Sir John Hall and Shepherd - One of the biggest football legacies

[Benwell Lad]

It's a widely forgotten fact that SJH's first proposal, as outlined in a match programme in the 1980's, was for Newcastle and Sunderland to merge and play in a new stadium at Washington.

 

Honest.

 

really?

 

I remember that. SJH had a lot to learn back then.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

It's a widely forgotten fact that SJH's first proposal, as outlined in a match programme in the 1980's, was for Newcastle and Sunderland to merge and play in a new stadium at Washington.

 

Honest.

 

really?

 

It would be great if people actually knew what they were talking about like?

[Village Idiot]

Saint James' Park always stood out to me for how weird it looks, with those asymmetrical stands. It gives the venue a lot of personality that most identikit stadiums lack, but is there a particular reason for it?

[maybe_next_year]

Saint James' Park always stood out to me for how weird it looks, with those asymmetrical stands. It gives the venue a lot of personality that most identikit stadiums lack, but is there a particular reason for it?

 

couldnt get permission to increase the east stand (the buildings behind it are listed) and problems with reinforcing the gallowgate making it hard to expand it.

[Dave]

Saint James' Park always stood out to me for how weird it looks, with those asymmetrical stands. It gives the venue a lot of personality that most identikit stadiums lack, but is there a particular reason for it?

 

The buildings behind the East stand are listed, and therefore the club can't overshadow them any more than at present.

[madras]

It's a widely forgotten fact that SJH's first proposal, as outlined in a match programme in the 1980's, was for Newcastle and Sunderland to merge and play in a new stadium at Washington.

 

Honest.

weshington (no spelling mistake there either) was one idea,somewhere by the metro centre was another as was gosforth park. john halls ideas before he got in charge.

 

i don't think the idea was to merge but to ground share. (weshington)

[Village Idiot]

Saint James' Park always stood out to me for how weird it looks, with those asymmetrical stands. It gives the venue a lot of personality that most identikit stadiums lack, but is there a particular reason for it?

 

couldnt get permission to increase the east stand (the buildings behind it are listed) and problems with reinforcing the gallowgate making it hard to expand it.

 

Thanks!

[quayside]

Now I know these two are generally contentious figures when it comes to this club and hopefully this thread wont dig up old board stuff.

 

However, I was thinking recently, that while the likes of Liverpool, Everton, Portsmouth have failed very badly to upgrade their stadiums, Southampton completely bankrupted themselves doing theres, other clubs moving location and only filling out half capacity, Newcastle United and Hall and Shepherd rebuilt St. James' Park to meet the demands of the modern world.

 

I've often wondered what would have happenned without the stadium. Regardless it is not something to worry about.

 

Truth is that now the period of football is very much over, we are left with a great stadium that can get the 3rd highest attendance in the country every other week, where Newcastle fans can go to see the club play.

 

That alone is a huge legacy that not many chairman in the football club will leave behind.

 

Good OP. While I've slagged of Shepherd plenty on these board - and with good reason - both he and especially SJH were men with big visions. The execution might have left a bit to be desired but you can't knock the conviction. Personally i thought things went downhill when SJH stepped aside and Freddie took the reins, but we have a lot to be proud of it's true.

 

I love the place - it's in a fantastic location in the city, it is state of the art but still got character and is the envy of everyone I know who doesn't support us. I too have criticised the financial legacy the previous board left behind on here a few times but the development of SJP was a fantastic piece of business.

[Village Idiot]

Yeah, I envy you too, I absolutely adore Camp Nou but it is a very old stadium and it shows, the costs of remodelling it are so huge that we don't know how we can finance it even with selling all the land we own around it.

[Fugazi]

Yeah, I envy you too, I absolutely adore Camp Nou but it is a very old stadium and it shows, the costs of remodelling it are so huge that we don't know how we can finance it even with selling all the land we own around it.

 

The photo below shows why we cant expand:

 

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1169/gfhghghb.jpg

[Village Idiot]

That's pretty close, yeah. Thanks.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Yeah, I envy you too, I absolutely adore Camp Nou but it is a very old stadium and it shows, the costs of remodelling it are so huge that we don't know how we can finance it even with selling all the land we own around it.

 

The photo below shows why we cant expand:

 

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1169/gfhghghb.jpg

 

What's Phil Brown doing there?

[TRon]

The photo does emphasise just what a monstrosities modern football stadiums can become. While it's great having the club bang in the city centre, it's hardly in keeping with the surroundings is it?

 

 

[TheGuv]

 

 

What's Phil Brown doing there?

 

;D

[madras]

one of the best things about SJP is its positioning slightly up a hill from the rest of the city centre. i've been on a few trains coming into newcastle from the south and away fans ALWAYS comment on it when they see it coming round the bend onto that bridge. without exception they comment on how impressive it is.

 

 

just wish they'd drape a banner and add some flags to the back of the gallowgate so it's not so much a gray slab.

[Fugazi]

one of the best things about SJP is its positioning slightly up a hill from the rest of the city centre. i've been on a few trains coming into newcastle from the south and away fans ALWAYS comment on it when they see it coming round the bend onto that bridge. without exception they comment on how impressive it is.

 

 

just wish they'd drape a banner and add some flags to the back of the gallowgate so it's not so much a gray slab.

 

I love how it stands out when i'm looking from the pit heap next to mine in wallsend.

[Ronaldo]

I couldn't be prouder of SJP, especially when compared with Elland Road.

[David28]

Yeah, I envy you too, I absolutely adore Camp Nou but it is a very old stadium and it shows, the costs of remodelling it are so huge that we don't know how we can finance it even with selling all the land we own around it.

 

The photo below shows why we cant expand:

 

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1169/gfhghghb.jpg

 

It's probably a good thing that we can't expand. It's better to get a sell out crowd (in the PL at least) every home game than having maybe 60.000 people there but 10.000 empty seats or something like that. I also have to say that I absolutely love the look of the stadium as it is now. Only SJP looks like that (with the different sized stands) and becomes even more special because of that imo.

[Mistle17]

It's an immensely iconic stadium. A representation of Geordie folk and Newcastle itself, its a work of art in my eyes.

 

When I feel down about this club I look at St.James' Park. It just fills me with pride every time without fail- I remember my first visit to it about 4 years ago. Probably the most exciting day of my life. Beautiful stadium.

 

I just find it a shame how its been vandalised with that disgusting Sports Direct logo on the Gallowgate end. That's where the club crest should be, no some scummy advertisement.

[Fugazi]

Yeah, I envy you too, I absolutely adore Camp Nou but it is a very old stadium and it shows, the costs of remodelling it are so huge that we don't know how we can finance it even with selling all the land we own around it.

 

The photo below shows why we cant expand:

 

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1169/gfhghghb.jpg

 

It's probably a good thing that we can't expand. It's better to get a sell out crowd (in the PL at least) every home game than having maybe 60.000 people there but 10.000 empty seats or something like that. I also have to say that I absolutely love the look of the stadium as it is now. Only SJP looks like that (with the different sized stands) and becomes even more special because of that imo.

 

Celtic Park is similar aswell.

[David28]

It's an immensely iconic stadium. A representation of Geordie folk and Newcastle itself, its a work of art in my eyes.

 

When I feel down about this club I look at St.James' Park. It just fills me with pride every time without fail- I remember my first visit to it about 4 years ago. Probably the most exciting day of my life. Beautiful stadium.

 

I just find it a shame how its been vandalised with that disgusting Sports Direct logo on the Gallowgate end. That's where the club crest should be, no some scummy advertisement.

 

The bit in bold sums up my opinion as well. Was there only once sadly, but it was one of the best days of my life. It was last season vs. Bolton at home, last home game with Keegan in charge and despite not such a great performence it was absolutely fantastic.

Really looking forward to going to SJP this year again.

[Cronky]

It's a widely forgotten fact that SJH's first proposal, as outlined in a match programme in the 1980's, was for Newcastle and Sunderland to merge and play in a new stadium at Washington.

 

Honest.

 

really?

 

I remember that. SJH had a lot to learn back then.

 

mmm, why was he commenting in match programmes in the 80's, when he had nowt to do with the club then?

 

My memory is that it was during the period of power struggle between the McKeag board and the Magpie Group. I don't think SJH was on the Board at that point, but McKeag invited him to put forward his plans in the match programme, knowing that it wouldn't go down well.

 

Things changed, particularly after Keegan took over, but initially Hall only wanted to involve himself as a businessman, and he made no secret of that. He wasn't driven by sentiment at all, in that period.

 

Madras may be right - it may have been just a ground share rather than a full merger. Either way, it was one of those inconvenient facts of history that doesn't sit comfortably and has been quietly forgotten.

[TheGuv]

It's an immensely iconic stadium. A representation of Geordie folk and Newcastle itself, its a work of art in my eyes.

 

When I feel down about this club I look at St.James' Park. It just fills me with pride every time without fail- I remember my first visit to it about 4 years ago. Probably the most exciting day of my life. Beautiful stadium.

 

I just find it a shame how its been vandalised with that disgusting Sports Direct logo on the Gallowgate end. That's where the club crest should be, no some scummy advertisement.

 

The bit in bold sums up my opinion as well. Was there only once sadly, but it was one of the best days of my life. It was last season vs. Bolton at home, last home game with Keegan in charge and despite not such a great performence it was absolutely fantastic.

Really looking forward to going to SJP this year again.

 

That game i loved aswell. It really annoys me that we no longer have Keegan. We were definitley going places...

[David28]

It's an immensely iconic stadium. A representation of Geordie folk and Newcastle itself, its a work of art in my eyes.

 

When I feel down about this club I look at St.James' Park. It just fills me with pride every time without fail- I remember my first visit to it about 4 years ago. Probably the most exciting day of my life. Beautiful stadium.

 

I just find it a shame how its been vandalised with that disgusting Sports Direct logo on the Gallowgate end. That's where the club crest should be, no some scummy advertisement.

 

The bit in bold sums up my opinion as well. Was there only once sadly, but it was one of the best days of my life. It was last season vs. Bolton at home, last home game with Keegan in charge and despite not such a great performence it was absolutely fantastic.

Really looking forward to going to SJP this year again.

 

That game i loved aswell. It really annoys me that we no longer have Keegan. We were definitley going places...

 

Yeah. What a great time it was 

[Mistle17]

It's an immensely iconic stadium. A representation of Geordie folk and Newcastle itself, its a work of art in my eyes.

 

When I feel down about this club I look at St.James' Park. It just fills me with pride every time without fail- I remember my first visit to it about 4 years ago. Probably the most exciting day of my life. Beautiful stadium.

 

I just find it a shame how its been vandalised with that disgusting Sports Direct logo on the Gallowgate end. That's where the club crest should be, no some scummy advertisement.

 

The bit in bold sums up my opinion as well. Was there only once sadly, but it was one of the best days of my life. It was last season vs. Bolton at home, last home game with Keegan in charge and despite not such a great performence it was absolutely fantastic.

Really looking forward to going to SJP this year again.

 

Well said, mate. I've only ever been to SJP once as well- was against Wigan when we beat them 3-1 in Roeder's caretaker season. Easily one of the best days of my life. I'm absolutely dying to get to SJP soon...