St James' Park

[Whitley mag]

Every confidence the infrastructure developments are coming, Brad Miller couldn’t have been much clearer on his reasons for leaving Manchester Airport.

 

They’re huge decisions that need to make business sense and future proof the club for years, quite happy they’re doing proper due diligence.

 

 

Edited September 9 by Whitley mag

[Armchair Pundit]

Must admit, I did expect them to have at least started on building a new, world class academy and training facility, akin to Barca or Man City, considering the money they clearly have to play with. In terms of St James, I understand there's been many hoops to jump through, but everything still seems to be moving glacially slow, regardless of how the club was run previously. The spending excuses work for the playing side, but nothing outside of that.

[Shelveys Hair]

Are they not waiting for the DWP to move to the new building town?

 

Would make sense

[Whitley mag]

Just now, Shelveys Hair said:

Are they not waiting for the DWP to move to the new building town?

 

Would make sense

Can’t see the training ground going there it’s primed for more housing.

[timeEd32]

10 hours ago, Tross said:

 

I bet they're not charging $65.00 a game though. 

 

$82.50 or $660 for eight home games, plus depending on location an additional $80 to $850 for the annual seat license. That's actually quite reasonable -- ticket prices in the US have become absurd.

[Lotus]

My own experience of working with Saudi companies and Saudi Govt/Private JVs (17 years worth) is that the Saudis make you do everything as quickly as possible, having underlings employed just to harangue you and constantly put a rockets up your arse. You finish everything you were contracted to do ahead of schedule only to realise they even started phase 1 of their side. Sweet F.A. The project then sits about, collecting dust while they’re seemingly distracted like a toddler. Then they call for a big meeting, turn up and talk big. Proceed to sit on their hands after.

Very interesting culture and much to admire as well as admonish (they’ll feel the same about us..). Delivering projects on time or even the same eon is not a strong point. Especially if you have Saudis in prominent key decision making roles. It’s better when they bankroll it but outsource the project management. 

 

Our project may have very capable and decisive Saudis in (what look like) key positions. There’s a whole other politic at play though. Balancing interests of Royals and Clans. All in the shadows. 

[TheBrownBottle]

1 hour ago, LFEE said:

First six month… 

 

When we were a shell of a club with no staff… no quality players… poor manager… facing relegation.

 

Show some patience and understanding of the situation. Some clubs had more staff running their players car parking and player liaisons than we did running our entire club!

 

Some people either have short memories or seriously lack actual knowledge of how the club was run previously.

I’ve got a long enough memory to remember the promises of investment in the North East in general - one of the promises used to apply pressure on the PL to grant the takeover.

 

What’s the running total on NE investment so far?

[TheBrownBottle]

24 minutes ago, Lotus said:

My own experience of working with Saudi companies and Saudi Govt/Private JVs (17 years worth) is that the Saudis make you do everything as quickly as possible, having underlings employed just to harangue you and constantly put a rockets up your arse. You finish everything you were contracted to do ahead of schedule only to realise they even started phase 1 of their side. Sweet F.A. The project then sits about, collecting dust while they’re seemingly distracted like a toddler. Then they call for a big meeting, turn up and talk big. Proceed to sit on their hands after.

Very interesting culture and much to admire as well as admonish (they’ll feel the same about us..). Delivering projects on time or even the same eon is not a strong point. Especially if you have Saudis in prominent key decision making roles. It’s better when they bankroll it but outsource the project management. 

 

Our project may have very capable and decisive Saudis in (what look like) key positions. There’s a whole other politic at play though. Balancing interests of Royals and Clans. All in the shadows. 

A good mate of mine is working as a senior consultant on a very big new house (just a couple of billion) for a certain person in Riyadh who’d be familiar to most.  What you’ve written is pretty much his experience of working directly for the govt over there.  

[LFEE]

18 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

I’ve got a long enough memory to remember the promises of investment in the North East in general - one of the promises used to apply pressure on the PL to grant the takeover.

 

What’s the running total on NE investment so far?

Ask that question around 2032. Far too early to query. I’d imagine the local food bank is pleased with their investment so far though. Along with many many more staff employed at SJP at wage rate that was hailed as a positive.

 

2 hours ago, Armchair Pundit said:

Must admit, I did expect them to have at least started on building a new, world class academy and training facility, akin to Barca or Man City, considering the money they clearly have to play with. In terms of St James, I understand there's been many hoops to jump through, but everything still seems to be moving glacially slow, regardless of how the club was run previously. The spending excuses work for the playing side, but nothing outside of that.

Why would they need to if they have the old SJP site to play with? They might put the two side by side. Quite common thing to do in Europe. 
 

People keep saying things moving slowly but to me the owners have only just got started now that everyone is in place. First few years were all about fighting off relegation. Strengthen the first team and junior squads. Set up fan engagement. Hire the right people to take the club forward. You don’t just rush in with two massively important projects. Especially one that is seen as potentially sensitive to the shortsighted.

[TheBrownBottle]

1 hour ago, LFEE said:

Ask that question around 2032. Far too early to query. I’d imagine the local food bank is pleased with their investment so far though. Along with many many more staff employed at SJP at wage rate that was hailed as a positive.

The Reubens still Tory donors?  Yes, I'll happily hold them accountable for food banks

[r0cafella]

Imminent got a different definition @ NUFC. 

[Ben]

This cunt not been built yet 

[LFEE]

10 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said:

The Reubens still Tory donors?  Yes, I'll happily hold them accountable for food banks

They (Tories) also helped with the takeover and get rid of Ashley. Such a minefield if you turn your arguments political.

[TheBrownBottle]

51 minutes ago, LFEE said:

They (Tories) also helped with the takeover and get rid of Ashley. Such a minefield if you turn your arguments political.

Some things are more important than who owns a football club.  They’ll get fuck all thanks from me.  

[Kimbo]

I have no doubt they would like to either expand the stadium or build a new one and that they’re exploring all the possibilities, but I think there’s a decent chance neither will happen due to not being economically viable and the obstacles involved. 

[nufcjb]

I'm at a point that I don't care what their decision is. Just say it. It's been 'imminent' for a while now and can stretch back to last year when they said they were doing a feasibility study.

[Stifler]

Imminent for a new singing = About to be announced in the next few hours.

 

Imminent for news like the new stadium = End of the week, or end of the following Monday at the latest.

 

Imminent for NUFC = Don’t expect to hear anything from us within the next 6 months, and if you do, it will be just more cock teasing.

[OverThere]

It's time to make a decision. Not sure what it's called in Saudi, but in the UK it's "shit or get off the pot". A decision could be made now even if the very finest details are not yet in place. A feasibility  study does not mean the entire solution being in place.

 

 

Edited September 10 by OverThere

[TheBrownBottle]

26 minutes ago, OverThere said:

It's time to make a decision. Not sure what it's called in Saudi, but in the UK it's "shit or get off the pot". A decision could be made now even if the very finest details are not yet in place. A feasibility  study does not mean the entire solution being in place.

 

 

 

You don’t need a feasibility study to outline your intentions tbh.  This is just procrastination. 

[Superior Acuña]

22 hours ago, Wallsendmag said:

I don't think there's any real point in a waiting list now as the way things stand the numbers who drop off every year wouldn't make it worthwhile and there'd be people waiting decades to get one.

 

Interestingly (and slightly morbidly I suppose) my dad enquired at the ticket office over the summer about what happens when he's unable to attend anymore or passes away (he's 72 but still in decent shape) and if his ticket can be passed down/transfered to another family member, ie me! when the time comes and was told that this is allowed so even an inability to be able to attend any more or even the death of a ST holder doesn't neccesarliy mean a seat becoming available.

 

Tbh any seats that do become available due to a ST holder not renewing I think they'd rather sell to members on a match by match basis for more money.

My dad was doing his will recently and we were half joking about him leaving it to me in his will. I actually didn’t think there’d be a mechanism. 

[Adam]

If we built a new stadium would that mean away fans would finally have to be moved closer to the pitch? 

[El Prontonise]

2 minutes ago, Adam said:

If we built a new stadium would that mean away fans would finally have to be moved closer to the pitch? 

 

Yes.

[Keegans Export]

1 hour ago, OverThere said:

It's time to make a decision. Not sure what it's called in Saudi, but in the UK it's "shit or get off the pot". A decision could be made now even if the very finest details are not yet in place. A feasibility  study does not mean the entire solution being in place.

 

 

58 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

You don’t need a feasibility study to outline your intentions tbh.  This is just procrastination. 

For a while I thought maybe they were waiting until they had something more concrete before announcing anything - a proposed location etc. But with the amount of outside parties that would need to be involved in that there's no way something wouldn't have leaked out by now. 

 

Presumably the feasibility study has suggested what we all suspected - that a substantial expansion is either impossible or logistically/financially too difficult to be worthwhile - and the delay is basically because "What do we do now then?" is a very tricky question to answer.

 

 

Edited September 10 by Keegans Export

[Kimbo]

19 minutes ago, Adam said:

If we built a new stadium would that mean away fans would finally have to be moved closer to the pitch? 

Dig a ditch for them to sit in behind one of the goals.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

People complain about our away section but at least you can see the game. Palace you can’t see, Chelsea you’re in an ancient stadium with horrific seats and sight lines, Arsenal you’re so low down you can’t see the other end. Can’t really think of an away ground where I’ve been happy with the seat.