St James' Park

[Guest]

1 minute ago, east stander said:

That's what my mates keep telling me too. My pre match rituals are bonkers. On a match day, I've got to face north in the bedroom and kiss the badge 3 times before putting Nufc polo shirt/ sweatshirt on. Have to walk all the way around the ground before going in (that was interesting pre new Leazes stand especiall on Derby days) Must tap SBR's foot on the ball of the statue (I've seen others do that too, in my defence) And I'm 65 FFS!!

 

You seem like a nice person. Have you considered maybe... seeking help. 

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, east stander said:

It was on Saturday. It doesn't actually block getting in but will cause issues with all those who come up "Death Alley" This will be my 42nd year using that turnstile and my pre match superstitions of only using that one aren't going to be changed!

 

If you change turnstile we might win something.

[Guest]

Maybe the container owner knows something and is trying to disrupt @east stander's voodoo so we can win something

[TheBrownBottle]

4 minutes ago, east stander said:

That's what my mates keep telling me too. My pre match rituals are bonkers. On a match day, I've got to face north in the bedroom and kiss the badge 3 times before putting Nufc polo shirt/ sweatshirt on. Have to walk all the way around the ground before going in (that was interesting pre new Leazes stand especiall on Derby days) Must tap SBR's foot on the ball of the statue (I've seen others do that too, in my defence) And I'm 65 FFS!!

I’ve been in the East Stand once in my entire life - John Anderson’s testimonial.  Had STs in the Leazes and Milburn, always liked going into the Gallowgate. This also applies to pretty much every else I used to go to matches with - the East Stand is a place all of its own

 

(And we did win vs Ando’s XI)

[Keegans Export]

23 minutes ago, east stander said:

It was on Saturday. It doesn't actually block getting in but will cause issues with all those who come up "Death Alley" This will be my 42nd year using that turnstile and my pre match superstitions of only using that one aren't going to be changed!

God help us if you have to use a different turnstile after the 42 years of sustained success we've experienced...

 

(I'll feel very bad if you have to use another one and choke to death on a chicken Balti pie at half time)

[Guest]

Wor Flags need to make a huge flag of east stander entering his turnstile. 

[Cookie1892]

2 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

I’ve been in the East Stand once in my entire life - John Anderson’s testimonial.  Had STs in the Leazes and Milburn, always liked going into the Gallowgate. This also applies to pretty much every else I used to go to matches with - the East Stand is a place all of its own

 

(And we did win vs Ando’s XI)

 

I was a sort of mascot that day at the tender age of 6, i had won not one but 2 junior magpies competitions and got to present Gavin Peacock with his player of the year trophy before the game.

 

Highlight of the night was walking in a corridor under the milburn and the double doors opening in front of me and my dad about 10 meters away with Keegan striding through them.

 

Was a lovely bloke and stopped for a photo and made my day/life

[Cookie1892]

4 minutes ago, Keegans Export said:

God help us if you have to use a different turnstile after the 42 years of sustained success we've experienced...

 

(I'll feel very bad if you have to use another one and choke to death on a chicken Balti pie at half time)

 

He will be fucked if our new stadium is twice the footprint, have to set off an few hours earlier for each game

[Dr.Spaceman]

24 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

At the Sela Cup a guy stopped me and made me wait in a queue even though the next turnstile was empty. Literally stood guarding an empty turnstile while about 60 people queued for the one beside it. He was checking everyone's turnstile number. 

 

Assume they won't have time to do that for league games though. 

 

 

 

 

It will be like Mufasa falling into the stampede on Saturday if he tries that 

[east stander]

All these comments are fully deserved.  I know it is totally crazy, I'm not superstitous about anything else either. The wife got a flavour of what she was going to suffer on our wedding day in 1985. My best man produced a ghetto blaster at the end of his speech and said there was a message from some people who could not be there. I thought it was from a aunt living a long way away. He plays it and it is a good luck message from Glenn Roeder, Peter Beardsley and my favourite Davie Mac that he'd somehow organised. My bottom lip went and my wife couldn't believe it on her day! Still together surprisingly anarl.

 

 

Edited August 15, 2024 by east stander

[Guest]

1 minute ago, east stander said:

All these comments are fully deserved.  I know it is totally crazy, I'm not superstitous about anything else either. The wife got a flavour of what she was going to suffer on our wedding day in 1985. My best man produced a ghetto blaster at the end of his speech and said there was a message from some people who could be there. I thought it was from a aunt living a long way away. He plays it and it is a good luck message from Glenn Roeder, Peter Beardsley and my favourite Davie Mac that he'd somehow organised. My bottom lip went and my wife couldn't believe it on her day! Still together surprisingly anarl.

 

All in good jest, I think we're all jealous you've had a season ticket for 42 years. 

[Turnbull2000]

If there's proposals beyond St James', I'd have thought there'd already be some hints of that due to any transfers of landownership required? Could be a gentlemen's agreement with the Freeman or any other land owner, but would be surprised if they announced a scheme with no guarantee of available land.

 

I'd say a post 2028 major re-working of St James' is most likely.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Turnbull2000 said:

I'd say a post 2028 major re-working of St James' is most likely.

 

Good point - there will be nothing done to SJP until after the Euros. 

[SteV]

7 minutes ago, east stander said:

All these comments are fully deserved.  I know it is totally crazy, I'm not superstitous about anything else either. The wife got a flavour of what she was going to suffer on our wedding day in 1985. My best man produced a ghetto blaster at the end of his speech and said there was a message from some people who could not be there. I thought it was from a aunt living a long way away. He plays it and it is a good luck message from Glenn Roeder, Peter Beardsley and my favourite Davie Mac that he'd somehow organised. My bottom lip went and my wife couldn't believe it on her day! Still together surprisingly anarl.

 

 

 

Would be interested to know your thoughts on the stadium redevelopment / move issue, as you’re the exact demographic we all have preconceived ideas about.

[et tu brute]

13 minutes ago, Turnbull2000 said:

If there's proposals beyond St James', I'd have thought there'd already be some hints of that due to any transfers of landownership required? Could be a gentlemen's agreement with the Freeman or any other land owner, but would be surprised if they announced a scheme with no guarantee of available land.

 

I'd say a post 2028 major re-working of St James' is most likely.

Disagree, no point in having a relatively minor extension at a extreme cost (the logistics of expanding the gallowgate will be a challenge with the metro system, never mind any talk of the East Stand), season ticket holders will be unable to attend and there will be a significant loss of revenue (we're already pushed to the limit on PSR). It's a no brainer to move and I'm sure our owners will want a new stadium to totally maximise our revenue and commercial deals. 
 

As for hints that was given the other day. 

 

 

Edited August 15, 2024 by et tu brute

[Keegans Export]

Assuming that line about only writing the cheque once was intentional, that makes it clear that whatever they end up doing stadium-wise is going to be the absolute maximum they are willing to stretch to.

 

If your ambition is to have a world-class stadium, an extra 5k on the Gallowgate and some extra corporate suites isn't going to do it. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

51 minutes ago, Nucasol said:

Sounds a reet jobsworth wanker.

 

He was. Good to know pre-season though, so I can just brush past confidently at the weekend

[east stander]

2 minutes ago, SteV said:

Would be interested to know your thoughts on the stadium redevelopment / move issue, as you’re the exact demographic we all have preconceived ideas about.

Great question Stev. Selfishly I want SJP to be redeveloped as I’m so lucky to have a seat on the halfway line. However, in the future I could easily envisage the centre or even more of the East Stand seats being taken over for a Wings style corporate area, even with the lack of space behind the stand. They’ve just introduced a tie in with a restaurant in the town haven’t they where you get decent seats but have to walk from the restaurant. But something has to be done to at least increase the chances of young uns etc starting off like I did. I got my season ticket after the KK 1984 promotion as it was becoming a chore queuing up at the old ticket office for hours to get in just for league games. But SJP being in the city centre is so unique and important for the city itself. I’m pleased it’s not my decision.

[timnufc22]

What is stopping SJP being redeveloped to allow it to host other events? We have concerts now and again at the ground, I'm wondering what extra we supposedly need to continue hosting them?

 

 

Edited August 15, 2024 by timnufc22

[et tu brute]

9 minutes ago, timnufc22 said:

What is stopping SJP being redeveloped to allow it to host other events? We have concerts now and again at the ground, I'm wondering what extra we supposedly need to continue hosting them?

 

 

 

Quite a bit for access to sets and equipment for singers/bands who have big stages and sets. Access currently is just not big enough. It's ok for the likes of Sheeran or Fender, but the sets for the likes of Rihanna and Taylor Swift are far bigger 

[Wallsendmag]

1 hour ago, TheBrownBottle said:

I’ve been in the East Stand once in my entire life - John Anderson’s testimonial.  Had STs in the Leazes and Milburn, always liked going into the Gallowgate. This also applies to pretty much every else I used to go to matches with - the East Stand is a place all of its own

 

(And we did win vs Ando’s XI)

 

I was at that one as well. Still got the programme in the loft. Think it was billed as NUFC v Ando's All Stars.

 

Thankfully we'd just escaped relegation to Division 3 the previous week!

[Cookie1892]

4 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

I was at that one as well. Still got the programme in the loft. Think it was billed as NUFC v Ando's All Stars.

 

Thankfully we'd just escaped relegation to Division 3 the previous week!

 

Bizarrely there was also an American Football game on the pitch prior to the match if i recall correctly?

[Wallsendmag]

1 hour ago, Cookie1892 said:

 

Bizarrely there was also an American Football game on the pitch prior to the match if i recall correctly?

 

I've honestly got no recollection of that whatsoever! Only thing I really remember from it was Basil Boli and Chris Waddle playing.

[LFEE]

11 hours ago, Stifler said:

How?

If it is a SJP rebuild, it will be Sunderland. For as much as I believe they would pay £2bn-£3bn for a new stadium, I’m not convinced they would pay the hundreds of millions it would cost to buy/lease some land, and put up one of those temporary stadiums Qatar had for the World Cup.

As much as it wouldn’t be the fans 1st choice, I don’t think the club will allow that sentiment to overrule a temporary measure. Sunderland’s owners are not going to turn down the money of having a match there every weekend, possibly more if we are in Europe and go far in the cups.

Yes their fans will start saying that we are paying them rent and essentially buying them a new player or two, and that they took us in when we were homeless etc. However the end will justify the means.

 

I’m not convinced it will be a SJP rebuild though. I’m just not convinced the land is available around it. Even if we moved it south over the Metro station, we still have Barrack road to contend with considering we would need to move away from Leazes Terrace, and St James’ Terrace. The only option there would be to make Barrack Road 1 lane each way to try and get some more land that way.

I’m not sure we could convince the council to do that, especially if we are increasing the capacity significantly.

 

 

 

Regarding your doubts on temporary solution I’ve a funny feeling that was what Eales was hinting at when he said he couldn’t say too much but if the fans see what we’ve done with the Stack it would give an indication on our plans.

 

Maybe I’m reading too much into it. Just felt like he was hinting at a temporary ground whilst a new one was built.

 

Also don’t think the Council would object to less traffic in the centre with regards to changing Barrack Road. Anything that helps the Green Zone which it falls into they’ll approve. They might want to get rid of the road completely along with Strawberry Place even and come up with alternative routes for delivery access.

 

[Stifler]

10 minutes ago, LFEE said:

Regarding your doubts on temporary solution I’ve a funny feeling that was what Eales was hinting at when he said he couldn’t say too much but if the fans see what we’ve done with the Stack it would give an indication on our plans.

 

Maybe I’m reading too much into it. Just felt like he was hinting at a temporary ground whilst a new one was built.

 

Also don’t think the Council would object to less traffic in the centre with regards to changing Barrack Road. Anything that helps the Green Zone which it falls into they’ll approve. They might want to get rid of the road completely along with Strawberry Place even and come up with alternative routes for delivery access.

There is absolutely no need for the Strawberry road behind the Gallowgate, especially on a match day when it’s closed in anyway.