Stadium Updates (All Clubs)

[toffeejay]

Doubt it. Fixing/Replacing the wall on the Lone Moor Road end is due to cost £1 million.




Aye, it's an annual thing we do these days.

2009: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/8299392.stm
2010: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11694478
2011: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12401916
2012: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-17137475

A million? It doesn't even look in bad shape, why would they waste money on that.

[blueblood]

Markets Field coming along nicely, there's a good lot of grass laid and planning permission is lodged, now we'll just have to wait and see who has to object!!! Hopefully we could be there for start of next season with temp seating and portacabin changing rooms.

[bluewhitearmy]

1964

Pictures there that another Limerick fan had on facebook. Can see the grass that was laid at the time he reckons its 1/4 done now.

[Acornvilla]

1964

Pictures there that another Limerick fan had on facebook. Can see the grass that was laid at the time he reckons its 1/4 done now.

Already looks better than Jackman! :P

[Nesta99]

Already looks better than Jackman! :P

and looks like Wembley compared to Rathban

[Lim till i die]

1973197419751976



Already one of the finest grounds in the country. :good:

[Jofspring]

Hoe long does the notice need to be up before granting of permission to start?

One of the local councillors stated a year ago that they could push through the planning permission once they were satisfied with the plans in place and that it meets some issues they were going to raise like a community centre for the local people of Garryowen.

[blueblood]

Markets Field Pre-validation planning application lodged with limerick city council (application no 13141)
Decision due 08/01/14.


The development concists of (1) demolish building onsite, (11) construct 2 x seated covered stands, new entrance, toilet facilities, fencing of pitch area (111) install floodlighting and associated site worksDevelopment Address:Markets Field, Garryowen, Limerick, *

[redobit]

Hoe long does the notice need to be up before granting of permission to start?

One of the local councillors stated a year ago that they could push through the planning permission once they were satisfied with the plans in place and that it meets some issues they were going to raise like a community centre for the local people of Garryowen.

A lot depends on how good the pre-planning was, how much further information is needed (if any) any if there is any objections. Min. length to get planning - 3 months. Max length - a lot longer. What happens on the Decision Date will tell the tale.

[Jofspring]

Fingers crossed so no hiccups or objections. Could be looking at a month or two in Thomond park and a move then maybe.

[gufcfan]

Very happy for you lot, good to see it progressing.

[dundalkfc10]

Fingers crossed so no hiccups or objections. Could be looking at a month or two in Thomond park and a move then maybe.

Hope were playing use in the opening month so

Best trip of the season (untill we went from 2-0 up to 3-2 down)

Was near 40 of us that stayed over, Bus down, out to the pub your singing section drink in, great craic in the smoking area, into Thomand (Pints before the game and at half time) and a night out in limerick city (women up there with Northern women IMO)

[nigel-harps1954]

Demolish the existing building? Does that include the existing stand? I thought that was just being done up, or is there another building on site?

[Jofspring]

Demolish the existing building? Does that include the existing stand? I thought that was just being done up, or is there another building on site?

It was originally supposed to be done up but the plans may have changed. I don't even know if the ledp are going with the plans Limerick FC had drawn up.

[Jofspring]

Hope were playing use in the opening month so

Best trip of the season (untill we went from 2-0 up to 3-2 down)

Was near 40 of us that stayed over, Bus down, out to the pub your singing section drink in, great craic in the smoking area, into Thomand (Pints before the game and at half time) and a night out in limerick city (women up there with Northern women IMO)

The Markets Field will be even closer to town and have loads of pubs in the area so it should make for a good away day/night over.

Agree about the women. One of the best things about the city.

[Lim till i die]

Theres two other buildings besides that stand, theres the bars next to it and the kennels.

Planning application worries me a small bit, there'll be thosands of objections to the floodlights, would have preferred if they built the place then went looking for lights!

Still great to see though.

[Sean South]

(women up there with Northern women IMO)
Classless sluts?

[Lim till i die]

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view4/2040967/hindenburg-o.gif

[NeverFeltBetter]

The plans that have been lodged are significantly different to the stuff that has been shown previously by the club. A lot of small changes here and there, but most significantly, a huge reduction in the expected maximum capacity. A lot of fans are very unhappy.

[Jofspring]

I can't get the plans up but I always thought the delay was that the ledp were changing the plans.

If it's smaller there isn't much can be done about it. Financing a possible issue? The plans the club showed looked like a pretty expensive idea.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Planning application site uses DJVU for scanned files, IE might be able to open them, did for me. Awkward way to do it.

Anyway, the plans say the existing stand is being upgraded to 900 seats, a new, smaller stand will be put next to it for another 300, then another small stand behind one of the goal for 300 (away fans). The rest is terraces, for 1200 capacity. So, 2'700 or so, which is smaller than many attendances this year. Plus, floodlights, generator, pump room, media room, new toilets,etc.

[Jofspring]

I wouldn't mind that once there is scope to put new stands in down the line if our fan base grows. Having a crowd of 2,500 with the place looking pretty much full would be good in my opinion.

[Dodge]

Yeah, how many of those attendances over 2,500 were part of the novelty of Thomond. 2,700 sounds tiny but in reality it'd be big enough for 90% of LOI games.

[Longfordian]

Novelty of being back in the Premier Division could also wear off after a while.

[mcgonigle]

Yeah, how many of those attendances over 2,500 were part of the novelty of Thomond. 2,700 sounds tiny but in reality it'd be big enough for 90% of LOI games.

Maybe for Pats, but we bring thousands to away games :p

[NeverFeltBetter]

I tempered my reaction with the knowledge of our (and the leagues) average attendance certainly, but I still feel there is a certain lack of ambition in these plans. 8'000 capacity was a distant aspiration meant for better times that few took seriously, but I feel this is too conservative, too far in the other direction. Could the same effort and finances not have been put into "doing up" Jackman Park if this was the goal?

Of course, it isn't the club making these plans, so cest la vie. There are advantages, in terms of atmosphere I suppose, to having a lay-out where the stadium has more likelihood of being full.

[Charlie Darwin]

I tempered my reaction with the knowledge of our (and the leagues) average attendance certainly, but I still feel there is a certain lack of ambition in these plans. 8'000 capacity was a distant aspiration meant for better times that few took seriously, but I feel this is too conservative, too far in the other direction. Could the same effort and finances not have been put into "doing up" Jackman Park if this was the goal?
I doubt the LEPD would have been involved if it had just been about doing up Jackman. The LEPD owns Markets Field as far as I know so they were always going to want to develop it.

[citybone]

Better off with a small ground and build a good atmosphere. average attendance will mean its more than half full. In Cork its 3/4 empty most of the time which aint great. Im sure they can expand at a later point when needed. I hope the 1,200 terracing has a roof! Im guessing there was planning objections and they made a reapplication. The height of the original stands may have been too high for neighbours or something. If they leave the 1,200 terracing uncovered it will be terrible for atmosphere and crowds.

[bluewhitearmy]

Better off with a small ground and build a good atmosphere. average attendance will mean its more than half full. In Cork its 3/4 empty most of the time which aint great. Im sure they can expand at a later point when needed. I hope the 12,000 terracing has a roof! Im guessing there was planning objections and they made a reapplication. The height of the original stands may have been too high for neighbours or something. If they leave the 12,000 terracing uncovered it will be terrible for atmosphere and crowds.

The atmosphere wont be good because of how open it will be imo.

There wont be any expansion.

12,000? Terracing wont be covered.

This is the first planning application.

[citybone]

Planning application site uses DJVU for scanned files, IE might be able to open them, did for me. Awkward way to do it.

Anyway, the plans say the existing stand is being upgraded to 900 seats, a new, smaller stand will be put next to it for another 300, then another small stand behind one of the goal for 300 (away fans). The rest is terraces, for 1200 capacity. So, 2'700 or so, which is smaller than many attendances this year. Plus, floodlights, generator, pump room, media room, new toilets,etc.


Better off with a small ground and build a good atmosphere. average attendance will mean its more than half full. In Cork its 3/4 empty most of the time which aint great. Im sure they can expand at a later point when needed. I hope the 12,000 terracing has a roof! Im guessing there was planning objections and they made a reapplication. The height of the original stands may have been too high for neighbours or something. If they leave the 12,000 terracing uncovered it will be terrible for atmosphere and crowds.


The atmosphere wont be good because of how open it will be imo.

There wont be any expansion.

12,000? Terracing wont be covered.

This is the first planning application.

Oops i added a 0

[Jofspring]

I revise my statement about the reduced capacity. Capacity isn't the problem. Rubbish plans are. It like some random people that have never been to a sporting event in their lives decided the plans.

[Lim till i die]

Word from the public meeting tonight is that if planning is granted (and there was no significant objections at meeting) the Markets Field will be ready for March.

These boys don't mess about!!




Except for when it comes to planning and designing and stuff...

[gufcfan]

... the Markets Field will be ready for March.

March, but what year? :D

Good to hear, if it works out like that.

Markets field in my diary for sometime in March so.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Four months and change. Tight deadline going into winter, even with this reduced project.

[Jofspring]

From comments on twitter is seems the markets field will be very small with no permanent bar just temp ones on match day. We will be renting it and have use for 20 games a season. European games if we were to get there would be moved to Thomond Park. After years of talk about limerick going back to the markets field and having a home of our own it is most certainly a let down. It is said there is space for further development down the line but to be honest I can't see there ever being a need for it.

After years of promises and build up it is going to be a let down for a lot of people and I find it hard to see how it will capture the imagination of the limerick public.

[bluewhitearmy]

From comments on twitter is seems the markets field will be very small with no permanent bar just temp ones on match day. We will be renting it and have use for 20 games a season. European games if we were to get there would be moved to Thomond Park. After years of talk about limerick going back to the markets field and having a home of our own it is most certainly a let down. It is said there is space for further development down the line but to be honest I can't see there ever being a need for it.

After years of promises and build up it is going to be a let down for a lot of people and I find it hard to see how it will capture the imagination of the limerick public.


That decision is shocking considering there is a bar in there already.

[Charlie Darwin]

From comments on twitter is seems the markets field will be very small with no permanent bar just temp ones on match day. We will be renting it and have use for 20 games a season. European games if we were to get there would be moved to Thomond Park. After years of talk about limerick going back to the markets field and having a home of our own it is most certainly a let down. It is said there is space for further development down the line but to be honest I can't see there ever being a need for it.

After years of promises and build up it is going to be a let down for a lot of people and I find it hard to see how it will capture the imagination of the limerick public.
Is this surprising though? The LEDP owns the venue and will be funding it. Surely they intend to have it as a going concern that makes money for them and allows them to funnel money back into it and to other projects. The LEDP aren't stupid - if there is capacity for sustainable expansion at MF, they'll do it. If Lims are bringing in the crowds, they'll be delighted to expand the venue again. It sounds like a good, sustainable project with room for manoeuvre if/when Lims expand their base.

The only baffling decision is the lack of a permanent bar, which with 1,000 people on a weekend night should be a guaranteed money-maker.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Lack of a bar very disappointing, what a lost opportunity for revenue.

Sinn Fein councillor Maurice Quinlivan on Facebook a while ago:


Had a look at the news plans this afternoon to revamp the stadium (well!) and Bring Limerick FC home to the Markets Field. Could be z great boost for he entire City.

LimerickFC are consulting with the Garryowen Community tonight in the local school.......that's how you get community support. Lesson for some other people!!

Aside from the obvious mistake in this statement showcasing some ignorance, I'm getting the sense that many people in Limerick won't quite get why these plans are far from perfect, if they look into it at all. Counsellors even more so, several of whom previously threatened to delay the project at stages, but who won't dare be a roadblock with a brutal election campaign coming up when the councils merge.

[galwayhoop]

No chance that you'll get planning by March never mind planning and construction.

Unfortunately some do-gooder or tree hugger will object to the plans thus pushing completion back till end of next season at least.

That said its good to see plans progressing albeit disappointing that it won't be owned by the club and at the scale originally envisaged.

[NeverFeltBetter]

I doubt many Limerick fans think they'll be in MF by March. Very optimistic timetable.

[Jofspring]

Is this surprising though? The LEDP owns the venue and will be funding it. Surely they intend to have it as a going concern that makes money for them and allows them to funnel money back into it and to other projects. The LEDP aren't stupid - if there is capacity for sustainable expansion at MF, they'll do it. If Lims are bringing in the crowds, they'll be delighted to expand the venue again. It sounds like a good, sustainable project with room for manoeuvre if/when Lims expand their base.

The only baffling decision is the lack of a permanent bar, which with 1,000 people on a weekend night should be a guaranteed money-maker.

I can understand the LEDP airing on the side of caution and maybe being a bit conservative but it seems to me like its gone way too far in that direction.

There are going to be a lot of of very disappointed people in limerick. For me personally it's the most disappointed I have been since I started heading to LOI games.

For years most the regulars have talked about how great it would be to be able to head up to the markets field have couple of pints in the bar, watch the game back for a few more after it and make it a real club atmosphere and a night out. All that in my opinion is gone out the window.

It's going to be very hard to convince people to come down to games after all the hype of a move back over the years and how great it will be to have a home for limerick football with great facilities. There are so many naysayers in limerick and this is a great victory for them.

I hope to god I am proved wrong when the ground re-opens and it turns out to be a great facility to go watch games in but sadly I can't see I will be.

[Jofspring]

No chance that you'll get planning by March never mind planning and construction.

Unfortunately some do-gooder or tree hugger will object to the plans thus pushing completion back till end of next season at least.

That said its good to see plans progressing albeit disappointing that it won't be owned by the club and at the scale originally envisaged.

I never saw us having it near the scale the club envisaged but I also never thought it would go so far in the opposite direction.

[Lim till i die]

A lot of Limerick fans hoping it doesnt get done in its present form full stop id say never mind by March!

Like jof says i think its the absence of an actual home in the form of a club house thats depressing people the most. If you had that to build a club around you could almost get over the rubbish ground (most grounds being rubbish anyway)

As it is we're just primary renters.

We'll be in there 20 days a year.

Schools rugby will prpbably be in there 10.

Ditto underage GAA.

Theres actually far less going for us there than Rovers would have in Tallaght where at least they have a members bar and a shop/cafe which enabled them to put down roots.

Most worryingly in the medium (and it could be shorter than that!) term our new present of a stadium will probably put the clubs future competitiveness in danger as theres more or less zero scope for making money in the ground.

Limerick FC playing out of the markets field without Pat O'Sullivan will be of the.Mike Kerley in Pike vintage rather than the Stuart Taylor vintage.

Ultimately the club\fans need to seriously start looking down the road of some kind of trust\members club.

Is the interest there for that in the town at the moment? Nope.

Can that interest be generated without a proper home? That'll be the challenge but I'd doubt it.

[Charlie Darwin]

I can understand the LEDP airing on the side of caution and maybe being a bit conservative but it seems to me like its gone way too far in that direction.

But that's what happens when you're not building your own stadium. I'm saying that in a Shamrock Rovers "we were at the mercy of the people who built our stadium" way, not the smug Sligo Rovers/Bohemians/Pats "we bought a stadium 50 years ago, the rest of you are all tenants hahaha" way. Do you not think Rovers fans would have loved a 10,000-seater stadium in Tallaght? We would have loved it, but we couldn't do it. Pat O'Sullivan is a wealthy man and he could have built his own 10,000-seater stadium, but he decided it was best for himself and Limerick FC to go the tenancy route, and the simple fact of the matter is that somebody else was taking the financial risk (in this case JP McManus) so you have to be content with what they decide. You can disagree with their final assessment, but you can't say they've let anyone down as they are the ones who are ultimately on the chain.

[Jofspring]

But that's what happens when you're not building your own stadium. I'm saying that in a Shamrock Rovers "we were at the mercy of the people who built our stadium" way, not the smug Sligo Rovers/Bohemians/Pats "we bought a stadium 50 years ago, the rest of you are all tenants hahaha" way. Do you not think Rovers fans would have loved a 10,000-seater stadium in Tallaght? We would have loved it, but we couldn't do it. Pat O'Sullivan is a wealthy man and he could have built his own 10,000-seater stadium, but he decided it was best for himself and Limerick FC to go the tenancy route, and the simple fact of the matter is that somebody else was taking the financial risk (in this case JP McManus) so you have to be content with what they decide. You can disagree with their final assessment, but you can't say they've let anyone down as they are the ones who are ultimately on the chain.

That's all understandable but could you imagine if when building Tallaght they said you would have one small stand, no bar/food/clubhouse and if ye play in Europe ye would need to go somewhere else. It would have really ****ed off rovers fans I'm sure.

[Dodge]

That's all understandable but could you imagine if when building Tallaght they said you would have one small stand, no bar/food/clubhouse and if ye play in Europe ye would need to go somewhere else. It would have really ****ed off rovers fans I'm sure.
When Tallaght was opened it did have one stand and no bar/food/clubhouse. That same year they played a league game in Tolka as Tallaght was unavailable (as the council prettied it up for a friendly).

Even now they don't have a full bar license. The Glenamalure suite sells bottles and is open for a couple of hours to very limited numbers. They share it with every other function in the stadium. Even memorabilia wise there's as much rugby there as football. They sell burgers from stalls in much the same way as every other ground in the country

This isn't me having a pop at Rovers. This is me saying that you're overthinking the Market's Field situation. Only 14 months ago you were playing in probably the worst ground in the league. Next season, you'll have a nice tidy little ground that you can build on. Do you think the lack of a bar stops Sligo fans from enjoying trips to the Showgrounds? Lack of ownership is no impediment in Cork or Rovers making Turners Cross or Tallaght "their" home.

You might be disappointed that the plans have been scaled back but Limerick are still in the best situation they've been in for 20 years. A little perspective is needed IMO

[Jofspring]

When Tallaght was opened it did have one stand and no bar/food/clubhouse. That same year they played a league game in Tolka as Tallaght was unavailable (as the council prettied it up for a friendly).

Even now they don't have a full bar license. The Glenamalure suite sells bottles and is open for a couple of hours to very limited numbers. They share it with every other function in the stadium. Even memorabilia wise there's as much rugby there as football. They sell burgers from stalls in much the same way as every other ground in the country

This isn't me having a pop at Rovers. This is me saying that you're overthinking the Market's Field situation. Only 14 months ago you were playing in probably the worst ground in the league. Next season, you'll have a nice tidy little ground that you can build on. Do you think the lack of a bar stops Sligo fans from enjoying trips to the Showgrounds? Lack of ownership is no impediment in Cork or Rovers making Turners Cross or Tallaght "their" home.

You might be disappointed that the plans have been scaled back but Limerick are still in the best situation they've been in for 20 years. A little perspective is needed IMO

Hopefully the part in bold is the case. I'd certainly be happy with a tidy little ground. The plans don't even look like that will be case but as I said above hopefully I'm proved wrong.

[A face]

Hopefully the part in bold is the case. I'd certainly be happy with a tidy little ground. The plans don't even look like that will be case but as I said above hopefully I'm proved wrong.

Are the updated plans online anywhere?

[Jofspring]

There is a few links there to the plans and a few pages back from the end there is an image uploaded of the plans.

http://foot.ie/threads/149738-Markets-Field-Renovations

[nigel-harps1954]

I think Limerick fans have every right to be annoyed. After the plans initially shown for MF to be diluted into a slightly fancier version of Jackman, I'd be disgusted if it were me.
The plans are shockingly bad when you get a look at them.