IL Ground Developments

**SolitudeRed** · 20/08/2007, 1:08 PM

Saying things seem to have gone a bit quiet round here over the past few days I thought I'd start a new thread on proposed improvements to be made at IL grounds.

I've found plans on the net for the major redevelopment of Shamrock park in Portadown

http://www.portadownfc.co.uk/Ground_Plans.htm

Also their neighbours in Lurgan, Glenavon FC are planning some work on their home which is already one of the better IL grounds seems like they want to build a new stand and add some sort of retail development.

http://www.euroconstruction.com/comm_glenavon.php

As for the rest well Cliftonville are supposed to be building a new 1,600 seater stand to replace the 'cage' which would bring the ground up to European standard, although work has still not begun on this.

Crusaders are rumoured to be getting a new 3000-4000 seater stadium in the giants park to be built by the council.

DC f**k knows they been supposedly getting a new ground then they were to redevelop their current one but as far as I know nothing has happened.

Linfield well I'm not going to go there! there are about 50 other threads about Linfield's ground on here anyway!

Glentoran remember hearing that they were getting a new 10,000 seater stadium somewhere but that was a few years ago then recently I heard that they were to be tennants in a new national stadium which was proposed and was to be built in East Belfast.

Don't really know about the rest of the teams please excuse my ignorance

but feel free to enlighten me and correct anything I have said here!

This new league structure could make things interesting as teams who are just outside the top 12 might make improvements to their grounds in order to boost their ratings.

**Steve Bruce** · 20/08/2007, 2:08 PM

Donegal Cetics are apparently onto the 3rd stage of getting their grant. As far as I know, the plans are to knock down the club house, turn the pitch around and build to big stands on each side of the pitch, that will bring the ground up to UEFA standards.

Institute have plans to build a stand and viewing lounge type thing behind the one of the goals.

Crusaders have plans to get rid of the shed and build a big stand to go along the side of the pitch. Around 2000 seats.

Linfield have already upgraded our fire safety facilities and also our disabled facilities.

**Steve Bruce** · 20/08/2007, 2:10 PM

Also isn't the cage at Solitude getting prepared for a stand identical to the away stand to be build behind the goals?

**SolitudeRed** · 20/08/2007, 7:46 PM

Cheers for that info Steve! didn't know about any of that! I'm wondering though will that recent decision to redirect lottery funding affect any of these projects!

Also isn't the cage at Solitude getting prepared for a stand identical to the away stand to be build behind the goals?

AFAIK it will be alot bigger than the away stand as it will house new changing rooms, drug testing facilities to bring it up to UEFA standards and maybe a shop as well. Think the away stands capacity is about 800-900 but the new stand is supposed to be 1,600.

**whitewell red** · 20/08/2007, 9:40 PM

Think the away stands capacity is about 800-900 but the new stand is supposed to be 1,600.[/quote]

your right the away end is 800 or 900 capacity, your also right the away end will be 1600 or 1800 capacity.
don't know when the work will start, remember someone saying that the work stalled because the price of the metal went up from the time they priced it to the time they were going to buy it.

Also some said the work was put off until next year ( which the price will go up again, which leaves the same problem next year )

But someone else said the work is to be started soon.

The club are not saying anything, which leaves me thinking that the work will be put off to next year

**Buller** · 21/08/2007, 10:18 AM

Glenavons plans look fantastic! Nice compact stadium aswell... Do the have a decent fan base?!

**Steve Bruce** · 21/08/2007, 2:54 PM

Originally Posted by Buller

Glenavons plans look fantastic! Nice compact stadium aswell... Do the have a decent fan base?!

Not really.

At the moment they have 300 or so hardcore. But when going well they would easily get over 1500 for most games. But that hasn't happened in a long time.

They used to have a tremendous support but due to bad running of the club, bad results & general downturn in support of the Irish League their once very big club is now a small club. But have huge potential.

**Buller** · 21/08/2007, 4:55 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

They used to have a tremendous support but due to bad running of the club, bad results & general downturn in support of the Irish League their once very big club is now a small club. But have huge potential.

Well it says Lurgan only has a population of 25,000 on wikipedia but it's right beside the motorway

EDIT: Glenavon are one of four Irish league teams in the Craigavon area sharing an estimated population of 80,000. The club are currently ranked second of the four local clubs and have the capability to attract 2,000 fans on average. At present they are attracting just 25% of that number, although this is a healthier percentage of population attraction than most other Northern Irish clubs

My bad...

**SolitudeRed** · 21/08/2007, 5:20 PM

Also some said the work was put off until next year ( which the price will go up again, which leaves the same problem next year )

But someone else said the work is to be started soon.

The club are not saying anything, which leaves me thinking that the work will be put off to next year

Aye well I heard that the work was starting soon at the Limavady match a couple of weeks ago but I'll not hold my breath because I've been hearing that for a while! Shame though it would be nice to have it in place for the Setanta cup as I'd say we will probably get decent enough crowds for those games!

Well it says Lurgan only has a population of 25,000 on wikipedia but it's right beside the motorway

As far as I know Lurgan is a fairly mixed town and it has two teams Glenavon and Lurgan Celtic! so football support is divided in the town! Also Portadown is right beside Lurgan and has been more successful of late so that may lure a few people over to supporting the Ports! Incidentally Glenavon were the first non Belfast team to win the IL in the 50s.

looked like there was a bit of work going on at Distillery the other day when I watched the highlights of their game against the Glens any idea whats going on there Steve?

**SolitudeRed** · 11/02/2008, 1:04 AM

Saying there has been some recent developments on this front I thought I should resurect this one!

The old Cage stand behind the goal at Solitude has been knocked down and construction of a new 1650 seater stand has begun, heres a couple of pictures that were taken recently...

http://img523.imageshack.us/my.php?i...51167rsmp9.jpg

http://img338.imageshack.us/my.php?i...d090208fp0.jpg

Also I think work has started on a new stand at Shamrock Park I know that they knocked down the covered terracing at one side of the pitch a while back (I am presuming work has started by now) ! Heres some artists impressions and the plans!

http://www.portadownfc.co.uk/Ground_Plans_B.htm

http://www.portadownfc.co.uk/New_stand_pics_2008.htm

**AnnaghRed** · 11/02/2008, 6:58 AM

Looks impressive, and certainly progressing quicker that the work at Shamrock Park!

Sad to see the old Cage go, I remember going to Solitude for an Irish Cup match c1980 and the Cage being packed, the Ports still won though

Sadly I cant really see all these ground improvements pulling more punters through the gates, Some times a winning team can't even manage that

**Mr_Parker** · 11/02/2008, 9:10 AM

Oi, who's nicking my photos!

**Steve Bruce** · 11/02/2008, 1:16 PM

When is the cage supposed to be finished?

**SolitudeRed** · 11/02/2008, 6:06 PM

Originally Posted by AnnaghRed

Looks impressive, and certainly progressing quicker that the work at Shamrock Park!

So not much has been happening on the new stand front then?

Originally Posted by Mr_Parker

Oi, who's nicking my photos!

I sneakily put them up here thinking you wouldn't notice them but I forgot that your omnipresent MrP

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

When is the cage supposed to be finished?

All being well it Should be finished in the summer just in time for the start of next season!

**SolitudeRed** · 11/02/2008, 6:17 PM

Heres the Architects drawings for the new stand at Solitude...

Side View:
http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/3...wstand1ua7.jpg

Front View:
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/1...wstand2cb5.jpg

Rear View:
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/60/newstand3vu1.jpg

**EalingGreen** · 18/02/2008, 9:44 AM

Seems there are potentially big developments at Coleraine FC. Btw, I assume Rugby Avenue is a new site completely, since the address of the present stadium (Showgrounds) is Ballycastle Road:

http://www.colerainetimes.co.uk/foot...-in.3753215.jp
New £9m stadium still in the frame

Minister to weigh up ground proposal

By Nichola Forgrave
PLANS to build a £9 million state-of-the-art stadium at Rugby Avenue are still on the table for Coleraine Football Club, writes Nichola Forgrave.
A meeting took place at Stormont last week between the Ulster Farmers' Union, who own the land at the Showgrounds, the IFA, Coleraine Borough Council, Sport NI, Milk Cup officials and members of the management board of Coleraine Football Club.

The Coleraine Times understands that as a result of the meeting, two proposals, reguarding the future of the Showgrounds, have been sent to the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure.

One of the proposals is believed to be for the development of a £9million state-of-the-art stadium at Rugby Avenue, while the other proposal is to revamp the present site at the Showgrounds to the tune of £4million.

Discussions about selling the land at the Showgrounds for development also came up at the private meeting, however it is thought that an old constitution on the land could rule this out as the site must be used as a recreation facility

Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Edwin Poots is believed to be studying both proposals to decide which one his Department would back, and a working group is to be set up amongst members of Coleraine Borough Council to look at the proposed projects.

We contacted Coleraine Borough Council for a comment, however today a spokesperson said that they were unable to comment as the meeting was held 'in committee'.

Last Updated: 07 February 2008 8:51 AM

**SolitudeRed** · 27/02/2008, 1:12 AM

Originally Posted by EalingGreen

Seems there are potentially big developments at Coleraine FC. Btw, I assume Rugby Avenue is a new site completely, since the address of the present stadium (Showgrounds) is Ballycastle Road:

http://www.colerainetimes.co.uk/foot...-in.3753215.jp
New £9m stadium still in the frame

Minister to weigh up ground proposal

By Nichola Forgrave
PLANS to build a £9 million state-of-the-art stadium at Rugby Avenue are still on the table for Coleraine Football Club, writes Nichola Forgrave.
A meeting took place at Stormont last week between the Ulster Farmers' Union, who own the land at the Showgrounds, the IFA, Coleraine Borough Council, Sport NI, Milk Cup officials and members of the management board of Coleraine Football Club.

The Coleraine Times understands that as a result of the meeting, two proposals, reguarding the future of the Showgrounds, have been sent to the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure.

One of the proposals is believed to be for the development of a £9million state-of-the-art stadium at Rugby Avenue, while the other proposal is to revamp the present site at the Showgrounds to the tune of £4million.

Discussions about selling the land at the Showgrounds for development also came up at the private meeting, however it is thought that an old constitution on the land could rule this out as the site must be used as a recreation facility

Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Edwin Poots is believed to be studying both proposals to decide which one his Department would back, and a working group is to be set up amongst members of Coleraine Borough Council to look at the proposed projects.

We contacted Coleraine Borough Council for a comment, however today a spokesperson said that they were unable to comment as the meeting was held 'in committee'.

Last Updated: 07 February 2008 8:51 AM

That good news for Coleraine if it goes ahead! will it sort their financial problems out though?

**EalingGreen** · 27/02/2008, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by SolitudeRed

That good news for Coleraine if it goes ahead! will it sort their financial problems out though?

No idea about what's going on there, but may one assume that if that sort of money is potentially coming from somewhere, whoever's behind it must be reasonably reassured that their money isn't just going down a hole?

That said, they wouldn't be the first club to cripple themselves by overinvesting in a new stadium, but at least in this case, they can't pretend they weren't warned by Coleraine's recent difficulties, of potential future problems.