Stadium Updates (All Clubs)

[Buller]

Main pitch at Athlone Town Stadium being ripped up in preparation of new astro going in.

https://www.facebook.com/ATAFCOfficial/posts/1078563302293917

Um... May be an obvious question but, are Athlone Town not meant to be playing on that same main pitch?!! :rolleyes:

[pineapple stu]

They haven't got any home games left.

I presume this is why they played Cobh in the league last weekend (which was scheduled for the final day I think)

[El-Pietro]

They haven't got any home games left.

I presume this is why they played Cobh in the league last weekend (which was scheduled for the final day I think)

That was moved because of the League Cup Final.

[sidewayspasser]

The Cobh match had to be moved anyway because of the League Cup final. So it made sense to bring it forward, I guess.

[Ezeikial]

Main pitch at Athlone Town Stadium being ripped up in preparation of new astro going in.

https://www.facebook.com/ATAFCOfficial/posts/1078563302293917

Is it for sale?

[oriel]

There was a piece in one of Dundalk’s local papers this and last week, from the CEO about hopes to improve oriel park, not much in terms of exact details, but has mentioned the sub standard spectator facilities (not hard). He did mention plans to use the YDC for home fans match night hospitality, getting fans in earlier, making full use of the bar in there ( was open for the Euro games in the summer) and having things like burgers and other food options for families pre match.

All sounds good, and this is perfect logic to increase match day revenue / experience, but urgent priority has to be given to the away section, and equally the same the other side of the stand, both areas are open to the elements. It’s a long off season, plenty of time to make even modest improvements. Let’s hope we see something done.

[nr637]

I suppose if there was any immediate work done at Oriel it would be at the Town End. Temporary terracing/seating similar to Inchicore would be sufficient until future plans were decided. Are we talking about 1,000+ capacity for that end of the ground? Could have something in place before their next European competition come round again.

[oriel]

For me, I always thought that town end area should be one of the first to redevelop. Last winter the new owners did a bit of work by removing 'puddle gate', but it was done properly with drainage and quite a wide new walkway installed that's not visible from cameras.

I think a 1000 capacity stand could be easily accommodated in there, plus there is nothing behind but a field so planning shouldn't be that hard but the application for that and for grants etc can be quite lengthy.

[mcgonigle]

but urgent priority has to be given to the away section

The away section is awful, no doubt about it. However it depends how the owners make their decisions. If it's a business decision based on increasing match-day revenue than I don't think improvements to the away section will be the place to start. Covering, seating and improving the view there is not really going to make a huge difference to the number of away supporters. However improvements to the home sections is probably more likely to increase crowds on an on-going basis.

That won't be a popular opinion on here as most have to suffer the away section but I think it's the most likely outcome.

[oriel]

I get this point, but at the same time Mike Tracey has said on more than one occasion he is aware (not hard) that the away section is 'the worst in the league' , even a quick fix of a roof, angle it around the corner a bit, and build proper toilets would be a start.

[Shearer]

It's just negligence at this stage.

[mcgonigle]

It's just negligence at this stage.

Is it? Are fans in danger by being in the away section? Yes it's grotty, yes it's exposed, yes the view is poor, yes the toilets are poor but does any of that put anyone in danger?

[Asterix]

Is it? Are fans in danger by being in the away section? Yes it's grotty, yes it's exposed, yes the view is poor, yes the toilets are poor but does any of that put anyone in danger?

Theres nowhere to wash your hands and the portaloos are beside the food so possibly.

[White Horse]

I'm all for better portaloos for away fans to prevent them getting dysentery.

[outspoken]

Is it? Are fans in danger by being in the away section? Yes it's grotty, yes it's exposed, yes the view is poor, yes the toilets are poor but does any of that put anyone in danger?

The steps are so small it’s very easy to miss one and go flying, they do be very slippy some nights, also sharp bits stick out of seats etc. it’s far from a death trap but it’s a roaring disgrace

[GCdfc]

The steps are so small it’s very easy to miss one and go flying, they do be very slippy some nights, also sharp bits stick out of seats etc. it’s far from a death trap but it’s a roaring disgrace

You forgot to mention the crisps.

[mcgonigle]

The steps are so small it’s very easy to miss one and go flying, they do be very slippy some nights, also sharp bits stick out of seats etc. it’s far from a death trap but it’s a roaring disgrace

You've just described 90% of grounds in this league good man

[RathfarnhamHoop]

You've just described 90% of grounds in this league good man
Not quite, actually nowhere near 90% but anyway, but it is safe to say oriel isn't alone in ticking those boxes. Doesn't make it acceptable though and difference is most of the other grounds either have plans in the pipeline to fix the issues or can't afford to.

[nigel-harps1954]

You've just described 90% of grounds in this league good man

That's completely untrue. Finn Park is probably the worst ground in the league, but the away section there is a hell of a lot better, and safer, than Oriel.

[mcgonigle]

That's completely untrue. Finn Park is probably the worst ground in the league, but the away section there is a hell of a lot better, and safer, than Oriel.

The terrace sure but how many covered seats are offered to away fans?

Anyway unsurprisingly my point has been missed. I wasn't trying to defend our away end, it's awful. I was responding to the idea that it should be a priority for our new owners. However if improvements are made based on ROI than I don't think they should focus on the away end. In my opinion we would get a better ROI from improvements to the home sections. Lets hope we get both

[nigel-harps1954]

30/40 seats usually reserved for away fans in the stand when such a need is required.

[Longfordian]

Sexy* new scoreboard going up at the CCS

http://twitter.com/LongfordTownFC/status/1049721589984632833

*If electronic objects float your boat. Such a scoreboard deserves Premier Division football. Mind you our last two kept breaking down.

[sidewayspasser]

Looks great. Best scoreboard in the league?

[passinginterest]

http://www.the42.ie/fai-dalymount-park-redevelopment-designs-4281452-Oct2018/

In the ‘stadium plan doomed to failure’ bingo, we’ve got;
Computer generated mock up
No start date
Video simulation thing
Bohs
Shels
Dalymount
Tolka

Someone must be shouting bingo.

In all seriousness it looks great. Would be great to see it happen within a year or two.

Let’s see when ‘phase one’ is announced...

[sidewayspasser]

Looks great, but wasn't it supposed to be a 10000 seater in earlier plans a year or two ago? Now they're down to 6000. Anyone taking bets on how many seats there will be after phase one?

[nigel-harps1954]

It really does look fantastic. Whether it happens to this degree or not is anyones guess though.

In Harps news, AGM was held at the weekend, and stadium update was given by Paul McLoone, who's heading the project these days. Hopes to be completed within three years, with designs to be finalised with Dept. of Sport by the end of the year and work planned to start around April.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Just read an article about the redevelopment of the showgrounds in Galway, seemed to go out of its way to mention it would be available to other sports. Could be an option for Galway if the Galway FA don't stop all the messing around they've been doing recently. Really like Terryland but some of the stuff the GFA have been doing recently really isn't on

[nigel-harps1954]

Sportsgrounds in Galway would be a superb base for a club like Galway. Easy accessible, city centre location and the chance to work alongside the IRFU would open more opportunities for them in terms of bar and corporate facilities.

The problem with that idea though is that it'd likely be a 10-15,000 capacity arena for someone like Connacht Rugby, and the pitch would be in muck for half the season.

Terryland is one of my favourite grounds in the league, but unless Galway could ever afford to buy it outright from Galway FA, they're going to be stuck with the mess of dealing with what seems to be a bunch of self-interested fools.

[Nesta99]

It crossed my mind too that it would weaken the hand of the Galway FA. If they cant entirely hold Galway United to ransom over ED Park they might start to play fair. Even a couple of season of the annoyances in a rugby groundshare would be worth it if GFA realise they are better with an anchor tenant and put ego aside.

[Nesta99]

On Dalymount it a positive step and hopefully wont be beset by the old ways of stadium plans in LoI. The brazenness of the FAI should never really surprise but basically Bohs sells their ground to DCC, DCC put together a plan and the FAI will no doubt rock on up saying look at the fantastic work we are doing for LoI as if the concept and funding was all by them. Tallaght, Turners Cross, RSC, Brandywell etc all fell in to their lap in a way but probably had little input from the FAI. The grounds they are responsible for well United Park is United Park and the Aviva they nearly bankrupted themselves for a ground they did actually part pay for but will hand over its share to another organisation at some point!!

[RathfarnhamHoop]

The sharing with rugby might not be too big a problem pitch condition wise if its looked after well. The UCD bowl would see more rugby I'd guess and is in decent nick most of the time so once the grounds staff know what they're doing there shouldn't be too many problems.

[Nesta99]

Dare I say it but with rugby clubs now installing artificial surfaces as is the plan with the Connacht Showgrounds the pitch *cough* shouldnt be an issue.

[EAFC_rdfl]

Yeah Connacht seem to be heading towards artificial pitch so that wouldn't be a problem. The daggs are on on Friday nights though so might not be available Friday nights?

[EatYerGreens]

In Harps news, AGM was held at the weekend, and stadium update was given by Paul McLoone, who's heading the project these days.

The dude from The Undertones and Today FM ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McLoone

[EatYerGreens]

http://www.the42.ie/fai-dalymount-park-redevelopment-designs-4281452-Oct2018/

In the ‘stadium plan doomed to failure’ bingo, we’ve got;
Computer generated mock up
No start date
Video simulation thing
Bohs
Shels
Dalymount
Tolka

Someone must be shouting bingo.

In all seriousness it looks great. Would be great to see it happen within a year or two.

Let’s see when ‘phase one’ is announced...

I don't think 6,000 seats is enough. I would say 8,000 would be more appropriate - enabling larger games to sell out or be close to sell out, and for overall attendances to grow.

The design doesn't look like it has room for expansion built-in either, so wouldn't exactly be future proofed. Contrast it with how SDCC have done Tallaght - in stages, enabling demand to be built and the case for expansion proven. I would argue that 6,000 in Dalymount completely lacks ambition and won't be enough for Bohs longer term.

[nigel-harps1954]

The dude from The Undertones and Today FM ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McLoone

Not quite. Less 'here comes the summer' and more here comes the guy who will actually do something to get us a stadium and not arse about with the project for ten years.

http://www.highlandradio.com/2017/05/09/paul-mcloone-joins-finn-harps-board/

[OMTY]

Yeah Connacht seem to be heading towards artificial pitch so that wouldn't be a problem. The daggs are on on Friday nights though so might not be available Friday nights?

Run the two at the same time sure. Daggs racing around while the match is going on. Double the entertainment.

[marinobohs]

I don't think 6,000 seats is enough. I would say 8,000 would be more appropriate - enabling larger games to sell out or be close to sell out, and for overall attendances to grow.

The design doesn't look like it has room for expansion built-in either, so wouldn't exactly be future proofed. Contrast it with how SDCC have done Tallaght - in stages, enabling demand to be built and the case for expansion proven. I would argue that 6,000 in Dalymount completely lacks ambition and won't be enough for Bohs longer term.

Average HOME gate about 2,000 so apart from the early season rubber neckers (event junkeys) I don't see us needing to worry about crowds over 6000. Apart from 'Bradser's cup finals' and FAI cup semi, we haven't had any sell out games this year. while I hope we can grow our fan base I don't really see 6K plus crowds on any sort of regular basis.

As a half empty Lansdowne will show this week the 'build it and they will come' model has a limited shelf life.

[Martinho II]

Sportsgrounds in Galway would be a superb base for a club like Galway. Easy accessible, city centre location and the chance to work alongside the IRFU would open more opportunities for them in terms of bar and corporate facilities.

The problem with that idea though is that it'd likely be a 10-15,000 capacity arena for someone like Connacht Rugby, and the pitch would be in muck for half the season.

Terryland is one of my favourite grounds in the league, but unless Galway could ever afford to buy it outright from Galway FA, they're going to be stuck with the mess of dealing with what seems to be a bunch of self-interested fools.

where in Galway is the Showgrounds Nigel? wondering is it the ground I was in the mid 90s when Radiohead were playing?

[Philosophizer]

No mention of them keeping bars in Dalymount this time around. I remember the initial announcements last year or the year before all mentioned they'd be keeping the bars but now it's all silent on that front.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Average HOME gate about 2,000 so apart from the early season rubber neckers (event junkeys) I don't see us needing to worry about crowds over 6000. Apart from 'Bradser's cup finals' and FAI cup semi, we haven't had any sell out games this year. while I hope we can grow our fan base I don't really see 6K plus crowds on any sort of regular basis.

As a half empty Lansdowne will show this week the 'build it and they will come' model has a limited shelf life.

6000 would be fine as apart from Rovers games and big cup games as you said its plenty at the moment.
You'd like to see a plan in place to allow for potential expansion though.

[marinobohs]

6000 would be fine as apart from Rovers games and big cup games as you said its plenty at the moment.
You'd like to see a plan in place to allow for potential expansion though.

Yea, we all live in hope. Given Lansdowne, RDS, Tallaght etc are all nearby I don't think there is a need in Dublin for another 10K stadium. Ideally there should be capacity to expand and I'm not sure that has been factored in.Interestingly, Bohs originally proposed a 6K seater stadium and it was the Council that wanted 10K.

Of the sell out games we had - shams and FAI Cup semi, I don't think any would have been in excess of 6K crowds (had 6K been an option). it would take a massive growth in support to justify anything more than 6K.

[SkStu]

Yea, we all live in hope. Given Lansdowne, RDS, Tallaght etc are all nearby I don't think there is a need in Dublin for another 10K stadium. Ideally there should be capacity to expand and I'm not sure that has been factored in.Interestingly, Bohs originally proposed a 6K seater stadium and it was the Council that wanted 10K.

Of the sell out games we had - shams and FAI Cup semi, I don't think any would have been in excess of 6K crowds (had 6K been an option). it would take a massive growth in support to justify anything more than 6K.

I think the 8k seat requirement for Cat4 games would be enough on its own to merit looking at that capacity. That said, Cat4 stadia carry with them a list of extra requirements (incl. for example an additional 50 VIP parking spots and 10 I think additional press corps spots) that all require more space, more euros and so on. I am curious whether we get to retain some of our existing revenue streams as that too will be critical for our ability to compete regularly at the top of the league again.

All that said, its a beautiful vision - lets hope it becomes reality within the timelines suggested - and something for the entire community to be proud of and look forward to.

[Real ale Madrid]

Not quite. Less 'here comes the summer' and more here comes the guy who will actually do something to get us a stadium and not arse about with the project for ten years.

http://www.highlandradio.com/2017/05/09/paul-mcloone-joins-finn-harps-board/

Not as catchy for me. But perhaps what is required.

[marinobohs]

I think the 8k seat requirement for Cat4 games would be enough on its own to merit looking at that capacity. That said, Cat4 stadia carry with them a list of extra requirements (incl. for example an additional 50 VIP parking spots and 10 I think additional press corps spots) that all require more space, more euros and so on. I am curious whether we get to retain some of our existing revenue streams as that too will be critical for our ability to compete regularly at the top of the league again.

All that said, its a beautiful vision - lets hope it becomes reality within the timelines suggested - and something for the entire community to be proud of and look forward to.

We did have 'an understanding' with DCC about retaining the bar but I'm not sure if that followed through to the final proposal. Hopefully it did as it will be a decent fund raiser, especially early on when we are (hopefully) flooded with fans having a nose around the new stadium. I appreciate the cat4 issue but just not convinced its that necessary.
Personally, I love the old place and the lifetime of memories I have of it so looking forward to one last season before the bulldozers arrive.

[CorribsideSteve]

where in Galway is the Showgrounds Nigel? wondering is it the ground I was in the mid 90s when Radiohead were playing?

I see this is directed at Nigel, but I live fairly close by

It's 10 minutes of a walk out of Eyre Square, passing both (BE and Citylink) Bus Stations on your right-hand side, uphill and then downhill of College Road.
Re. Radiohead, I remember when I moved here first, someone mentioned that Radiohead gig, but it was somewhere random. Not Pearse Stadium or Connacht's one, but some local GAA pitch type thing.

They'll want to include underground parking as part of this municipal proposal as College Road is jammed with parked cars (the way the Dyke Road is) of any given Rugby Saturday and it's a pretty narrow road.

Terryland really is a lovely ground. Nice main stand, the pitch is almost always lovely to look at. It's very boxed in by the Dyke Road and nearby housing estates though so room for development is very limited. The Sportsground would be much closer to Eyre Square than Terryland so LOI fans would find it more accessible.

Edit : The Radiohead gig was in Castlegar GAA on the outskirts of the City.

[redarmyfaction]

That's completely untrue. Finn Park is probably the worst ground in the league, but the away section there is a hell of a lot better, and safer, than Oriel.
It's not the worst ground, it just has poor and old quality facilities but it's still well worth a visit and it is not as soulless as others.

[Nesta99]

I see this is directed at Nigel, but I live fairly close by

It's 10 minutes of a walk out of Eyre Square, passing both (BE and Citylink) Bus Stations on your right-hand side, uphill and then downhill of College Road.
Re. Radiohead, I remember when I moved here first, someone mentioned that Radiohead gig, but it was somewhere random. Not Pearse Stadium or Connacht's one, but some local GAA pitch type thing.

They'll want to include underground parking as part of this municipal proposal as College Road is jammed with parked cars (the way the Dyke Road is) of any given Rugby Saturday and it's a pretty narrow road.

Terryland really is a lovely ground. Nice main stand, the pitch is almost always lovely to look at. It's very boxed in by the Dyke Road and nearby housing estates though so room for development is very limited. The Sportsground would be much closer to Eyre Square than Terryland so LOI fans would find it more accessible.

Edit : The Radiohead gig was in Castlegar GAA on the outskirts of the City.

Castlegar Showgraounds? It was a good walk back in to the city, passed GMIT on the way.

*didnt read the last line before posting...

[brendy_éire]

Not exactly surprising, but Bohs won't be out of Dalymount at the end of next season.

https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/opening-date-for-new-dalymount-park-pushed-back-until-2023-37432384.html

[gufct]

https://connachttribune.ie/gaas-mountain-south-to-be-turned-into-a-e20m-soccer-centre-of-excellence-132/