Ground redevelopment

[Wolvessince63]

if the revolution continues as we all hope it will and we reach the land of fruit and honey again, at which point do you think Fosun should redevelop the ground?
With rising attendances, do they do it in the first season back in the Prem, or do they wait a couple of seasons to see if we can establish ourselves?
When a ground gets redeveloped it reduces capacity and also makes for a pretty dire atmosphere.

 

[E is for idiot.]

It depends I guess. If we get sell outs consistently it will happen very quickly.

 

[TFWanderers]

I'd leave it alone until we're established up there.

 

[RichB]

This has been on my mind.

How on earth do they do it? It'll reduce capacity for a long period of time when we're at a time where we would need the capacity.

Sort of can't wait in a way as if the Southbank is bigger then I can swap my northbank season tickets and migrate back home

 

[JadeWolf]

I thought the season in League One was the ideal time to redevelop the Steve Bull stand. I'd assume that's still next on the list? I guess for Fosun, they won't wanna spend money redeveloping the ground, and not spend it on the team. If we do get promoted, I'd imagine a lot of the investment in the first season would be on the playing squad. Then, if we can stay up and bank the £100m+ telly money, we can start thinking about other things.

 

[Mark Rankines Lovechild]

When a ground gets redeveloped it reduces capacity and also makes for a pretty dire atmosphere.

If you do it correctly it shouldn't.

 

[Golden Arrow]

Let's get there first, the season is but two weeks old.

 

[RichB]

If you do it correctly it shouldn't.

How though? I'm interested to be fair.
SB Will be next so as to join to NB but in rebuilding the SB it'll be closed.... not sure how long though... heard a few people say 1-2 years. Dow know how myself

 

[oldgoldheart]

if the revolution continues as we all hope it will and we reach the land of fruit and honey again, at which point do you think Fosun should redevelop the ground?
With rising attendances, do they do it in the first season back in the Prem, or do they wait a couple of seasons to see if we can establish ourselves?
When a ground gets redeveloped it reduces capacity and also makes for a pretty dire atmosphere.

If they are really serious then they could (admittedly only could) buy out Asda, build a new ground near the existing one like Spirs then demolish the Mol. That is what i would do.

 

[RichB]

If they are really serious then they could (admittedly only could) buy out Asda, build a new ground near the existing one like Spirs then demolish the Mol. That is what i would do.

I see some sense in this to be fair but itd feel wrong to move the place even if it was adjacent.... can't see it after the northbank was only done a few years ago though.

 

[Ulfhednar]

It's tough. Look at Old Trafford, it contributes so much to Man U's brand & credibility. I remember that TV dramatisation about the Munich air crash from the perspective of I think Bobby Charlton, and there was a scene of him before he played his first league match for Man U stood outside the ground the evening before just looking at it, imagining himself playing there the next day, and was moved on by a Policeman who didn't believe he was on of the players. Beautiful moment. That kind of stadium heritage is priceless & irreplaceable, and we still have it with Molineux, it's where our greats played. But it would make so much sense to build a new stadium on the outskirts, for a much bigger stadium, to reach out to Wolves larger catchment area in Staffs & Shropshire, to fix the parking, to maintain audiences in Molineux till it was ready to move in.

Personally I'd stick with Molineux, I want Wolves to be real & to help regenerate Wolverhampton, it's gleam to rub off on the place, has best chance to do that in it's traditional City centre location.

 

[Mark Rankines Lovechild]

How though? I'm interested to be fair.
SB Will be next so as to join to NB but in rebuilding the SB it'll be closed.... not sure how long though... heard a few people say 1-2 years. Dow know how myself

Sorry, didn't appreciate you were referring to the build as it was ongoing. Perhaps it would be better to do the South Bank first and aim or completion in the same timescale as the North Bank.

 

[Don Corleone]

I'd sort an established team first and then develop the ground

 

[scotterwolf]

Building a larger South Bank first may be the better option (no idea from an engineering perspective if this would be possible to then join both North and South banks to a new Steve Bull stand afterwards).

It would have less impact on the overall capacity and should be able to be completed quicker than a new Steve Bull.

But as mentioned above lets get to the Premier first and take it from there. The ground is more than big enough while we are in the Championship.

 

[RichB]

Sorry, didn't appreciate you were referring to the build as it was ongoing. Perhaps it would be better to do the South Bank first and aim or completion in the same timescale as the North Bank.

Nah no need to apologise... I'm just confused how they'll do it lol. It's early days yet and we don't want to get carried away do we but it's gotta be on the horizon.

Southbank first would suit my own selfish needs as gives me the chance to relocate my season tickets from north to south

 

[Mark Rankines Lovechild]

Nah no need to apologise... I'm just confused how they'll do it lol. It's early days yet and we don't want to get carried away do we but it's gotta be on the horizon.

Southbank first would suit my own selfish needs as gives me the chance to relocate my season tickets from north to south

If safe standing was agreed again, it would make definite sense.

 

[RichB]

If safe standing was agreed again, it would make definite sense.

Absolutely.... I'm aging a bit but reckon I've got maybe 5 years of standing left in me

 

[WW1963]

Smash the whole lot down, play our home games at Villa Park for two seasons, move into our 60,000 capacity replacement August 2019.

Or is that too ambitious?

If Wolves become like Arsenal, Man City, Spurs - and we have the money to do that - 35,000 capacity stadiums are not going to cut it when seriously competing every year to win the EPL title and Champions League.

But first, Warnock's Cardiff await.

 

[Macman]

If they are really serious then they could (admittedly only could) buy out Asda, build a new ground near the existing one like Spirs then demolish the Mol. That is what i would do.

The thread on here a while back mentioned that some old dear in the Steve Bull had heard a rumour that buying ASDA and redeveloping there is a series option for Fosun (as you say, like Spurs). That way, current Molineux remains unaffected, and we have a new state-of-the-art Molineux still close to the town centre and more importantly, on the old site of the current stadium (give or take 100 yards).
Seems the perfect solution for me.

Would even be happy if it was called 'The Fosun Stadium, Molineux'. That way, everyone would still call it Molineux. Come on Fosun, you can do this!

 

[sheffwolf]

Didn't Liverpool manage to build a new stand around an existing stand so that there was minimal disruption during the season? No idea if this is possible at Molineux but could be an option?

 

[cannockwolf]

If they are really serious then they could (admittedly only could) buy out Asda, build a new ground near the existing one like Spirs then demolish the Mol. That is what i would do.

Wait until we are a regular top 10 prem (hopefully higher) side at least, then do this with a 50k/60k capacity as we probably would need at least 40k by then, theres no point if we are grub hunting in the prem or yo-yoing as 30k will be plenty I reckon.

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

Knock down the Steve Bull and rebuild it properly.
Knock down the North Bank and do a proper job this time connecting it to the Steve Bull
Extend the South Bank backwards and at the sides connect it to the Steve Bull.

The design priority must be to keep the South Bank as a single tier, no exec seats, no concrete bunkers for the disabled a plain old Kop type stand with an 8k-10k capacity and a low roof. The new Steve Bull and new North Bank should then "feed" off that end. Not the other way around.

When should we do it - at the end of the fifth year as a top half Premiership Club.

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

If safe standing was agreed again, it would make definite sense.

You wouldn't even need to join it to the rest of the ground. A separate terrace holding 15000 would address the shortfall from losing the Steve Bull stand for a year or two, although I would expect to see sections of the lower tier in use after one year!
Keep the South Bank separate and rebuild both wing stands in a horse shoe. Would be awesome and would almost double the corporate facilities we had before the new North Bank. And create non match day revenue under the new stands. Casino/Cinema even offices to rent.im sure plenty of small businesses would like a Molineux address!!

 

[Wandsworth Wolf]

Because a new Steve Bull would be built a bit nearer the pitch, would it be possible to demolish the lower tier and start rebuilding a new lower tier whilst the upper section/roof is still being demolished and reconstructed? The lower tier has not structural value as such, so in theory it should be possible to get that occupied again quite quickly.

 

[kaohsiungwolf]

I'd do the Southbank too, has to be a far bigger asset than the SB.

I reckon it may be a whole stadium redevelopment though if and when it comes, and that could be anything up to10 years of premiership football away.

 

[Wandering_Wolf93]

Nah no need to apologise... I'm just confused how they'll do it lol. It's early days yet and we don't want to get carried away do we but it's gotta be on the horizon.

Southbank first would suit my own selfish needs as gives me the chance to relocate my season tickets from north to south

As long as STH in the south bank currently get priority to buy in the newly developed stand. I would fuming if i missed out on being in the south bank after being redeveloped because they allowed others to get in ahead of me.

 

[Wandering_Wolf93]

Didn't Liverpool manage to build a new stand around an existing stand so that there was minimal disruption during the season? No idea if this is possible at Molineux but could be an option?

Would depend on the original plans for the redevelopment. Fairly certain that it was agreed during the sale of the club that should they continue with the redevelopment they would use the original design & use Redrow to build it.

 

[Berlin Wolf]

I see some sense in this to be fair but itd feel wrong to move the place even if it was adjacent.... can't see it after the northbank was only done a few years ago though.

Agree with what you say Rich.

Incredibly, the new North Bank is five years old.. how time flies.

A new stadium on the Asda site would be number of years down the line.. Asda bought out, knocked down, and a new 40/50,000 stadium built.

Even if Fosun has secretly bought out Asda, it would take a bare minimum of two to three years to completion.

It seems like a fantasy dream to be fair.. yet, it could happen, if Fosun had there mind set on it. No reduction of capacity problems too.

More likely, is a new Steve Bull Stand. It is 38 years old and needs replacing soonish to solve many issues.

 

[reanswolf]

A new Steve Bull nearer the pitch and attaching to North Bank and a South Bank corner would be perfect, and all that is needed really, to make Molineux a far more atmospheric ground that hemm's in some noise.

 

[Dan G WWFC]

Could we ground share and do the whole stadium at once, including the Billy Wright.

Change it so 1 teir southbank, 3 teir billy wright (smaller extra teir). Maybe do a corner thing like Porto or the Vegas raiders stadium. Something that will stand out. I'd hate just to have a boring bowl.

 

[kaohsiungwolf]

Would depend on the original plans for the redevelopment. Fairly certain that it was agreed during the sale of the club that should they continue with the redevelopment they would use the original design & use Redrow to build it.

Redrow didn't build it?

 

[Deleted member 4594]

Still amazes me how people think we can just "buy out Asda," it's not a corner shop.

 

[Wandering_Wolf93]

Redrow didn't build it?

Fair enough, i assumed it was them. But whoever it was who built it i think it was agreed would be used for the rest of the development

 

[Wandering_Wolf93]

Still amazes me how people think we can just "buy out Asda," it's not a corner shop.

Probably one of their busiest stores as well with the extra trade they get from football fans.

 

[Macman]

Still amazes me how people think we can just "buy out Asda," it's not a corner shop.

We can give them a 24hr express store FOC built into the new complex

 

[Deleted member 4453]

Really not for relocating the ground, doesn't feel right. The Subway walk wouldn't have the same effect either even if it pushes it a 100 yards back.
The south bank redeveloped would for me have to be extended back so it would be as intimidating as Dortmunds now.
Think FOSUN will want to make a proper job of it so relocation looks the most ideal scenario from reading on here....

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

Certainly wait till we are in the second season,when/if we get there
We have made that mistake in the past of redeveloping the ground and not the team first,not that i expect that to happen with Fosun
It's quite possible to do one stand a time,starting work prior to seasons end and getting finished at the start of the next,if the ground work is done properly,though obviously that means taking 2-4 seasons to totally redevelop the whole ground

 

[Deleted member 4594]

Probably one of their busiest stores as well with the extra trade they get from football fans.

It's always packed, absolute no chance mate.

 

[HungryLikeTheWolf]

This has been on my mind.

How on earth do they do it? It'll reduce capacity for a long period of time when we're at a time where we would need the capacity.

Sort of can't wait in a way as if the Southbank is bigger then I can swap my northbank season tickets and migrate back home

Spurs are using Wembley this season while they rebuild White Hart Lane. How about if we struck a deal with WBA so that we use their ground while Molineux is redeveloped to hold 50,000 plus? It'd be good money for hard up Albion but the obvious downside is that it wouldn't be big enough to hold all our fans.

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

You wouldn't even need to join it to the rest of the ground. A separate terrace holding 15000 would address the shortfall from losing the Steve Bull stand for a year or two, although I would expect to see sections of the lower tier in use after one year!
Keep the South Bank separate and rebuild both wing stands in a horse shoe. Would be awesome and would almost double the corporate facilities we had before the new North Bank. And create non match day revenue under the new stands. Casino/Cinema even offices to rent.im sure plenty of small businesses would like a Molineux address!!

Furthermore the new south bank should be built to the specifications of the fans that use it. NOT the fans that may use it but the fans that already do. A single tier terrace for standing (with some wheelchair access as is already in place - but not at the expense of creating a proper terrace). The back of the stand could be somewhat open to the elements, we'd be sheltered by the bare concrete terrace above our heads - something like the away end at Fulham, but on a grander scale. 3 or 4 levels of concourse with bars, toilets and all open to the elements so when people smoke (which they know they will, the pollution is blown away by the wind. Build a stand that is useful to the current incumbents of the current stand.