Time to think about a new stadium?

[barkis]

Is it now time for the owners to consider the various benefits of a new stadum? Now the last thing I want is for the Vale to get into serious debt again, but our current home just doesn't generate enough atmosphere unless there's at least 8-9,000 in. Being no more than a quarter full for most matches, this surely can't help the players. The atmosphere today was completely lacking, almost funereal. Is it just coincidence that our home form has been pretty woeful for many years and our current crop generally perform better way from home where the Vale's usual large away following can make themselves heard, especially in the genrally smaller stadia? The design of the ground doesn't help either - the shallow rake of the stands and the fact they are too far from the players isn't conducive to a proper football ground atmosphere.

 

And the Lorne Street stand aside, the current ground's average to poor facilities do nothing to tempt lapsed fans back or new fans in to the ground, leading not just to a loss of atmosphere but revenue too. Today we had just under 6,000 Vale fans in the ground which I think was very disappointing all things considered. I'm convinced that a new stadium, either achieved by redeveloping three sides of Vale Park or selling our home for housing and moving to a brownfield site in the City would generate not just lots more revenue but crucially a proper atmosphere in the stadium. This is something that Vale Park for all its history now sorely lacks.

 

Rotherham's new ground which I visited with the Vale last week (my 92nd and last English league ground) really impressed me. It's capacity is just right for a team of Rotherham's size and the steep rake of its stands really help generate a good atmosphere - certainly from the away end! Its design is really good and the ground isn't too bland like recent disappointing offerings at Colchester, Doncaster, Morecambe, Oxford, Shrewsbury and maybe Chesterfield.

 

Vale could really thrive in a ground similarto Rotherham's. We're probably a slightly bigger club than the Millers so a new stadium with a 12-15,000 capacity would be just right. All other things being equal, I'm convinced our average home gates would immediately increase by 2-3,000, generating maybe £40-50,000 extra revenue per match. Then there's the extra revenue from vastly expanded commercial activities a new stadium would bring. If the match pricing structure was right at a new stadium, not just lapsed fans would come back but new ones, especially families, would come - the kids of which are Vale's future. Our current ground really isn't very appealing and this is probably affecting both our gates and the players' performances at home.

 

So.....isn't it time to think about a new stadium? The financials might just stck up and it would put some much needed atmosphere into our home!

[Mattholl]

Daft idea been floated a million times and not realistic

[barkis]

Why so daft? Around 20 clubs of our size have done it over the last 20 years with different degrees of success. To grow our fan base we need better facilities and if we don't do something we'll just decline steadily or at best saty still.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Agree sadly after today. The size of the crowd was embarrasing and those of us there made little or no atmosphere.

[berty1876]

How will a new ground put 2/3000 on the gates ha

[Simcity47]

The facilities in the rAilway and paddock are non league. The stand is too far from the pitch..and the ground is too big for what we need. The atmos today was awful.

 

I'd move tomorrow. 12k capacity..all corners filled in. Perhaps not running out of hot drinks at half time too is a novel idea.

 

The pubs in burslem are not our concern.

[Santa]

I'm not sure a buyer for the site could be found easily. The mine shafts might cause problems for building housing. The road and rail links aren't there for warehousing or other businesses. There isn't a need for another supermarket with the big Asda in Tunstall and the new Tesco in Hanley.

 

So selling off Vale Park for an alternate use may be difficult although I stand to be corrected.

 

Using Rotherham's new ground as the benchmark, it cost £20 million to build. There isn't that sort of money.

 

It would be more realistic to look at developing the other three sides of the ground.

[Fosse69]

The facilities in the rAilway and paddock are non league. The stand is too far from the pitch..and the ground is too big for what we need. The atmos today was awful.

 

I'd move tomorrow. 12k capacity..all corners filled in. Perhaps not running out of hot drinks at half time too is a novel idea.

 

The pubs in burslem are not our concern.

And where does the £20M come from? Where would you site a community club? Why did the council save the Vale? All discussed many times before.

[Bernieseven]

Having a 12k stadium would basically say that we would always be a league 1 and 2 team. Vale Park is big enough to redevelop by the new owners over a sensible time frame without getting the club into massive debt again. I would rather the new owners invest in the team first of all and get the product right on the pitch and then gates will slowly increase. The main priority at present is to get out of this awful league and the rest will follow.

[Mr Carter]

I have often wondered how much revenue is lost in the Railway Stand and Paddock because the facilities are so outdated

[Fosse69]

Look at Rotherham.

 

Look at Rotherham when the novelty wears of in a couple of years.

[barkis]

I don't agree....if we had a stadium with say a 15,000 capacity with maybe a design that allowed for expansion this would cater for Vale's needs for the foreseeable future. Even if we stabilised in the Championship we'd never attract average gates over 15,000 - similar to say Watford. You just have to be realistic about the size of club we really are or are ever likely to be.

[valiant boy]

How come we can win away then in front of 1,500 at Accrington?nothing to do with atmosphere.

[mr2faz]

You can't just throw history of the Wembley of the north away because times are tough my grandad tells tales,not to far ago of grest atmosphere and if it's right on the pitch then they will return. Also 20 quid for league two is ridiculous stoke is not much more. My Mrs brother is a villa fan and I have been with him twice for 12 quid . If games were a Tenna my mrs and her brother would come vale . Plus my mum and mates sometimes. 40 quid a month is too much in my opinion.not everyone can stump 200 plus for season tickets in one go. Lowering on gate fees would bring in the crowd. Oh and ****tania is crap also (just cus)

[barkis]

we usually LOSE at Accrington - 2-0 this season for instance. Nothing to do with atmosphere? Try telling that to the Liverpool teams of the 60s to 80s