bournemouth is going to have the ground redeveloped to give them a greater capacity.
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(Can we have) Stadium expansion?
- Thread starter Greenarmy1234
- Start date
I understand why many Argyle fans are psychologically damaged by our ups and downs over the years, especially when we went into administration.
I understand that and tend to be half-empty rather than half-full.
But we have to be a bit more positive than almost expecting that we will be back in League 2 sooner or later.
Increasing capacity (and thus income) will be a in boost in consolidating our place in the Championship.
I do not think there is any longer any real debate that the club should be aiming at increasing capacity, the need for it is now proven. Football is in a new era and historical comparisons are not relevant. It is just a question of how it is funded, and that is obviously not easy. I think had it not been for the club's history I would be advocating long term bank borrowing on the basis that the income from the increased capacity should more than cover the interest and repayments, but we all know where debt can lead if things don't turn out as planned and, on balance, I would rather the club stayed debt free, even if that means we cannot expand.
It was possible to install clip ons which would have given 2600 seats / 6 rows, but with stanchions in front of them restricting view, now the tv gantry may be in the way of that.
I agree, but it is not an irrational thing to do, its how most businesses fund major capital expenditure on which they expect a future return. But football is not most business.
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 Non ST renewals would have been replaced by those on the waiting list.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.
If you need any help spendinding other people's money, I'm your man. I also consider myself an expert on anything to do with hindsight.😁👍
You basically echo my thoughts. Now is the right time to expand but unfortunately our success has coincided with two major projects underway for the long term future of the club in Brickfields and Harper's. Let's hope further investment is secured soon by SH so that the ground expansion which has probably moved up the priority list a bit now can be addressed.
Stick the away fans in the upper grandstand, two savings here as no need to worry about there comfort so expensive leg room alterations not needed and no segregation needed in the Barn Park so another couple of hundred seats available there.
Finally why cant we lower the pitch by just 1 metre and put 2 extra rows of seats around the perimeter. Nothing to build just a bit of groundwork so cost per seat kept to a minimum and should raise capacity by a couple of thousand?
Finally why cant we lower the pitch by just 1 metre and put 2 extra rows of seats around the perimeter. Nothing to build just a bit of groundwork so cost per seat kept to a minimum and should raise capacity by a couple of thousand?
Yes I remember that, think it was on TV perhaps when the stadium redevelopment was announced
Borrowing to invest is perfectly responsible as long as the business is run by competent people. It's not the borrowing per se that's dangerous.
Or put them in the lower Mayflower, it's harder for them to make an atmosphere without a roof, and we can laugh at them getting wet.
That would entail moving the dugouts to the Lyndhurst side though I guess.
Didn't the existing pitch cost some £500,000 some 10 years ago...not that PAFC paid for it ...... would cost a lot more now
