Time to think about a new stadium?

[Woodward]

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

 

Look at Darlington, although with a higher capacity of 25,000, which was reduced to 10,000 by local council.

[Woodward]

..............and what would Tommy Cheadle think if he was alive? Spiritual home and all that. Vale Park is fine.

[geosname]

We dont need a new stadium we need something to get bums on seats... if we dont get that then a new stadium would be as empty as the old.

If you want people to sing you have to give them something to sing about.... you wouldnt go singing "always look on the bright side of life" at a funeral would you.... would you?

[Markie G]

I have said this before, our away fans sing and dance no matter what happens. Lorne street fans where I sit, seem to moan about anyone that is different. There is bloke that is drunk most of the time and shouts random stuff like "go on Vale kick the ball" he is amusing because its normally so random but people moan about him.

 

We need people like him, we need people that are willing to stand up on their own and sing even if people do not sing along, but we seem to hate them type of people. I got a load of abuse on here because I said "who" when the away team made a sub. We have the bloke that shouts "every ****** time ref" at away matches, I love this bloke. We also had the bloke with the drum.

 

We need to support the supporters not abuse them because they are willing to stand up and sing no matter what happens on the pitch. Around me I heard more abuse thrown at Vale players and Mickey that I have ever before.

[vale@rocks]

Success could come with old or new. It all depends on how much personally for myself i think it would be far more beneficial to invest in a new one attracting new supporters and new life in port vale. Port vale continue where ever they play.

[geosname]

I have said this before, our away fans sing and dance no matter what happens. Lorne street fans where I sit, seem to moan about anyone that is different. There is bloke that is drunk most of the time and shouts random stuff like "go on Vale kick the ball" he is amusing because its normally so random but people moan about him.

 

We need people like him, we need people that are willing to stand up on their own and sing even if people do not sing along, but we seem to hate them type of people. I got a load of abuse on here because I said "who" when the away team made a sub. We have the bloke that shouts "every ****** time ref" at away matches, I love this bloke. We also had the bloke with the drum.

 

We need to support the supporters not abuse them because they are willing to stand up and sing no matter what happens on the pitch. Around me I heard more abuse thrown at Vale players and Mickey that I have ever before.

 

If our away fans sing and dance when away why dont they do it at home?

[Shoney]

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!

 

Excellent post. Couldn't agree more. The new owners really need to give this some consideration with Rotherham strong in their mindset. They could use the Lorne street as the focal point & gradually bring the other 3 stands closer.

[Nottingham Valiant]

Simple solution over a few years and more realistic than a new ground. Replace the railway with a 3-4k capacity stand, bring it much closer to the pitch, designate the Hamil (great acoustics) the home singing end at 15 pound admissio and Rob is your mum's brother. Unfortunately it would probably cost about £4m that we don't have. In the absence of new stands, at least encourage fans to return to the bycars and generate some atmosphere. Agree it was like a morgue testerday.

[valiant_593]

This thread is a joke...

[Family Stand Terrier]

It's not a joke at all, it should be a sensible debate with many differing opinions. I like the idea of a new ground, but realisticaly it's not going to happen due to finances. Its been mentioned on here before, but by giving us the hamil end would really help the atmosphere. We could give all of the railway to away fans, then if we do get in the championship we can attract massive away support and increase revenue. Over time that stand needs redeveloping. The bycars facilities also need improving, and then you've got a much better stadium with reduced (but ample) capacity for Vale fans that wont cost tens of millions.

[Fegg Hayes Fozzie 1968]

Look at evidence when most clubs move crowds increase. why is it only vales fans that panic about the idea of having a new modern stadium with great facilaties, that's what holds the club back the lack of ambition or hope with vales fans. There is alot of poor facilaties that will always stop fans from being interested. The new owners will soon find that it will be easier to build a new stadium that modernise vale park and whether we like it or not its their choice if we move. Vale park has been a problem for port vale since its building and infact there has never been a finished stadium even the two previous lorne stret stands were unfinished.

 

I could not agree more I would happily move to a purpose built stadium, why should we worry about the effect on Burslem, it's the effect of not moving and putting Vale in jeopardy that worries me. Look at the superb playing surface at Rotherham on Boxing Day during a downpour and compare it with the surface at Vale Park yesterday. Also we are all too far away from the action at Vale Park and cannot generate an atmosphere even with an extra 1000 on the gate. It's time to move and anyone who says not is a typical unambitious, negative, backward thinking resident of Stoke-on-Trent.

[Fegg Hayes Fozzie 1968]

If our away fans sing and dance when away why dont they do it at home?

 

Because we are all in the same stand and not dispersed all over a stadium that covers a vast area of land that is too big for our needs.

[Caz or caz123]

At this point in time i'd much rather spend money on bringing the team up to scratch. £20 millions has been quoted as what it might cost to build a new stadium. I'd much rather re-develop Vale Park at a cost of say £4 million and spend the rest on players.

 

Vale park does definitely need a lot of work to create a stadium where it's possible to create a much better atmosphere. I'd start by closing down the Railway Stand and bringing the paddock much nearer the pitch. There's a lot that could be done to Vale Park to make the matchday experience much more appealing without spending silly money that we don't have.

 

I'm neither unambitious, negative or backward thinking. Revamping VP has to be the way to go. Makes financial sense.

[Fegg Hayes Fozzie 1968]

This thread is a joke...

 

Why is it? if you want to stay in a stadium that is past it's sell by date that's up to you. I would prefer to move to a new stadium that is my opinion and I stand by it. Ask the supporters of all the clubs who have moved in the last 20 years if they would go back to there old home I can have a good guess what their answers would be.

[Fegg Hayes Fozzie 1968]

At this point in time i'd much rather spend money on bringing the team up to scratch. £20 millions has been quoted as what it might cost to build a new stadium. I'd much rather re-develop Vale Park at a cost of say £4 million and spend the rest on players.

 

Vale park does definitely need a lot of work to create a stadium where it's possible to create a much better atmosphere. I'd start by closing down the Railway Stand and bringing the paddock much nearer the pitch. There's a lot that could be done to Vale Park to make the matchday experience much more appealing without spending silly money that we don't have.

 

I'm neither unambitious, negative or backward thinking. Revamping VP has to be the way to go. Makes financial sense.

 

I'm sorry but we are going to have to agree to differ on this. That is your opinion and I respect that, but if their is one thing that grates with me is the 'we can't do that attitude.' How do you think smaller clubs than us have moved on because they explore all possible avenues to raise finance whether it be from help from local authorities to governmental and European grant aid. Rotherham have gone from being in administration, evicted from Millmoor, playing in Sheffield to playing in a brand new stadium in the space of four years so don't tell me it can't be done.