Fossetts Farm Stadium in doubt

[wiggy]

Whilst I completely agree with this, it does seem to be at odds with everything else I've ever seen you say about Southend United.
The truth always comes out in the end!;)

I speak as i see, upsets a lot on here but who cares. Team might not be great at the mo but definately a privelidge to turn up at Roots Hall every other week. Feel sorry for those that are housed every Saturday in a souless prefab like Col U, enjoy it while you can. Would be delighted if we were guaranteed 20 years at The Hall, might be grass roots but at least i'll enjoy every moment, and then moan about it!

 

[canveyshrimper]

I speak as i see, upsets a lot on here but who cares. Team might not be great at the mo but definately a privelidge to turn up at Roots Hall every other week. Feel sorry for those that are housed every Saturday in a souless prefab like Col U, enjoy it while you can. Would be delighted if we were guaranteed 20 years at The Hall, might be grass roots but at least i'll enjoy every moment, and then moan about it!

I can't argue with your feelings for Roots Hall, I love the old place, but in reality it isn't possible to be further developed. This has been self evident for over 25 years, and more so since the South Bank was "developed".

You are also spot on about some of the gerry built stadia that have been constructed in the name of progress. However a lot of the new grounds are very good, such as Reading, Swansea, Wigan, Sunderland, not been to Hull but I'm told it's very good.

I firmly believe, as I have since about 1980, that the club has to move to have a chance of progressing.

 

[grassroots]

I can't argue with your feelings for Roots Hall, I love the old place, but in reality it isn't possible to be further developed. This has been self evident for over 25 years, and more so since the South Bank was "developed".

You are also spot on about some of the gerry built stadia that have been constructed in the name of progress. However a lot of the new grounds are very good, such as Reading, Swansea, Wigan, Sunderland, not been to Hull but I'm told it's very good.

I firmly believe, as I have since about 1980, that the club has to move to have a chance of progressing.

I feel I am being dragged 'kicking and screaming' along to Mr. Martin's all new Supa Dupa Singing And Dancing New Stadium' only for him to disappear over the horizon with his big fat wedge, with me, my mate and other 5,000 hardy souls, sitting shivering with 17, 000 empty seats for company!

With the will, Roots Hall COULD be developed, there IS space aplenty......problem is the "enabling developement" doesnt exist and therby no big profits!

 

[wiggy]

I can't argue with your feelings for Roots Hall, I love the old place, but in reality it isn't possible to be further developed. This has been self evident for over 25 years, and more so since the South Bank was "developed".

You are also spot on about some of the gerry built stadia that have been constructed in the name of progress. However a lot of the new grounds are very good, such as Reading, Swansea, Wigan, Sunderland, not been to Hull but I'm told it's very good.

I firmly believe, as I have since about 1980, that the club has to move to have a chance of progressing.

Have not been to any of those Championship/Premiership stadia but am very worried that we will get one of the crap ones. Why is it that Roots can't be given a makeover, best atmosphere in the league if nothing else!

 

[OldBlueLady]

Have not been to any of those Championship/Premiership stadia but am very worried that we will get one of the crap ones. Why is it that Roots can't be given a makeover, best atmosphere in the league if nothing else!

It can't, it's that simple. There is no way to develop RH to make it the kind of place the club needs to expand to the level Ron wants. The site always had its limitations and alas, however much we enjoy the intimacy and familiarity of our little old home, it just can't give us the potential we need to succeed.

 

[wiggy]

It can't, it's that simple. There is no way to develop RH to make it the kind of place the club needs to expand to the level Ron wants. The site always had its limitations and alas, however much we enjoy the intimacy and familiarity of our little old home, it just can't give us the potential we need to succeed.

......isn't that what bottom of the football league Darlo once said?

 

[OldBlueLady]

......isn't that what bottom of the football league Darlo once said?

Yeh maybe, but Ron is no megalomaniac - and have you actually been to Darlington? :stunned: I have.....many times! Best things about it are these two things - neither of which are football related!

 

[canveyshrimper]

Have not been to any of those Championship/Premiership stadia but am very worried that we will get one of the crap ones. Why is it that Roots can't be given a makeover, best atmosphere in the league if nothing else!

I thought you would have been to Swansea. I guess that Roots Hall can be given a make over it can only be cosmetic. There's no chance of further development on the South Bank, and with the close proximity of Shakespeare Drive there isn't much chance on the West. Developing the North will run into the problem with Prospects, and that leaves the East.

While you are right about Darlo, plenty of other clubs who have been rivals down the years have progressed with new stadia, clubs such as Reading, Doncaster, Wigan, Swansea etc.

 

[wiggy]

Yeh maybe, but Ron is no megalomaniac - and have you actually been to Darlington? :stunned: I have.....many times! Best things about it are these two things - neither of which are football related!

.....a young OBL and a clay train, is that it?

 

[OldBlueLady]

Nah....train is brick...it's Mallard coming out of a tunnel, and actually just behind the stadium - very clever. And don't think I was ever that little in the lifetime of colour photos!

 

[shrimper4life]

Nowone can say for sure yet. this is the closest we've come in our history

EDIt- (since weve been at Roots Hall)

The club are a few million in debt, we cant even afford players let alone a £25 mill stadium. Its time some of you see the bigger picture. The club is fu***d.

 

[Crawliano]

Have not been to any of those Championship/Premiership stadia but am very worried that we will get one of the crap ones. Why is it that Roots can't be given a makeover, best atmosphere in the league if nothing else!

It's not just making over the ground, it's putting in the facilities to be able to make the area make money all week rather than on match days.

We need to be able to offer confrencing facilities and office space to be used at the ground while the fans are off elsewhere.

If Ronny boy's got any sense he's currently tying up deals with the likes of JJB/Mozza's etc to also incorporate Team Blues points in with their leases so that it encourages the fans in to spend money and still work towards getting discounts etc and put more money into the club.

Staying at RH won't achieve this.

That said, I love the old dump, blocked views due to posts n all.

 

[Crawliano]

The club are a few million in debt, we cant even afford players let alone a £25 mill stadium. Its time some of you see the bigger picture. The club is fu***d.

The stadium is an investment, taking a mortgage out to buy players in the hope of a quick jolt up the leagues is just crazy. Watch Scunthorpe for an example of that one.

We're not ****ed, just in transition.

 

[OldBlueLady]

The stadium is an investment

We're not ****ed, just in transition.

Exactly, hopefully it's a few years of tightening belts, skrimping and saving to achieve the dream.

 

[Pubey]

Exactly, hopefully it's a few years of tightening belts, skrimping and saving to achieve the dream.

Too much scrimping and we will do a Darlington, moving into our new ground in L2 and not getting anywhere near the CCC which Ron says HAS to be where we end up. However on the plus side Tilly has a knack for not apending money on players, and hopefully we can tighten our belts but still be competative for when we move to Fossetts Farm

 

[BrettieAngell]

......isn't that what bottom of the football league Darlo once said?

Hello McFly!

Darlo were screwed by a crook!

 

[Gremlin]

Darlo were screwed by a crook!

You don't need to lay bait like that!

 

[BrettieAngell]

You don't need to lay bait like that!

Well maybe not but its the truth!

I can't see any comparison between us and Darlo.

 

[Reg Martin]

Well maybe not but its the truth!

I can't see any comparison between us and Darlo.

There is no comparison with Darlo.
My long exile in the grim north means this is the one subject I can claim to have more knowledge on than many of the people on here who insist on comparing us to Darlo.
They don't have the sort of potential catchment population Southend has and they would never fill their ground even if top of the Premier League.
There may be a case to be argued for us staying at Roots Hall but it has to go hand-in-hand with an acceptance that staying there would always mean Southend shuttling between League One and Conference and maybe once in a blue moon having a season in Championship.
Some people may be happy with that but as they are often the same people who complain about our recent league positions, I just can't follow their thinking

 

[Crawliano]

There is no comparison with Darlo.

I can't believe a tongue in cheek comment about Darlington that I made about "grounds that have worked" has spawned comparisons as well!

That said, I think that people here are already comparing RM to George Reynolds anyway so it's hardly a shock.

We will NOT be playing games in front of 2,500 at Fossett's simple.

First season I can see the average being about 12,000, if we play the likes of Leeds we'll have 16,000 through the door.

Which will be nice.