World Cup 2018 @ Ashton Gate

[bh_red]

Obviously England actually need to get the World Cup first but IF they do, what grounds around the country would be Hosting such games,

Obviously in it's current condition the Gate isn't anywhere good enough for the World Cup, but in theory in 11 years time, with a the new east end and Williams stand, and hopefully by then some improvements to the Dolman, Ashton Gate could well be the only serious contender to Bring the World Cup to not just Bristol, but the South West

Obviously there is alot of other top quality grounds around the country, but apparently there is a FIFA rule stating that each City can only use one ground, understandably London will be an exception to this rule and I'd imagine Both Wembley and Ashburton Grove will be used, however it does rule out some city's with 2 big club such as Brum, Liverpool, Manchester.

Ashton Gate has already been mentioned as a potential ground for the world cup

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sporteditors/20...t_ground_1.html

so what do people think? under Lansdown and GJ were are currently on the way up and you have to hope that at some point between now and then we will have had at least one season in the Prem?

views..........

[Henry]

Obviously there is alot of other top quality grounds around the country, but apparently there is a FIFA rule stating that each City can only use one ground, understandably London will be an exception to this rule and I'd imagine Both Wembley and Ashburton Grove will be used, however it does rule out some city's with 2 big club such as Brum, Liverpool, Manchester.

By reading the article, I think the rule is, only one stadium can have more then one stadium

[Dan Of The Dolman]

Loads of people on there suggest Bristol City not Bristol Rovers though!

[Hillzider]

FIFA are always very keen that any winners of a world cup bid spread the matches around the hosting country.

They like to think of it as a festival of football for whoever stages it.

If the bid suggests staging the matches in the same old places ie North, North East, Midlands and London then its chances of success are reduced.

The best chance of winning the bid is to get matches in more of the regions such as Bristol, Southampton, Ipswich, Plymouth

The England bidding comitee will be well aware of this.

There is probably a good chance that Bristol could well be invoved.

[CiderMeUp]

I remember Ashton Gate or some new Stadium being mentioned in the failed 2006 Bid. If the Cup was held in England then I expect they would want the games to be spread throughout the Country so Bristol would almost definately be selected. I think the rules are that it has to have at least 40,00 capacity so hopefully we will be an established Prem team by then with a redeveloped Ashton Gate.

[Red Ferret]

As mentioned above, 40,000 is the minimum capacity neeed for a world cup stadium

don't think theres much chance of AG being redeveloped to fit that size in the next decade or so

[CiderMeUp]

As mentioned above, 40,000 is the minimum capacity neeed for a world cup stadium

don't think theres much chance of AG being redeveloped to fit that size in the next decade or so

Agree it will need a lot of planning to get Ashton Gate to 40,000 capacity but I would much rather stay there than move to a new build Stadium (prob next to a motorway) just for the sake of a few world cup games.

[Riaz]

don't mean to p1ss on your corn flakes, but i cant see it happening.

[Henry]

Why not?

Barely in mind this is 11 years away.

[Luke_Ciderhead]

Because its very unlikely that we'll ever redevelop Ashton Gate to a 40,000 capacity. Even the likes of West Ham, Spurs and Everton don't have stadiums that big.

Its likely to be:

Wembley

Emirates Stadium

Villa Park

Stanley Park

Old Trafford

Stadium of Light

St James's Park

Elland Road

[Henry]

They could build us a brand new stadium and we'd more likely get a site closer to AG with government backing.

[Percy Parrot]

It would be great but 40,000 in 10 years? I doubt it and don't know if it would even be possible on current site (maybe).

Further more I believe the bid will have to be done in the next few years and so we'd have to have some pretty damn sure plans already there and budgeted which I would imagine is not possible.

[CodeRed]

Last time in 1966 eight grounds were used:

Villa Park, Birmingham

Goodison Park, Liverpool

Wembley, London

White City, London

Old Trafford, Manchester

Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough

Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield,

Roker Park, Sunderland

Interestingly all the games in Englands group (England Uruguay France Mexico) were played at Wembley except for one game which was switched to the (now demolished) White City ground - the reason? Because the Wembley Stadium company refused to reshedule a greyhound racing night to allow the Uruguay v France game to take place there!

Imagine that today - a World Cup match playing second fiddle to a greyhound meeting!!

Realistically I doubt if Ashton Gate will have any chance given the current redevelopment outlook - If FIFA want the games to be played more in the regions the South Coast will have a better chance with big new grounds at Portsmouth and Brighton by then together with St. Mary's & the Madjestki.

I also read somewhere that not only do FIFA have minimum capacity and spectator standards they also require the venues to have outside space capable of taking large marquees so that the sponsers can lay on the corporate hopitality and the world's TV can also set up etc. most grounds do not have enough internal hospitality areas to host the large amount of sponsers.

This would tend to count against the older stlye inner city grounds where the streets run right up to the stands and favour the newer out of town "bowls".

Wonder what div. City will be in by the time 2018 comes around?

My guess at a likely 2018 Evening Post headline:

BROOKER 2 WEEKS AWAY FROM STARTING TRAINING SAYS CITY MANAGER LEE JOHNSON

CR

[CiderHider]

There is no way even with the most optomistic of builders you could ever consider AG holding 40'000 its just never going to happen ever ever, we should move AG brick by brick to somewhere nr the motorway, like Easter Compton, there is land there for sale and with enough brown envelopes to the correct Bristol City Council corrupt dept we could buy planning permission.

I love AG, i just think its in a shit place.

[PhatWill]

Didn't realise it was an essential criterion that the stadium had to have a capacity of over 40,000?

That's a shame because if we could get away with a capacity of approx 32,000 then I think a redeveloped Ashton Gate would absolutely be in the running.

As for a new stadium, well, you still have the age old problem of Bristol City council finding a site in bristol. Although perhaps the huge grant that would be provided would give them a much needed kick up the arse.

Otherwise, South Gloucestershire still has provision for a stadium of at least 25,000 spectators in its Local Plan. A stadium could be provided in the district but what would happen to it once the WC was over?

[cidercity1987]

If it's done fairly, the South West should provide a stadium. So it'd be between Bristol and Plymouth for 1 of the slots I guess.

It'd be travesty if Englands 6th biggest city (and the biggest for miles around) can't get it's act together and build a decent stadium in that time.

[Riaz]

BROOKER 2 WEEKS AWAY FROM STARTING TRAINING, IN TIME FOR THE GROUP STAGES OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SAYS CITY MANAGER LEE JOHNSON

[CiderHider]

Didn't realise it was an essential criterion that the stadium had to have a capacity of over 40,000?

Yeps, FIFA insist, and with other stadiums around the country more than able to meet that criteria, it would appear we will not host a WC game unless we move, or conveince several familys around AG to bugger off and sell us their land!

anyways, pie in the sky really, its not yet a full gone conclusion that the WC will be hosted by us in 2018, **** thats seems sooooo far away, even Rooney will have retired.

[WarksRed]

Didn't realise it was an essential criterion that the stadium had to have a capacity of over 40,000?

That's a shame because if we could get away with a capacity of approx 32,000 then I think a redeveloped Ashton Gate would absolutely be in the running.

As for a new stadium, well, you still have the age old problem of Bristol City council finding a site in bristol. Although perhaps the huge grant that would be provided would give them a much needed kick up the arse.

Otherwise, South Gloucestershire still has provision for a stadium of at least 25,000 spectators in its Local Plan. A stadium could be provided in the district but what would happen to it once the WC was over?

Even if we develope, and manage to increase to 32,000 ........ theres still one major problem

**** PARKING **** .....

Its tough now with 16,000 crowds ........ with double that amount ??????

[Mre]

BROOKER 2 WEEKS AWAY FROM STARTING TRAINING SAYS CITY MANAGER LEE JOHNSON

CR

um its gary johnson not lee unless you know something i don't? has gj retired??

[Henry]

um its gary johnson not lee unless you know something i don't? has gj retired??

Woosh!

[Rob_BCFC]

How silly of him. :noexpression:

[CiderHider]

um its gary johnson not lee unless you know something i don't? has gj retired??

quality!

[Riaz]

**** PARKING ****

Ashton Park??

or even Ashton Court?

[wolfenstein]

You must be joking pmsl

Ladies world cup maybe.

[Guest crowman]

You already hold the Carrot Cruching finals and the conker wracking finals...

[Sir Colby-Tit]

You already hold the Carrot Cruching finals and the conker wracking finals...

Your quite right - you can host the next National Spelling Bee.

[Red Ferret]

Sadly, the prospect of a Group H Tonga vs Costa Rica match will never come to the hallowed turf of Ashton Gate

[NiceRed]

Sadly, the prospect of a Group H Tonga vs Costa Rica match will never come to the hallowed turf of Ashton Gate

Or several thousand South Koreans looking rather nervously into their pints of Blackthorn outside the Hen & Chicken...

[tin]

Didn't realise it was an essential criterion that the stadium had to have a capacity of over 40,000?

That's a shame because if we could get away with a capacity of approx 32,000 then I think a redeveloped Ashton Gate would absolutely be in the running.

As for a new stadium, well, you still have the age old problem of Bristol City council finding a site in bristol. Although perhaps the huge grant that would be provided would give them a much needed kick up the arse.

Otherwise, South Gloucestershire still has provision for a stadium of at least 25,000 spectators in its Local Plan. A stadium could be provided in the district but what would happen to it once the WC was over?

The original plan for the new stadium as part of the failed 2006 Wolrd Cup bid was for a 35,000 all seater so I don't see what's changed now with the criteria demanding a 40,000 minimum.

As for moving to South Gloucestershire, there's two major flaws with that. It's nowhere near our fanbase or heart of the club neither historically nor geographically and two, 25,000 would still fall short of this FIFA criteria. If we move, we're best off going into North Somerset in somewhere like Long Ashton, epecially if the South Bristol ring road is built.