Motherwell FC - A Thread For All Seasons

[nsr]

Or sign half the PSG squad.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

33 minutes ago, Mr. Brightside said:

Dunno why we’re bothering with a scoreboard and PA system when would could just build a new stadium with the amount of money we’re raking in.

 

Need a few more of those £5m loans to Newcastle first.

[Busta Nut]

http://www.mfc1886.com/mfc-podcast-2017-18-episode-27/

Stand-in host Jay is joined by Busta and Andy Paterson to look back on the excellent cup victory against Hearts. Also on the agenda are previews of the Lanarkshire Derby and the next round of the Scottish Cup, the Well Society’s 2017 fundraising, a new scoreboard, and the career of Andrew Dallas…

 

 

[Al B]

2 hours ago, Desp said:

Genuinely can't wait until a few years down the line when we get the Titantron in the corner of the South/Main. 

And a Spanish announce table.

[WellView]

50 minutes ago, Busta Nut said:

http://www.mfc1886.com/mfc-podcast-2017-18-episode-27/

Stand-in host Jay is joined by Busta and Andy Paterson to look back on the excellent cup victory against Hearts. Also on the agenda are previews of the Lanarkshire Derby and the next round of the Scottish Cup, the Well Society’s 2017 fundraising, a new scoreboard, and the career of Andrew Dallas…

 

 

You fixed the sound issues yet?  Far too often, appalling. Prime example of what happens when you let up-themselves fanboys loose. 

[WellView]

The club has to address the main stand. Getting embarrassing now.

[Handsome John]

25 minutes ago, WellView said:

The club has to address the main stand. Getting embarrassing now.

What’s the issues and is it more pressing than the paint splatters on the east stand steps? 

[Busta Nut]

1 hour ago, WellView said:

You fixed the sound issues yet?  Far too often, appalling. Prime example of what happens when you let up-themselves fanboys loose. 

Thanks for your feed back, I will make sure it is passed on.

[steelmen]

The club has to address the main stand. Getting embarrassing now.

With the £50m we get from Campbell to Real Madrid, he’s too good for Newcastle, we can build a new Phil O’Donnell stand with space for a retractable pitch.

[Swello]

11 hours ago, Mr. Brightside said:

could just build a new stadium

That got me thinking  - it's one thing that has totally disappeared from view - any sort of talk of a new stadium (which was definitely being considered a few years back). I guess a move is a non-starter as we don't really have a way to finance that sort of huge undertaking in our fan-owned model (which I'm pleased about as I really don't want us to leave FP) - but I wonder if there is any sort of strategy about redeveloping the old place? In our situation, I guess we don't have an option other than the "trigger's broom" approach, where it could be redeveloped a stand at a time over a long (ie 25+ year) period - but it would be interesting to see what was possible.

Hearts and Hibs managed it in tight, urban sites and I guess we could build a modern main stand in the current place - which I guess would make the biggest difference on the basis of lowering maintenance costs and allowing us to put in modern, cash generating facilities. Biggest stumbling block overall would be the east stand I guess as it's totally constrained by the school at the back - although I guess a much steeper stand could be built in it's place. Obviously, there is no need to increase capacity overall - just to make a stadium that suitable for the long term future of the club...

[Desp]

CMWellFanView has been stung by the criticism and he's come back swinging  

 

[Desp]

6 minutes ago, Swello said:

That got me thinking  - it's one thing that has totally disappeared from view - any sort of talk of a new stadium (which was definitely being considered a few years back). I guess a move is a non-starter as we don't really have a way to finance that sort of huge undertaking in our fan-owned model (which I'm pleased about as I really don't want us to leave FP) - but I wonder if there is any sort of strategy about redeveloping the old place? In our situation, I guess we don't have an option other than the "trigger's broom" approach, where it could be redeveloped a stand at a time over a long (ie 25+ year) period - but it would be interesting to see what was possible.

I think it's really a cost issue.  The value of the land that Fir Park sits on has dropped dramatically over the last decade (think St Mirren were the last to get a good financial deal for their stadium - albeit they get landed with a horrorshow of a new stadium).

Redeveloping Fir Park is an absolute no-go.  It's just not financially viable.  If one of the stands ends up being not fit for purpose, it'll just be closed/knocked down - there's enough room in the three other stands to fit everyone in who wants to go.  It'll be maintained as and when just to keep it going for as long as we need it.

I've always been keen that we do leave Fir Park and head up to Ravenscraig, but even Ravenscraig hasn't gone as planned.  Everything that had been scheduled to happen up there (schools, shopping centres, train lines) are either no longer happening due to the issues with the land or they've been put back another 20 years.

For me, the land next to where the new College sits would be ideal (still close enough to proper Motherwell without going too far 'out of town') but I can't see us getting the external finance required anytime soon.  I can't ever envisage the council/local government helping out.

I think we will move, eventually, but can see being at Fir Park for at least the next decade.

[well fan for life]

Was reading the BBC article on our turn around under Robinson and it's absolutely startling when you think back to that fucking shambles against Dundee. I looked up the team there:

Which when that's coupled with folk like Lee Lucas & Jacob fucking Blyth around the squad as well you realise how much utter dreck Robinson has ripped out. The back four that day was absolute comedy. I mind the Dundee players walking down the tunnel laughing at half time, and fair play to them. I'd have been pishing myself playing against that. 

[Al B]

That's frightening. I would genuinely fancy myself up against that back 5.

Edited March 6, 2018 by Al B

[Handsome John]

38 minutes ago, Swello said:

That got me thinking  - it's one thing that has totally disappeared from view - any sort of talk of a new stadium (which was definitely being considered a few years back). I guess a move is a non-starter as we don't really have a way to finance that sort of huge undertaking in our fan-owned model (which I'm pleased about as I really don't want us to leave FP) - but I wonder if there is any sort of strategy about redeveloping the old place? In our situation, I guess we don't have an option other than the "trigger's broom" approach, where it could be redeveloped a stand at a time over a long (ie 25+ year) period - but it would be interesting to see what was possible.

There have certainly been discussions recently with Ravenscraig about moving there but still a fair way off from what I heard. 

[Al B]

If I remember rightly, new stadium talks were surprisingly advanced at one point during Boyle's reign.

Now don't get me wrong, given the amount of pie-in-the-sky ideas that were being thrown around over the course of his tenure I'm sure it wouldn't have actually happened, but it was back when the land was still worth a fair bit, I'm sure it got as far as architects and plans.

[well fan for life]

27 minutes ago, Al B said:

If I remember rightly, new stadium talks were surprisingly advanced at one point during Boyle's reign.

Now don't get me wrong, given the amount of pie-in-the-sky ideas that were being thrown around over the course of his tenure I'm sure it wouldn't have actually happened, but it was back when the land was still worth a fair bit, I'm sure it got as far as architects and plans.

I do remember years ago it was looking quite likely that we would leave Fir Park. Would imagine we wouldn't get all that much for the land Fir Park is on at this point. 

Besides, my worst nightmare is we leave Fir Park and end up in a dreadful stadium like St Mirren's new one. I really liked old Love Street, but the new one is grim.

[Swello]

Ravenscraig was definitely on the table (although I don't know if a plan was done) as I heard it directly from a Director of the time - I seem to remember that there was a supermarket in the mix - but that might be bollocks.

At this point, I'm really just interested about if there are *any* thoughts on the future as there must come a point where FP isn't fit for purpose in it's current form. I look at St Mirren, Falkirk or St Johnstone, or any other ground that we still think of as "new" - and whatever happens, for a number of reasons, I don't fancy the type of Stadiums that they have (although oddly, I do like Livingston's).

[Al B]

7 minutes ago, well fan for life said:

I do remember years ago it was looking quite likely that we would leave Fir Park. Would imagine we wouldn't get all that much for the land Fir Park is on at this point. 

Besides, my worst nightmare is we leave Fir Park and end up in a dreadful stadium like St Mirren's new one. I really liked old Love Street, but the new one is grim.

If it is on the cards even in 10/15 years time, I hope it happens whilst Flow is still at the club. There will obviously be 1001 reasons why there are certain things that can't be done certain ways, but I don't think there's any doubt that having a strong fan mentality at the core of the discussion would be a huge advantage in terms of getting  balance between cost and supporter preference. As I say there will be plenty things that financially wouldn't be possible, but i'd be confident our "side" would be very much in consideration.

 

Edit: On Swello's point above, although it often gets lumped in with the "soul-less" chat, I'd love a slightly advanced version of whatever the f**k Livi's ground is called these days. The soul-less thing comes from their fanbase but I think we'd create a cracking atmosphere in a little mini-bowl. The corners filled-in is a big thing for me.

Edited March 6, 2018 by Al B

[Swello]

8 minutes ago, Al B said:

I'd love a slightly advanced version of whatever the f**k Livi's ground is called these days. The soul-less thing comes from their fanbase but I think we'd create a cracking atmosphere in a little mini-bowl. The corners filled-in is a big thing for me.

Exactly.

We were at Livingston for a season-opener when they were still on the up and the place was packed (including a big 'Well support) and the atmosphere was great and that kind of stuck with me. I think the design challenge for a new ground for a diddy team would be to make it good with 5-6k punters in and I think Livi's ground is one of the very few that does that. St Mirren's ground is busy with 6k in but doesn't come close to having a decent atmosphere and that's the difference - so it's not just a capacity thing.