Club Licensing News

[Snoop Drog]

United Park has hosted two UEFA games before:us Vs Spurs and (about 8 or 9 years ago) Craptown Vs Malmo but I believe the minimum stadium requirements have increased dramatically since then.

[OneRedArmy]

I don't know - the debt is gone, the team are full time, the directors are razor sharp business men, a big trophy is finally won. We have progressed immensely from where we were when Mr Roddy launched his one man campaign against us.
In 2007 we will be playing in the best ground in the league so let me ask you -what will you be whinging about then .....

On a small point of note - United Park is up to UEFA standards. We could play our games there if we want to. Of course we would only get 400 at the game it would just mean closing off sections off the ground - has that been done recently by any of the other Euro contenders??? or even eircom league contenders???

Where you will be playing in 2007 is irrelevant for this coming seasons European ties (not to mention that 2007 seems optimistic for a stadium that construction hasn`t even started on).

Re your question on closing parts of the ground, Derry will be required to limit capacity to 2,500 seats, as we did against Apoel Nicosia in 2003.

If Drogheda had to limit United Park to the seated stand, you`d be better off playing the match on the Belfast train as it has more seats...

[Snoop Drog]

Good suggestion but I don't think the Enterprise meets UEFA pitch minimum width standards

We had a better record in Dublin last season than we had at home so it all might work to our advantage.

[Cosmo]

as can be seen by many members of this forum voting it their favourite away ground.

thats because its a good old fashioned ground, a kip maybe, but a proper old style football ground (which supporters from English and scottish clubs over the years have commented on when theyve visited - too much of this all seater stadium stuff which is partly killing the atmospheres in england - though we have to move with the times - dont want to be playing our champions league matches in dublin in a couple of years time ). Proper terracing, youre on top of the pitch, away fans have their own shed - cant see how that can be beaten in the eyes of a traditional football supporter!!

[pete]

United Park is a football ground in that it is close to the action & pretty much no facilties. Sure its only a 3 sided ground & thats being generous. Best thing is the bar.

[NY Hoop]

By our league's standards Drogheda's ground is far from being a kip. The whole place is covered and you can watch the match from the bar. IMO it is one of the best grounds in the league.

As for the cork fan slagging Drogheda about facilities

KOH

[SeanDrog]

United Park is a football ground in that it is close to the action & pretty much no facilties. Sure its only a 3 sided ground & thats being generous. Best thing is the bar.

What are you talking about - no facilties - what do you want - a tennis court??

We have toilets, club bar, refs room, changing rooms showers, club house, both mani terraces are concrete based and covered , flood lights, dug outs (cool ones at that) - no facilities

And also we have one of the best kept pitches in the league (probably the most important facility). Look at the state of Tolka half the time its like a worn out rug.

Utd Park is old but keep very tidy, has all the neccessaries and for people to call it a kip because it only has 400 seats and is mainly terrace based if rubbish.

[Cosmo]

Wouldn't mind Pete Sean, he seems to like having a dig at drogheda.

Sure look at his earlier post on this thread. He still hasnt explained how the club lacked ambition by nominating a uefa standard ground to play our european matches there while waiting for our new sports/ commercial complex to be built!! Awaiting with interest for that explanation !

[Cosmo]

Look at the state of Tolka half the time its like a worn out rug.

Or turners cross for that matter

[pete]

Wouldn't mind Pete Sean, he seems to like having a dig at drogheda.

I think it would be great to have ye in new stadium in 12 months but that won't happen. Maybe i'm cynical but i think ye need to be more realistic. Sure Rovers were supposed to be in Tallaght 5 years ago...

[Celdrog]

I think it would be great to have ye in new stadium in 12 months but that won't happen. Maybe i'm cynical but i think ye need to be more realistic. Sure Rovers were supposed to be in Tallaght 5 years ago...

So we have a right know all - you know more than the Drogs directors - bet you even thought that there was no way that Drogs would easily win the cup final.
From the Indo (and Drogs MB)

Drogheda to show way with new stadium

Gerry McDermott

EIRCOM League clubs are losing thousands of euro every year because of the poor standard of facilities at most grounds.

They are struggling to rectify the situation because the majority are cash-strapped entities living on a week to week existence and unable to generate the large amount of capital funding need to undertake ground developments.

Under the FAI Licensing programme clubs were asked to draw up a club infrastructure plan which must deliver the criteria looked for by 2010.

This includes a set number of covered seats, bigger dressing rooms, improved floodlighting, proper turnstiles, effective ticketing systems, control rooms, first aid rooms and media facilities.

Meeting their licensing requirements is the primary objective of all clubs and so tight are their budgets that there is usually no money left to include the type of facilities that could generate income for clubs outside of match days like bars, restaurants, conference centres and meeting rooms.

Little wonder then that the FAI and clubs are closely looking at a revolutionary new system that can cut the costs of building sporting infrastructure by up to 50 per cent.

Drogheda United are set to announce that their new 10,000-seater stadium on the edge of the town is to be built by Sports Facilities International.

Permission

Within six months of planning permission being granted, Drogheda United will be handed the keys to a brand new stadium which will be ready to move into and will come with a guaranteed life of at least 60 years. SFI will do everything from building the stands, laying the pitch, installing the floodlights, erecting electronic scoreboards and providing a ticketing system and all for around €10m, or €1,000 per seat.

That's a lot cheaper than the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road which is going to cost €7,300 per seat and that's why SFI are set to revolutionise the sports stadium markets by being able to deliver affordable stadiums up to a capacity of 40,000.

Drogheda United director Chris Byrne explained that the cost savings were a huge attraction for them.

"We have been working on this project for the last two years and went all over Europe looking at stadiums. We saw SFI's work when we visited Gloucester Rugby Club and saw the new stand they had built there for 55 per cent of the cost of a conventional building."

SFI was born after its Project and Operations Director Edward McCarthy was involved in a plan to build a new stadium for Brazilian club Corinthians in Sao Paulo. The project collapsed because the costs were prohibitive and it was while searching for a way to build a stadium without breaking the bank that McCarthy discovered a new way of tackling the project.

"We use steel which is pre-engineered in a factory and then erected on site. We don't need deep foundations.

"The foundations of an orthodox stadium could be 13 metres deep whereas ours would only require foundations that are one or two metres deep.

Savings

"There are huge savings using this modular approach and we offer a turn-key package as well as building stadiums in steps depending on the clients' budget and plans for the future.

"It's basically like working with a Meccano set and we can dismantle a stand and erect it elsewhere if necessary. The flexible construction means that seating capacities can be increased at a later stage by simply removing the roof, raising a tier, and replacing the roof."

SFI are currently building a new 6,000-seater stadium for Scottish club Gretna and a 20,000-seater for Royal Antwerp which will also include a casino plus retail and commercial facilities.

They have also made presentations to UEFA, the FAI, the GAA and the World Cup Cricket Committee and gained approval from each organisation for their stadium concept.

The FAI are also likely to look at the SFI method when it comes to building the proposed 20,000-seater stadium at Abbotstown.

FAI Licensing Manager Bob Breen admits that Eircom League clubs could find the method an attractive way of implementing their club infrastructure plans.

"We are looking at this very closely to see if it can be more cost efficient than the traditional methods because it would have great appeal by delivering better value for money especially as most clubs use government grants to fund their projects," said Breen

[OneRedArmy]

"2 metre foundations" and "ready to occupy 6 months after planning permission granted"...................

"Lego don't do football stadiums, but if they did.................."

Seriously though, the whole thing sounds brilliant, but they clearly haven't dealt with Irish builders. 6 months sounds, ahem, a bit optimistic!

They've been building a wheelchair ramp at my local DART station for the last 8 months and it still isn't finished.

[Cosmo]

but they clearly haven't dealt with Irish builders. 6 months sounds, ahem, a bit optimistic!
.

Eh one of the directors owns a big construction company so I would guess they've a fair idea what they're talking about

[Macy]

Utd Park is old but keep very tidy, has all the neccessaries and for people to call it a kip because it only has 400 seats and is mainly terrace based if rubbish.

No I do like old style grounds, like Richer and United Park. However, the steps in the away terrace are far too deep. It has a low roof which aids atmosphere, but as a terrace and for view it is shít. Needs another 3 steps for every one of the existing.

[pete]

"2 metre foundations" and "ready to occupy 6 months after planning permission granted"...................

6 months might be fine but in Ireland can take long time to get planning permission. If its ready in 3 years i'd be amazed.

[Macy]

btw, I'm disappointed that none of the new grounds have gone for safe standing areas, as they do in Germany.

Opportunity missed by Cork imo, as it was replacing a standing area, and also obviously most popular area at United Park was the shed too. My one remaining hope is that the 400 Club can convince SDCC of the merits for the stand the other side of the pitch...

I'd also say the so called far sighted GAA never included a safe standing area in Croke Park, and instead went for a traditional terrace. No mention for Lansdowne - and would've been extra capacity for the rugger buggers if not for football. Once again, too caught up with UK rather than looking at longer distance solutions.

[Poor Student]

btw, I'm disappointed that none of the new grounds have gone for safe standing areas, as they do in Germany.

Actually that's a good point, I forgot we're not bound by the Taylor report, we could actually legally have safe terraces in Ireland. Why are clubs forgoing this?

[Mr A]

Actually that's a good point, I forgot we're not bound by the Taylor report, we could actually legally have safe terraces in Ireland. Why are clubs forgoing this?

I think because it's very expensive to put in place compared to just seating the areas in question.

[Schumi]

Would Safe Satnding areas be usable for European games though?

[OneRedArmy]

Would Safe Satnding areas be usable for European games though?

Yes, you just fold down the seats.