Dave
TFF member
Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Aug 1, 2008 5:50:29 GMT
Hi tqriviera, firstly welcome to the forum,yes we do seem to have got a little carried away, I think we are nearly at the planning stage ;D ;D.
The topic was started to really try and get the message home, that playing in a new stadium, may not always be good for a club. My example of how Ajax fans feel now their team is playing in the Amsterdam Arena, was to highlight how fans who had loved their own ground, dislike not really having the place that felt like the home of their club.
It was also to point out what a mistake it would have been, if the club had been moved into the Roberts stadium. Still sure you will agree, its been a good read and some excellent points made,
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Post by the92ndfish on Aug 1, 2008 12:43:57 GMT
I totally agree with you TQriviera, I don't think the club would be a theoretical position to move for at least 10 years of sustained success (at least), but likewise I don't think that expanding the grandstand should even be considered for the simple fact that it'd be a colossal waste of capital.
Say the expanded Grandstand takes capacity up to 8k, Torquay are back in League One, the likes of fallen giants such as Leeds, Forest or their ilk are in there, teams perfectly capable of taking 3-4k away supporters, especially to a place where Torquay where they'd make a weekend of it. Even if the stadium is selling out (which is lets face it is contentious) the club would still be losing out on large revenue streams by not being able to cater for away fans, a say 10,000 capacity stadium would in reality possibly only hold 7.5-8k Torquay United fans anyways with the rest being in the away end, playing at that sort of level, you will attract a good number of away fans, I'm not aware of the exact figures of the current away end but it can't be more than 1,500 fans and no amount of expanding the Grandstand is going to help tap into that. If the club is in a position where it's viable to expand the Grandstand (which would mean the crowds are there), it's got to be playing at a level which would draw the high crowds, ergo also draw high numbers of away supporters, unless you want to flatten and rebuild half of Plainmoor and have the nightmare of 3,000 somewhat half cut Leeds United fans rampaging through a residential area such as Plainmoor after they get thrashed by the mighty TQU ( ;D), then the Plainmoor location is not suitable both logistically and health and safety wise before going into it's lack of ancillary revenue possibility.
But I have gone well off track, my point was that although leaving Plainmoor would be a wretch, the potential is there for it to be a very positive thing, unlike the Ajax move which wasn't facilitated by the right kind of thinking or needs, and ultimately was rued.
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Dave
TFF member
Posts: 13,081
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Post by Dave on Aug 1, 2008 15:36:52 GMT
Many thanks for all your views and great ideas, about any future plans for a new home for Torquay United, a real pleasure to read and some things to really think about. Its clear that the board see our future at Plainmoor so some time to come and they have worked hard, to make many improvements. I think that at some stage we will see a new main grandstand at Plainmoor, any one know any good builders  I don't really think Torbay will grow as much as the 92ndfish thinks it will.Many new flats have not sold here and building on some projects have stopped, only half finished, so I can't see the population, getting so big, that it would have an impact on gates at TUAFC. Plainmoor is our home and where the heart of the club is, I'm sure if the club ever moved to a new ground, it would make sure the heart went with it. |
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Post by andygulls on Aug 5, 2008 21:05:15 GMT
Thanks to all for a great thread.
Keep it up everyone!
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