JH Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 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. tbf, he didn't even want to buy the club in the first place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 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. Hall was reluctant to get involved but once he was he was in all the way. In my opinion it's no coincidence that once he took his hands off the wheel and entrusted the running of the club to his clueless son and his drinking buddy Shepherd things went downhill. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 for me we have half of the best stadium in the country. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 for me we have half of the best stadium in the country. thing is if it weren't for the east stand and parts of the milburn it would look very similar to the big bowl, the same all the way round type stadium. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Wouldn't be the same if it wasn't lopsided IMO. You need that touch of character. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
quayside Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 for me we have half of the best stadium in the country. Three quarters imo - and the missing bit is just one of many things that gives it some character. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 for me we have half of the best stadium in the country. thing is if it weren't for the east stand and parts of the milburn it would look very similar to the big bowl, the same all the way round type stadium. i agree, but i think it would be the best of them. realistically tho. just do the gallowgate like the leazes would be a fantastic horse-shoe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 for me we have half of the best stadium in the country. thing is if it weren't for the east stand and parts of the milburn it would look very similar to the big bowl, the same all the way round type stadium. i agree, but i think it would be the best of them. realistically tho. just do the gallowgate like the leazes would be a fantastic horse-shoe. aye it would. got to admit i'm a fan of the differing types of stand around grounds but that would be good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddco Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1169/gfhghghb.jpg I heard FFS offered to pay to take those buildings down....brick by brick and rebuild them elsewhere in order to extend the East Stand. Probably codswallop but in the same breath something Freddie would look into! As for the Gallowgate...there is an issue regarding the Metro station and the strength of foundations for an extended stand on top of it! Also, there are planning issues around the Strawberry Pub and the Strawberry Place Road that can prevent an extension! However...this would be my dream!!!!....... http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/gherkin007/sjp2010.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
quayside Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1169/gfhghghb.jpg I heard FFS offered to pay to take those buildings down....brick by brick and rebuild them elsewhere in order to extend the East Stand. Probably codswallop but in the same breath something Freddie would look into! As for the Gallowgate...there is an issue regarding the Metro station and the strength of foundations for an extended stand on top of it! Also, there are planning issues around the Strawberry Pub and the Strawberry Place Road that can prevent an extension! However...this would be my dream!!!!....... http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/gherkin007/sjp2010.jpg Too symmetrical for my taste Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 eddco. the gallowgate bit is doable but the cost is prohibitive. as for your dream, looks very good, but looks like many stadiums round the world. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 that dream will materialise one day, may take 15-20 years , but i dont doubt it will. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1169/gfhghghb.jpg I heard FFS offered to pay to take those buildings down....brick by brick and rebuild them elsewhere in order to extend the East Stand. Probably codswallop but in the same breath something Freddie would look into! Sounds like the sort of neandrethal thinking Shepherd was well known for. Fucking hell man, look at the buildings he would like to knock down and the glorified scaffolding he'd put up in it's place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JH Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 I filmed a SJH talk a year or so ago surrounding how he got the club and what was going through his mind and stuff. Might upload it the morra. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddco Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 eddco. the gallowgate bit is doable but the cost is prohibitive. as for your dream, looks very good, but looks like many stadiums round the world. Indeed...but the atmosphere will be unique! that place could house 90,000 Geordies! I dont care for aesthetics! Big is definitely not Beautiful! Its what's inside that counts!!!! and I think in that place...when inside we could have a damn good time!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 eddco. the gallowgate bit is doable but the cost is prohibitive. as for your dream, looks very good, but looks like many stadiums round the world. Indeed...but the atmosphere will be unique! that place could house 90,000 Geordies! I dont care for aesthetics! Big is definitely not Beautiful! Its what's inside that counts!!!! and I think in that place...when inside we could have a damn good time!!! not if the atmosphere of the past few years is there. if we are winning and playing well then fair enough but you could say that for a lot of clubs. (sorry for being honest) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddco Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 eddco. the gallowgate bit is doable but the cost is prohibitive. as for your dream, looks very good, but looks like many stadiums round the world. Indeed...but the atmosphere will be unique! that place could house 90,000 Geordies! I dont care for aesthetics! Big is definitely not Beautiful! Its what's inside that counts!!!! and I think in that place...when inside we could have a damn good time!!! not if the atmosphere of the past few years is there. if we are winning and playing well then fair enough but you could say that for a lot of clubs. (sorry for being honest) agreed to an extent....but as the picture suggests...its just a Utopian dream! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheKingOfNewcastle Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 I heard FFS offered to pay to take those buildings down....brick by brick and rebuild them elsewhere in order to extend the East Stand. Probably codswallop but in the same breath something Freddie would look into! That was John Hall not Fat Fred. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thespence Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 SJH re-built St James Park with is own company it was no brainer for him. He didn't hang around long after all the building work was done/relocating was not going to happen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 SJP has always been evolving, since my dad took me to My first game, the Opening of the East stand, it has been added to every few years. 72? East stand 78 leazes removed and half rebuilt. 87 West stand rebuilt 93 Leazes stand 94 Gallowgate 99 Extension West and leazes. its just a matter of time before the next bit of re-development, which im fairly sure will be the gallowgate extension. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 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. Looks fantastic on a nice day when you're around deepest Byker. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted January 16, 2010 Share Posted January 16, 2010 i haven driven down that big hill from Wrekenton (i think) for a few years.but it looked fantastic from up there in the late 90s Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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