meaning 2000 empty seats each week for safety reason......WE NEED THIS NEED STAND! and it has been a long time coming!

AND I WILL BE DELIGHTED WHEN IT IS DONE

[Guest North Street]

Please, guys, one step at a time!

First step would have been consultation with those already going.

I am not ignoring the rest of your post but the concerns being voiced are the same as a year ago.

[old_man_terry]

I've been reading this particular topic a lot today, and some people are getting way too ahead of themselves completely!

The East End's capacity at the moment, according to the official website, stands at 5,500. The amount of restricted views in there must be so high, and difficult for the club to sell. The new stand will mean City have 5,300 clear, unrestricted views to sell - all at a good price. Not forgetting the new facilities the fans will get, as well as the advanced marketing opportunities the club will have on offer to businesses throughout the week.

A football club is a business, and to make any sizeable profit, the club need to maximise their non-match day activities - the new stand will do this exactly for us.

Only when we have fully established ourselves in the Championship, say 4-6 years, and attendances are up there in the 20,000 region week in week out, can the club even consider to redevelop the Williams Stand.

Please, guys, one step at a time!

spot on sir!!!! WELL SAID!!!!

we've just got to the championship, once we have settled there for a couple of season I'd be suprised if the attendances are much bigger than what they are now, but hey.......lets go crazy and build a 40k seater ground!!!

[old_man_terry]

Apparently thats not a valid point on account of the conferencing facilities.

Just accept what is happening. Don't question and be grateful.

what is a valid point is that fact that this NEW stand will actually have 2k seats that people can actually sit in during games,

[Guest North Street]

For god sakes listen,

the view and the seats and everything else is much to be desired in the East End. its not all about capacity.

It will be great for this club to have this stand.

see sense man!

What is in this stand?

How do you know the design is desired?

Where most of all is the consultation with supporters or have the club decided to use a company like Bastion again?

[old_man_terry]

Do you mean in the same way that during 6 years of Steve's financial directorship and chairmanship the club lost the £10m of net assets that had assiduously been built up over the previous 15 years?

Hope its not the same calculator.

wait a min.........a football club, that doesn't make a profit? and actually makes heavy losses each and every season???

WHATEVER NEXT?

perhaps we should employ a couple of jap's and do an annual tour of asia?

but hey......let's just constantly hammer Lansdown who is doing his best in what is an ever losing business, he's done as good a job as anyone in the last 15-20 years and lets be honest, none of them have done ANYTHING of note,

without wanting to be rude, your feelings about Steve Lansdown and his dealings are well documented and are compable to Ashtonyate and the academy, so personally I'm taking your views with a pinch of salt and with a hint of a personal grudge in everything he does.

[Bristol Boy]

wait a minuit doesnt the east end already have 5,500 seats in it so why the **** would you replace it with a 5,300 stand.

Read the entire thread and, as a bit of info, since Blcok A was lost the EE Capacity without segregation is about 4,950.

[Boltsy]

What is in this stand?

How do you know the design is desired?

Where most of all is the consultation with supporters or have the club decided to use a company like Bastion again?

I could hazard a guess that it wont have pillars, it wont have a low roof as its higher than the Dolman and it can only be an improvement. Thats my point. I trust the club to make the right decisions. Unlike yourself

[Bristol Boy]

For god sakes listen,

the view and the seats and everything else is much to be desired in the East End. its not all about capacity.

It will be great for this club to have this stand.

see sense man!

Lovely to have it instead of the old EE, I'll agree........as soon as I know that the £8m Cost Plus Interest will be covered because the differential in sellable seats-1,500 at say £20 each-VAT, won't pay for that and the last time it was cancelled, the reasons were 100% financial.

Leeds had experts in charge who weren't questioned and that's all the happening here.Nick J and others, myself included are asking questions.

I'm sure SL/CS will be delighted to outline their plans & backing IF it goes ahead.

[harrisonBCFC]

no one gets what I'm trying to say do they.

right here you go then you have a 5,500 seater stand true.

we are going to spend mony to nock this down to add how many seats ..........-200

obviously a lot of them have bad views but what a waste of time and money.

now when you build this stand with your fancy boxes in it ,who is going to sit in the williams premier seating and the old exective boxes.we don't have enough rich people basicly.

bad idea.

build a 8,000 one with boxes in and take out the premier seating.

waste of time and money.

anyway spose if we have mony to waste.

it will look good although normal.

[Bristol Boy]

wait a min.........a football club, that doesn't make a profit? and actually makes heavy losses each and every season???

WHATEVER NEXT?

perhaps we should employ a couple of jap's and do an annual tour of asia?

Or perhaps we should employ the people who did it for Middlesborough, Bolton, PNE, Burnely,Colchester, Reading, Charlton.............

but hey......let's just constantly hammer Lansdown who is doing his best in what is an ever losing business, he's done as good a job as anyone in the last 15-20 years and lets be honest, none of them have done ANYTHING of note,

There is no doubt that he has a thankless task but Nick J's view that fans should question and not blindly accept is one I hold with.

without wanting to be rude, your feelings about Steve Lansdown and his dealings are well documented and are compable to Ashtonyate and the academy, so personally I'm taking your views with a pinch of salt and with a hint of a personal grudge in everything he does.

I've no axe to grind and, whilst pleased with ground improvements, I'd still like to see what's actually going to be built and how it's funded before I start turning cartwheels.

[Bristol Boy]

wait a minuit doesnt the east end already have 5,500 seats in it so why the **** would you replace it with a 5,300 stand.

The EE's Capacity since A Block closed is 4,975, Unsegregated.

That includes what's lost if the club sells seats on an unreserved basis as it has to reduce capacity by 5%.

That suggests to me that the club will sell 1,000 EE Tkts-Allow a 500 Seat Gap and give away fans the opportunity of appx 3,000 Seats next season (As per Coventry) next season.

That, IMHO is 1,000 seats to many to the opposition.

[old_man_terry]

no one gets what I'm trying to say do they.

right here you go then you have a 5,500 seater stand true.

we are going to spend mony to nock this down to add how many seats ..........-200

obviously a lot of them have bad views but what a waste of time and money.

now when you build this stand with your fancy boxes in it ,who is going to sit in the williams premier seating and the old exective boxes.we don't have enough rich people basicly.

bad idea.

build a 8,000 one with boxes in and take out the premier seating.

waste of time and money.

anyway spose if we have mony to waste.

it will look good although normal.

YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT

what is to say they can ACTUALLY BUILD A 8k stand, they have stated they are building as big a stand as planning permission will allow.

the point of having the boxes is that it is something we don't currently have, Rovers fill theirs every week in League 2, I'm sure we could fill ours without a problem and at a higher standard of football the local businesses are going to be alot more intersted in City than they were in the League 1 as has been stated before.

[Guest North Street]

I could hazard a guess that it wont have pillars, it wont have a low roof as its higher than the Dolman and it can only be an improvement. Thats my point. I trust the club to make the right decisions. Unlike yourself

The point about the roof is interesting as Mr Sexston thinks that having a high slung roof will improve atmosphere as it lets the sound out. There are more than a few acoustic experts who would disagree amongst City support.

The club stated that the premier club would over subscribed five times over and it may finally be just about filling up now.

I hope that the out of sight commercial side is a success but the side which interests me more which is Citys heritage, that legacy which will be handed down in what should be our home end for decades to come is my concern. Acoustics, aesthetics, identity are things which should also be part of design.

The East End will have stood for well over half a century so the club should make an exhaustive effort to get it right now and i can't see that those who will be sat in it have been part of that process.

I trust no one who has not asked.

Fans come first not vol au vents but i think you can get both to exist happily together.

[Guest North Street]

As far as I can recall, the images the club released were not of the proposed new stand but nicked from another ground to illustrate what is could possibly look like - could well have been from Oakwell or any number of other grounds.

The bottom line is that we don't know what the final structure will be - but I'm sure that it will be far better than what we have and needs to be considered in context of future developments, where it may well look different when joined to the Williams and Dolman.

I'll leave the financial equations with regard to hospitality, conferencing, and bums on seats to those who are in the business, but for me it is a long overdue development and much welcomed.

Sorry mate i don't get how you can spend seven or eight million without showing those who wil sit in the thing what it will look like.

So on opening day Mr Sexston will pull back a big ribbon and shout "surprise we have built you a new stand!

You can tell me to behave but i see no open informed process at work here just like the premier club with a damn sight more potential to leave something long term that is just not up to the job.

All they have to do is ask fans expertise comes free unlike those Bastion chaps they fired.

[Boltsy]

The point about the roof is interesting as Mr Sexston thinks that having a high slung roof will improve atmosphere as it lets the sound out. There are more than a few acoustic experts who would disagree amongst City support.

The club stated that the premier club would over subscribed five times over and it may finally be just about filling up now.

I hope that the out of sight commercial side is a success but the side which interests me more which is Citys heritage, that legacy which will be handed down in what should be our home end for decades to come is my concern. Acoustics, aesthetics, identity are things which should also be part of design.

The East End will have stood for well over half a century so the club should make an exhaustive effort to get it right now and i can't see that those who will be sat in it have been part of that process.

I trust no one who has not asked.

Fans come first not vol au vents but i think you can get both to exist happily together.

So you recognise that the East End needs redevelopment but plans need serious consideration? As the East End has History your concerns are with the, 'Acoustics, aesthetics, identity'. That's obviously a valid point to make.

I trust them to seriously consider the main factors as they are the ones splashing the cash, I don't see how we can be part of the process, perhaps give some input via the Trust or Supporters Club but quite simply you are a spectator, such is life..

[Guest North Street]

I trust them to seriously consider the main factors as they are the ones splashing the cash, I don't see how we can be part of the process, perhaps give some input via the Trust or Supporters Club but quite simply you are a spectator, such is life..

The Supporters club is a charade mate ask around.

"TRUST ARE GOOD GUYS!

Fans are a main factor but have been kept out of the loop, the consultation has not been done.

[Robbored]

So you recognise that the East End needs redevelopment but plans need serious consideration? As the East End has History your concerns are with the, 'Acoustics, aesthetics, identity'. That's obviously a valid point to make.

I trust them to seriously consider the main factors as they are the ones splashing the cash, I don't see how we can be part of the process, perhaps give some input via the Trust or Supporters Club but quite simply you are a spectator, such is life..

No matter what the club does or tries to do North Street will complain that 'the fans weren't consulted'.Thats his fundemental arguement on every debate that he enters into.

Now I and many many fans admit that we know nothing about high finance or buisness stratagies.Nor do we know anything about running a football club or the planning and organisation that goes with building a new stand but apparently North Street does have the knowledge that many of us lack - how else can he be qualified to question the guys that do run the football club?

Personally I trust the clubs executives and Steve Lansdown to run the club in the best way possible. They have the skils and knowledge that I any many other fans simply don't have - excluding North Street of course.

[Guest North Street]

No matter what the club does or tries to do North Street will complain that 'the fans weren't consulted'.Thats his fundemental arguement on every debate that he enters into.

Now I and many many fans admit that we know nothing about high finance or buisness stratagies.Nor do we know anything about running a football club or the planning and organisation that goes with building a new stand but apparently North Street does have the knowledge that many of us lack - how else can he be qualified to question the guys that do run the football club?

Personally I trust the clubs executives and Steve Lansdown to run the club in the best way possible. They have the skils and knowledge that I any many other fans simply don't have - excluding North Street of course.

Some points granted.

However when i met Mr Lansdown and co i was struck that their cv's do not carry the weight of hundreds upon hundreds of games attended.

Fans are experts have a look at todays annoncement as testament to that, we understand the dynamics of the crowd and of vocal support because we have done the rounds. We have qualities SL and CS do not have either, tis true CS and SL are not life long fans and our input is of real value.

If you have a look at my posts i have posted points about acoustics, heritage, legacy and on the commercial side stated i am not really interested. If i feel as i do the design of a stand hinders vocal support i am interested, if the design of a stand at my club is unimaginative then again i am interested, it is important to get it right.

Sorry this stand fails to hit quite a few boxes.

[bh_red]

stand is a stand in all honesty, if they make a slightly larger version of the Ayteo i think large majority of people will be more than happy.

acoustics, hertiage, legacy........if fans sign louds enough they will be heard, as shown in Boro and Yeovil games recently, bigger picture is we need fans in all 4 parts of the stand,

without the current east end, away fans are going to be quieter anyway so that's have the problem sorted,

[City Ben]

If you have a look at my posts i have posted points about acoustics, heritage, legacy and on the commercial side stated i am not really interested. If i feel as i do the design of a stand hinders vocal support i am interested, if the design of a stand at my club is unimaginative then again i am interested, it is important to get it right.

Sorry this stand fails to hit quite a few boxes.

Completely understand what you're saying, but I think that the commercial side is what this stand is all about though. A lot of money down, granted, but the increased revenue that the stand should garner for the club is of huge importance to our future.

[CGS RED]

No matter what the club does or tries to do North Street will complain that 'the fans weren't consulted'.Thats his fundemental arguement on every debate that he enters into.

Now I and many many fans admit that we know nothing about high finance or buisness stratagies.Nor do we know anything about running a football club or the planning and organisation that goes with building a new stand but apparently North Street does have the knowledge that many of us lack - how else can he be qualified to question the guys that do run the football club?

Personally I trust the clubs executives and Steve Lansdown to run the club in the best way possible. They have the skils and knowledge that I any many other fans simply don't have - excluding North Street of course.

The new stand is not an issue for the football club company, is it not a development for the stadium company ? There are now 2 companies involved since SL made it that way. The bcfc side of it runs the football club. The stadium company runs conferences, music events, private events, and lease of the ground to the BCFC company.

If this is true the football club have zip to do with any stand, or who they lease it out to. The new stand, leasing and other businesses involved in conferences etc are distinct from our football club. A seperate company, and to me that appears to have bypassed most fans.

[Flaxbourton Red]

No matter what the club does or tries to do North Street will complain that 'the fans weren't consulted'.Thats his fundemental arguement on every debate that he enters into.

Now I and many many fans admit that we know nothing about high finance or buisness stratagies.Nor do we know anything about running a football club or the planning and organisation that goes with building a new stand but apparently North Street does have the knowledge that many of us lack - how else can he be qualified to question the guys that do run the football club?

Personally I trust the clubs executives and Steve Lansdown to run the club in the best way possible. They have the skils and knowledge that I any many other fans simply don't have - excluding North Street of course.

SHOCK HORROR

FANS WANT TO INFLUENCE HOW THEIR CLUB IS RUN

next thing they will be forming a supporters trust and buying shares in the club

[StapleHillPhil]

Now I and many many fans admit that we know nothing about high finance or buisness stratagies.Nor do we know anything about running a football club or the planning and organisation that goes with building a new stand.....

Personally I trust the clubs executives and Steve Lansdown to run the club in the best way possible. They have the skils and knowledge that I any many other fans simply don't have......

Given this admission, do you really think your attendance at board meetings is appropriate?

[Robbored]

SHOCK HORROR

FANS WANT TO INFLUENCE HOW THEIR CLUB IS RUN

next thing they will be forming a supporters trust and buying shares in the club

How many ordinary fans have the skills and knowledge that are necessary to make the kind of decisions that all football club executives make on a regular basis?

When you say 'infuence' the way their club is run,what exactly do you mean?

Should Gary Johnson check with the fan base when it comes to signing players?

Should Steve Lansdown check with the fan base when it comes to what manager he would like to appoint?

Should Colin Sexstone ask the fans what company should sponsor our shirts?

Should Doug Harman ballot the fans on what PA system to put into AG?

Should the head groundsman ask the fans what type of grass he should lay?

Should Roger Pearce ask the fans on the best way to manage the clubs accounts?

Should the fans be involved in negociating the catering franchise?

The list is almost endless....