Is your team's stadium crumbling?

[Dunfermline Don]

2 hours ago, Tattie36 said:

I love our ground (Gayfield Park, Arbroath). I think it’s almost perfect for an old traditional ground, with covered standing on 3 sides and a comfortable, if small, main stand. The recent improvements have really helped too - new turnstyle blocks and entrance, new roofs, refurbished main stand, extra toilets, additional catering, upgraded floodlights, increased hospitality etc.

There are a few, mostly minor, things needing addressed imo - some of the terracing could do with resurfacing; the tannoy system needs upgraded; we need more seats; the ridiculously over engineered camera gantry needs sorted - currently, probably about 1/3rd of the seaside terrace has severely restricted views due to the solid walls and scaffolding. Hang it from the roof or, even better, put it on the roof. I can cope with the roof pillars and floodlights but the gantry completely ruins what is potentially a cracking terrace.

Also, from a personal point of view, and I know this doesn’t bother many of our support, but I hate the way that the club, without fan consultation, moved the home fans away from our traditional home end - the Pleasureland end for those that know the ground. We only just got back to that end a few years ago but now we’ve been put back at the harbour end where the prevailing wind is in our faces and the low winter sun blinds us. No doubt the club will use Police advice etc as a reason but I think that’s just an excuse.

All in all, we’re in a good place (off the field anyway) and I would give Gayfield a solid 8/10.

Gayfield probably lost an extra point for me when they stopped the fans changing ends at halftime. 
Apart from that it is certainly what I would call a proper football ground. (Except when weather conditions aren’t favourable!)

[Tattie36]

6 minutes ago, Dunfermline Don said:

Gayfield probably lost an extra point for me when they stopped the fans changing ends at halftime. 
Apart from that it is certainly what I would call a proper football ground. (Except when weather conditions aren’t favourable!)

I agree but changing ends/no segregation could never realistically continue once we reached the Championship. It’s not that long ago (late 90s) that even games v Montrose allowed end swapping at half time. I used to go to these games with a Montrose supporting pal and we would meet for a chat/slagging at half time behind the main stand.

[Kapowzer]

13 minutes ago, Tattie36 said:

I used to go to these games with a Montrose supporting pal and we would meet for a chat/slagging at half time behind the main stand.

I skim read this at first and really needed to go back to make sure.

[HibeeJibee]

If it displays properly this should show capacities and seating/standing breakdown for 1990-91 and 2000-01.

Indicates how quickly the transition was made:


Scottish football in 1990     total capacity of grounds 580,903
190,462 seated places         33%
389,631 standing places     67%



Scottish football in 2000     total capacity of grounds 466,617
393,605 seated places          84%
   73,012 standing places     16%

[welldaft]

As far as I am aware there is work going on behind the scenes to investigate the practicalities and requirements for Motherwell FC to move away from Fir Park. 

The problem as always is lack of funding. Without a wealthy benefactor we would need to rely on some public funding I would imagine. At a time where council budgets are being seriously cut back. The next option would be to explore private backing with a view to long term loans over 20+ years etc.

It won’t be anytime soon as we have invested £2m+ in the past two years in ground and pitch improvements. A lot of money for Motherwell FC or nay club for that matter. The new pitch alone cost circa £1.2m which included levelling the pitch to make the slope less obvious. Then the East stand got new seats, lighting, toilets, PA system and catering facilities. The front of the main stand was sorted and concrete wall removed. The home changing room also was revamped and upgraded. So yeah a lot of work for an not inconsiderable amount of ££££.

[HibeeJibee]

4 hours ago, Molotov said:

Clydebank arguably had one of the first “hospitality” venues directly overlooking the pitch. They used to pull the curtains shut just before KO.

[DA Baracus]

4 hours ago, Monkey Tennis said:

You live and learn.

I'd honestly thought the 10,000 stipulation was the work of the SPL in 1998.  I'd no idea it predated it.

I can't believe the Scottish Office would have played much part in that aspect, mind.  Their concern would only involve safety.  I'm guessing we have football's authorities to thank for that particular nonsense.

Pretty sure the 10000 rule was an SPL thing as we'd previously played in the Premier Division with terracing after going up in 1996.

Pretty sure both Raith and Falkirk played in it with terracing too.

It was only in 98 that the club began to redevelop the ground to make it all seater (sadly).

[HibeeJibee]

1 minute ago, DA Baracus said:

Pretty sure the 10000 rule was an SPL thing as we'd previously played in the Premier Division with terracing after going up in 1996.

Pretty sure both Raith and Falkirk played in it with terracing too.

It was only in 98 that the club began to redevelop the ground to make it all seater (sadly).

[Mon eh Ton]

1 hour ago, HibeeJibee said:

If it displays properly this should show capacities and seating/standing breakdown for 1990-91 and 2000-01.

A small footnote that the standing number for Morton is off by about 4000 - though that was possibly the season the cowshed terracing was getting the roof fixed.

[Stylish Kid]

10 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Because it was sold out regularly when it first opened and the coloured sections made it easier for people to find their seats in a brand new stadium.

Sorry I was deliberately trolling! I have a lot of time for St J, despite Hearts' appalling record over the last decade. Like others - I never knew that! I find it difficult to picture what a culture shock all seater stadia were when they were introduced. 

I think it would look a lot better if the seats were, well,.... Blue!

[HibeeJibee]

Just now, Mon eh Ton said:

A small footnote that the standing number for Morton is off by about 4000 - though that was possibly the season the cowshed terracing was getting the roof fixed.

Figures are from SFL Review for 2000-01. Cappielow varied over several years presumably as redevelopment occurred:

upto & including 1997-98     14,267     (5,257 seats / 9,010 standing)
1998-99                                           14,267     (7,897 seats / 6,310 standing)
1999-00                                              8,100     (5,741 seats / 2,359 standing)
2000-01 + 2001-02                     7,890     (5,890 seats / 2,000 standing)
2002-03                                           11,612     (6,062 seats / 5,550 standing)
2003-04                                           11,550     (5,890 seats / 5,660 standing)
2004-05 onward                         11,589     (6,039 seats / 5,550 standing)

[Salvo Montalbano]

1 hour ago, HibeeJibee said:

If it displays properly this should show capacities and seating/standing breakdown for 1990-91 and 2000-01.

Indicates how quickly the transition was made:


Scottish football in 1990     total capacity of grounds 580,903
190,462 seated places         33%
389,631 standing places     67%



Scottish football in 2000     total capacity of grounds 466,617
393,605 seated places          84%
   73,012 standing places     16%

Where and when did St Johnstone add in an extra 600 ish seats?

[HibeeJibee]

2 minutes ago, Salvo Montalbano said:

Where and when did St Johnstone add in an extra 600 ish seats?

No idea.

Their registered capacity was 10,169 for 1989-90 + 1990-91 then became 10,721 for 1991-92.

It subsequently became 10,673 for 1996-97 then 10,723 for 2000-01.

SPFL now have it as 10,696.

[Jamie_B]

There were rows of seats added in I think all the stands in what would originally have been walkways. They’re located in parts of the stands where there isn’t a crush barrier separating the walkway from the seats in the front area of the stand - basically in parts where there isn’t a tunnel leading to the concourse. I don’t know if that accounts for all the added seats but it can’t be far off as they’re present in all the stands.

I think at its maximum the capacity was 10,723 and that’s since been reduced slightly to allow for additional camera positions at the back of the stands and for a new disabled area in the away end of the Main Stand. That’s one area where McDiarmid Park is relatively good compared even to stadia that have come since - the viewing areas for wheelchair supporters have always been fairly well elevated, and the new area for away fans in the Main Stand is excellent.

[santheman]

15 minutes ago, Jamie_Beatson said:

There were rows of seats added in I think all the stands in what would originally have been walkways. They’re located in parts of the stands where there isn’t a crush barrier separating the walkway from the seats in the front area of the stand - basically in parts where there isn’t a tunnel leading to the concourse. I don’t know if that accounts for all the added seats but it can’t be far off as they’re present in all the stands.

I think at its maximum the capacity was 10,723 and that’s since been reduced slightly to allow for additional camera positions at the back of the stands and for a new disabled area in the away end of the Main Stand. That’s one area where McDiarmid Park is relatively good compared even to stadia that have come since - the viewing areas for wheelchair supporters have always been fairly well elevated, and the new area for away fans in the Main Stand is excellent.

Best stadium in the League by a country mile for wheelchair users. Brilliant access and view of the pitch.

The standard other teams should strive for.

 

[Salvo Montalbano]

16 minutes ago, Jamie_Beatson said:

There were rows of seats added in I think all the stands in what would originally have been walkways. They’re located in parts of the stands where there isn’t a crush barrier separating the walkway from the seats in the front area of the stand - basically in parts where there isn’t a tunnel leading to the concourse. I don’t know if that accounts for all the added seats but it can’t be far off as they’re present in all the stands.

 That’s one area where McDiarmid Park is relatively good compared even to stadia that have come since - the viewing areas for wheelchair supporters have always been fairly well elevated, and the new area for away fans in the Main Stand is excellent.

 

Thanks, sounds logical. 

Yes, McDiarmid and East End benefits from having the pitch below entrance level meaning the disabled facilities are very good. Where EEP has the edge is having the catering kiosks also on the same level; unless it's changed at McDiarmid, the food kiosks and toilets in the wing of the Main Stand were down a set of stairs at the corner?

Dundee Utd in particular is terrible for away disabled supporters.

[parsforlife]

Any clubs who have performed stadium upgrades in the last 30 years who don’t offer covered elevated disabled facilities for home and away fans should be fucking ashamed,  sadly that’s the majority. 

Edited January 1, 2023 by parsforlife

[HibeeJibee]

Various stadiums 'colour coded' their seated stands e.g.


Parkhead:






Anfield:










Kilbowie:

Edited January 1, 2023 by HibeeJibee

[8MileBU]

Do Celtic still need to get the hydraulic support beam out to hold up the main stand roof when it pisses down or snows?

[lubo_blaha]

Speaking of different coloured blocks of seating in stadiums, the yellow sections in the South Stand at Pittodrie have almost completely changed to red over the years.

Second picture also features the new LED floodlights which at least one poster will be delighted about.