Sunday's NOTW re Stadium expansion ...

[*singingtheblues*]

To be completely frank, if we were to pluck 20,000 fans out of nowhere in the next 10 years, I think it would diminish the quality of our support.

We'd all know those 'fans' didn't even know we existed 10 years ago, and on my part at least there would be pure unadulterated resentment.

Castrate me for my honesty, but I wouldn't have any respect for those people, I wouldn't be able to consider them blues. We'd all know that they had jumped on the bandwagon, and that just wouldn't sit easy with me.

Maybe I'm naive, or unrealistic, but when I dream of us as an unmitigated success I imagine us playing in front of the fans who made us who we are. Our support is what makes us so special, and if it was to change beyond recognition, we'd be a different club.

Maybe I'm not explaining myself very well, but I'd just like to see us retain what made us so special throughout my lifetime.

Maybe I'm scared of not recognising us in a few years, maybe I'm scared of change?

Maybe I should just accept what's coming, embrace it, and enjoy it?

Maybe I should stop carrying on with myself?

Meh.

We clearly have differences.

I want to watch a successful City team in one of the best stadiums in the world... whereas you want to watch who is sitting next to you in the stadium or the pub and judging them as to whether or not they deserve to support the same team as you!

If you want the club to be supported only by those who were there in the dark old days... we would have a crowd of 34,000 with most of them dead within the next ten years!

Haha, not quite, but I think you get my point.

And I accept yours, but I still have my qualms about a significant increase in capacity, and those who it'll bring with it.

 

[alera]

People need to tune into reality fm.

Europe wide the only UK clubs that are truely classed as "Big" in terms of fanbase, facilities AND EARNING POTENTIAL are he rags and Arsenal CURRENTLY.

Chelsea are not a big club fanbase and facility wise surely everyone can see that ? Never have been. Historically they run 4th in the big clubs in the capital, catchment and support wise.

Success yes recently but they have never had a large support or catchment area. Up until the russian taking over the had won exactly the same number of trophies as city with almost an identical spread, they were never as well supported this is not in doubt.

Liverpool are a big club, historically and still internationally but Liverpool has simply shocking demographics as a city. This is why they have struggled to get a wealthy owner to take them on.

Liverpool was built to house 1 million people - 100 years ago.

THere are 600,000 living there now. They dont sell out their season tickets with a 40,000 seater stadium despite some success over the last 20 years (champions league being the big one).

The really big european clubs, the Barcas, Ac Milan, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Bayern Muninich Etc have large stadiums, fan bases and the facilities to match - in terms of capacity at least anyway.

The question is what do you want to be ?

A Chelsea sort of club that spends the money and has success but never really steps up a level. Never really a big club, never was never will be in anything other than recent success.

Somehow I get the impression that the people that have bought our club dont think as small as some of our fans. I am not saying we are anything like as big as the rags, real, barca and we probably never will be. But if you are going to spend £1 billion in financial commitments before you have spent anything really on infrastructure you have to at least accept there are bigger plans and efforts in the works to change things int he long terms.

Support wise we are already 5th biggest in the league currently where else is there for us to go than to look at the likes of Arsenal and the the rags ?

 

[gmtx]

To be completely frank, if we were to pluck 20,000 fans out of nowhere in the next 10 years, I think it would diminish the quality of our support.

We wouldn't 'pluck them out of nowhere', there are plenty of city fans I know who live locally who don't go to games all that often for various reasons. Proper fans who follow the team week in week out but for whatever reason maybe only go to a game a season. We can't all be überfans who go every week, some of us have a lot of other stuff going on in our lives. However if the club could tap into this market better, we could easily fill a 70,000 seater stadium.

As for foreign fans and so called 'gloryhunters', I think the views of some people on here show some deep-seated prejudices. So what if they're from abroad or another part of the country? As long as they get behind the team what does it matter?

And as for only following city now that we're doing well, and not in the 'dark days', what do you expect? Kids are growing up now who weren't born when we were languishing in division 2, but you would want to stop them from supporting city 'because they weren't there when we were shit'.

And one last point: who says casual fans aren't allowed to come to games? Whilst there are loads of passionate City fans, some people have only a passing interest in football and only like to go to a game once in a while. Yes, their football knowledge may not be up to scratch, yes, they might not know who some of the players are, but in my view they have just as much a right to be at games as anyone else.

 

[BTH]

I despair at times... I really do.

IT"S NOT ALL ABOUT OUT-DOING MANCHESTER EFFING UNITED!

Some people really are more obsessed about that lot than they are about their own club...

Ah, but it is! Just got back from a break so have not read all of this thread or the other related mega-thread. Therefore, apols in advance if required.

However, my understanding from someone who genuinely is ITK is that a feasibility plan has been undertaken and one end (I'm afraid I've forgotten which one now!) will be enlarged by 14,000 (potentially starting as early as next March) to bring the ground up to 62,000. And then, before long, the opposite end will be upped by the same capacity to match, taking the ground capacity up to 76,000 precisely because that is the capacity of The Swamp and the powers-that-be want to match that, at least in the short term.

The plan thereafter would be to add on another tier to take the capacity to 90,000 as they hope to see City competing at the same level as Real Madrid. A 90,000 capacity would eclipse the Bernabeu's by almost 10,000 and The Swamp's by considerably more.

Although it seems unlikely now with the rags' precarious financial situation, and the nearby railway line has always appeared to preclude it happening anyway, there have long been rumours of an increase to 80,000+ capacity at The Swamp. Assuming the rags could fund it and their architects could find a way to pull it off, I have no doubt that Trafford Council would meekly rubber stamp such a move anyway, regardless of traffic congestion etc.

Plan B, of course, is that we build a new ground, but that is unlikely, although not on economic grounds.

 

[alera]

I find some of the small minded comments in this thread hilarious to be perfectly honest....

If you are going to spend £700 - £800 million on players and wage commitments over a number of years why not spend £150 million on a world class 70,000 seater stadium with HUGE revenue potential ?

From a business point of view its a no brainer to be perfectly honest. Its also the best time in 50 years to be doing large infrastructure projects in this country due to the state of the economy.

 

[bluemoon32]

If they do expand the stadium how long will there be a reduced capacity whilst building work goes on ?

 

[alera]

The requirments for expansion + the existing design mean than any capacity reduction will be minimal IMO. The extension will be at the 2 tier ends of the grounds and its not a taken it will effect existing capacity.

We have 35,000 season tickets so they will be fine for sure, away fans and casuals will go first to go I really dont think it will be an issue.

 

[JOGAMIGMOG]

It goes hand-in-hand with having the best players in the world on the most lucrative contracts and we'd better start liking the idea. I, personally, love the fact that my football team will be playing football in one of if not THE best stadiums in the land and one that all players will one day dream about playing in.

And it pisses off the Rag twats! :)

 

[Robinhosthumb!]

To be completely frank, if we were to pluck 20,000 fans out of nowhere in the next 10 years, I think it would diminish the quality of our support.

We wouldn't 'pluck them out of nowhere', there are plenty of city fans I know who live locally who don't go to games all that often for various reasons. Proper fans who follow the team week in week out but for whatever reason maybe only go to a game a season. We can't all be überfans who go every week, some of us have a lot of other stuff going on in our lives. However if the club could tap into this market better, we could easily fill a 70,000 seater stadium.

As for foreign fans and so called 'gloryhunters', I think the views of some people on here show some deep-seated prejudices. So what if they're from abroad or another part of the country? As long as they get behind the team what does it matter?

And as for only following city now that we're doing well, and not in the 'dark days', what do you expect? Kids are growing up now who weren't born when we were languishing in division 2, but you would want to stop them from supporting city 'because they weren't there when we were shit'.

And one last point: who says casual fans aren't allowed to come to games? Whilst there are loads of passionate City fans, some people have only a passing interest in football and only like to go to a game once in a while. Yes, their football knowledge may not be up to scratch, yes, they might not know who some of the players are, but in my view they have just as much a right to be at games as anyone else.

100% spot on :)

 

[jrb]

Let's look at this logically. Think!

If City(ADUG) and MCC(+ New East Manchester) are going to fund and build one of the largest leisure developments in 'Europe', with 12mill visitors per year expected(think that was the figure stated/estimated?), then you can imagine the amount of extra people(visitors/non City fans) who will want to watch the all the matches, especially on Saturday's and Sunday's.

Remember. We are currently at full capacity for Premier League matches as it is, and City have already advertised a season ticket waiting list for next season. And don't forget, we've won jack s*** yet.

It's a no brainer lads. COMS will be expanded. The only question is, by how much? :-)

For those that haven't seen the Exec report from March, 2010.

Note: Development proposal 3.1 has already been completed.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/egov_downloads/6_Strategic_Partnership_with_Manchester_City_Football_Club.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.manchester.gov.uk/egov_downl ... l_Club.pdf</a>