Stadium Plans

[reanswolf]

I wish they would do that £16m Steve Bull thing that I believe brings the Steve Bull stand nearer the pitch.

 

[AndyY]

101 pages so far, and not a builder in sight.

We used to be owned by one

 

[beppe7619]

The most sensible thing to do , would be to build two proper corner pieces on the south bank and a new upper tier with a new roof, covering the stand and corners ......people won't like it but it could probably be done without reducing the capacity, while the work was being carried out......say increase the south bank by 5k...... similar to what Morgan was going to do ..and similar to what they are doing at Anfield behind the goal....

Then in reality the Steve Bull could be done or refurbished without much increase to the capacity.........and not losing any revenue in the process ..

You could even take the roof off the north bank and add a extra tier with a bigger lift to take you between floors that would add 3000 extra seats

 

[Willywolf]

Tbf, the stadium redevelopment is probably not the most pressing thing on the agenda for WWFC atm. Whilst the threat of relegation looms large, it could be that ideas of increasing the capacity are premature given that attendances would drop below 30k if we returned to the championship. Currently it is hard to get tickets for games as the matches are quickly sold out, and an increase in capacity would be welcome for many. But many supporters would go back to supporting from a distance if relegation were to happen.

It could work the opposite way though I suppose where news of redevelopment will re-energise the fan base. The excitement created by plans to redevelop the home we all love could be enough to see the crowd become the 12th man in home games - something that has been lacking recently. The team remaining a secure premier league outfit then means greater capacity is needed and demand for tickets would surely see stadium plans as a priority at some point in the near future.

What isn’t in doubt is that the ground is becoming desperate for work. It looks old and tired, the facilities in some areas are not befitting of a league 1 team nevermind premier league team, the North Bank looks completely odd (and something of an eyesore imo) as it is the only stand that looks modern, and that Graham Hughes stand - there are no positives for me other than it’s more seats available.

It’s a shame really that the redevelopment of the ground has been put on the back burner for so long. It is understandable though, especially given or current league position and the economic climate for the last few years. I do wonder whether it will be Fosun that eventually redevelop or move the home ground, or if it will be the task of a new owner/investor.

 

[Minimalist]

I wish they would do that £16m Steve Bull thing that I believe brings the Steve Bull stand nearer the pitch.

I think it needs knocking down and re building properly, would just be a waste of £16m as a lot of the issues would still remain. Perhaps if you could spend a couple of million to open up concourses or develop a way to have away fans permanently in the north end (upper and lower tier).
But £16m seems a lot to end up with something that still isn’t ideal.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

At least we normally get a new stand as compensation (or to blame) for relegation. Maybe we can blame the new SW Corner?

 

[Sussex Wolf]

The most sensible thing to do , would be to build two proper corner pieces on the south bank and a new upper tier with a new roof, covering the stand and corners ......people won't like it but it could probably be done without reducing the capacity, while the work was being carried out......say increase the south bank by 5k...... similar to what Morgan was going to do ..and similar to what they are doing at Anfield behind the goal....

Then in reality the Steve Bull could be done or refurbished without much increase to the capacity.........and not losing any revenue in the process ..

It’s clearly not the priority right now, and it’s unlikely to be for some time. However, that aside, I agree. If you did what you suggest for the South Bank, and built the missing NW Quad to balance up the North Bank, you add 5-10k to capacity and balance up the ground. That would leave the two main stands, which in reality is where the money is because of the potential corporate business. But by expanding the South and North banks as far as practical and without affecting capacity during the world, you help maintain ground revenue, even when work started on the Steve Bull - whether a rebuild or renovation.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

It’s clearly not the priority right now, and it’s unlikely to be for some time. However, that aside, I agree. If you did what you suggest for the South Bank, and built the missing NW Quad to balance up the North Bank, you add 5-10k to capacity and balance up the ground. That would leave the two main stands, which in reality is where the money is because of the potential corporate business. But by expanding the South and North banks as far as practical and without affecting capacity during the world, you help maintain ground revenue, even when work started on the Steve Bull - whether a rebuild or renovation.

I'm going to say now that although there is almost no chance of anything beyond the Steve Bull remodel happening in the foreseeable future, one thing that absolutely won't happen is a NW quadrant. Seats at the top that will never be used, demolishing the bottom corner of the BW, which is surely a different proposition to the Steve Bull equivalent. Would be utter madness.

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

The most sensible thing to do , would be to build two proper corner pieces on the south bank and a new upper tier with a new roof, covering the stand and corners ......people won't like it but it could probably be done without reducing the capacity, while the work was being carried out......say increase the south bank by 5k...... similar to what Morgan was going to do ..and similar to what they are doing at Anfield behind the goal....

Then in reality the Steve Bull could be done or refurbished without much increase to the capacity.........and not losing any revenue in the process ..

No need to add a tier. Just add to the existing tier, we don't want to detach fans from each other - we want a gold and black wall.

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

You could even take the roof off the north bank and add a extra tier with a bigger lift to take you between floors that would add 3000 extra seats

The North bank is as big as it can be without fans feeling completely peripheral to the action.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

The North bank is as big as it can be without fans feeling completely peripheral to the action.

I sat up the top once, had that proper 'Newcastle away' feel!

 

[Sussex Wolf]

I'm going to say now that although there is almost no chance of anything beyond the Steve Bull remodel happening in the foreseeable future, one thing that absolutely won't happen is a NW quadrant. Seats at the top that will never be used, demolishing the bottom corner of the BW, which is surely a different proposition to the Steve Bull equivalent. Would be utter madness.

A NW Quad need not affect the BW at all. The only reason the NE Quad affected the SBL was that the SB was expected to be demolished within a year of the completion of the NB, and so no consideration was given to long term coexistence of the two stands. A NW Quad would add roughly 1,500 seats and some more corporate and could be built without affecting existing capacity.

Similarly, two proper corner stands either side of an expanded South Bank, would add roughly 3,000 seats on top of the 3-5k that could be added by extending the South Bank backwards and upwards so that it reaches the same height as the NB.

All told that’s around 10k, so would lift our capacity to north of 40k, which I think the consensus is sufficient to accommodate our demand if the team were performing on a par with Nuno’s first couple of PL seasons. All that could be done without temporarily closing any existing stands except the Graham Hughes. Even then, the sequence could easily be arranged to avoid a temporary reduction in capacity by building the NW Quad first.

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

I sat up the top once, had that proper 'Newcastle away' feel!

Building it any bigger would make for a poor experience in my opinion.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

A NW Quad need not affect the BW at all. The only reason the NE Quad affected the SBL was that the SB was expected to be demolished within a year of the completion of the NB, and so no consideration was given to long term coexistence of the two stands. A NW Quad would add roughly 1,500 seats and some more corporate and could be built without affecting existing capacity.

Similarly, two proper corner stands either side of an expanded South Bank, would add roughly 3,000 seats on top of the 3-5k that could be added by extending the South Bank backwards and upwards so that it reaches the same height as the NB.

All told that’s around 10k, so would lift our capacity to north of 40k, which I think the consensus is sufficient to accommodate our demand if the team were performing on a par with Nuno’s first couple of PL seasons. All that could be done without temporarily closing any existing stands except the Graham Hughes. Even then, the sequence could easily be arranged to avoid a temporary reduction in capacity by building the NW Quad first.

The bottom of the NE quad is literally built where JL1 used to be. We don't even sell all the WL9 seats as you're staring at the wall on the side NB. You couldn't sell the top in the same way we don't sell all of NU7. It was only ever in the plans for if the BW was demolished, which was always highly unlikely. Bonkers idea in my humble opinion.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

The bottom of the NE quad is literally built where JL1 used to be. We don't even sell all the WL9 seats as you're staring at the wall on the side NB. You couldn't sell the top in the same way we don't sell all of NU7. It was only ever in the plans for if the BW was demolished, which was always highly unlikely. Bonkers idea in my humble opinion.

You’re missing the point. The NE Quad was built anticipating the quick construction of the new SB and remainder of the Quad. Planning permission for phase 2, the new Steve Bull, was already in place, as was the funding. It was only halted because of back to back relegations. That’s why there are restricted view seats at the top, and why the bottom corner of the SBL was removed.

If you built a NW Quad knowing that it will live alongside the BW for years to come, then you’d design the NW Quad around the constraints of the existing BW. Most of a new NW Quad would be identical to the NE Quad, but the upper and lower sections closest to the BW would be adapted to fit into the available space and sight lines. Stadiums all over the country have corners built to accommodate the adjoining stands, even if the stands are radically different sizes.

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

The bottom of the NE quad is literally built where JL1 used to be. We don't even sell all the WL9 seats as you're staring at the wall on the side NB. You couldn't sell the top in the same way we don't sell all of NU7. It was only ever in the plans for if the BW was demolished, which was always highly unlikely. Bonkers idea in my humble opinion.

Agreed, you'd lose half as many seats in the BW as you'd gain in a half quadrant. You'd also probably lose some corporate space in the BW too.

It's the hardest part of the ground to redevelop due to the proximity of Waterloo road in that corner.

Any building may have to be very inventive to marry it up to hopefully a fully redeveloped stadium in the future. Taking half measures now would be counter intuitive and a total waste of money.

 

[RosehillWolf]

Whatever happened to the south bank extension everyone was talking about ? Surely thats the easiest way to add a bit more capacity
Mind you we might not need it the way things are going

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Whatever happened to the south bank extension everyone was talking about ? Surely thats the easiest way to add a bit more capacity
Mind you we might not need it the way things are going

The club said that wasn’t their first priority in the ground. They want to improve the Steve Bull first, which provides only modest additional capacity but more revenue from improved corporate and non sporting events like concerts. That’s the £16m investment that’s been mentioned. They acknowledged that expanding the South Bank is desirable to grow capacity and address the waiting list, but it’s more expensive and has a slower payback.

 

[SanFranWolf]

Tbf, the stadium redevelopment is probably not the most pressing thing on the agenda for WWFC atm. Whilst the threat of relegation looms large, it could be that ideas of increasing the capacity are premature given that attendances would drop below 30k if we returned to the championship. Currently it is hard to get tickets for games as the matches are quickly sold out, and an increase in capacity would be welcome for many. But many supporters would go back to supporting from a distance if relegation were to happen.

It could work the opposite way though I suppose where news of redevelopment will re-energise the fan base. The excitement created by plans to redevelop the home we all love could be enough to see the crowd become the 12th man in home games - something that has been lacking recently. The team remaining a secure premier league outfit then means greater capacity is needed and demand for tickets would surely see stadium plans as a priority at some point in the near future.

What isn’t in doubt is that the ground is becoming desperate for work. It looks old and tired, the facilities in some areas are not befitting of a league 1 team nevermind premier league team, the North Bank looks completely odd (and something of an eyesore imo) as it is the only stand that looks modern, and that Graham Hughes stand - there are no positives for me other than it’s more seats available.

It’s a shame really that the redevelopment of the ground has been put on the back burner for so long. It is understandable though, especially given or current league position and the economic climate for the last few years. I do wonder whether it will be Fosun that eventually redevelop or move the home ground, or if it will be the task of a new owner/investor.

The issue is that the stadium is never the most important thing on the clubs agenda no matter what’s happening

 

[OscillatingWildly]

The issue is that the stadium is never the most important thing on the clubs agenda no matter what’s happening

Yep, there's never a *right* time.

If you were the coldest Mr Logic type in the world, then the best time to knock down the Steve Bull would have been when we went down to League One. We could afford the loss of capacity (plenty of times we didn't get 20k through the gate) and Morgan could have absorbed the costs by adding it to his eventual sale price (I don't doubt he already had half an eye on an exit strategy by that point, even though we didn't go up for sale for another two and a bit years).

Of course, it would have gone down like a cup of cold sick. "I know we've been relegated two years in a row and we've got Crawley and Stevenage coming up at home, but we are going to spend more money on the ground" would not have been the world's greatest PR, even by his own standards.

Our easiest out is if Asda ever decide to move on - we could have all that land back and do a Spurs-style job of building a new ground yards from the old one.

Pretty sure it's a two year job with the Steve Bull, it'll take ages just to demolish.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Yep, there's never a *right* time.

If you were the coldest Mr Logic type in the world, then the best time to knock down the Steve Bull would have been when we went down to League One. We could afford the loss of capacity (plenty of times we didn't get 20k through the gate) and Morgan could have absorbed the costs by adding it to his eventual sale price (I don't doubt he already had half an eye on an exit strategy by that point, even though we didn't go up for sale for another two and a bit years).

Of course, it would have gone down like a cup of cold sick. "I know we've been relegated two years in a row and we've got Crawley and Stevenage coming up at home, but we are going to spend more money on the ground" would not have been the world's greatest PR, even by his own standards.

Our easiest out is if Asda ever decide to move on - we could have all that land back and do a Spurs-style job of building a new ground yards from the old one.

Pretty sure it's a two year job with the Steve Bull, it'll take ages just to demolish.

Demolish the Steve Bull? To hear some on this thread a good gust of wind will blow it over. It’s crumbling to pieces like the Colosseum apparently.

 

[Berlin Wolf]

The issue is that the stadium is never the most important thing on the clubs agenda no matter what’s happening

Seems to me SFW, what Russell Jones outlined on revamping the Steve Bull Stand last summer is not happening either. No updates since!

 

[lets all have a disco]

Demolish the Steve Bull? To hear some on this thread a good gust of wind will blow it over. It’s crumbling to pieces like the Colosseum apparently.

Won't take long to demolish.... apparently it's sinking that much, they are expecting it to be a single tier stand in a season or two........

 

[hollo]

Yes

Demolish the Steve Bull? To hear some on this thread a good gust of wind will blow it over. It’s crumbling to pieces like the Colosseum apparently.

Demolish it and build a replacement stand rather than waste 16 million. It is unfit for purpose. I want a stand as impressive as the north bank.

 

[thetwistedsock]

The new stand / Steve Bull is ok. Talk of it needing to be demolished or of it sinking is ridiculous. Nothing will happen whilst we're in **** street anyway.

 

[Berlin Wolf]

Yes
Demolish it and build a replacement stand rather than waste 16 million. It is unfit for purpose. I want a stand as impressive as the north bank.

I agree. Jeff Shi once said, the club want to match Man City on and OFF the pitch, and surpass them, so your want is not unreasonable.

 

[AndyY]

Just knock the Steve Bull stand down and rebuild it in the summer. The stadium looks strange how we made an effort with the North Bank, yet the other 3 stands we didn't really do much if anything.

Oh yes, very easy to do over a summer! Really?

 

[oldgoldheart]

Nothings going to get built under fosun. They said it was too expensive when rates were 0.1%. They are 4.25% now. This whole thread is a waste of time

 

[Macman]

Nothings going to get built under fosun. They said it was too expensive when rates were 0.1%. They are 4.25% now. This whole thread is a waste of time

This sadly. Ive always been a big advocate of the stadium rebuild, but seeing our relegation struggle puts things into perspective. Shame as when you see the millions weve wasted on poor players, we could have invested in the stadium and been no worse off on the pitch.

 

[hollo]

Semedo 27-35 million, fabio silva 35 million, cunha 43 million, nunes 45 million, guedes 28 million. That's over 175 million which could be enough for three stands.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Oddly though last time we built a stand all we heard was 'why is the builder concentrating on the ground and ignoring the team'.

 

[Rednal Wolf]

Semedo 27-35 million, fabio silva 35 million, cunha 43 million, nunes 45 million, guedes 28 million. That's over 175 million which could be enough for three stands.

Shocking fees for very ordinary players .

 

[WickedWolfie]

Demolish the Steve Bull? To hear some on this thread a good gust of wind will blow it over. It’s crumbling to pieces like the Colosseum apparently.

I seriously doubt that the Steve Bull will last two millennia like the Colosseum, lol...

Although there are those on here who would say that Fosun still wouldn't have invested on the ground during that time....

 

[hollo]

It would be cheaper to spend 10 million on the best recruitment team, 50 million on transfers like mitoma and gonto and 100 million on the stands.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

The reality is there’s never a good time to invest in the stadium.

Do it while we out of the top flight and have “spare” capacity to accommodate any temporary reduction in capacity, and the complaint will be why spend the money on a stadium instead of players to get back up. The same applies where we are right now, or just after having won promotion to the top flight.

Do it while competing for trophies or a European spot and the stadium is packed, and any short term reduction in capacity it going to be painful for club and fans.

The reality is that decisions on improving the stadium really have to be taken largely independent of how we are performing on the pitch, as long as we are in the top two leagues and we have owners who wish to invest in our long term success as a PL club. FFP somewhat separates the funds for investment in the team or infrastructure, by design, but smart investment in infrastructure should ultimately generate additional funds (under FFP) for the team, so it can’t just be ignored forever. In saying all that, I would not want to be in Everton’s shoes, and have a half billion stadium nearing completion, with the associated loan and interest payments, and the threat of relegation and its halving of annual revenue.

 

[Wagstaffe Was Magic]

The way we’re going we’ll need about 22,000 to 23,000 seats next season, so we’re fine for the moment thanks!!

 

[Berlin Wolf]

No stadium redevelopment in sight, meant Molineux had virtually no chance of been chosen to host a Euro 2028 match.

UK & Ireland confirm 10 stadiums in Euro 2028 bid

Belfast's Casement Park and Everton's Bramley-Moore Dock, two unbuilt stadiums, are part of the UK and Republic of Ireland's joint bid to host Euro 2028.

www.bbc.com

Six English stadiums from ten chosen, including Everton's new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.
Hosts Villa and Man City will have had capacity increases by 2028. Villa Park up to 52,190.
Neither Old Trafford or Anfield chosen. Old Trafford in particular in need of a big revamp.

Host stadiums​

1. Wembley Stadium (London) (capacity 90,652)

2. Principality Stadium (Cardiff) (73,952)

3. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London) (62,322)

4. Etihad Stadium (Manchester) (61,000)

5. Everton Stadium (Liverpool) (52,679)

6. St James' Park (Newcastle) (52,305)

7. Villa Park (Birmingham) (52,190)

8. Hampden Park (Glasgow) (52,032)

9. Aviva Stadium (Dublin) (51,711)

10. Casement Park (Belfast) (34,500)

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

No stadium redevelopment in sight, meant Molineux had virtually no chance of been chosen to host a Euro 2028 match.

UK & Ireland confirm 10 stadiums in Euro 2028 bid

Belfast's Casement Park and Everton's Bramley-Moore Dock, two unbuilt stadiums, are part of the UK and Republic of Ireland's joint bid to host Euro 2028.

www.bbc.com

Six English stadiums from ten chosen, including Everton's new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.
Hosts Villa and Man City will have had capacity increases by 2028. Villa Park up to 52,190.
Neither Old Trafford or Anfield chosen. Old Trafford in particular in need of a big revamp.

Host stadiums​

1. Wembley Stadium (London) (capacity 90,652)

2. Principality Stadium (Cardiff) (73,952)

3. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London) (62,322)

4. Etihad Stadium (Manchester) (61,000)

5. Everton Stadium (Liverpool) (52,679)

6. St James' Park (Newcastle) (52,305)

7. Villa Park (Birmingham) (52,190)

8. Hampden Park (Glasgow) (52,032)

9. Aviva Stadium (Dublin) (51,711)

10. Casement Park (Belfast) (34,500)

Never any chance though really. Surprised they're quoting Villa Park at 52k, I know there are plans to redevelop the North Stand, but not an extra 10k surely? Are they going to rebuild the Doug Ellis?

 

[TFWanderers]

Never any chance though really. Surprised they're quoting Villa Park at 52k, I know there are plans to redevelop the North Stand, but not an extra 10k surely? Are they going to rebuild the Doug Ellis?

Filling the corners in between the North Stand and the Doug Ellis and Trinity Road.

The North Stand’s replacement will also be bigger than the current.

52k is about right.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Filling the corners in between the North Stand and the Doug Ellis and Trinity Road.

The North Stand’s replacement will also be bigger than the current.

52k is about right.

Cheers, had a look and apparently it adds 7,400, to get them over 50k, which when you think that the North Stand is pretty big and that's almost the capacity of the Stan Cullis is pretty impressive. Also the end of the Doug Ellis is well behind the goal.