Wallsendmag

It's an absolutely ridiculous risk which is probably the reason other promoted clubs aren't doing it and simply accepting their fate. Plus Leicester pulled the Premier Leagues pants down so expect a loophole to appear now to stop that happening again.

So they'd be fucked either way then. Just a year later. That squad they've got now needs upgraded in more or less every position if they want to give themselves even half a chance of staying up. They can't invest as they need to without breaking PSR rules, and that's assuming the bairn who runs them could get access to any money in the first place. Even in the top league Sunderland don't generate the money. Their best player of the past few years by an absolute mile looks completely out of his depth in a poor Ipswich team. That's what they're up against. The gap between the 2 leagues is now a massive chasm. Tbh that's not a good thing but it's why all 3 promoted teams were relegated last season and the same will likely happen this season. Never used to be the case.

If they come up they are next seasons Southampton without massive investment, which won't be possible even if that kid who runs them was prepared to put his hand in his pocket, due to PSR rules.

Agree. Thinking back to when SJP was 36k probably 99% of the crowd was seated and the atmosphere was generally better than it is now. Also, staying in the 1990s, in our first few seasons in the Premier League the majority of our away support actually sat down and we had a better away crowd than we have now. Definitely more about getting like minded people grouped together and take it from there.

Must admit I used to love it! Moved my season ticket up unto the Level 7 singing corner when it was created and my seat was just a few seats off the divide. For the mackem 5-1 game it was just unreal! The piss taking was just immense, the look of complete and utter utter despair and misery on mackem faces as they tried to escape early was something I'll never forger. Priceless! Was a sad day when Ashley took the huff and killed it off.

Started with Eintracht v Dortmund but thought I'd give Burnley v mackems a go since it's a top of the table clash. Won't be tuning back in for the 2nd half that's for sure

Managed 10 mins of it before switching over. That was beyond rubbish and an awful advertisement for the standard of the Championship considering that's 2 of the beat teams! Like watching a different sport when compared to what we're watching every week.

This thread has started me reminiscing about the olden days. All the characters that used to go to the matches who you don't see anymore. Each section had it's own identity. The Corner was mental. You'd go in there with your mates and you were guaranteed to get split up as soon as the first rendition of the Blaydon Races went up (usually within the first 5 mins) and everyone surged forwards on the chorus. The Scoreboard was brilliant as well. I actually preferred it to the Corner, especially towards the back. The banter flying backwards and forwards always good as well. "Why's the Corner full of shit"? Then you went into the Milburn Stand over to the Leazes Section. A slightly older crowd than the Gallowgate. More blokes in their 30s/40s. That was my favourite part of the ground. Very noisy and always had the wittiest songs. Singing Terry Butcher on the Dole to the mackems for about 20 mins non stop when we beat them 1-0 one of many highlights. Then you'd have the Leazes End and all the students and young 'uns who'd congregate right up against the away fans in the little corner bit and just rip the piss out of them constantly. Back in those days the away end only held 950 and not many teams filled that! Then you'd move into the East Stand where you had the benches. Always well populated by some absolute lunatics who would give the opposition players and referees just constant abuse due to their close proximity to the pitch. Looking back it just felt like every end had its own little identity. You'd pick your section depending on what you wanted, sometimes even your mood! Glad I got to experience it anyway.

Hahaha cheers!

Remember playing Port Vale in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup back in 1993. We were in the Milburn E Paddock directly underneath all those crackerjacks who used to sit in the Milburn Stand Leazes Section. Me and a group of my mates started singing "When the beans come out the tin" and after a slow start it caught on and those in the Milburn Stand above us joined in. One of my prouder moments at SJP

Was always UNITED (clap 3 times). Not sure exactly when the Toon bit crept in but I think the first time a remember it was when we were playing Man Utd at home probably 20 years ago or so. Their away fans were singing "UNITED" and to drown them out our lot were shouting TOON in between and it seemed to catch on from then.

Liverpool lost around 4,500 seats when they expanded the Anfield Road end. Capacity dropped from just under 55k to just over 50k during the redevelopment. Now at 61k.

Nah been there done that. Was shite. This is better!

I just don't see how PIF could possibly think of that as a viable solution for them. The costs would be ridiculous, given the challenges they'd need to overcome, and from their POV, spending all that money to create 6/8k of what would have to be the cheapest seats in the house makes literally zero sense.

I wasn't there so can't comment on exactly what I was said. A quick Google search just says that they said it would 'double revenue" so who knows. For me as a former ST holder, and now member, if they built a new stadium in Leazes Park or Castle Leazes that had 20k more seats than SJP, even allowing for 5k of those being corporate, that gives me (along with 1000s of others) a far better opportunity to watch my team, and as vital as the extra revenue is in this day and age, that's what it's really about for me if I'm being truly honest. As big as football is these days, it doesn't exist without the supporters.