Stadium Plans released

But we're not getting it for free are we? (we being the football club & it's supporters)

Brent sold the land that he's going to build on, to himself- part of the profits from building theron will be used to pay for the stand.

The relevant points being
1) that the land was sold at a "good" price for the purchaser, allowing extra profit to be made- part of which will be used to pay for the stand (before anyone starts going on about Brent paying what the Valuer valued the land at, I would point out that the legal definition of a "fair market price" is a price agreed between a willing seller and a willing buyer. as Brent was both parties, I suspect he found it quite easy to agree with himself)
2) The new stand will be built on the City Council's property-expect the rent to go up as a result and I suspect that the Council will look at exactly how much profit (if any) the football club will be allowed to keep from non sports related income on their (the Council's) property.

There's no such thing as a free lunch- or a free stand.

I think I'm correct in saying that getting the grandstand for nothing isn't entirely correct. I think the Central Park Action Plan states that the city council would allow development of Higher Home Park car park ( hotel etc. ) as long as a new grandstand is built for the club.

So JB has to build the grandstand for the rest of his development to be allowed!! So I hope it isn't the cheapest he can get away with.

I await the rest of the details, as what has been released so far isn't much at all.

I expect to find the road to the development to go down behind the Lyndhurst and up behind the Barn Park to the hotel etc.

I also expect the capacity of the stand to be in the region of 4000 - 4500. The important news we have yet to hear is how much is going to be behind and underneath the stand, that will belong to the club. What is the mix of corporate hospitality and bars for the ordinary fan who want a replacement Far Post type club.

Richard Blight wrote:

I think I'm correct in saying that getting the grandstand for nothing isn't entirely correct. I think the Central Park Action Plan states that the city council would allow development of Higher Home Park car park ( hotel etc. ) as long as a new grandstand is built for the club.

So JB has to build the grandstand for the rest of his development to be allowed!! So I hope it isn't the cheapest he can get away with.

I await the rest of the details, as what has been released so far isn't much at all.

I expect to find the road to the development to go down behind the Lyndhurst and up behind the Barn Park to the hotel etc.

I also expect the capacity of the stand to be in the region of 4000 - 4500. The important news we have yet to hear is how much is going to be behind and underneath the stand, that will belong to the club. What is the mix of corporate hospitality and bars for the ordinary fan who want a replacement Far Post type club.

sadly I would be willing to bet it will be.

Looking at the "plans" that have been released, Ie a childlike scrawl, why didn't they dew a sun with a smile too? I reckon we're going to get the very least Brent can get away with. I wonder what the directors box will be like.

JonB on Pasoti wrote:

Pafcintheplace wrote:

Does anyone know what the capacity of the new stand is?

Why is it not being divulged?


I'm just checking that what I've written is accurate (from today's PAS Board briefing) with Board colleagues & will add a few further details at 11pm..

LOl.

It's time!

Hi all,

The PAS Board were briefed on the plans to date before the game today by James Brent. Two other Club Board members; David F & Richard H, were also present.

The following are bullet points taken from notes of the meeting:


Grandstand / Higher Home Park Redevelopment

PAS Board briefing 16/03/13 - bullet points

(Please note that the plans are still subject to ongoing refinement and of course, to the review & consideration of the planning authorities.)

The new Stand
* The capacity of the new Stand will be between 4100 & 4500.
* This will provide for an initial overall ground capacity of between 17000 & 17500.
* The 'horseshoe' of the ground (ie the 3 current sides) can relatively easily have an additional 2500 seats added without significant building work. A 'slightly more difficult' further 2000 seats can be added to the horseshoe as & when the need to extend arises. This should cater for the Championship level; more substantial work would then be required for further extending the ground to meet Premiership level attendances.
* The new Stand will be built by Akkeron, at their expense, from income generated by the wider Higher Home Park development (estimated building costs for the Stand are £8 to £10 million).
* All income generated by the Stand (including everything within its footprint (eg non-matchday conference & banqueting facilities) will be Plymouth Argyle's, with the potential exception of a 'sports outlet' on the ground floor.
* The interior of the Stand has three tiers; the tier with the main banqueting / conference facilities is also the one that has the private / executive boxes at either end.
* Facilities will be dual-use wherever possible to maximise usage & income. An example of this is that the 'school' room designated for use by the Argyle Community Trust during the week will become the press room during the weekends.
* If planning permissions are secured, demolition of the Grandstand may commence in August this year.
* Discussion are ongoing with the Green Taverners to provide both transitional & longer-term facilities to enable them to continue to provide fans' events.
* Ongoing considerations are being given to the best place for relocation of the fans' bricks.
* ..... and most importantly, Steve from GoS will be given access to record the end of one era & the start of another.....


The wider Higher Home Park development
* The development will feature the Ice Centre, a 10-screen (one Imax) cinema, a 120 bed 3 star hotel, a 400 space car park which will be built underground & around 10 food outlets (of the 'Bella Italia' / 'Strada' type).
* Vehicle access is to be agreed, but is currently planned to come in at the entrance near the turn off to Goals, then run down alongside the Lyndhurst & then along the back of the Barn Park.
* The profit from the initial stages of this development will fund the new Stand, ongoing revenue will be retained by the facility owners.
* The public football fields next to the ice rink (Cottage Field) will be retained. Public changing rooms will be provided for this facility, funded by the development.


Feedback & comments will be sought at open events held at the Theatre Royal over the 21st, 22nd & 23rd March - if possible these will be attended by both Akkeron people & PAS Board members.

Additionally, it is hoped that the PAS Board will chair an open meeting for all Argyle fans to view the detailed plans & question the Cub Board in the near future.

As mentioned at the top of this document, the plans are subject to ongoing revision & development. It is hoped that a comprehensive set of the latest plans will be circulated on Weds / Thurs next week.

Fxxxing outrageous!! All I can say is that all should vigorously oppose Brents pension plan, dont let it happen. feckin joke Brent!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank You Jon.

Did the PASB have any initial notable concerns? If so, what were they, and were they raised with James Brent?

I'd rather Brent didn't bother - a 4k capacity main stand is completely absurd.

AFT shuffled out of the picture, and PASB unable to provide independent or effective scrutiny JB can build a cheapo piss take.

He's a very clever man, I honestly didn't see him pulling a stunt like this. He's even got the most militant and 'assertive' of Argyle supporters suckered in with prominent positions at the club to stop them de-railing the whole thing. I bet none of them have the balls to question the total inadequacy of this new 'main stand'.

Rickler wrote:

Thank You Jon.

Did the PASB have any initial notable concerns? If so, what were they, and were they raised with James Brent?

Jon,

while you were there I don't suppose there's any danger that PAFC returned the signed off minutes from your meeting 2 weeks ago? Ok! I except that was probably a stupid question.

As for comments about these plans. Where to start?

1. JB has stated in the programme that there has been a working group of club directors, and fan representatives along with professional advisors have been working on these plans for months.

Who are these fans representatives? What input have they had? Why is this the first we have heard of these fans? Who appointed them or selected them from the fan base? Are they representative of ALL fans? Can the PASB or Trust find out who these faceless, invisible fans who are apparently speaking for the masses are please?

2. This line that is being trotted out about how easy it is, to put another 2500 seats on to the existing horseshoe with very little building work, is a red herring. Extending concrete and steelwork etc. doesn't just appear overnight. Building work does have to take place AND it would cost a lot of money. IMO this is just a line to convince fans that what appears to be a much smaller stand than was envisaged; is not a problem because we can extend the capacity just like that. I doubt very much whether that would ever happen.

If the club ever did another Sturrock type charge up the league again 17000/ 17500 is not going to be big enough for some games. The money wouldn't be available to fund the extensions just like that. If money was available it would probably be needed for the increase in the wage bills and bringing in better quality players to try to stay in the higher division. The chances are that by the time finances were found and the building work planned the club would have been relegated again.

3. Conferencing and banqueting are frequently mentioned. What about facilities for the ordinary fan who just wants to turn up, have a pint, something to eat ( not a bloody banquet) and watch the lunchtime match on the telly, while having a chat to friends? Apart from mentioning the GT's there is a distinct lack of any mention of ordinary fans. I'm sure we'll all appreciate the improved toilets

Or is the idea for all the ordinary fans to spend their money in the Holiday Inn Express and 10 food outlets?

4. While this may be good enough for a team in division 2 or indeed the best stadium in the BSP, it is not good enough for a team aspiring to return to the Championship at the earliest opportunity.

Remember these are the people who have admitted to setting this seasons budget, based on 8000 crowds.

These plans obviously need closer inspection but my first impression is seriously underwhelmed. I'm not really interested in the Holiday Inn, Ice Rink or cinema. These may be fine but I'm not likely to be using them.

JonB wrote:

Hi all,

The PAS Board were briefed on the plans to date before the game today by James Brent. Two other Club Board members; David F & Richard H, were also present.

The following are bullet points taken from notes of the meeting:


Grandstand / Higher Home Park Redevelopment

PAS Board briefing 16/03/13 - bullet points

(Please note that the plans are still subject to ongoing refinement and of course, to the review & consideration of the planning authorities.)

The new Stand
* The capacity of the new Stand will be between 4100 & 4500.
* This will provide for an initial overall ground capacity of between 17000 & 17500.
* The 'horseshoe' of the ground (ie the 3 current sides) can relatively easily have an additional 2500 seats added without significant building work. A 'slightly more difficult' further 2000 seats can be added to the horseshoe as & when the need to extend arises. This should cater for the Championship level; more substantial work would then be required for further extending the ground to meet Premiership level attendances.
* The new Stand will be built by Akkeron, at their expense, from income generated by the wider Higher Home Park development (estimated building costs for the Stand are £8 to £10 million).
* All income generated by the Stand (including everything within its footprint (eg non-matchday conference & banqueting facilities) will be Plymouth Argyle's, with the potential exception of a 'sports outlet' on the ground floor.
* The interior of the Stand has three tiers; the tier with the main banqueting / conference facilities is also the one that has the private / executive boxes at either end.
* Facilities will be dual-use wherever possible to maximise usage & income. An example of this is that the 'school' room designated for use by the Argyle Community Trust during the week will become the press room during the weekends.
* If planning permissions are secured, demolition of the Grandstand may commence in August this year.
* Discussion are ongoing with the Green Taverners to provide both transitional & longer-term facilities to enable them to continue to provide fans' events.
* Ongoing considerations are being given to the best place for relocation of the fans' bricks.
* ..... and most importantly, Steve from GoS will be given access to record the end of one era & the start of another.....


The wider Higher Home Park development
* The development will feature the Ice Centre, a 10-screen (one Imax) cinema, a 120 bed 3 star hotel, a 400 space car park which will be built underground & around 10 food outlets (of the 'Bella Italia' / 'Strada' type).
* Vehicle access is to be agreed, but is currently planned to come in at the entrance near the turn off to Goals, then run down alongside the Lyndhurst & then along the back of the Barn Park.
* The profit from the initial stages of this development will fund the new Stand, ongoing revenue will be retained by the facility owners.
* The public football fields next to the ice rink (Cottage Field) will be retained. Public changing rooms will be provided for this facility, funded by the development.


Feedback & comments will be sought at open events held at the Theatre Royal over the 21st, 22nd & 23rd March - if possible these will be attended by both Akkeron people & PAS Board members.

Additionally, it is hoped that the PAS Board will chair an open meeting for all Argyle fans to view the detailed plans & question the Cub Board in the near future.

As mentioned at the top of this document, the plans are subject to ongoing revision & development. It is hoped that a comprehensive set of the latest plans will be circulated on Weds / Thurs next week.

4500 capacity main stand and that's seen as good and ambitious!!! FFS May aswell not bother and leave the mayflower as it is.

why is the fans trust sitting on their arses organising 60's disco's instead of taking Brent to task with his lacklustre plans for the football club. Is it too much for you to do what is in your mandate safe guard the future of the club not brents businesses. its quite clear the PASB are yes men with no actual credability and wont do it in fear that their cv boasting roles being taken off them.

The Red Star wrote:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

A stadium with plans already approved, conference facilities in place and aimed at Europe...

For Exeter City it means probably the odd big game in a Cup at Sandy Park eventually leading to a ground share of sorts sometime in the distant future...

I think not. It's already been considered and rejected as an option - not least by a vote of Trust members. You see, that's where ourselves, Wycombe and AFC (and hopefully soon Portsmouth) differ from the other 89 clubs in the top four divisions - no James Brent figure can make that sort of decision over the heads and against the wishes of the fans.

This fan ownership lark is such a hindrance.

Quote :

The new Stand
* The capacity of the new Stand will be between 4100 & 4500.
* This will provide for an initial overall ground capacity of between 17000 & 17500.
* The 'horseshoe' of the ground (ie the 3 current sides) can relatively easily have an additional 2500 seats added without significant building work. A 'slightly more difficult' further 2000 seats can be added to the horseshoe as & when the need to extend arises. This should cater for the Championship level; more substantial work would then be required for further extending the ground to meet Premiership level attendances.
* The new Stand will be built by Akkeron, at their expense, from income generated by the wider Higher Home Park development (estimated building costs for the Stand are £8 to £10 million).
* All income generated by the Stand (including everything within its footprint (eg non-matchday conference & banqueting facilities) will be Plymouth Argyle's, with the potential exception of a 'sports outlet' on the ground floor.
* The interior of the Stand has three tiers; the tier with the main banqueting / conference facilities is also the one that has the private / executive boxes at either end.
* Facilities will be dual-use wherever possible to maximise usage & income. An example of this is that the 'school' room designated for use by the Argyle Community Trust during the week will become the press room during the weekends.
* If planning permissions are secured, demolition of the Grandstand may commence in August this year.
* Discussion are ongoing with the Green Taverners to provide both transitional & longer-term facilities to enable them to continue to provide fans' events.
* Ongoing considerations are being given to the best place for relocation of the fans' bricks.
* ..... and most importantly, Steve from GoS will be given access to record the end of one era & the start of another.....

Pathetic! This should not be built but instead temporary seating should be added to the Mayflower again until someone with a bit of class and vision takes over who will do the job properly. This is clearly a cheap token effort and the very minimum required for the wider developments to take place. And all this shit about extra seats being added is just that - shit! It will NEVER happen! Never in a million years! Brent, his usless 'board' of crap and his dickhead superfan advisors clearly want the long term future of the club (if it has a future) to be non-league. I am 100% against this (and now the wider developments). I'm assuming any feedback will be pointless as the design of this totally inadequate stand for a club with such huge potential (post brent obviously) cannot be amended.

BRENT OUT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So the £50 million development is 4:1 in favour of Brent's pension fund. Go figure.

Freathy wrote:

Quote :

The new Stand
* The capacity of the new Stand will be between 4100 & 4500.
* This will provide for an initial overall ground capacity of between 17000 & 17500.
* The 'horseshoe' of the ground (ie the 3 current sides) can relatively easily have an additional 2500 seats added without significant building work. A 'slightly more difficult' further 2000 seats can be added to the horseshoe as & when the need to extend arises. This should cater for the Championship level; more substantial work would then be required for further extending the ground to meet Premiership level attendances.
* The new Stand will be built by Akkeron, at their expense, from income generated by the wider Higher Home Park development (estimated building costs for the Stand are £8 to £10 million).
* All income generated by the Stand (including everything within its footprint (eg non-matchday conference & banqueting facilities) will be Plymouth Argyle's, with the potential exception of a 'sports outlet' on the ground floor.
* The interior of the Stand has three tiers; the tier with the main banqueting / conference facilities is also the one that has the private / executive boxes at either end.
* Facilities will be dual-use wherever possible to maximise usage & income. An example of this is that the 'school' room designated for use by the Argyle Community Trust during the week will become the press room during the weekends.
* If planning permissions are secured, demolition of the Grandstand may commence in August this year.
* Discussion are ongoing with the Green Taverners to provide both transitional & longer-term facilities to enable them to continue to provide fans' events.
* Ongoing considerations are being given to the best place for relocation of the fans' bricks.
* ..... and most importantly, Steve from GoS will be given access to record the end of one era & the start of another.....

Pathetic! This should not be built but instead temporary seating should be added to the Mayflower again until someone with a bit of class and vision takes over who will do the job properly. This is clearly a cheap token effort and the very minimum required for the wider developments to take place. And all this shit about extra seats being added is just that - shit! It will NEVER happen! Never in a million years! Brent, his usless 'board' of crap and his dickhead superfan advisors clearly want the long term future of the club (if it has a future) to be non-league. I am 100% against this (and now the wider developments). I'm assuming any feedback will be pointless as the design of this totally inadequate stand for a club with such huge potential (post brent obviously) cannot be amended.

BRENT OUT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

100% correct as usual.Cheapjack and small minded,so typical of the thinking at boardroom level that has held the club back for all these years.You can just see the scenario now in the unlikely event that we return to the second tier-all the old arguments about players v building will surface again,with the club floundering in the mean time and eventually going backwards.Golden opportunity wasted once more.Wonder what Sir Francis Drake thinks of it all?

BRENT OUT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Still confused about finance and ownership. The 'surplus' land (how I love that term like its a worthless wasteland) was sold to a new company owned by Brent (82.5%) and rest by Holliday (an Argyle director) and Vaughan (a lawyer who helped with the take over). But is Brent's Akerron that's undertaking the build?

As I feared, many on here were right from the start and this silent assasin has brought his former toxic banking skills to the table. This tw*t is building a f*ckin amusment park with a football club attached!

Angry of Mayfair wrote:

why is the fans trust sitting on their arses organising 60's disco's instead of taking Brent to task with his lacklustre plans for the football club. Is it too much for you to do what is in your mandate safe guard the future of the club not brents businesses. its quite clear the PASB are yes men with no actual credability and wont do it in fear that their cv boasting roles being taken off them.

Angry - No-one on the AFT Board is just 'sitting on their arses'. In fact, if you could see the amount of work being done by Trust volunteers you'd be surprised by just how hard a small number of people are working to maintain a successful Fans' Trust. Running an organisation the size of the AFT takes a lot of work, and the Board are wholly dedicated to pursuing the aims and objectives of the Trust.

As for the Grandstand plans,we have the same information as anyone else -ie what was published in the Herald and the club programme yesterday. All of this was put into the public domain on a match day when, unsurprisingly, the AFT Board were engaged in various activities at Home Park. We will be studying the proposals in detail and asking pertinent questions - but it's a bit much to expect us to have an instant response when we weren't given any advance notice of what was in the plans. There's a lot to take in, and we're aware of questions that many supporters have already raised.

As for your criticism of the 60's night - please bear in mind that for the Trust to function even on the most basic levels (producing and issuing membership cards and certificates for example) takes money. So events like the 60's night are a good way to raise money for the Trust whilst hopefully giving supporters a fun night out. In fact, having seen the level of support for the Trust on ATD recently, we'd hope that plenty of you would buy a ticket, dig out your hippy gear and get along to the party on April 5th. It really is shaping up to be a great night - if you haven't seen the Backbeat Beatles before, they really are excellent and well worth catching.

jabba the gut ecfc wrote:

The Red Star wrote:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

A stadium with plans already approved, conference facilities in place and aimed at Europe...

For Exeter City it means probably the odd big game in a Cup at Sandy Park eventually leading to a ground share of sorts sometime in the distant future...

I think not. It's already been considered and rejected as an option - not least by a vote of Trust members. You see, that's where ourselves, Wycombe and AFC (and hopefully soon Portsmouth) differ from the other 89 clubs in the top four divisions - no James Brent figure can make that sort of decision over the heads and against the wishes of the fans.

This fan ownership lark is such a hindrance.

It has been considered and rejected for now Jabba, but as you know times change and the point I was making is it would inevitably lead to a ground share in the "distant future". I am always careful with the words I use, please read the points made properly.

Does Exeter need 2 stadia, when one will clearly be good enough? Whilst Exeter is growing as a City both in terms of population (an extra 15000 with Cranbrook alone, new house building developments all over, all brownfield sites now seemingly owned by Exeter University and being turned into quality accommodation (in Southernhay alone, near The Southgate Hotel, huge loft flats are being sold as student flats for the mega wealthy, a new nightclub/high end restaurant actually in Southernhay opens in April specifically targetting the wealthier students...the City is becoming unrecognisable from even 10 years ago (feck me we have had 6 new hotels built in the last 3 years alone and plans approved for another 5 star Hotel for building this year, IKEA opening at Sandygate in a couple of months...Exeter City is now light years behind Exeter Chiefs. A rugby club which would average 350 fans, now has 8000 every other week and will fill a 20000 capacity. Chiefs moved from squalour at the County Ground to the outside the City, purposely visible by all passing motorway traffic, with a full conferencing book for the next 3 years and marketed as a Rugby Club for Devon as well as the new wealthy population of an expanding City.

I love the City Trust and I hate rugby, but a stadium without parking, with only 2 habitable stands (the away end and Old Grandstand are an aboration and are now not fit to put pigs in)a stadium, in a really shite area where the nearest pub (Wells Tavern) is now a drugs pub, IS A STADIUM BELONGING TO A TIME LONG SINCE GONE. The Trust unfortunately is now our limiter and for me that will be as criminal as Russell and Lewis were. Time for Exeter City to forget the past (after all we won feck all) and grasp the future.

Quote:

" In fact, having seen the level of support for the Trust on ATD recently"

We only joined up because we thought the Trust was going to stand up to Brent and campaign for genuine fan involvement and transparency, as promised. Personally, I'd pay £10 a month to support a necessarily militant Trust.

Brent has sidelined the Trust and is now laughing at it.

The Red Star wrote:

jabba the gut ecfc wrote:

The Red Star wrote:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

A stadium with plans already approved, conference facilities in place and aimed at Europe...

For Exeter City it means probably the odd big game in a Cup at Sandy Park eventually leading to a ground share of sorts sometime in the distant future...

I think not. It's already been considered and rejected as an option - not least by a vote of Trust members. You see, that's where ourselves, Wycombe and AFC (and hopefully soon Portsmouth) differ from the other 89 clubs in the top four divisions - no James Brent figure can make that sort of decision over the heads and against the wishes of the fans.

This fan ownership lark is such a hindrance.

It has been considered and rejected for now Jabba, but as you know times change and the point I was making is it would inevitably lead to a ground share in the "distant future". I am always careful with the words I use, please read the points made properly.

Does Exeter need 2 stadia, when one will clearly be good enough? Whilst Exeter is growing as a City both in terms of population (an extra 15000 with Cranbrook alone, new house building developments all over, all brownfield sites now seemingly owned by Exeter University and being turned into quality accommodation (in Southernhay alone, near The Southgate Hotel, huge loft flats are being sold as student flats for the mega wealthy, a new nightclub/high end restaurant actually in Southernhay opens in April specifically targetting the wealthier students...the City is becoming unrecognisable from even 10 years ago (feck me we have had 6 new hotels built in the last 3 years alone and plans approved for another 5 star Hotel for building this year, IKEA opening at Sandygate in a couple of months...Exeter City is now light years behind Exeter Chiefs. A rugby club which would average 350 fans, now has 8000 every other week and will fill a 20000 capacity. Chiefs moved from squalour at the County Ground to the outside the City, purposely visible by all passing motorway traffic, with a full conferencing book for the next 3 years and marketed as a Rugby Club for Devon as well as the new wealthy population of an expanding City.

I love the City Trust and I hate rugby, but a stadium without parking, with only 2 habitable stands (the away end and Old Grandstand are an aboration and are now not fit to put pigs in)a stadium, in a really shite area where the nearest pub (Wells Tavern) is now a drugs pub, IS A STADIUM BELONGING TO A TIME LONG SINCE GONE. The Trust unfortunately is now our limiter and for me that will be as criminal as Russell and Lewis were. Time for Exeter City to forget the past (after all we won feck all) and grasp the future.

Whilst I agree with you in principle Red, the rugby/football ground sharing situation, brought about by the increasing popularity of Premiership rugby, appears to be moving into a new phase, most notably with Saracens moving out of Vicarage Road Watford ,into their own p/b stadium.

I think it would be a far easier route for Brent to push these plans through if the football club was a non league outfit....worrying.

There is growing opposition to these contemptous 'plans' on pasoti now after early on comments were dominated by the usual tedious collection of wooden headed brent lovers - "eeeeeeee saved us!!!!". And I see the supreme superfan has joined in to tell the plebs to be grateful to his lordship brent. AFT - time to tell brent this aint good enough!! The stand should be two tiered and twice the planned 4000k capacity! Anything less is an insult.

BRENT OUT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tringreen wrote:

The Red Star wrote:

jabba the gut ecfc wrote:

The Red Star wrote:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

A stadium with plans already approved, conference facilities in place and aimed at Europe...

For Exeter City it means probably the odd big game in a Cup at Sandy Park eventually leading to a ground share of sorts sometime in the distant future...

I think not. It's already been considered and rejected as an option - not least by a vote of Trust members. You see, that's where ourselves, Wycombe and AFC (and hopefully soon Portsmouth) differ from the other 89 clubs in the top four divisions - no James Brent figure can make that sort of decision over the heads and against the wishes of the fans.

This fan ownership lark is such a hindrance.

It has been considered and rejected for now Jabba, but as you know times change and the point I was making is it would inevitably lead to a ground share in the "distant future". I am always careful with the words I use, please read the points made properly.

Does Exeter need 2 stadia, when one will clearly be good enough? Whilst Exeter is growing as a City both in terms of population (an extra 15000 with Cranbrook alone, new house building developments all over, all brownfield sites now seemingly owned by Exeter University and being turned into quality accommodation (in Southernhay alone, near The Southgate Hotel, huge loft flats are being sold as student flats for the mega wealthy, a new nightclub/high end restaurant actually in Southernhay opens in April specifically targetting the wealthier students...the City is becoming unrecognisable from even 10 years ago (feck me we have had 6 new hotels built in the last 3 years alone and plans approved for another 5 star Hotel for building this year, IKEA opening at Sandygate in a couple of months...Exeter City is now light years behind Exeter Chiefs. A rugby club which would average 350 fans, now has 8000 every other week and will fill a 20000 capacity. Chiefs moved from squalour at the County Ground to the outside the City, purposely visible by all passing motorway traffic, with a full conferencing book for the next 3 years and marketed as a Rugby Club for Devon as well as the new wealthy population of an expanding City.

I love the City Trust and I hate rugby, but a stadium without parking, with only 2 habitable stands (the away end and Old Grandstand are an aboration and are now not fit to put pigs in)a stadium, in a really shite area where the nearest pub (Wells Tavern) is now a drugs pub, IS A STADIUM BELONGING TO A TIME LONG SINCE GONE. The Trust unfortunately is now our limiter and for me that will be as criminal as Russell and Lewis were. Time for Exeter City to forget the past (after all we won feck all) and grasp the future.

Whilst I agree with you in principle Red, the rugby/football ground sharing situation, brought about by the increasing popularity of Premiership rugby, appears to be moving into a new phase, most notably with Saracens moving out of Vicarage Road Watford ,into their own p/b stadium.

You are right and City would be turned down flat by the Chiefs for a ground share in any case The Chiefs are light years ahead and City still have facilities worthy of a 1904 Club. I still see no reason for 2 decent stadia in Exeter. The fact that we only have one is proof of that. I am not big on tradition, tradition is often a reason for limitation, feck me on matchdays quite a few of the fans look as though they were dressed in victorian rags and still hanker for bovril, a rattle and a pasty. Still can never understand in this day and age why some still like to stand at a sporting event, let alone watch from an uncovered terrace. The failure for City to cover the away terrace is a disgrace and the old grandstand is a disaster waiting to happen. The Club should not be permitted to take payment for entry into what is to all intents and purposes, a concrete cattle pen that stinks of piss

Charlie Wood wrote:

I think it would be a far easier route for Brent to push these plans through if the football club was a non league outfit....worrying.

That's why he held on to carl the clueless for so long