Stadium Updates (All Clubs)

[brendy_éire]

And why would D&S Council have been spending their own money on it if they could have sold it before now to raise money and get it off their hands?

Coventants aside, I think this is the real issue, the Council probably aren't interested in selling it (even if they could). The site also hosts the greyhound track, another pitch, youth club and playground. It's an income generator, and if they sold it, they're probably have to provide the same facilities elsewhere in the area.

Worth remembering that if the club did own the Brandywell, and if we went bust again, it would be lost. Maybe it's better to have it in Council ownership?

[Philosophizer]

Worth remembering that if the club did own the Brandywell, and if we went bust again, it would be lost. Maybe it's better to have it in Council ownership?

Exactly. Municipal stadiums are usually the way to go in this league.

[EatYerGreens]

Worth remembering that if the club did own the Brandywell, and if we went bust again, it would be lost. Maybe it's better to have it in Council ownership?

That's easily addressed. You just hold the stadium in a seperate legal entity/company than the club. Hey presto - automatic protection. It happens fairly frequently in football. Especially at cliubs with experience of going bust and/or almost losing everything (once bitten, and all that).

[EatYerGreens]

Exactly. Municipal stadiums are usually the way to go in this league.

As outlined above, there are other options. If clubs want to go the municipal route, then they'll have to take the rough with the smoothe on that. So no complaining about the type of pitch etc.

[EalingGreen]

Exactly. Municipal stadiums are usually the way to go in this league.If it's the only alternative to some greedy property developer buying a club in order to asset strip (sell the ground), then maybe.

But there aren't usually a lot of votes in it for cash-strapped Councils to spend money on the ground of a not-particularly-well-regarded* football club, when even a six figure sum would take years to recoup in higher rent etc.

More importantly, the club owning its own ground gives it an asset against which it may borrow (at worst); alternatively it encourages a wealthy owner to invest in the club (at best).


* - By which I mean outside of the local football community

[redarmyfaction]

Why don't Derry train at the Brandywell?

They wouldn't be able to field 11 men most weeks if they did.

[EatYerGreens]

If it's the only alternative to some greedy property developer buying a club in order to asset strip (sell the ground), then maybe.

As already outlined above, it isn't.

[brendy_éire]

Derry City's new training base will be at Derry GAA's centre of excellence at Owenbeg for the next while. The facilities are brilliant there, so makes sense, even if it is a bit out of town.

Says it'll take two years for the new academy site to be operational, which seems ambitious.

https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/gaa/derry-city-given-green-light-to-train-at-derry-gaas-owenbeg-centre-of-excellence-4949407

[EatYerGreens]

Derry City's new training base will be at Derry GAA's centre of excellence at Owenbeg for the next while. The facilities are brilliant there, so makes sense, even if it is a bit out of town.

Says it'll take two years for the new academy site to be operational, which seems ambitious.

https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/gaa/derry-city-given-green-light-to-train-at-derry-gaas-owenbeg-centre-of-excellence-4949407

Are the players based in Derry city? Is there much travelling involved for them in this?

[Nesta99]

Are the players based in Derry city? Is there much travelling involved for them in this?

Derry (and Cork) fans do obsess about travel!

[brendy_éire]

Are the players based in Derry city? Is there much travelling involved for them in this?

In and around, yes, though not sure about the new lads. It's 15 minutes from the city. Probably an option for the new lads to live in Belfast, it's 45 minutes from there.

[Glen Of Aherlow]

Saw photos of new terracing in Richmond Park in Main Stand and Section G . Anyone any idea how much this will add to capacity ?

I presume it means we won't play any European games there this season as it reduces the capacity for those games further .

[nr637]

Saw photos of new terracing in Richmond Park in Main Stand and Section G . Anyone any idea how much this will add to capacity ?

I presume it means we won't play any European games there this season as it reduces the capacity for those games further .

The Main Stand has an official capacity of 1,800 seats, a section of seating was removed and replaced with safe railing, while the existing adjoining steps have had extra safe railings added. I reckon this area will have an approximate safe capacity of 3/400+
The Main Stand capacity will increase to an official capacity of 2,250. The modified section will be closed off for European games.

[pateen]

Do you want to share the pics Glen

[2 Year Contract]

Do you want to share the pics Glen
https://x.com/irish_grounds/status/1881800849644830738?s=46

It's not the full section, just the seats that were to the right of the steps (as you look at the stand) that have been taken out and replaced with the barriers. Additional barriers have also added to the yellow steps that weren’t used in the past. They’ve also removed the perspex dugouts and are building a wall around them instead (only the side walls of these are completed as of last night, the back wall is still to be done), which I’m assuming will also free up the rows behind each dugout which had their obstructed by the dugouts

[D24Saint]

Saw photos of new terracing in Richmond Park in Main Stand and Section G . Anyone any idea how much this will add to capacity ?

I presume it means we won't play any European games there this season as it reduces the capacity for those games further .

It’s safe to assume that we have seen our last European game in Richmond for the foreseeable future. I can see us playing in Tallaght for the all our games this season.

[2 Year Contract]

Forgot to mention also, I noticed some poles in the ground in Shed End last night, looks like they may be used to put up permanent fencing to make the away section smaller to use the majority of the shed for home fans as was done for the Galway and Derry games at the end of last season. Garda permitting of course, we could see Bohs, Shels and Rovers away allocation getting cut this year potentially. No change for any of the other clubs, they should still have enough tickets to meet demand based on the numbers they brought last season.

Again just to note, I don’t have any inside information on this, just what it looked like the purposes of the poles in the Shed were last night, and I was at the other side of the main stand as opposed to the end closer to the Shed so others might have had a better view of that

[Jack B]

As far as I've heard (also don't have any concrete, in the know etc information) the away allocation is being cut to 500 in Richmond from next season. There was a good bit of talk of that being the case for a while but wasn't sure how the club were actually going about it.

I'm glad something is being done even if they're only makeshift solutions, but the aesthetics of the steps of the main stand are pretty poor. They could have at least done with a good power wash if nothing else.

[EatYerGreens]

https://x.com/irish_grounds/status/1881800849644830738?s=46

It's not the full section, just the seats that were to the right of the steps (as you look at the stand) that have been taken out and replaced with the barriers. Additional barriers have also added to the yellow steps that weren’t used in the past. They’ve also removed the perspex dugouts and are building a wall around them instead (only the side walls of these are completed as of last night, the back wall is still to be done), which I’m assuming will also free up the rows behind each dugout which had their obstructed by the dugouts

Good to have capacity increased at the ground, but that does look very amateurish/temporary

[yurt]

I'm glad something is being done even if they're only makeshift solutions, but the aesthetics of the steps of the main stand are pretty poor. They could have at least done with a good power wash if nothing else.

I noticed that too. I guess it is down to lack of resources but you'd think while they are going to the bother up putting in new terracing they'd have given it a fresh bit of paint to make it actually look new. Maybe that's still the plan before the kickoff of the new season but it doesn't look great from those photos.

Same goes across most grounds, we know the facilities are ancient and crap but it still doesn't mean they can't be power washed and freshly painted every so often.

[1983Hoop]

Seaview Stadium in Belfast got a simple branding make over a few years ago and it made a big improvement to the look of it. New advertisement hoardings around the pitch and advertising on the roof of the main stand cleaned it up a lot.

[nr637]

I noticed that too. I guess it is down to lack of resources but you'd think while they are going to the bother up putting in new terracing they'd have given it a fresh bit of paint to make it actually look new. Maybe that's still the plan before the kickoff of the new season but it doesn't look great from those photos.

Same goes across most grounds, we know the facilities are ancient and crap but it still doesn't mean they can't be power washed and freshly painted every so often.

Maybe the new TV deal will force clubs to make their grounds look clean by the odd power wash and fresh paint look.

Virgin may add that as a condition of their new coverage of the league! :embarrassed:

[2 Year Contract]

It’s not the right time of year for external painting. If you want it to stick and not flake, it’s recommended that temperatures are no lower than 10 degrees to do so. I recall Con Murphy on commentary at an early season game in the last year or two having a go at the Showgrounds for a scruffy looking wall that could do with a lick of paint and Sligo Rovers responding that the external painting in the ground only gets done in the spring time due to the temperatures. Agree the steps could also do with a power washing, the Camac was power washed last year so I’d imagine now that that part of the stand will be a standing section it’ll be power washed in advance of the season

[outspoken]

No excuse for any club not gathering up a few volunteers week before season to tidy ground up. We do it every year at longford, doesn't take long. Was in Oriel on Monday and the stand was CRAWLING in filth. It's disgusting.

[2 Year Contract]

Longford's grounds taken a bit of a bashing in the storm. A new front wall will be needed

https://x.com/betweenstripes/status/1882757118782267751?s=46

[outspoken]

Beyond gutted. The work that has gone into that ground over the years. Hopefully it's not as bad as it looks and we are supported in whatever work needs done

[D24Saint]

Longford's grounds taken a bit of a bashing in the storm. A new front wall will be needed

https://x.com/betweenstripes/status/1882757118782267751?s=46

Sad to see. I wonder what damage was done to the inside of the stadium.

[outspoken]

Sad to see. I wonder what damage was done to the inside of the stadium.

Hearing from non experts who went out to look that it's mainly just damage to perimeter wall, if that's the case hopefully we can rebuild quickly.

[2 Year Contract]

The metal side wall of Galway's away end has been torn off too

https://x.com/coleman_ronan/status/1882805182603608296?s=46

[Buckett]

The metal side wall of Galway's away end has been torn off too

https://x.com/coleman_ronan/status/1882805182603608296?s=46

That should be fairly easy to repair. The bar is fine though, that's what's important here.

[EalingGreen]

Showgrounds at Newry City also damaged:

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/663/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/1/24/b85b0a61-2521-4871-b95b-2c3bda401f65.jpg.webp

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/798/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/1/24/3204c8c7-3637-4a12-ab1d-892142faa7b9.jpg.webp

Hopefully not too serious.

Fortunate for LOI that this occurred during the off-season - three IL games due for this evening were postponed yesterday, though tomorrows games appear still to be on.

[nigel-harps1954]

And yet..despite Donegal resembling a war zone this afternoon, Finn Parks shed remains bulletproof. Go figure.

[pineapple stu]

The old joke about "Storm Éowyn hit Finn Park today and caused thousands of euros' worth of improvements" springs to mind :)

[EatYerGreens]

And yet..despite Donegal resembling a war zone this afternoon, Finn Parks shed remains bulletproof. Go figure.

Following the impending nuclear armageddon, all that will remain are cockroaches. With the Shed at Finn Park their global HQ.

[Shinkicker]

Following the impending nuclear armageddon, all that will remain are cockroaches. With the Shed at Finn Park their global HQ.
I was in Ballybofey a long long time ago and it looked like Storm Eowyn had hit it then. To be fair they have put some work into keeping it at the standard it is. That's not being critical its recognition for probably the premier league team with the lowest budget, falling into the FD and doing their best to get back up. I actually would love to see Harps back in the PD,

[2 Year Contract]

This article mentions that Drogheda have added 300 seats to the ground and are rebuilding their dressing rooms. I assume those seats are at the back of the full length stand under the tv gantry? That’s probably the only place I can think of that seats would fit into aside from the away end (which would be pretty counter productive IMO). Any Drogs fans have details on it?

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/14613782/bohemians-loi-aviva-stadium-dalymount-park-redevelopment/

[bohsmug]

Could even be replacement seats. That article doesn't really give any detail. Also shows an old projection of Dalymount that is no longer the plan. Whoever it is that selects the images obviously didn't try very hard and it looks a bit odd given the reporters brother is on the board.

Hopefully Drogheda have found space for 300 extra people, I'm sure somebody who frequents this board will know.

Does anybody know what the grants Kerry received are actually for? All I can see is that it's for improvements but can't see anything specific.

[nr637]

This article mentions that Drogheda have added 300 seats to the ground and are rebuilding their dressing rooms. I assume those seats are at the back of the full length stand under the tv gantry? That’s probably the only place I can think of that seats would fit into aside from the away end (which would be pretty counter productive IMO). Any Drogs fans have details on it?

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/14613782/bohemians-loi-aviva-stadium-dalymount-park-redevelopment/

Didn't someone post here before about the dangerous state of United Park for fans. United Park or 'The Head' is pretty run down and doesn’t have a lot of room for expansion. One side of the ground is really quite ramshackle with a semi covered terrace, a smaller stand and a few random little spaces between them.

[EatYerGreens]

Didn't someone post here before about the dangerous state of United Park for fans. United Park or 'The Head' is pretty run down and doesn’t have a lot of room for expansion. One side of the ground is really quite ramshackle with a semi covered terrace, a smaller stand and a few random little spaces between them.

I've completely lost track of where Drogs are with plans to move to a new ground. Is that all dead in the water now? You have to wonder how United Park can get a PD license to be honest.

[2 Year Contract]

Just on the minor Richmond Park works to increase capacity, the new dugouts are nearing completion and the steps in the main stand terrace have a new fresh coat of red paint the concerned souls will be happy to know. The away section has been made smaller in the shed end and also I believe in the main stand, with a permanent 4 ft barrier in the main stand and permanent fence in the shed end going up, while away allocations are going down to 10% from now on (not sure on the new capacity of the ground with these changes but safe guess would be around 500-550 tickets). New entrance steps into the shed end have also been built for away fans.

The club are also going to be doing some work on the toilets, floodlights, PA system and creating additional space for more food vendors


“It is the intention of St Patrick’s Athletic to redevelop Richmond Park, and this has been recognised by Dublin City Council by its inclusion in the Dublin City Development Plan 2022-28.
“In the short term, we are continuing to make small improvements to the stadium, including efforts to increase capacity and to create space for food vending units and toilets.”

[nr637]

Just on the minor Richmond Park works to increase capacity, the new dugouts are nearing completion and the steps in the main stand terrace have a new fresh coat of red paint the concerned souls will be happy to know. The away section has been made smaller in the shed end and also I believe in the main stand, with a permanent 4 ft barrier in the main stand and permanent fence in the shed end going up, while away allocations are going down to 10% from now on (not sure on the new capacity of the ground with these changes but safe guess would be around 500-550 tickets). New entrance steps into the shed end have also been built for away fans.

The club are also going to be doing some work on the toilets, floodlights, PA system and creating additional space for more food vendors


I reckon the capacity of Richmond will stay around the 5,000 (2,500 seated).
The Main Stand seating capacity of approximately 1,800 is being reduced by the change at the open seating end.

[2 Year Contract]

I reckon the capacity of Richmond will stay around the 5,000 (2,500 seated).
The Main Stand seating capacity of approximately 1,800 is being reduced by the change at the open seating end.

It held more than 5000 last year (multiple crowds over that last year). Removing seats from the stand and replacing them with standing room increases the capacity. I’d say the new terracing adds a few hundred to the total.

[nigel-harps1954]

Pat's maxed out at 5,015 last season. You'd have to safely assume it's up to 5,500 or thereabouts now, or there'd simply have been no point to their works.

[Elfman]

Am I right in saying the Patrons Stand is all seater and holds 1,000? Any idea how much the Camac Terrace roughly holds?

[BigEars]

Am I right in saying the Patrons Stand is all seater and holds 1,000? Any idea how much the Camac Terrace roughly holds?

I'm not sure how much it officially holds, but it definitely gets above whatever that capacity is meant to be at times. Due to it's popularity, and possibly people not being arsed trying to squirm their way through to get behind the goal, the shed end will often still have space in it, even with a full capacity, and the camac is where a lot of that crowd actually are.

[bohsmug]

Pat's maxed out at 5,015 last season. You'd have to safely assume it's up to 5,500 or thereabouts now, or there'd simply have been no point to their works.

I would think they're close to that number alright but it's not true that there'd be no point to the works regardless. By working on the away end they've significantly increased the home allocation.

For example, the addition of the 450 capacity mono stand in Dalymount increased the home allocation by 50% or so. It can be quite significant. The attendance figures you keep would attest to that. There's more variables and it's not as clean as I'm describing. There were games where opposing fans were permitted to share a stand and some where they weren't. Bohs sellouts in Category A games were 3,600 and now they're in and around 4,500. The typical home allocation went from circa 2,700 to just above 4,000. Huge difference really.

[placid casual]

So if I'm reading that right,it means the away allocation will max out at 500? That's just brilliant.

[2 Year Contract]

So if I'm reading that right,it means the away allocation will max out at 500? That's just brilliant.
Correct. Having seen the work in the flesh tonight, the away end is now half the seating section that there was previously and about a third of the shed end

[Doll]

Derry City new stand behind the City end goal.

http://i.imgur.com/fayjDBz.jpg (https://imgur.com/fayjDBz)
http://i.imgur.com/pbo8tms.jpg (https://imgur.com/pbo8tms)

[Dermobohs]

Should’ve gone five or six rows higher there.