There is a point of no return in football, when sentiment has been disengaged so long, it cannot be recovered. Dave King referred to this during his campaign to gain control of Newco, insisting that if the club failed to regularly become champions, young fans would not get the bug. I know older Dundee fans who watched as their city switched during the 1980s and who have long given up hope of being a force again. In the 50s, Hearts and Hibs were comparable to Celtic in size, now they feed on scraps.
The same is true at international level. Some of us remember a time when results in the Home Internationals had an importance it is difficult to imagine now. Under Jock Stein, Scotland were held by “11 dustbins” against Portugal, as the great man struggled to explain why his team only got a draw. The national team succumbed to what was an embarrassing defeat in Kazakhstan this week, but no one cared and no one was really embarrassed.
The Scotland ‘thing’ is finished. Those who like their foreign drinking trips will continue to sign up, but kids and the vast majority who watch club football each week have long given up. The SFA have long lost their audience, and with true bunker mentality, they will never consider the problem lies inside their Hampden offices.
Fortunately, you and me have a league title to look forward to winning………
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David 66
Who of `our bhoys` is/are playing tonight?
JJ
David 66
I read most days, but don’t often comment. Keep on keeping on. Interesting suggestion with Ajer at RB. After coming game on Sunday, hoping of course that we win (handsomely, preferably), I would not play Boyata and Benkovic again as they are leaving, and we need to test out some different combinations for the future, e.g. Lustig at CB (for whom we should take up the 1 year option, imo).
HH
Our place in the world — Part XYZ
FMcC rebuild of the stadium is now 20 years old — what happens next?
The current — 2nd rate design in my eyes — plans for a new museum, shop and a hotel are a start but a pretty limited start at that.
My thoughts are that we need to do a complete rebuild of the main stand including the SE and SW corners.
Two recent examples come to mind:
L/pool Main Stand rebuild — Extra seats and extra facilities effectively doubling the size of their old main stand. The work would appear to have been done to a high level with an increased supporter spend to to finance it over the medium term and generate an increased revenue stream / surplus for the club.
Spurs new stadium — North London one up-man-ship to the fore but it looks incredible.
The pictures show facilities and a fit out that are world class and then some — consequently the new leader of the EPL stadium pack.
Huge cost supported by expensive ticket prices and various debenture / hospitality schemes.
However WHL at 40K seats meant that there was a huge pent up demand for tickets.
New ground at 62K means a huge increase match day income to the extent of doubling current figures.
Plus the Wembley road trip has increased their matchday attendance numbers.
L/pool main stand = £80mill or £100mill investment depending on the source.
Spurs new ground = £1bill has been mentioned though that would appear to be very high for 62K seats when you already own the site.
Consequently what should we do?
Our matchday facilities are very poor for the vast majority of seats.
We need to improve all around the ground and we need to totally transform the Main Stand.
The only question to me is how much do we spend and what standards should we be aiming for?
And then there is the tourist angle and should we make efforts to accommodate it?
What should be our budget and where should we spend it?
Given our weather our most basic improvement should be too expand the areas under cover around the ground — sitting in your seat 60 minutes and 90 minutes before the game is only for the committed and in addition sitting in your seat staring at the grass means that you are not spending any money.
Our Place in World — Part XYZ+1
Cheap and easy start — More facillities behind the JS Stand.
Only question would be the budget — £5mill or £10mill?
Along with a better catering offer and a pre-match bar the money would flood in.
Combine the build with a new multi story garage to harvest the parking market.
More involved project — New main stand.
Increase the capacity of the ground to 67K plus as a first step.
Include an extra 1000 hospitality seats in boxes plus 2000 free pie seats.
Build big — build my portal steel frame high.
Leave space in the attic for another 8K seats for high demand games.
Plug number — 10% increase in capacity with a better and wider selection of seats would increase matchday revenue by £10mill. To this can be added the extra income of getting the punters in earlier to spend money at the ground and not the Merchant City.
My thoughts are that the cost of a new main stand would start at £50mill for a basic fit out and no style.
If the demand was for something more opulent that made a statement to the world then we are talking about at least £75mill or possibly £100mill.
Then comes the financing — CFC Bonds over 15 / 20 / 25 years to do the heavy lifting.
Paying out 4 / 5 / 6% depending on our performance.
Plus debentures, naming rights to the stand and third party investment / non matchday use.
Budget based on the following split — 20% club / 60% bonds / 20% third parties.
For me it is a case of if not when.
If DD want’s to get noticed by the EPL then he needs to start flashing some property “leg”.
Now back to Brexit.
Madmitch
100% agree.
Mad Mitch
Excellent proposals. Will it happen… Should it happen – resounding yes.
HH
Who would win in a fight between a hot water seat and a free pie seat?
If they could just manage hot pies and free water, that would be a massive improvement sadly beyond our caterers.
Can Bobby Madden save Sevco?
new article posted.
MIT
Who the hell is this “Brownie” you refer to?
Possibly somebody who left the building and went to Leicester with the rest of the management team?
Repeat efter me…….
Broon-ie \0/ Broon-ie \0/ Broon-ie \0/