Whitburn Vale Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 Totally agree with whats getting said above,been saying for ages we have to move,a 9500 seater stadium is a white elephant.Theres a big piece of land across from Ballantynes for example and yeah a 4000 capacity stadium is more than enough. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afro Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 15 minutes ago, Whitburn Vale said: Totally agree with whats getting said above,been saying for ages we have to move,a 9500 seater stadium is a white elephant.Theres a big piece of land across from Ballantynes for example and yeah a 4000 capacity stadium is more than enough. One of the biggest issues with any move within Livingston is how the land is currently allocated. A quick look at WLC's LDP and you'll see that near enough every large space, especially to the west of the town, has been earmarked for housing or industrial development. Now, whether or not such a unique development like a stadium could be preferred over the umpteenth Cala development in West Lothian, I'm not so sure; I seriously doubt the club have the capital to even employ someone to carry out a feasibility study into potential sites. I have to admit that I think the stadium issue is a larger one than a lot of supporters realise, and I can't help but feel the current debate about the installation of a plastic pitch (despite it's obvious benefits, which I agree with) is detracting from the real debate which needs to be had. The longer LFC wait, the more water we're going to tread and ultimately we'll be dead on our arse. I certainly can't envisage taking my son/daughter/both to games at Almondvale in 10 years' time, for example. The current state of the pitch is a prime indicator of why the current site isn't much of a long-term option: granted, Livi have cut costs this season and I think there is a PT groundsman who comes in once a week and on match days. On top of that, and as I understand it, the drainage below the ground is dodgy to say the best, my mind may be playing tricks on me but I think there may have been remedial works carried out a few years ago... In any case, whilst we may have scored a watch back in 1995 getting a stadium built for us, there's no way on Earth any administration at WLC, incumbent or incoming, will be even remotely as accommodating. In a similar way to the board's current tunnel vision regarding advertisement and general engagement with fans, I can't help but feel this won't come to any sort of fruition. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIVIFOREVER Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 From what I remember there wasn't enough information given to the council for them to agree to our new owners plans to get a plastic pitch etc. That doesn't exactly fill you with confidence that these new guys are any better than the old ones, there's been precious little heard from them since they took over from Rankine. The council have been the only thing standing between us having a club and these carpetbaggers trying to buy the ground and make a quick buck selling it to property developers, as long as they keep ownership of the stadium and the land we're safe from fly by night types like Flynn, Massone and Rankine. The latter is still hanging around and is rumoured to have his men inside the club. I think the council would be happy to sell the stadium/land to a Livi fc owner, but thankfully they haven't been taken in by any of their dubious proposals, and i'm not sure these new one's are any different. We've been burnt too many times to just believe everything we're being told, even though it hasn't been much. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLad Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 Is it realistic to suggest that the council pulling down down the stadium, selling the land, buying new land and building a new stadium could be done at a profit for West Lothian Council? Sounds like an expensive process to me. Why would they want to do it? And as has been said before, the 'committee' lack any ambition to look much further ahead than next month, never mind a long term sustainable plan 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIVIFOREVER Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 I don't think the plan was for the council to do everything, Flynn and Massone wanted to buy the stadium and land, then promised to build a new stadium at another location. Don't know about Flynn but Massone would've fecked off back to Italy with the money from flogging the land to a developer and we'd have been left without a stadium to play in. Gordon Ford mentioned a consortium (stadium company) that was wanting to buy the stadium off the council, then lay a 3G pitch to hire out through the week, he mentioned they'd be separate from the football club and would be doing other things down there as well, but he was a bit vague on any details. However the council said there wasn't enough information given to them. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afro Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 2 hours ago, TheLad said: Is it realistic to suggest that the council pulling down down the stadium, selling the land, buying new land and building a new stadium could be done at a profit for West Lothian Council? Sounds like an expensive process to me. Why would they want to do it? And as has been said before, the 'committee' lack any ambition to look much further ahead than next month, never mind a long term sustainable plan Realistically, what benefit do LFC actually get from being located relatively close to the "town centre" (if the shopping centre constitutes that)? I'd contest it's fairly negligible, in all honesty. Say for example, that a large supermarket was built where Almondvale currently is - it fits the profile of the town centre exactly and provides a large area adjacent to the current retail area. I'd imagine for this reason, WLC could offer the current land for a premium rate. In terms of total cost, I would say WLC would make a profit. Selling a prime piece of land (despite the ground problems), and moving a problematic tenant to the fringes of the town. They would also still get money off us. I'm not sure of the practicalities but I'm sure there are certain building elements in Almondvale which could be used at a new ground. St Mirren Park was built for £8m, I don't see a 4,000 seater ground with terracing at either end being anything more than that. WLC make a profit, Livingston's long-term future is secured, win-win surely? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant Wilson Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 2 hours ago, TheLad said: Is it realistic to suggest that the council pulling down down the stadium, selling the land, buying new land and building a new stadium could be done at a profit for West Lothian Council? Sounds like an expensive process to me. Why would they want to do it? And as has been said before, the 'committee' lack any ambition to look much further ahead than next month, never mind a long term sustainable plan The owners of the club have a long lease and will be compensated for early termination. They'll arrange a ground share when the time comes and f**k off with the money. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LogieLivi Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 In another note, how long before we confirm the signing of Dean Brett? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATLIS Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 2 minutes ago, LogieLivi said: In another note, how long before we confirm the signing of Dean Brett? Any minute now 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LogieLivi Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 Any minute now Would be a decent signing. What's the odds on him signing for us?See what I did there? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATLIS Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 How long before Martindale pulls on the boots? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIVIFOREVER Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 5 hours ago, ATLIS said: How long before Martindale pulls on the boots? I think he already has, didn't he play against the fans GS team last season in some Livi XI ? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozam76 Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 It's a helluva leap of faith to suggest that the land on which Almondvale stands is prime for redevelopment. Well known drainage issue, a plethora of other retail outlets in close proximity - im not sure it's nearly as attractive as some folk think. And the comment on our long term future being secure if a move happened - its never been secure, and I dont see how a smaller stadium in the arse end of west Lothian with nowt but industrial units around it woukd make it so. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIVIFOREVER Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 The rent and overheads of our current stadium are too high, moving to a smaller stadium would reduce both and at least give us a chance of breaking even. More in line with what Alloa, Dumbarton and East Fife have, that's the general idea behind moving to a smaller stadium anyway. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afro Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 22 hours ago, mozam76 said: It's a helluva leap of faith to suggest that the land on which Almondvale stands is prime for redevelopment. Well known drainage issue, a plethora of other retail outlets in close proximity - im not sure it's nearly as attractive as some folk think. And the comment on our long term future being secure if a move happened - its never been secure, and I dont see how a smaller stadium in the arse end of west Lothian with nowt but industrial units around it woukd make it so. You're right in a sense mozam, but I'm of the opinion that the groundworks carried out first time round for the stadium were not, shall we say, as comprehensive as what they could have been. Questionable ground conditions can almost always be overcome, it just comes down to how much money a party is prepared to throw at it - I have a feeling that someone like a large retailer would be more inclined or capable to do so than when the stadium was first built. The way I see it, we are, at best, treading water staying where we currently are. You're absolutely right in that our long-term future has never been secure - any stadium move would have to go hand-in-hand with a set of good, responsible owners. There's more chance of me winning the lottery on Wednesday than either scenario unfolding, unfortunately. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIVIFOREVER Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 Afro wins Euro lotto and buys Livi. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afro Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 Afro wins Euro lotto and buys Livi. John McGuiness Mk. II! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiferjon Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 Dunmbarton being forced out as well. Think its prime develipment site as well. Nae link though eh. N R 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIVIFOREVER Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 Going be a busy month for us with the fixture pile up from our 2 postponed games being scheduled in March. 4th Queen's Park A 7th Albion Rovers H 11th East Fife H 18th Stranraer A 21st Stenhousemuir H 25th Airdrie H Could go a long way to seeing if we're going to win the league after these games ae played. Four home games though, no guarantee our pitch stand up to the winter weather and will get them all played. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andylivi1 Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 4 wins, a draw and a defeat. Be happy with that, and would see us almost there I think. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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