The Main Stand RIP

[Didsbury Dave]

I remember the picture and getting excited when it was in the programme. As if Swales and the rest of the circus ever had it them to pull off a project like that.

I'm pretty sure it's in Gary james's fantastic 'farewell to maine road'

When I was (the 1st) chairman of the ISA, I was given some 'plans' for the redevelopment of Maine Road, (proper drawn up architects plans). It showed double tier, matching stands throughout. (a Bit Like Ibrox I thought). Of course it never happened! I'd like to get my hands on those plans now... I cant remember what I did with them?

Did anybody else see these? Or did I let 'you' borrow them and never got them back?

I remember a match program with a pull out of an artists impression of the stadium fully developed. It looked like the new Kippax but over all 4 sides with the corners filled in.

I got Uwe Rosler, who was injured and sat in the main stand, to sign it for me.

No idea where it is now.

I could have sworn that the plan I remember was in the early 80s.

 

[petrusha]

There were two plans: a Swales plan which was detailed in several match programmes in 1981/82, and a later Lee plan in 1994/5.

The new Main Stand roof in the summer of 1982 was meant to be the start of the Swales plan, which would see the other stands developed over the next few years. IIRC, capacity was intended to drop to 48K (32K seated and 16K standing) from 52K (26K seats and 26K standing). It was supposed to be ringfenced Development Association funding, so it wouldn't affect the financial position of the club itself, and IIRC the first phase cost GBP 1 million.

However, whatever the funding source was, it obviously dried up, because that work on the Main Stand was the last we heard of it. No one ever referred to the plans, either: it was as if they'd never existed.

When the Kippax was built, IIRC Lee basically came up with a plan to make the capacity 45K eventually by putting extra tiers on the North and Platt Lane stands, filling in the corners and rebuilding the Main Stand. The capacity of just over 32K that we had with the new Kippax in 1995 was generally regarded as inadequate for the club if we were ever to progress. I'm not sure if this was ever publicly announced (I didn't think it had been in the match prog, but that may just be my memory not being what it once was). However, there were certainly, as levets says, plans doing the rounds, and I remember King of the Kippax did a feature on it using very rough illustrations they produced themselves.

These were officially not taken forward while the club examined the possibility of a move to the new Commonwealth Stadium once Manchester won the right to host the 2002 Games. However, there would also have been considerable opposition from residents to further expansion, while the club's financial position was hardly conducive to carrying out a large scale remodelling of the stadium.

 

[ChrisNUFC]

Wasnt the original plan when the new roof was built to have executive boxes along the front of the roof truss. Sure i read that somewhere or have i dreamt that?

 

[petrusha]

Wasnt the original plan when the new roof was built to have executive boxes along the front of the roof truss. Sure i read that somewhere or have i dreamt that?

Yes, that was part of the Swales plan in 1981/2.<br /><br />-- Thu Jul 26, 2012 10:44 am --<br /><br />

Both sets of plans/revamps are correct. There was both a 1982 plan for the full redevelopment which would see the Kippax and Main Stand have matching white barrelled roofs and the Platt Lane match the North Stand - only the Main Stand roof was done - and a plan to have a 'new' Kippax style entire ground planned in 1994. The 1st plan died because of money and the second because of the new stadium plans.

Both stories and plans were covered in detail in "Farewell To Maine Road"

Sorry, I missed this, which is a much more succinct version of what I put. :)

 

[Didsbury Dave]

There were two plans: a Swales plan which was detailed in several match programmes in 1981/82, and a later Lee plan in 1994/5.

The new Main Stand roof in the summer of 1982 was meant to be the start of the Swales plan, which would see the other stands developed over the next few years. IIRC, capacity was intended to drop to 48K (32K seated and 16K standing) from 52K (26K seats and 26K standing). It was supposed to be ringfenced Development Association funding, so it wouldn't affect the financial position of the club itself, and IIRC the first phase cost GBP 1 million.

However, whatever the funding source was, it obviously dried up, because that work on the Main Stand was the last we heard of it. No one ever referred to the plans, either: it was as if they'd never existed.

When the Kippax was built, IIRC Lee basically came up with a plan to make the capacity 45K eventually by putting extra tiers on the North and Platt Lane stands, filling in the corners and rebuilding the Main Stand. The capacity of just over 32K that we had with the new Kippax in 1995 was generally regarded as inadequate for the club if we were ever to progress. I'm not sure if this was ever publicly announced (I didn't think it had been in the match prog, but that may just be my memory not being what it once was). However, there were certainly, as levets says, plans doing the rounds, and I remember King of the Kippax did a feature on it using very rough illustrations they produced themselves.

These were officially not taken forward while the club examined the possibility of a move to the new Commonwealth Stadium once Manchester won the right to host the 2002 Games. However, there would also have been considerable opposition from residents to further expansion, while the club's financial position was hardly conducive to carrying out a large scale remodelling of the stadium.

The Swales plan was shelved after relegation in 83. If indeed it was ever more than a pipe dream.

 

[ChrisNUFC]

Wasnt the original plan when the new roof was built to have executive boxes along the front of the roof truss. Sure i read that somewhere or have i dreamt that?

Yes, that was part of the Swales plan in 1981/2.

-- Thu Jul 26, 2012 10:44 am --

Both sets of plans/revamps are correct. There was both a 1982 plan for the full redevelopment which would see the Kippax and Main Stand have matching white barrelled roofs and the Platt Lane match the North Stand - only the Main Stand roof was done - and a plan to have a 'new' Kippax style entire ground planned in 1994. The 1st plan died because of money and the second because of the new stadium plans.

Both stories and plans were covered in detail in "Farewell To Maine Road"

Sorry, I missed this, which is a much more succinct version of what I put. :)

Are there any pictures of these plans online anywhere?

 

[petrusha]

The Swales plan was shelved after relegation in 83. If indeed it was ever more than a pipe dream.

As your post implies, I think there's serious cause to doubt whether they'd have gone forward even if Raddy Antic had never scored *that* goal. :)

 

[petrusha]

Are there any pictures of these plans online anywhere?

Not that I'm aware of. If anyone knows different, please do let us know. :)

And if not, should some kind person who collects programmes fancy digging out any prog from the second half of 1981/2 (I think they were first contained in the prog for the game v Wolves at Christmas, when Trevor Francis scored that cracker but seemed to be in virtually every issue after), maybe you could put it right.

And if anyone fancies rooting through their issues of King of the Kippax from the mid-90s, maybe you could find their description of the Lee plans. I'd have a hunch it would be in 1995/6, which IIRC was the season that Dave Wallace was 'fan on the board'.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Are there any pictures of these plans online anywhere?

Not that I'm aware of. If anyone knows different, please do let us know. :)

And if not, should some kind person who collects programmes fancies digging out any prog from the second half of 1981/2 (I think they were first contained in the prog for the game v Wolves at Christmas, when Trevor Francis scored that cracker), maybe you could put it right.

And if anyone fancies rooting through their issues of King of the Kippax from the mid-90s, maybe you could find their description of the Lee plans. I'd have a hunch it would be in 1995/6, which IIRC was the season that Dave Wallace was 'fan on the board'.

I've got them in Farewell to Maine Road, I believe.

I'll bring them in the office and scan them next week.

 

[Blue Punter]

Are there any pictures of these plans online anywhere?

Not that I'm aware of. If anyone knows different, please do let us know. :)

And if not, should some kind person who collects programmes fancy digging out any prog from the second half of 1981/2 (I think they were first contained in the prog for the game v Wolves at Christmas, when Trevor Francis scored that cracker but seemed to be in virtually every issue after), maybe you could put it right.

And if anyone fancies rooting through their issues of King of the Kippax from the mid-90s, maybe you could find their description of the Lee plans. I'd have a hunch it would be in 1995/6, which IIRC was the season that Dave Wallace was 'fan on the board'.

I think the second one from the mid 90's is posted up on my bedroom wall at my mams. If I recall, it was a watercolour type illustration. If no-one else can find it, I'll try and post it up over the weekend.