Our Grounds too big for us!

[kevin_struggles]

Do we have the fanbase for a 18k seater stadium? Nope. Will we ever have? IMO Nope.

 

Thats better,

 

I never thought I would see vale in the old division 2 but I was wrong, I never thought I would see Vale in the same division as Stoke and beating them, I was wrong. I never expected Vale to beat Tottenham, I was wrong.

 

We should be proud of Vale Park, its ready for the Premier league, now we just need the team to catch up.

[Fosse69]

We have already downsized from 49,000. Some say there were 56000 in when we played Liverpool in the 60`s cup replay, who knows?

[j_grainger10]

Ive asked you twice what the benefits of moving are and you havent answered, I'm putting my case for staying but you arent putting a case for moving.

 

Come on mate I'm doing my best to have a balanced argument with you but so far I've had better arguments with myself

 

A smaller and more compact ground would increase the atmosphere and make it feel more intimidating for the away team. A lad I work with is a Man City fan and when I told him I supported the Vale he asked if all the fans still moved from one end of the ground to the other. Pretty embarrassing.

 

A smaller ground would be more cost affective and affordable to run. It is easier to maintain a new modern stadium over something that is 40-50 years old.

 

You have the commercial benefits. Concerts, weddings etc. Much more likely if you have a nice shiny new stadium with decent facilities.

 

Utilise the surrounding area as other stadiums do.

 

Downsizing is not a lack of ambition. It is utilizing what we have. If you do a bit research you will see that some of the biggest clubs in Europe have downsized to make themselves more attractive as a club. See Juventus and AC Milan as recent examples.

[Black and white]

Adam Yates has been to Seabridge School.

 

That's where the problem is. If Adam Yates had given them me as a kid id have given him them back!

[Fortyoddyears]

I can remember West Ham in 1972? Everton in 1997 Tottenham and Watford in 1988 Man City 1990? when Vale actually made it through to a round in the cup when they played a BIG club. Remember Exeter at Man United?Possibly Port Vale could draw Stoke City away in the FA cup in January (given up on the league cup) and have the replay on TV at a full Vale Park? Such a scenario would pay to complete the Lorne Street and allow its use as a new family stand to attract NEW young Vale supporters. Unlikely? but not impossible.

[For Us All]

We have already downsized from 49,000. Some say there were 56000 in when we played Liverpool in the 60`s cup replay, who knows?

 

It certainly felt like it.

[Tomo]

Could we not dig up the other 10 old threads on this? I get it's a forum for open discussion on anything Vale, and OVF is the only thing keeping me entertained at work at the moment, but I see this about once every 3 months with the same 'no ambition/but the ground is too big' arguements repeated over and over.

 

Still, happy to contribute, I'm all for keeping VP. I enjoy visiting some of the newer concrete blocks like Shrewsbury/Chesterfield etc on the odd occasion, but I love our home, and it only requires around 8K to get a fairly decent atmosphere, which we could easily achieve in the championship, with room for loads extra on any big cup games or if a miracle came true and we managed to get to the PL. Plus we easily accomodate any bigger teams who want to bring 4-4.5K, whereas teams like Crewe can only accomodate around half of that!

 

Having said that, I do think the stadium needs sorting and modernising though. If I won euro mil tonight, I'd probably throw half of it at the Vale to be honest. I'd finish the LS, possibly with standing put in (not too sure), replace all of the seats in the ground needed to make it one tone of orange, instead of random discoloured/faded seats dotted around, sort out the family stand roof and probably get it redesigned, and get the RP/RS redone, without the giant posts blocking the view & most likely at a steeper angle to bring everybody slightly closer.

[valiant_593]

A smaller and more compact ground would increase the atmosphere and make it feel more intimidating for the away team. A lad I work with is a Man City fan and when I told him I supported the Vale he asked if all the fans still moved from one end of the ground to the other. Pretty embarrassing.

 

A smaller ground would be more cost affective and affordable to run. It is easier to maintain a new modern stadium over something that is 40-50 years old.

 

You have the commercial benefits. Concerts, weddings etc. Much more likely if you have a nice shiny new stadium with decent facilities.

 

Utilise the surrounding area as other stadiums do.

 

Downsizing is not a lack of ambition. It is utilizing what we have. If you do a bit research you will see that some of the biggest clubs in Europe have downsized to make themselves more attractive as a club. See Juventus and AC Milan as recent examples.

 

Yeah let's copy loads of other clubs similar to our size and build a ****ty little Lego ground that holds 5000 and looks identical to half the other grounds around. A small ground that is full is not intimidating. Not even close. Vale park has character it's certainly knowhere near perfect but it's different to other grounds. I would be fuming if we announced a movement to a small Lego ground with no character, just taking more of the football ideologies away. Awful idea that has been discussed more than enough on here in the past.

[ancient mariner]

I love Vale's ground i do after all its been my place of pilgrimage for the last 50 years,i've seen it packed to the rafters and virtually empty,i've witnessed some of the best football and often times some of the worse imaginable,i've laughed,i've cried even shed the odd drop of blood on the bycars,i've stood with mates who are no longer with us and indeed some of their ashes are sprinkled on this hallowed place.Would i like to see us move ? Not in my lifetime,it may be old and slightly rundown and in need of improving,bit like me really but i can cope with it !

Not only that,where would the brass come from for this new haven ?

[j_grainger10]

Could we not dig up the other 10 old threads on this? I get it's a forum for open discussion on anything Vale, and OVF is the only thing keeping me entertained at work at the moment, but I see this about once every 3 months with the same 'no ambition/but the ground is too big' arguements repeated over and over.

 

Still, happy to contribute, I'm all for keeping VP. I enjoy visiting some of the newer concrete blocks like Shrewsbury/Chesterfield etc on the odd occasion, but I love our home, and it only requires around 8K to get a fairly decent atmosphere, which we could easily achieve in the championship, with room for loads extra on any big cup games or if a miracle came true and we managed to get to the PL. Plus we easily accomodate any bigger teams who want to bring 4-4.5K, whereas teams like Crewe can only accomodate around half of that!

 

Having said that, I do think the stadium needs sorting and modernising though. If I won euro mil tonight, I'd probably throw half of it at the Vale to be honest. I'd finish the LS, possibly with standing put in (not too sure), replace all of the seats in the ground needed to make it one tone of orange, instead of random discoloured/faded seats dotted around, sort out the family stand roof and probably get it redesigned, and get the RP/RS redone, without the giant posts blocking the view & most likely at a steeper angle to bring everybody slightly closer.

 

article was from today.. thats why I thought I would bring it up. I havent seen a thread on this in a while tbh

[Trampilot]

I'd say its a flawed article. Do it over ten years and then have a look. In Vale's case it might not make much difference but to those who have gone all the way up and all the way down (eg Portsmouth) it could well do.

[MrSmithPVFC]

Sell no season tickets for railway stand and shut it unless needed?

[Guest]

Make the away supporters admission.especially for all the localish games dirt cheap,how about that for a idea .

Means more of them should /would come and is likely to get our lads out !

Thats all i can.come up with as i really cannot be bothered argue with folk who dismiss my opinion .

Bycars should be dirt cheap every game and when u purchase a ticket they know where u live so why aint folk who are not attending not getting anything through the post which would make them consider going more than a few games a season.

[Fosse69]

Make the away supporters admission.especially for all the localish games dirt cheap,how about that for a idea .

Means more of them should /would come and is likely to get our lads out !

Thats all i can.come up with as i really cannot be bothered argue with folk who dismiss my opinion .

Bycars should be dirt cheap every game and when u purchase a ticket they know where u live so why aint folk who are not attending not getting anything through the post which would make them consider going more than a few games a season.

What ticket prices were you thinking of? Would not the Hamil have to be the same price, unless there was a membership system?

[Howjy04]

Sell no season tickets for railway stand and shut it unless needed?

 

Give free season tickets with food and drink for those who normally use the Railway Stand and charge double everywhere else.