Stadium Plans

[lostwolf]

The current Leicester owners have owned them since 2010. They won the PL in 15/16, the owner's fifth season in charge. This is Fosun's fifth season in charge of Wolves...

I'm not saying that l expect us to do that but offering a comparison...

Their history of recent success is one that can't be attributed to intelligent planning on the part of their owners though, not really. Rather, it was largely down to Nigel Pearson in his two spells there (and some good luck tbf) laying the foundation for a Roy of the Rovers league win and then some canny work after that. If it hadn't been for him and that team they probably wouldn't be in a better position than a club like Southampton. Also, the crisp bowl is crap, I'd hate us to play somewhere as generic as that!

I'm not defending the inertia on our ground though. As I've said on this thread before, we're missing out on potential fans, and that concerns me longer term. We should be looking at rebuilding the Bully and the South Bank ASAP, in whatever order makes most sense.

 

[Kebab Warrior]

Their history of recent success is one that can't be attributed to intelligent planning on the part of their owners though, not really. Rather, it was largely down to Nigel Pearson in his two spells there (and some good luck tbf) laying the foundation for a Roy of the Rovers league win and then some canny work after that. If it hadn't been for him and that team they probably wouldn't be in a better position than a club like Southampton. Also, the crisp bowl is crap, I'd hate us to play somewhere as generic as that!

I'm not defending the inertia on our ground though. As I've said on this thread before, we're missing out on potential fans, and that concerns me longer term. We should be looking at rebuilding the Bully and the South Bank ASAP, in whatever order makes most sense.

Me too. Getting the kids in is massive. Build a great big stadium and let local kids in for free. You’re investing in your own future, going to a game is so important for them. It’s a church and you need to get them in there to convert them to the true faith!

 

[Wolf316]

They need to do something soon because the situation with getting tickets is ****ing awful.

 

[Stoichkov]

Me too. Getting the kids in is massive. Build a great big stadium and let local kids in for free. You’re investing in your own future, going to a game is so important for them. It’s a church and you need to get them in there to convert them to the true faith!

absolutely. build a ****ing massive south bank and fill it with the scallies and rascals who bring the colour, humour and venom that makes our support stand out when it's on form

 

[JohnMatrix]

Does anyone think the delay with getting the Graham Hughes back is because there is going to be some fantastic news about redeveloping things?

 

[YouGottaRaulWithIt]

Does anyone think the delay with getting the Graham Hughes back is because there is going to be some fantastic news about redeveloping things?

No.

 

[SanFranWolf]

Does anyone think the delay with getting the Graham Hughes back is because there is going to be some fantastic news about redeveloping things?

I hope so but no i don't expect so

Years of let downs and disappointments does not lead to optimism

 

[Leominster_Wolf]

It’s a disgrace that WHU were basically gifted the stadium and could spend money instead on players. An unfair advantage and what does FFP say about that?

Whilst I tend to agree - stadiums and infrastructure are, as far as I’m aware, exempt from the scrutiny of FFP.
A club can spend a gazillion quid on a new stadium and it doesn’t matter to FFP.

however, I do agree with your sentiment that a club (trying to be self sufficient) may be able to spend more on other things (team) , if they don’t have to worry about financing stadium builds/expansion/refurb.

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

They need to do something soon because the situation with getting tickets is ****ing awful.

If your keep your eyes peeled you'll be able to get tickets on General sale for vast majority of games

 

[Wolf316]

M

If your keep your eyes peeled you'll be able to get tickets on General sale for vast majority of games

Maybe but with the way it’s run at the moment if you aren’t online at 10am when they go on sale to members then you've got to hope you can land lucky with returns.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

If your keep your eyes peeled you'll be able to get tickets on General sale for vast majority of games

Are they putting them om general sale now when they originally sell out to members?

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

Are they putting them om general sale now when they originally sell out to members?

Think they go on day before game

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

M

Maybe but with the way it’s run at the moment if you aren’t online at 10am when they go on sale to members then you've got to hope you can land lucky with returns.

Friend got Brentford about 9pm day before game in north bank. Just saying there is a way, people act like getting a ticket is like finding bigfoot

 

[Wolf316]

Friend got Brentford about 9pm day before game in north bank. Just saying there is a way, people act like getting a ticket is like finding bigfoot

So he landed lucky with a return then.

 

[Stoichkov]

Does anyone think the delay with getting the Graham Hughes back is because there is going to be some fantastic news about redeveloping things?

make it happen. someone, anyone come on

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

So he landed lucky with a return then.

Did he? Or did he open the Wolves website and buy a ticket? Dunno why that is particularly lucky, no more lucky than buying any other type of ticket

 

[Wolf316]

Did he? Or did he open the Wolves website and buy a ticket? Dunno why that is particularly lucky, no more lucky than buying any other type of ticket

Because it was sold out previous to that? There is currently one ticket in WL2 for the West Ham game so any others that go on sale between now and then will be returns.

 

[LythamWolf]

Does anyone think the delay with getting the Graham Hughes back is because there is going to be some fantastic news about redeveloping things?

Recent experience tells me no,

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

Because it was sold out previous to that? There is currently one ticket in WL2 for the West Ham game so any others that go on sale between now and then will be returns.

Well yeah but you'll always have returns so if you want a ticket you can buy one. They almost never got fully sold out

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Well yeah but you'll always have returns so if you want a ticket you can buy one. They almost never got fully sold out

Not everyone wants to go to games alone, not everyone has hours to sit watching the website waiting for return tickets to appear, and not everyone can get to Molineux at short notice. It’s little better than waiting for standby tickets for a flight in normal times. Sure there are often no shows for planes, but you have to be willing to able to take a flight if a seat appears, wait for the next, go somewhere else or go home.

 

[Tony]

They won't add seats. They will just charge more for the ones they have. Obvious to those who can see!

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

Not everyone wants to go to games alone, not everyone has hours to sit watching the website waiting for return tickets to appear, and not everyone can get to Molineux at short notice. It’s little better than waiting for standby tickets for a flight in normal times. Sure there are often no shows for planes, but you have to be willing to able to take a flight if a seat appears, wait for the next, go somewhere else or go home.

Fair points

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

They won't add seats. They will just charge more for the ones they have. Obvious to those who can see!

Agreed

No chance fosun do any development that will benefit anyone other themselves

 

[Stoichkov]

Agreed

No chance fosun do any development that will benefit anyone other themselves

Ah well we’ve not done too badly considering the approach you describe

 

[Coshamwolves]

With the Gene Kelly stand closed hope we don`t get too many sub 30k crowds like the Brentford match, makes us look tin pot, with them up the road getting 40k+. With the temp stand open we would still be getting over 30k even with away fans not selling out. Come on Wolves, sort it out!

 

[hollo]

Does anyone think the delay with getting the Graham Hughes back is because there is going to be some fantastic news about redeveloping things?

No news. Stagnating a little. I want guo to rediscover his enthusiasm for a 60,000 stadium. I want to lord it over villa.

 

[WickedWolfie]

No news. Stagnating a little. I want guo to rediscover his enthusiasm for a 60,000 stadium. I want to lord it over villa.

I suspect that the problem is that Guo, if we do stadium works, still wants a signature statement (very possibly on a different site), not incremental development of the current Molineux. I fear that he sees it as all or nothing.

 

[Wolves Heathen]

M

Maybe but with the way it’s run at the moment if you aren’t online at 10am when they go on sale to members then you've got to hope you can land lucky with returns.

Agree 100%, its okay if you dont work, work from home, work on a PC, but for other supporters the 10-00am sale time is a big problem, yesterday got home just after 5-00pm went on Ticket site West Ham all gone, how is that fair for supporters that are unable to be at a laptop or online at 10-00am ?. Which means i have to get lucky now and hope that i log on at the time a return ticket pops up for sale, Everton i was lucky but maybe being a weekday game had something to do with more availability.

As for Staduim plans am i right in thinking it was mostly Laurie Dalrymple that seemed to put this idea out there, since he has gone Jeff and Fosun rarely seem to mention it, my own thoughts are that we need a 40,000 Stadium which would be more than adequate.

 

[AndyY]

Whilst I tend to agree - stadiums and infrastructure are, as far as I’m aware, exempt from the scrutiny of FFP.
A club can spend a gazillion quid on a new stadium and it doesn’t matter to FFP.

however, I do agree with your sentiment that a club (trying to be self sufficient) may be able to spend more on other things (team) , if they don’t have to worry about financing stadium builds/expansion/refurb.

That’s exactly the point - financing the ground may not count towards FFP but a “normal club” still has to be able to afford the repayments out of its income and cash flow. Gift them a free stadium and that’s many 10’s of millions that doesn’t have to be financed. FFP should, somehow, have accounted for their gift (from all of us) and given them much more stringent financial targets to meet.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

No news. Stagnating a little. I want guo to rediscover his enthusiasm for a 60,000 stadium. I want to lord it over villa.

Yes, I bet Sunderland fans wake up and thank their lucky stars every morning.

 

[Minimalist]

I suspect that the problem is that Guo, if we do stadium works, still wants a signature statement (very possibly on a different site), not incremental development of the current Molineux. I fear that he sees it as all or nothing.

I think you’re right.
Also the idea of selling stadium naming rights to help fund it will appeal to them, and that only really works when you do the whole new thing in one go.

 

[Stoichkov]

As for Staduim plans am i right in thinking it was mostly Laurie Dalrymple that seemed to put this idea out there, since he has gone Jeff and Fosun rarely seem to mention it, my own thoughts are that we need a 40,000 Stadium which would be more than adequate.

No, originally Guo was very excited and wanted huge stadium. Laurie and Jeff calmed it down, we briefly saw the visuals for 50k, then seems to have gone very quiet

Wonder even if Guo will come to a game this season. Or Jorge

 

[hollo]

We need guo to get excited about wolves again.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Yes, I bet Sunderland fans wake up and thank their lucky stars every morning.

I’m sure they are frustrated by being stuck in L1, but that’s nothing to do with their large modern stadium, and they continue to get higher crowds in the SoL, even in L1, than they did in their old place in the PL. I also imagine the maintenance costs on their “new” stadium are much less than they would’ve been now had they not moved.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I’m sure they are frustrated by being stuck in L1, but that’s nothing to do with their large modern stadium, and they continue to get higher crowds in the SoL, even in L1, than they did in their old place in the PL. I also imagine the maintenance costs on their “new” stadium are much less than they would’ve been now had they not moved.

Yes, I was just agreeing (I think) with the idea that lauding it over any other club because you have a bigger ground isn't really a thing (even if you can fill it). Some might imagine West Ham are massive with their potential catchment, but they fill their 60k by letting u21and 65+ in from £160 a season. A good thing about an increased capacity for us would be lower prices for all, but that's part of the argument in the financial viability of expansion.

 

[lostwolf]

Yes, I bet Sunderland fans wake up and thank their lucky stars every morning.

Haha, fair point but...
That stadium has allowed as any as want to go to be able to go when the Mackems have been doing well. The reason some might have cause to be thankful now is that it's meant more got the bug when they were successful and a fair few have stuck around, meaning bigger crowds in L1 - it's no coincidence that those north east clubs get good crowds when they're struggling, despite Geordies thinking they're unique; it's got a lot to do with when they rebuilt and how big they went.

I don't want a 50 or 60k capacity Molineux (though tbf the prospect isn't keeping me up at night) but I would like a bit of growing room factored into the equation.

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

Does anyone think the delay with getting the Graham Hughes back is because there is going to be some fantastic news about redeveloping things?

I don't think so, but I do hope so.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Yes, I was just agreeing (I think) with the idea that lauding it over any other club because you have a bigger ground isn't really a thing (even if you can fill it). Some might imagine West Ham are massive with their potential catchment, but they fill their 60k by letting u21and 65+ in from £160 a season. A good thing about an increased capacity for us would be lower prices for all, but that's part of the argument in the financial viability of expansion.

I agree. It’s building a bigger fan base for a bigger club. An sensibly enlarged Molineux can cater for both a new generation of fans at a reasonable price, and a larger group of wealthy supporters and corporate sponsors, delivering the club more revenue in both the short and longer term, and enhancing the value of Fosun’s interest in Wolves. That’s the pitch anyway!

 

[Berlin Wolf]

We need guo to get excited about wolves again.

Well, West Ham are ploughing ahead, increasing their stadium capacity to 62,500, the first step towards ultimately 67,000 after recent works..
Hopefully, Guo will take a hint, and redevelop Molineux, better facilities and a bigger capacity, otherwise we'll fall well behind a non Big Six club.
I know the London Stadium isn't a perfect football stadium but the Hammers seem to be growing into it, on the back of better results on the pitch.

West Ham United granted permission for London Stadium capacity increase | West Ham United F.C.

 West Ham United is delighted to confirm that planning permission has been granted to increase the matchday capacity at London Stadium to 62,500.

www.whufc.com

 

[Derbywolf85]

At some point in the near future there has to come the realisation that Molinuex in it's current guise is holding us back. It's not big enough and it doesn't have the corporate facilities of other top clubs (which is where the real income is).

I suspect at some point soon, once the pandemic is firmly in the rear view mirror, we'll start to hear grumbles about a complete new build somewhere - I don't know where, but that would financially make the most sense for doing what Fosun want to do.