Should we stay or should we go?

[OCOCOL]

1 hour ago, gdm said:

has to stay. The whole soul of the Club for me is based on the fact the ground is  right in centre of the city. Think if a new stadium is built miles away it loses something. 

This. I mean I’ve been stood it sat in some part of the gallowgate since 1985 so wouldn’t even want to consider a move to another part of the ground let alone a new ground. Although I concede we need a bigger ground to accommodate younger fans. Do we still have the highest average age of season ticket holder ? 

[mighty__mag]

Staying and expanding would be for tradition, history, loyalty, love, memories. 

 

But moving would be to future proof the club if it intends to emulate the  Man City type model. 

 

Moving could allow better access to a ground elsewhere, but you then lose the build up before the match. 

 

I love seeing everyone strolling around on a matchday in the black and white,and knowing we all only have a short walk from the bars restaurants, if a development went further afield,  it would not be the same, the local business need that revenue, I'm torn because I can understand the Saudi investment will want its own infrastructure and build and develop, but I'd hope they recognise traditional values, and most fans love being part of the city and the stadium on a match day.

 

 

Edited June 25, 2023 by mighty__mag

[Holloway]

Stay, there's that something in the fabric that will be irretrievable if we up sticks, for me it's the feeling that builds up on the approach to the stadium and remains for the duration. Desperately hoping the owners can come up with something magnificent. If not then a move to Leazes park will be the only other option, with a developed parkland as a walk up to the new stadium, fanzone etc

[duo]

Using modern tech I am sure they will be able to expand the capacity at St James' but the question is what is an acceptable capacity?  If they add an extra 8,000 seats is that enough? Obviously there is a limit.

 

 

Edited June 25, 2023 by duo

[Gawalls]

2 minutes ago, duo said:

Using modern tech I am sure they will be able to expand the capacity at St James' but the question is what is an acceptable capacity?  If they add an extra 8,000 seats is that enough? Obviously there is a limit.

 

 

 

If it was only 8,000 then that’s not enough. If we stay and can’t get up too much higher capacity then the trade off is we will always be handicapped with competing at top level.  As long as people are okay with that.

[duo]

Personally I would say 60k is an acceptable stadium size to stay at St James. 

[Hanshithispantz]

An extra 8,000 would put us basically on Par with Tottenham, West Ham & Arsenal. It's only Old Trafford above that.

[mighty__mag]

1 minute ago, duo said:

Personally I would say 60k is an acceptable stadium size to stay at St James. 

 

I think we could easily go more.

 

The demand for them 1000 season tickets was ridiculous,  and that was before we did the unthinkable and get in the Champions league 

[manorpark]

Beware . . . 

 

 

Edited June 25, 2023 by manorpark

[Wandy]

I could have went with option 2 or 3...but went with 3, because I have a feeling that the feasibility study will show that there are simply too many barriers to making the current SJP into a world class stadium with a significant increase in capacity.

 

I have to say, it's exasperating reading the same old stuff about "losing the matchday experience", even with a move to Leazes Park. It's like people aren't engaging their brain before writing the words. We'd lose NOTHING. You'd use the same transport & route to get to the stadium area,  drink in the same pre-match & post-match bars, and have the same walk up to the stadium, albeit with a further 200 yard walk up Barrack Road.

 

I'd bet money that those who want to stay at all costs, already have season tickets.

[Gawalls]

3 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said:

An extra 8,000 would put us basically on Par with Tottenham, West Ham & Arsenal. It's only Old Trafford above that.

Tottenham and arsenal are bigger brands being London clubs.

[Wallsendmag]

70k would be the sweet spot for me. Would move us above West Ham and behind Old Trafford as the 2nd biggest stadium in the UK. Would still be full every week as well. If we were building a new stadium that would be an ideal capacity.

 

However I'd also be happy with staying at SJP if we could redevelop the Gallowgate and East Stands to maybe get us up to 65k or thereabouts.

[manorpark]

2 minutes ago, Gawalls said:

Tottenham and arsenal are bigger brands being London clubs.

 

Historically perhaps, currently yes definitely, but in the very near future . . . N O !!!!!!

[Gawalls]

1 minute ago, manorpark said:

 

Historically perhaps, currently yes definitely, but in the very near future . . . N O !!!!!!

Very possible but we need to accept there will be changes to allow that to happen.

[duo]

4 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

70k would be the sweet spot for me. Would move us above West Ham and behind Old Trafford as the 2nd biggest stadium in the UK. Would still be full every week as well. If we were building a new stadium that would be an ideal capacity.

 

However I'd also be happy with staying at SJP if we could redevelop the Gallowgate and East Stands to maybe get us up to 65k or thereabouts.

Personally I couldn't careless about our capacity against other stadiums.  For me it's all about staying at St James and having numbers such that it will boost our commercial revenue sufficiently.

 

 

Edited June 25, 2023 by duo

[Yorkie]

57 minutes ago, Coffee_Johnny said:

Like many, I have many memories of people and events, at SJP. As someone who moved away from Newcastle 17 years ago, and had a season ticket for many years before, it is always lovely going back. 

That said, the ground has changed so much since I first attended (aged 7) and started going regularly (in early teens) that ‘it has always been our home’ type narratives remind me of this:

 

I don't know that reference but SJP not resembling it's older self in terms of scale, architecture, etc doesn't detract from its symbolism and its role as a fundamental part of the club's (and city's) character, imo. On the contrary, tbh; I love having that tangible evidence of growth and change. That's also why the last stand I would change would be the East Stand.

[madras]

7 minutes ago, Gawalls said:

Tottenham and arsenal are bigger brands being London clubs.

I'd say they are bigger brands but that's not down to being London clubs, it's down to years of relative success. Regularly in Europe and at the top of the English game.

[duo]

1 minute ago, Yorkie said:

 

I don't know that reference but SJP not resembling it's older self in terms of scale, architecture, etc doesn't detract from its symbolism and its role as a fundamental part of the club's (and city's) character, imo. On the contrary, tbh; I love having that tangible evidence of growth and change. That's also why the last stand I would change would be the East Stand.

Nailed it ^

[bigfella]

I think they'll look at every conceivable option to remain at SJP, but will ultimately decide to move into Leazes Park.

I think what may make the owners change their minds about moving, will be the limited scope to add significant amounts of new corporate facilities if we stay.

I'd be surprised if they could increase the overall capacity by more than five thousand or so, if the hospitality stuff is as important to them as I think it will be.

I'd be in favour of either option, but a move anywhere else is out of the question, indeed I've never heard anyone mention they'd be in favour of that. Don't know why it comes up so often from those who are adamantly against moving, to be honest 

[BoSelecta]

It’s not just the capacity we need to expand, our corporate facilities are holding the club back on the pitch. Someone posted an infographic recently on match day revenues and I was staggered to see how poorly we compare to the other big clubs. 
 

A new stadium on leazes park is the best of all options in my opinion. A new stadium which maximises capacity, commercial revenue, built specifically to create a cauldron acoustically, fanzone in a new park area on the current site. The only downsides I can see are based in nostalgia (which I understand is a major factor for some).

[Yorkie]

9 minutes ago, Wandy said:

I'd bet money that those who want to stay at all costs, already have season tickets.

 

Not a lot, I hope.  A glance at who's voted indicates that that clearly isn't the case. 

[midds]

Mentioned it last night but an upgraded, expanded SJP is my plan A and always will be. I'm not however going to boycotting a brand spanking, state of the art 70k arena that's built 100m up the road. It's a situation whereby if we want to be as good and as big as we all want to be we may need to up sticks at some point. 

[Optimistic Nut]

Would be interesting to see how many of the 78% in options a and b are season ticket holders already. 

 

 

Edited June 25, 2023 by Optimistic Nut

[Wandy]

1 minute ago, Yorkie said:

 

Not a lot, I hope.  A glance at who's voted indicates that that clearly isn't the case. 

 

I'm talking about the fanbase in general. Not a tiny selection on a football forum.

[duo]

Just now, BoSelecta said:

It’s not just the capacity we need to expand, our corporate facilities are holding the club back on the pitch. Someone posted an infographic recently on match day revenues and I was staggered to see how poorly we compare to the other big clubs. 
 

A new stadium on leazes park is the best of all options in my opinion. A new stadium which maximises capacity, commercial revenue, built specifically to create a cauldron acoustically, fanzone in a new park area on the current site. The only downsides I can see are based in nostalgia (which I understand is a major factor for some).

You could easily add more corporate facilities at St James' - unfortunately it'll come at the cost of actual fans.  But tbh that'll be their focus now anyway.