St James' Park

[54]

 

[Scotty66]

Not sure why but I get the feeling the name dropping about possible failure to agree with the council etc may be the plan from the start in order to build a new stadium. 

 

Maybe just trying to gently ease it through with fans who don't want it?

[Dokko]

2 minutes ago, Scotty66 said:

Not sure why but I get the feeling the name dropping about possible failure to agree with the council etc may be the plan from the start in order to build a new stadium. 

 

Maybe just trying to gently ease it through with fans who don't want it?

 

It's my take from today's news. 

[Decky]

Of course the lease will be extended, even in the bizarre scenario that it isn't there are still 70 years left on it like.  

 

 

Edited April 30 by Decky

[OverThere]

50 minutes ago, STM said:

For those who want an east stand fix, it's hardly out of the question. A new roof would make a hell of a difference to both the east stand and the gallowgate. Making them all the same would be more aesthetically pleasing for starters.

 

If its the actually outside of the east stand, we'll I've actually got a soft spot for that brutalist style. It transports me to a SJP which I wasnt old enough to see. 

Well I am and if you have a thing for standing in pi** and being half crushed trying to get out it would have been right up your street.

[Dr Jinx]

It’s about value of investment. It would cost considerably more to carry out an extension and total refurb than to build fresh.

[80]

8 minutes ago, Scotty66 said:

Not sure why but I get the feeling the name dropping about possible failure to agree with the council etc may be the plan from the start in order to build a new stadium. 

 

Maybe just trying to gently ease it through with fans who don't want it?

It crossed my mind... They'd have to think we're a pretty thick and unstable fanbase to need to be baby walked like that through such a process, though. Shrewd people.

[Jack27]

6 minutes ago, 80 said:

It crossed my mind... They'd have to think we're a pretty thick and unstable fanbase to need to be baby walked like that through such a process, though. Shrewd people.

Have you been on Twitter before?

[Nucasol]

Just now, Jack27 said:

Have you been on Twitter before?

One look at ToonMouthNonce’s account suggests they’ve definitely adopted the right approach. Burnsie and his 50 burners.

[Aiston]

24 minutes ago, Decky said:

Of course the lease will be extended, even in the bizarre scenario that it isn't there are still 70 years left on it like.  

 

 

 

 

Would never discount anything when it comes to Newcastle Council

 

[bobbydazzla]

1 hour ago, Ando7 said:

Luke,s a bit late to the party I told u all last month,wait till you see the plans

Big news incoming, loads happening behind scenes, keep the faith lads ?

 

 

 

Edited April 30 by bobbydazzla

[Whitley mag]

If staying at SJP it needs to be a full refurb like the Bernabau, though any investment is welcome I’d be very disappointed if it’s just sticking another tier on the Gallowgate.

 

The whole ground and infrastructure is dated and quite simply if the East Stand remains in its current guise, the claims made in Edwards article wouldn’t stand up as it would be miles off being in top 5 stadia in this country.

 

 

Edited April 30 by Whitley mag

[OCK]

The original piss trenches still run wild beneath the Gallogate. Leases still has the old club shop hut stuck in it like some fucked up Philidelphia Experiment mutation. As for the Sir George Hall Stand... well... the less said the better.

[Keegans Export]

1 hour ago, STM said:

 

Some like to fire shots at Ando but he was a genuine ITK of this forum (possibly the first) and since they are rare as hens teeth, if he is now making stuff up, he gets a pass from me.

The genuine ITK stuff was before my time here but has the cold-reading skills of an expert psychic so he deserves credit for that at least.

[Pancrate1892]

2 hours ago, RS said:

Imagine a New East stand operated on a driven rail system and moved into position on match days and “slid” out when not in use. 
 

 

Yes, I believe the rail system would alternate the new east stand structure with leezers terrace. On Saturdays leezers terrace will be transferred to an underground base 300 miles into the earths core. 

[Whitley mag]

2 minutes ago, Keegans Export said:

The genuine ITK stuff was before my time here but has the cold-reading skills of an expert psychic so he deserves credit for that at least.

In the dark days of the takeover found Ando’s keep the faith messages very soothing.

[Pancrate1892]

11 minutes ago, OCK said:

The original piss trenches still run wild beneath the Gallogate. Leases still has the old club shop hut stuck in it like some fucked up Philidelphia Experiment mutation. As for the Sir George Hall Stand... well... the less said the better.

The leezers club shop hut has been found, rather unexpectedly in Carl serrants garage gathering dust! Just like George hall found the SJP gates at the back of his garden that the wonga men recovered instructed by the benevolent fat cunt

[LordJake]

49 minutes ago, Decky said:

Of course the lease will be extended, even in the bizarre scenario that it isn't there are still 70 years left on it like.  

 

 

 

I worked at the council years ago and a colleague of mine negotiated the lease around about 1992. IIRC it was a 99 year lease and peppercorn rent at £1 a year 

[Doc]

9 minutes ago, Pancrate1892 said:

Yes, I believe the rail system would alternate the new east stand structure with leezers terrace. On Saturdays leezers terrace will be transferred to an underground base 300 miles into the earths core. 

Nothing confirmed but I've heard a rumour that the feasibility study's conclusions are very positive. 

[RS]

3 hours ago, Ando7 said:

Luke,s a bit late to the party I told u all last month,wait till you see the plans

I told them all last year and the bastards ignored me. Gallowgate end plan is unbelievable 

[bealios]

Ignoring the fan sentiment for a bit, any redevelopment/new ground is going to be dead in the water on another site far away from SJP. There are so many local businesses in the City centre which only survive due to the location of the ground, and if the ground moves elsewhere, the City centre dies on its arse a bit. Not completely, obviously, but you will lose a lot of pubs/restaurants and probably retail without the footfall that a City centre ground brings.

 

So it is basically current site or slightly shifted to Leazes Park - anything else is just not going to get past the many planning/local objections/politics. It is also this which makes it pretty inconceivable that the Council won't extend the lease - there will be a bit of bartering over the premium, and the fact it is PIF and this should fall outside of PSR means that Council will likely start high, but just the threat of the fallout if NUFC even suggest moving far from current location means that it should happen. Boarded up pubs are not a good look, particularly if there are leaks to the media about the Council being unreasonable etc., and elections to be won. 

 

Personally I'd love to just have a new stadium on Leazes, and that mock up I saw with the slight overlap of the ground with current SJP ticks all boxes - the corner flag of a new stadium  might still technically be the old site, a bit of a link to the past. But with the Euros etc. - and without knowing whether we could sustain 65K/70K long term once the novelty wears off, I can see just extending the Gallowgate as the most pragmatic business sensible answer.  

 

I'd just offer some caution on anyone thinking this makes it significantly more accessible - I don't think it will. One of the reasons why our commercial income is so low compared to others is that the non-football side can generate so much - corporate/general hospitality etc. - just look at Arsenal/Spurs matchday revenue compared to ours, and the multiply that by 19+. It makes a difference. There is a myth that NUFC could never match that because of the London factor etc. - but I think that is bollocks - London grounds compete with many other clubs, NUFC do not - the nearest big club is in Manchester. If you make the options gradual, so there is a price point for everyone, they will sell out the corporate easily enough. It's not right, I don't like it, but it ends up being the price we have to pay to be in with a shout of joining the "Big Six". It wasn't that long ago that NUFC were 8th in the Deloitte list of income generating clubs in Europe. I think that is still feasible. What I don't think is feasible is that many many millions are spent on increasing the capacity of the ground by 8,000 - just to sell those 8,000 extra tickets at £40 a pop. £240,000 per game, £5m a season with cup games. Just cannot see it happening. 

[christ]

All the “OPTION THREE!” wronguns in the mud.

[bobbydazzla]

18 minutes ago, bealios said:

Ignoring the fan sentiment for a bit, any redevelopment/new ground is going to be dead in the water on another site far away from SJP. There are so many local businesses in the City centre which only survive due to the location of the ground, and if the ground moves elsewhere, the City centre dies on its arse a bit. Not completely, obviously, but you will lose a lot of pubs/restaurants and probably retail without the footfall that a City centre ground brings.

 

So it is basically current site or slightly shifted to Leazes Park - anything else is just not going to get past the many planning/local objections/politics. It is also this which makes it pretty inconceivable that the Council won't extend the lease - there will be a bit of bartering over the premium, and the fact it is PIF and this should fall outside of PSR means that Council will likely start high, but just the threat of the fallout if NUFC even suggest moving far from current location means that it should happen. Boarded up pubs are not a good look, particularly if there are leaks to the media about the Council being unreasonable etc., and elections to be won. 

 

Personally I'd love to just have a new stadium on Leazes, and that mock up I saw with the slight overlap of the ground with current SJP ticks all boxes - the corner flag of a new stadium  might still technically be the old site, a bit of a link to the past. But with the Euros etc. - and without knowing whether we could sustain 65K/70K long term once the novelty wears off, I can see just extending the Gallowgate as the most pragmatic business sensible answer.  

 

I'd just offer some caution on anyone thinking this makes it significantly more accessible - I don't think it will. One of the reasons why our commercial income is so low compared to others is that the non-football side can generate so much - corporate/general hospitality etc. - just look at Arsenal/Spurs matchday revenue compared to ours, and the multiply that by 19+. It makes a difference. There is a myth that NUFC could never match that because of the London factor etc. - but I think that is bollocks - London grounds compete with many other clubs, NUFC do not - the nearest big club is in Manchester. If you make the options gradual, so there is a price point for everyone, they will sell out the corporate easily enough. It's not right, I don't like it, but it ends up being the price we have to pay to be in with a shout of joining the "Big Six". It wasn't that long ago that NUFC were 8th in the Deloitte list of income generating clubs in Europe. I think that is still feasible. What I don't think is feasible is that many many millions are spent on increasing the capacity of the ground by 8,000 - just to sell those 8,000 extra tickets at £40 a pop. £240,000 per game, £5m a season with cup games. Just cannot see it happening. 

Wew, they’ll have completed the stadium rebuild by the time I’ve read all of that post 

[LFEE]

1 hour ago, LordJake said:

I worked at the council years ago and a colleague of mine negotiated the lease around about 1992. IIRC it was a 99 year lease and peppercorn rent at £1 a year 

It’s the Freeman’s land not the Council. They pay us six figures a year iirc. It was renegotiated whilst Ashley was running things  so wasn’t 1992. I recall we did the club a favour due to relegation and reduced terms. Long time ago but that’s what’s in my head.

[bealios]

25 minutes ago, bobbydazzla said:

Wew, they’ll have completed the stadium rebuild by the time I’ve read all of that post 

I sent a similar message to the Council, plan is to keep them distracted whilst we secretly add another tier and hopefully we get by via the 4 year rule and nobody notices by the time they finish reading it.