Pilgrims' Patter

The Forum => The B-Ark => Topic started by: oxo on October 16, 2020, 01:04:55 PM

Title: New Stadium
Post by: oxo on October 16, 2020, 01:04:55 PM
Just been looking at the live web cam at the new stadium and have to say that during these worrying times it is really encouraging to see the terracing going in on the far side of the ground. As it looks that the ground is almost ready to host games would it be possible for the youth team to play some games there thus allowing fans in and using these games to carry out the the various testing requirements. I know it may sound desperate and there may be valid reasons why this can't happen what do you think?  UTP
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Lee Newell on October 16, 2020, 01:34:42 PM
Good idea to let fans in for youth team matches. I think it was said from the club that the plan for the test event is a youth team match there, hopefully with a small number of fans.

Fantastic to see the progress that has been made, looks about ready for matches.  Good to see the East Stand going up. If fans aren't allowed in until March as mentioned as likely then East Stand will hopefully be ready for then. Still feels crazy that we can't go when things like cinemas, theatres and pubs can open. Some matches are being streamed to cinemas where fans are going to watch, which feels like an environment more likely to spread Covid than if they'd let fans in the stadium.


The 2 stands that are complete look great. Main stand must be up there as the best or one of the best main stands in National League North. Town End looks good too and one day in the future with no social distancing it will be packed with fans and rocking like YS Town End did. Obviously not as big as Town End at York Street and on the face it may feel like a downgrade but what they built looks to be to a high standard with good modern facilities. The first draft plans of the new stadium had Town End identical to South Stand with 700 capacity, 6 steps high and after fans asked for a larger Town End like at York Street they did change it to 1124 capacity, 11 steps high for final plans. Whilst York Street is the camparison we will all make really the alternative could possibly have been ground sharing the Gainsborough long term rather than just a few weeks as the York Street lease has expired and whilst some would wish we were still at York Street I don't think any fan would want a long term ground share with Gainsborough or similar.

I'm guessing next Saturday's home match may be just a bit soon for the first team to play there if test event hasn't been done yet and will proberbly Nov 7th v Chorley we first play there.
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Pete Brooksbank on October 19, 2020, 10:00:02 AM
Yeah there's lots of moaning about the new Town End on Twitter. In truth, as good as it looked the original was far too big and only ever full about once every seven years.
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Pilgrim86 on October 19, 2020, 10:28:00 AM
It's basically a Spayne Rad size terrace, but behind the goal. Could be worse, could be standing down the side or in the away end, where's it about 7 steps.

I wonder how many people have planned to stand in the East terrace, but will start by sitting in the main stand, and stay there...
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Lee Newell on October 19, 2020, 12:11:53 PM

I'm guessing next Saturday's home match may be just a bit soon for the first team to play there if test event hasn't been done yet and will proberbly Nov 7th v Chorley we first play there.


Won't be that match as Chorley were the lucky side that go the bye in the next round of the cup and will be in cup action that day.

Yes, new Town End is about right in size. Only the Rochdale match in recent times Town End has been full and more fans in there than new Town End can hold. The playoff semi finals we've had in this league proberbly around 1000 in there, which show this is about the right size we need.
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Pete Brooksbank on October 19, 2020, 01:59:08 PM
That being said, I wouldn't have objected to the new Town End being a bit bigger, but then again the original was so unique I think it would've been impossible to replicate and achieve the same style. It would look completely out of place.
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Dipdodah on October 19, 2020, 03:39:31 PM
Vocals were sometimes lost in the Town End.  The acoustics were way better in the York street end, when they had the terracing.  I would hope the new Town End would be more compact and better acoustics, we will have to wait and see.
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Old boy thin on October 21, 2020, 06:38:25 PM
It's basically a Spayne Rad size terrace, but behind the goal. Could be worse, could be standing down the side or in the away end, where's it about 7 steps.

I wonder how many people have planned to stand in the East terrace, but will start by sitting in the main stand, and stay there...
I should imagine that many of us will stand behind the goal for a start, but 7 steps doesn't seem alot.
I including many others liked to stand pitch side at York Street
I hope we will be able to do the same at the new ground.
The East Stand Steel Works are going up at rate of Knott's.
Looking blooming smart though.
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Pete Brooksbank on October 22, 2020, 10:30:32 AM
East stand is progressing well - steelwork goes up in no time but the build-out will take a while as it's a proper stand with concourses etc, so it's unlikely to be ready until after New Year I'd say.
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Kearsley Pilgrim on October 22, 2020, 06:06:00 PM
It's basically a Spayne Rad size terrace, but behind the goal. Could be worse, could be standing down the side or in the away end, where's it about 7 steps.

I wonder how many people have planned to stand in the East terrace, but will start by sitting in the main stand, and stay there...

https://www.footballgroundmap.com/data/photos/york-street-the-jakemans-stadium4522l.jpg

I couldn't remember just how many steps there were on the Spayne Road side of York Street - see how quickly one can forget!! Looking at the photo on this link it seems, if it is to be 7 rows high, the highest step of the 'new' Spayne Road terracing will be roughly at the same height as the higher yellow crowd barriers along Spayne Road at York Street. However, that might not translate into the same height above the pitch itself - the York Street pitch was lower on one side of the pitchside fencing than the concrete walkway infront of the terracing on the other, and so added to the overall 'height' of the terracing for viewing purposes.

So not as high but, depending on how far back from the touchline the East Stand is set, it might open up the viewing angles to offer a better view into the corner areas. Even from the top steps of Spayne Road (at the halfway line area) it wasn't easy to see towards the corners owing to the 'tightness' of the terracing to the touchline and the height of the pitchside fencing.

A shame really that the East Stand couldn't be similar in size to the Spayne Road equivalents at Curzon Ashton and, going way back, the old Northwich Victoria Drill Field ground. Both an excellent height and set far enough back to offer full panoramic views of the pitch.
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Pilgrim86 on October 22, 2020, 08:18:41 PM
By the looks of the plot that we are making use of, the East Stand is as big as it could be - you have to fit in the concourse area, plus the circular road.
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Eddie Killick on October 25, 2020, 06:49:59 PM
Have you seen Russell`s video of York Street. Check out this youtube site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=781Z6vo_eX0
Should bring back a few memories to look back on when we are at the new ground.
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Cavalier on November 17, 2020, 12:19:23 PM
Roof now going onto the East side stand.
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: gatley pilgrim on November 17, 2020, 02:25:52 PM
Has there been any news regarding getting the safety certificate and hence when the first home game is likely to be?
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Cavalier on November 17, 2020, 03:26:13 PM
Has there been any news regarding getting the safety certificate and hence when the first home game is likely to be?

Tuesday 8th December is our next scheduled home match.   :-\
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Pilgrim86 on November 17, 2020, 07:23:57 PM
The plan was for the first game to be at the stadium tonight, until it was postponed.
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Steve D on November 17, 2020, 07:47:44 PM
There are 4 legs stuck up out of the east stand steelwork. Could this be a TV gantry.
Title: Re: New Stadium
Post by: Bunyan on November 26, 2020, 03:04:52 PM
Now that the roof has been completed on the East Stand is there any chance of the aerial camera being relocated so that we can see any further development in the East Stand and the South End?