St James' Park

[Dokko]

2 minutes ago, et tu brute said:

I can tell you now that with Saudi owners there is no chance that they will accept that. Our Chairman's very words only a few months ago was that we want to be the number one team in the world.
 

They will explore all the options, but the limitations of expansion at St James and the costs involved for a relatively smallish expansion of the stadium, will result imo, in the owners going for a new stadium. Any expansion will also result in thousands of fans losing their season tickets for a minimum of a season. You can't knock the ground down and rebuild, as again costs involved and catering for 52,000 support is just not good business sense. 
 

I'm with TheBrownBottle on this and been a season ticket from the early 70s until Rafas last year. To me the most important things about the club are number 1 the team and secondly the support. When 000s of fans past and present can't get into the ground, then something has to change. A new ground will also result in the team being given the best opportunity to be challenging on all levels. You and some others may disagree and that's fine also. At the end of the day though it's not what you, me or others want, it's the owners who will decide. 

 

Agree with what you're saying, but if they weren't arsed what we think then why ask?

[et tu brute]

11 minutes ago, Dokko said:

 

Agree with what you're saying, but if they weren't arsed what we think then why ask?

Personally think it's a tick box exercise as if they just went ahead without any consultation, then they would not only be hammered by the support, but the media also. I do also believe that they would have been looking at the St James expansion possibilities also. 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by et tu brute

[Kanji]

3 hours ago, ponsaelius said:

Land swap with Castle Leazes could genuinely be great. I do love the idea of expanded green space closer to the city and as a thoroughfare to the ground. As long as any new stadium looked like a football stadium and not that airport terminal posted a few pages back.

 

 

 

Prob the only one I could get behind in theory. 

[Dokko]

9 hours ago, et tu brute said:

Personally think it's a tick box exercise as if they just went ahead without any consultation, then they would not only be hammered by the support, but the media also. I do also believe that they would have been looking at the St James expansion possibilities also. 

 

 

 

 

Fair enough. I suppose you can't really trust big business, and it's silly of me to think thryll put the fans 1st. 

[Wallsendmag]

11 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Haha yep was just thinking about the ‘Ship of Theseus’ (Trigger’s Broom) a few moments ago - I think we can see where NO members sit on whether it’s the same ship / broom or not.  You can probably tell from me that it’s a different ship / broom.   

 

The thing about the Triggers broom joke was that it played on how thick the character was. All those different heads and handles, yet he thought it was the same broom when it wasn't.

 

That's how I see SJP. Since my 1st game in 1984 it's a different stadium altogether, other than the exterior of the East Stand which is an eyesore anyway. The lopsided design doesn't hold the atmosphere in particularly well and never mind 10/20 years time, it's starting to look a bit dated now.

 

I'd be happy to remain there if the only alternative was a move out of town but if we could get something on Castle Leazes or the arena site as a 2nd choice I think they'd be foolish not to press ahead with that, and I don't think these are foolish people.

[RS]

You’d think they’d have to factor in a large portion of season ticket holders are Ashley apologists and were a significant part of the issues of the last regime.
Apathy is not a good trait when being asked to input in any significant change. 

[sushimonster85]

15 minutes ago, RS said:

You’d think they’d have to factor in a large portion of season ticket holders are Ashley apologists and were a significant part of the issues of the last regime.

 

I think this kind of thinking is pretty unfair. And I say that as someone who did have a season ticket but gave it up during the Ashley run. Survivng on the final day v West Ham was my last season. There will be some Ashley apologists. But I still feel they're massively outnumbered by the people who felt like they couldn't turn their back on the club fully/couldn't bring themselves to stop going. I'm not going to dig out people with that mindset. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I don't think people were apologists, they just enabled Mike Ashley because they couldn't stop going to the match and couldn't give up their tickets. I don't blame anyone for that, it just throws confusion on how we usually judge 'loyalty'. It's not easy either way.

 

Personally I wish more than anything I'd given Mike Ashley some money and got a season ticket while I could

[TheBrownBottle]

51 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

The thing about the Triggers broom joke was that it played on how thick the character was. All those different heads and handles, yet he thought it was the same broom when it wasn't.

 

That's how I see SJP. Since my 1st game in 1984 it's a different stadium altogether, other than the exterior of the East Stand which is an eyesore anyway. The lopsided design doesn't hold the atmosphere in particularly well and never mind 10/20 years time, it's starting to look a bit dated now.

 

I'd be happy to remain there if the only alternative was a move out of town but if we could get something on Castle Leazes or the arena site as a 2nd choice I think they'd be foolish not to press ahead with that, and I don't think these are foolish people.

Yeah, that’s pretty much my view too.  SJP isn’t the same as the ground that I first started going to as a kid - and that ground isn’t the one that my dad first went too.  And as my first game (that I remember) was in 1987, ten years later the ground was completely different, and ten years after that completely different again.

 

I was never keen on the 2000 redevelopment, though I was of course happy that it increased capacity.  What’s sometimes forgotten is that at that point it meant we had the second biggest ground in the country (and we filled it).  Today, we’re something like 7th or 8th.  If we want to genuinely compete on a long term basis, we need a new ground. 

[Fezzle]

17 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

I don't think people were apologists, they just enabled Mike Ashley because they couldn't stop going to the match and couldn't give up their tickets. I don't blame anyone for that, it just throws confusion on how we usually judge 'loyalty'. It's not easy either way.

 

Personally I wish more than anything I'd given Mike Ashley some money and got a season ticket while I could

Those same people actively judged(and worse) those who protested in the stands and nigh on every day since on social media give it the shit fans crap to be fair. But at least a canny few got to abuse our top scorer so there is that

[MrRaspberryJam]

5 minutes ago, Fezzle said:

Those same people actively judged(and worse) those who protested in the stands and nigh on every day since on social media give it the shit fans crap to be fair. But at least a canny few got to abuse our top scorer so there is that

How football should be. 

[number37]

4 minutes ago, Fezzle said:

Those same people actively judged(and worse) those who protested in the stands and nigh on every day since on social media give it the shit fans crap to be fair. But at least a canny few got to abuse our top scorer so there is that

I'll never ever forget the sound of the two older guys who sat behind me in the Milburn stand tutting at me when I walked out during that Cardiff game. Two grown adult men tutting at me. I know I wasn't exactly chaining myself to the railings but at least I was doing something. 

 

They were the same guys who'd often ask each other "who's that? Never heard of him" when referring to our own players. They'd also always pronounce de Jong with a hard 'J' which maybe pissed me off more than it should but those tuts, man, the sound is stuck in my memory forever. 

 

I hope they enjoyed the PSG game. 

[Fezzle]

5 minutes ago, number37 said:

I'll never ever forget the sound of the two older guys who sat behind me in the Milburn stand tutting at me when I walked out during that Cardiff game. Two grown adult men tutting at me. I know I wasn't exactly chaining myself to the railings but at least I was doing something. 

 

They were the same guys who'd often ask each other "who's that? Never heard of him" when referring to our own players. They'd also always pronounce de Jong with a hard 'J' which maybe pissed me off more than it should but those tuts, man, the sound is stuck in my memory forever. 

 

I hope they enjoyed the PSG game. 

My mate got manhandled back into his seat by two blokes for daring to protest at that game. The fucking irony that tens of thousands had no issue booing the team off HT/FT nigh on every week but heaven forbid someone doesnt like the owner

[patrone]

Well they did say they wanted to get the discussion out there about what to do, and come up with ideas on how we move forward, and you can see over the last few pages how important it is to some.

 

I still believe that a new ground is inevitable, have a great last couple of years at St James, win something then move to a new "home"

[Wallsendmag]

49 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Yeah, that’s pretty much my view too.  SJP isn’t the same as the ground that I first started going to as a kid - and that ground isn’t the one that my dad first went too.  And as my first game (that I remember) was in 1987, ten years later the ground was completely different, and ten years after that completely different again.

 

I was never keen on the 2000 redevelopment, though I was of course happy that it increased capacity.  What’s sometimes forgotten is that at that point it meant we had the second biggest ground in the country (and we filled it).  Today, we’re something like 7th or 8th.  If we want to genuinely compete on a long term basis, we need a new ground. 

 

We moved down to 8th biggest ground once Everton move into their new one. Must admit I did take a lot of pride in us having the 2nd biggest ground in the country (and filling it) for those few years in the early 00s.

 

If they did press ahead with a new stadium in a favourable location it would be interesting to see what the "real world" reaction to it would be. I've seen the social media hysteria to it but talking to people at work the last couple of days, where I'm surrounded by almost exclusively Newcastle supporters, it'd be more positive than negative.

[macphisto]

13 hours ago, Kid Icarus said:

And nigh on every fanbase that has moved stadium prefers their old ground...

Which fan bases? Take away the identikit stadiums built by mid-sized clubs in the middle of nowhere during the 90s which our owners would never do then the only club I can think of is West Ham. West Ham was always going to be bad as it was never built as a football stadium. Spurs, Man City and Arsenal seem fairly happy. Also fans complaining, like any walk of life, are always going to make more noise than people who are happy. 

[Kid Icarus]

8 minutes ago, macphisto said:

Which fan bases? Take away the identikit stadiums built by mid-sized clubs in the middle of nowhere during the 90s which our owners would never do then the only club I can think of is West Ham. West Ham was always going to be bad as it was never built as a football stadium. Spurs, Man City and Arsenal seem fairly happy. Also fans complaining, like any walk of life, are always going to make more noise than people who are happy. 

 

I don't think there's a side to noise makers on this one tbh. Take this forum as an example, there are a few posters on here who would move and think that those who wouldn't are in the minority - despite the poll on the forum showing the exact opposite. 

 

As for fanbases who prefer their old stadium, all of the ones mentioned maybe barring Spurs - who haven't moved location. It's still WHL in a way.

 

 

Edited December 6, 2023 by Kid Icarus

[Danh1]

I reckon Man City fans who went to Maine Road will 100% prefer it to the Etihad.

 

If we were to build a new stadium then it would have to be something iconic and unique for me, an actual football stadium and not some bowl. I’m not sure how you do that with a modern new build though.

[macphisto]

11 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

 

I don't think there's a side to noise makers on this one tbh. Take this forum as an example, there are a few posters on here who would move and think that those who wouldn't are in the minority - despite the poll on the forum showing the exact opposite. 

 

As for fanbases who prefer their old stadium, all of the ones mentioned maybe barring Spurs - who haven't moved location. It's still WHL in a way.

 

 

 

Arsenal and Man City fans not happy with their move? What's that based on? 

[IAmATree]

It's important that the architects of a new stadium understand what the old stadium means and represents. I know when Everton were designing theirs the architect spoke to fans to make sure the essence of Goodison Park was in the new stadium. We would need a similar process to ensure we don't end up with a soulless bowl that has no character, like West Ham or City

[500bhp]

1 hour ago, RS said:

You’d think they’d have to factor in a large portion of season ticket holders are Ashley apologists and were a significant part of the issues of the last regime.
Apathy is not a good trait when being asked to input in any significant change. 

This is total bullshit like. 'A large portion of the season ticket holders are Ashley apologists'. 

 

I'm not and neither are any of the 10 or so in our match going group. In fact I dont know a single season ticket holder who is. 

[Kid Icarus]

5 minutes ago, macphisto said:

Arsenal and Man City fans not happy with their move? What's that based on? 

 

I said prefer their old stadium, not 'not happy'

 

 

Edited December 6, 2023 by Kid Icarus

[TBG]

Did we ever find out who was behind Ashley Out etc.

 

Great bunch of lads I'd imagine.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

24 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

We moved down to 8th biggest ground once Everton move into their new one. Must admit I did take a lot of pride in us having the 2nd biggest ground in the country (and filling it) for those few years in the early 00s.

 

If they did press ahead with a new stadium in a favourable location it would be interesting to see what the "real world" reaction to it would be. I've seen the social media hysteria to it but talking to people at work the last couple of days, where I'm surrounded by almost exclusively Newcastle supporters, it'd be more positive than negative.

 

Some of the hysteria will be down to not knowing what the alternative is and suspicion that its going to be a move to Longbenton or Hexham or somewhere else totally out of the City.

 

Once the plans come out, and assuming its a state of the art stadium within earshot of SJP the view will be positive, I have no doubt on that

 

[Bellis80]

14 hours ago, Keegans Export said:

I can't really remember much about the Castle Leazes carry-on, what's changed since then? Seemed at the time that the majority of fans were in favour of the new ground, now its "sickening" or "tearing out the club's soul"?

People who didn’t go or wanted to go when it suited them started to want to go again so wanted a bigger ground regardless of what it meant to the ground in the 90s. Then they stopped going when they could go and now want to go again so want a bigger ground regardless. And there are more of them than people who actually go and will keep going.