Stadium Updates (All Clubs)

[punkrocket]

What was supposed to happen in phase 2 of The Brandywell redevelopment? I can't find any plans anywhere.

[EatYerGreens]

What was supposed to happen in phase 2 of The Brandywell redevelopment? I can't find any plans anywhere.

That big new stand on one side of the ground is so small because they only built the middle section of it. It's supposed to have the same size again added on each side to complete it, with corporate boxes etc at the top. And proper toilets underneath, as all they have there at the moment are temporary ones inside container units.

It would look great once completed, but the LOI has a habit of stadium plans never getting to their final stage. It's also rumoured that the foundations for the 2 wings on either side of the existing stand weren't put in when the rest was built - which if true would suggest either short-sightedness, ridiculous penny-pinching, or a lack of faith that the rest would ever get done.

[EalingGreen]

Only one phase of the Brandywell redevelopment has been completed, we were promised by Martin McGuinness and the Executive that funding to complete the work was guaranteed (see https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern...-west-38158441 )

That has went without further mention in recent years and I firmly suspect the Brandywell will now remain untouched for years, in all likelihood until it again falls into a state of disrepair.

The half stand we have should not be as such. That original intent (or so we were all told) was for that to be completed.

Thanks for that DCWA.

I would actually be more optimistic that this Sub-Regional funding will emerge reasonably soon (that's "reasonable" in Stormont terms, btw ), since afaik the money was ring-fenced.

The suspension of Stormont obviously didn't help and 5 years after the funding was first announced, they can't really just dust off the old plans and work to them as if nothing had happened in the meantime.

But they do appear to be looking seriously at it again, so maybe the Brandywell will get the next tranche sooner than you fear?

And without looking to score political points, the fact that Nichola Mallon (SDLP) is Infrastructure Minister may help, since she/her party might be expected to hope to gain credit in Derry by spending money there.

[EalingGreen]

Are you suggesting the Irish government is capable of feeling shame?

Fair do's, you got me there, Chief!

[EalingGreen]

That big new stand on one side of the ground is so small because they only built the middle section of it. It's supposed to have the same size again added on each side to complete it, with corporate boxes etc at the top. And proper toilets underneath, as all they have there at the moment are temporary ones inside container units.

It would look great once completed, but the LOI has a habit of stadium plans never getting to their final stage.

Except that it's not really dependant upon the LOI.

The money is there at Stormont - it's just a case of getting the folks on the hill to release it.

It's also rumoured that the foundations for the 2 wings on either side of the existing stand weren't put in when the rest was built - which if true would suggest either short-sightedness, ridiculous penny-pinching, or a lack of faith that the rest would ever get done.

Them Derry wans dealing in rumours?

No way, that's impossible!

[EatYerGreens]

Except that it's not really dependant upon the LOI.

The money is there at Stormont - it's just a case of getting the folks on the hill to release it.

I know it's not dependent upon the LOI. No stadium funding is, as it has no money . It's just that there is a habit of stadium projects not being completed in the LOI (regardless of why).

Derry's problem will be that Irish League club Institute are also looking for a new stadium in the city and have been homeless for a few years now. Plus as anyone who's been up there can attest, the Brandywell works fine as it is now for Derry City's needs. So if money is tight and/or there are a lot of mouths that need to be fed from it, I would question the Brandywell's chances personally. It may need a political decision to get it over the line - but isn't that what got the whole northern stadium funding into delays and trouble a few years back?

[bohsmug]

Hopefully there is a lot of movement on stadiums up north. Enough that it annoys clubs down here into serious lobbying. Interesting that Larne, Ballymena and Carrick Rangers joined forces and formed a lobbying group.

[oriel]

Simple reason for this with NI clubs getting bigger grants, even though GAA is the biggest sport in NI, for their obvious split community there, the 'soccer' crowd get decent grants to keep the other side happy.

[EalingGreen]

I know it's not dependent upon the LOI. No stadium funding is, as it has no money . It's just that there is a habit of stadium projects not being completed in the LOI (regardless of why).

You say "regardless of why", yet you correctly identify the "why" yourself - neither the FAI, LOI nor individual clubs can persuade the Irish govt or local councils to make proper funding available.

Yet DCFC have already proved they can be the exception to the rule by getting funding (from the Council?) for Phase 1 of the redevelopment of the B'well.

Meanwhile, overall funding for NI regional stadia is already there, and Ministers like to be seen to be giving out money, since it makes them popular with the voters. Now I can accept that Stormont's record in getting properly organised on this front is p iss-poor, but the IFA (and others) now appear to be lobbying hard, and since it's not new money they're seeking, they must have a good case.

For example, the IFA got in early in claiming Covid money from Stormont; it was announced the other day that the IFA itself would get £1.7m, whilst 77 clubs and leagues within NI would share a further £4.8m.

And there is more to come later in the month (though other sports will likely get the lion's share of the next tranche):
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/s...-40165460.html

Derry's problem will be that Irish League club Institute are also looking for a new stadium in the city and have been homeless for a few years now. Plus as anyone who's been up there can attest, the Brandywell works fine as it is now for Derry City's needs. So if money is tight and/or there are a lot of mouths that need to be fed from it, I would question the Brandywell's chances personally. It may need a political decision to get it over the line - but isn't that what got the whole northern stadium funding into delays and trouble a few years back?

Stute's case is separate from DCFC's, and will be treated accordingly.

Meanwhile, the fact that they're sharing the B'well will, if anything, make it more likely that stadium funding will be released, not less.

And in this particular case, the SDLP's Mallon will want to give SF "a poke in the eye" by getting money to Derry, just the same as she gave the go-ahead the other day to the redevelopment of Casement Park, right in the heart of SF's West Belfast heartland.

If nothing else, if/when the Glens get their £10m released - and they're hinting about big plans lately - there will be no excuse for not giving DCFC their money.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56244512

[EalingGreen]

Simple reason for this with NI clubs getting bigger grants, even though GAA is the biggest sport in NI, for their obvious split community there, the 'soccer' crowd get decent grants to keep the other side happy.

It's a whole lot more nuamced than that, I can tell you.

For one thing, the British Government pumped hundreds of millions into upgrading stadia in GB after Hillsborough (all-seater etc), yet neglected to do the same in NI, even despite enforcing much stricter H&S rules.

Eventually they were persuaded that local sports facilities in NI were barely 3rd World, so redirected some proper money our way. Their initial hope was a shared stadium at The Maze, costing over £100m, but when it finally dawned on them that the figures simply didn't add up re future use and sustainability etc, they changed tack.

Consequently they gave £20m to Ulster Rugby to rebuild Ravenhill, £35m to the IFA to rebuild Windsor, with £62m due to the GAA for Casement.

Leaving aside the Casement debacle, there was also £36m earmarked for smaller ("sub-regional") football stadia, with c.£20m of it to be split between Glentoran and DCFC, and the rest divvied up amongst smaller projects.

(Think I have those figures correct)

Anyhow, I'd be confident that it is still a case of "when" rather than "whether".

[bohsmug]

I wonder how much it is envisaged that Larne's main stand would cost? My understanding is the church end stand will be done regardless of public funding but that this main stand is reliant on some form of grant.

https://www.jpeplanning.com/app/uplo...Elevations.pdf

[EalingGreen]

Hopefully there is a lot of movement on stadiums up north. Enough that it annoys clubs down here into serious lobbying. Interesting that Larne, Ballymena and Carrick Rangers joined forces and formed a lobbying group.

Insofar as football has any "vote-buying power" in NI (not much, in truth), then I'd say East Antrim might be more receptive than most.

They're helped by the fact that the local council already owns Ballymena's ground (and keep it pretty tidy, tbf), and also that Larne's new benefactor has pumped a lot of money into making Inver Park a good wee ground, along with big plans for the team (eg f-t football), while he is also looking to build a new hotel in the town:
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/b...-39279596.html

[boynemunich]

Drogheda have missed out on government funding for the Northern Port access route which was to be the trigger for 1000's of homes to be built and the new Drogheda stadium, something our chairman was talking about in a recent podcast. It's a real kick in the teeth for the town as government have turned a blind eye to Drogheda once again and another obstacle in the way for the stadium being built.

[EalingGreen]

I wonder how much it is envisaged that Larne's main stand would cost? My understanding is the church end stand will be done regardless of public funding but that this main stand is reliant on some form of grant.

https://www.jpeplanning.com/app/uplo...Elevations.pdf

Interesting stuff, bm.

I'd say Larne's benefactor, Kenny Bruce, is very well clued-up on such things, what with his having made his own money in the property business. Meaning that as well as putting a lot of that money into Inver, he's likely confident of finding the rest of the money from somewhere.

Larne certainly did ok in getting a good share of the Covid money handed out the other day: £453k out of £4.8m handed out to 77 different clubs and leagues within NI:
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/s...-40165460.html

[EalingGreen]

Re Larne, I've just found some more info (on the club website, funnily enough!)

Seems work on the new Church End stand started in December, so the funding must already be in place, as you say:
"The construction of the new 600-seat stand, is a project which has been supported by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, with the process to remove the old terracing having already got underway.
Once complete, the new complex will give the provision of 600 seats, including space for wheelchair users. The stand will also include toilet facilities, food servery, drugs and treatment rooms. It will also allow the club to satisfy the requirements of both domestic and UEFA licensing.

The work [on the Church End stand], being carried out by Whiteside Contracting Limited, represents Phase 7 of the redevelopment of Inver Park, which began two and half years ago... ... the construction team have set the target of having the work complete by Spring 2021.

The previous phases, which have all been completed at the stadium, are:

Replacement synthetic pitch
Erection of new state-of-the-art floodlighting
Improvement works to existing Landmark stand and terrace
Construction of McKay Stand
Construction of Camera Gantry
Refurbishment of Players Changing Rooms"

https://www.larnefc.com/construction...gets-underway/

As for a new Main Stand, it doesn't say exactly how/when, but they do say:
"Phase 8 will be the replacement of the current Landmark Main Stand, with the planning application having been lodged at the beginning of this week."

Progressive wee club.

P.S. Found some pics of the ground, incl. this one which shows what the new Church End Stand will be replacing:



More here: https://footballgroundguide.com/leag...ark-larne.html

[Nesta99]

Not directly about stadia but an interesting insight nonetheless. Yesterday funding was announced for urban regeneration in areas of the North-East, the vast majority of that money was allocated to projects in Monaghan and Cavan Towns and Dundalk. The sh1t storm it has kicked up in Drogheda is something to behold - not the Monaghan or Cavan projects but the Dundalk ones. Tbh I was quite surprised by the rabid reaction to funding for a Dundalk project on LMFM phone ins and whatever will appear in print media this week. Im finding it a bit on the amusing side tbh and Drogheda proposals weren't completely left out!

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/...tion-projects/

If there was as much effort put in to funding applications by counsellors than looking up the M1 to see what 'em ones are getting Drogheda would have its own airport by now!! Just imagine it was for a stand at Oriel Park...

[EatYerGreens]

Stute's case is separate from DCFC's, and will be treated accordingly.

With so many clubs looking for money from the same pot and given the green-orange nature of doling money out up there, I'd be surprised if Derry got funding for 2 separate stadiums.

Meanwhile, the fact that they're sharing the B'well will, if anything, make it more likely that stadium funding will be released, not less.

That doesn't figure if, as you say, the two cases are separate. And also if Stute are applying for fundng specifically so they have somewhere else to no longer need to play at the Brandywell (non sequitur).

And in this particular case, the SDLP's Mallon will want to give SF "a poke in the eye" by getting money to Derry, just the same as she gave the go-ahead the other day to the redevelopment of Casement Park, right in the heart of SF's West Belfast heartland.

Nichola Malloon is the Transport Minister, so will have nothing to do with the stadium money. It'll be entirely down to the Sports Minister - who's Sinn Féin.

I hope Derry get the funding, as it would be an excellent stadium with that side done fully. I just don't have a lot of faith in the way things are done in NI. Especially when you'll have a lot of clubs and people claiming that Derry should get nothing as they 'don't even play in the North'.

[Bucket]

Surely the next phase of the Brandywell should be behind the goals?

[EatYerGreens]

Surely the next phase of the Brandywell should be behind the goals?

Makes sense to finish the other two-thirds of the big stand along the side of the pitch. Better views, proper toilets, corporate boxes, presumably a shop/food stall or two. None of those things would be going in a much smaller space behind the goals.

Though you'd hope they'd do behind the goals at some stage. The curved ends of the old stand won't help much on that though. Will need either partly rebuilding, or some weird ugly design top cope with keeping them (e..g pushing a new stand behind the goals further back so as not to be further forward than the curved ends).

[Bucket]

Ya wouldn't need the seats in the curved stand to go all the way to the end, just as far as the corner flag. The end could be re-purposed as something,like a TV studio