Preston North End and Bristol City have both been in the top division and could afford to improve their grounds.Football is more popular than in the past. It is a day out these days, not a walk up at 1445 and pay on the gate experience of years ago. If not now, when IS the right time to expand the stadium? With a waiting list of 3,000 surely that is now / soon. It surely should be about creating even greater numbers of match-going Argyle fans?
Interestingly the demand for tickets did not dip at all despite the turgid football under Foster. If Argyle had gone down to L1, attendances I think would have held up. Non ST renewals would have been replaced by those on the waiting list. The average gate would be down slightly in L1 due to smaller numbers of away fans.
A de-facto 16,800 ish capacity does not deliver gate receipts that a Championship berth should. The city population is over 260,000. Add to that parts of West and South Devon and much of Cornwall, then surely Argyle can aim higher?
Too often Argyle take the easy, read cheap options, and fall back into a little old Argyle mentality. Lets get rid of the 'happy to be here' thinking. I'm realistic. Argyle do need to establish themselves as Championship staples like PNE or Bristol City. Maybe the unpalatable truth is Home Park may not be fit for purpose for an established Championship club?
I think the next Head Coach appointment, although a separate issue from infrastructure concerns, will gives us a clue to the level of ambition at PAFC.
When we get to the Premiership then WE will be able to improve our ground.
Money, money, money, it's a rich man's world.