Stadium Updates (All Clubs)

**Acornvilla** · 06/10/2014, 8:30 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

In all fairness, I could point out parts of CCS in no better shape than some of the photos seen.

Here I'll do it for you..

http://barrymasterson.com/303784/375...adium-desolate

Up behind the goals, and the away fans entrance are still pretty cat, but the rest of the ground is in brilliant nick compared to how it was even a year ago and I'd expect that a bit more work is going to be done over the close season. The main stands underbelly is now something to be pretty proud of, it used to be fairly horrendous. I've heard a lot of murmurings that our floodlights need replacing to get a premier license?

We'd all love even a cheap roof going all the way around at this stage because the weather destroys those areas if not maintained very carefully, but that's still going to cost way too much to be a runner any time soon.

I must say The CCS looked wonderful on Friday night, I can't see people who wouldn't have been there often, having seen/experienced much to turn them away.

**Longfordian** · 06/10/2014, 8:52 AM

The lights do need replacing but I don't think it's a mandatory Premier Licence condition, given the cost involved in replacing them. Don't think they're any worse than Drogs' or Bray's for example. We'd have to be grant aided if we were to replace them. I know it's in the club's plans though should funding become available.

**punkrocket** · 06/10/2014, 9:10 AM

Regular maintenance of grounds is key to keeping the costs of repairs and general avaidance of rot setting in down. A groundsman going around every few weeks making up a snag list can intercept a lot of future problems. Give him a few quid extra, it would pay for itself. I know getting the work done then is the challenge particularly with a lack of volunteers but doing little and often is a lot easier than what is facing any squad of helpers at Tolka.

**seand** · 06/10/2014, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by Acornvilla

Uploaded some pictures from Dalymount.

Attachment 2163

https://www.behance.net/gallery/20260031/Dalymount-Park

Great stuff, again.

**bluewhitearmy** · 06/10/2014, 4:42 PM

Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

We put up with Jackman. The Market's Field can't be worse.

Jackman is hardly the standard we are gonna hold it up against is it?

Is it worse than Jackman no will it be much better than Jackman again no. Markets Field will be better than Thomond for me but that doesn't mean it will be good, Hogan with a bit of work done would definitely be a far better option imo.

**punkrocket** · 07/10/2014, 8:36 AM

Regarding the maintenance of grounds, is it not feasible to try to forge some links with local colleges who teach vocational subjects such as carpentry, welding painting and decorating etc skills which would come in handy to keep the grounds from falling into disrepair. Partnerships like this could work both ways benefitting both parties. It may even lead to a few extra punters coming through the gates.

**desaintsno.12** · 10/10/2014, 8:19 AM

How do Shelegated fans feel about the suggestion of the ground share in Dalymount ?
I presume its a case of it being your only viable long term option anyway, so its hard to whinge about it ??

**northwestexile** · 10/10/2014, 9:31 PM

Another positive development. Well done to everybody involved. Does anybody know what other developments are planned at the Showgrounds?

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/irish...5-sean-fallon/

**Nah Nah Nah Nah** · 10/10/2014, 10:52 PM

Dermot Kelly told Ocean FM of some plans for the future if the success of the club continues and said if the town and county back the club they can be possible.

"We don't want to stop now. We'd like to develop some toilets under the Volkswagen Bank End and make the facilities the better for the supporters when they come out. We'd look at putting in dressing-rooms at that end to cater to the training pitches that will accommodate schoolboy games and junior games and under-17 games.

“The Volkswagen Bank was built with the point of putting a roof in on top of it at some point. We would like to see that happening. But again it depends on the pitch and financially that gives us the resources to do that.

“It has been brilliant that we have cleared a lot of historic and legacy debt and used the success to build a very solid platform that will allow our incoming manager to work with our underage coaches and the fantastic work by the Sligo-Leitrim youth league and Kennedy Cup teams to start bringing through crops of young players. We haven't wasted our success.

“There is a tangible, demonstrable improvement in the infrastructure. We'd like to develop at the near end as well - but that when it comes about is going to be a bigger project and one that we might have to put off to make sure we do it right when we get around to it.”

**red bellied** · 11/10/2014, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Nah Nah Nah Nah

Dermot Kelly told Ocean FM of some plans for the future if the success of the club continues and said if the town and county back the club they can be possible.

"We don't want to stop now. We'd like to develop some toilets under the Volkswagen Bank End and make the facilities the better for the supporters when they come out. We'd look at putting in dressing-rooms at that end to cater to the training pitches that will accommodate schoolboy games and junior games and under-17 games.

“The Volkswagen Bank was built with the point of putting a roof in on top of it at some point. We would like to see that happening. But again it depends on the pitch and financially that gives us the resources to do that.

“It has been brilliant that we have cleared a lot of historic and legacy debt and used the success to build a very solid platform that will allow our incoming manager to work with our underage coaches and the fantastic work by the Sligo-Leitrim youth league and Kennedy Cup teams to start bringing through crops of young players. We haven't wasted our success.

“There is a tangible, demonstrable improvement in the infrastructure. We'd like to develop at the near end as well - but that when it comes about is going to be a bigger project and one that we might have to put off to make sure we do it right when we get around to it.”

It featured on Rte news last night https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvt3...wNsDLIQLR7Zh0Q

**Nesta99** · 12/10/2014, 6:38 PM

The Showgrounds complex (its much more than a ground now) is to be envied and aspired to. I remember being in the Showgrounds as the main stand was being built, desperate First Division days, and while the main works were eventually done Sligo were struggling to fund the finishes like the installation of seats and fitting out toilets etc. On a considerable amount of their own steam, utilising bounty of a successful period and putting out a decent first team at the same time is fantastic - on a different scale but a bit Arsenal like. You have the likes of Fenlon calling for a leaggue summit, more useful the Sligo board should be asked to run some sort of workshop for other clubs and share their experiences and pitfalls for LoI ground development. With Dundalk very possibly having a piece of league success and Champions league revenues I hope we will see some tangible infrastructure improvements too!

**nigel-harps1954** · 12/10/2014, 9:09 PM

Come a long way from the days of the old shed on the now open end of the ground. Great to see. Would love to see a bit of a fix up done on the old stand there now and it'd be a fine ground. Maybe a wee terrace to finish off that end too.

**Nesta99** · 13/10/2014, 2:41 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Maybe a wee terrace to finish off that end too.

That was alluded to by Dermot Kelly, though the impression I got from his comments is that it is a once only chance to utilise that part of the ground ie that a proper fully thought plan of what needs to be built (in conjuntion with a stand/terrace) and that full funding etc would be there not to have a piecemeal effort just for the sake of it. Makes sense if you are running out of space and there is the possibility for building say office, medical, indoor training facilities et al. Again it seems to be part of a coherent strategy adopted by the Sligo board. Now all the have to do is make a decent managerial appointment and cut the love in with Accy Stanley!

**Mr A** · 13/10/2014, 4:01 PM

A piece on the Harps project from the Donegal News: http://www.finnharps.com/fhfc/?p=1156

A positive development would be if the sports capital programme was to receive more money in the budget, as mentioned in the Independent here: http://www.independent.ie/business/b...-30655482.html

A new sports capital programme worth at least €20m will be announced. Sports Minister Michael Ring lobbied for the programme this week.

**Longfordian** · 13/10/2014, 4:18 PM

Even just getting the main stand properly finished and getting in there would be a great start. There'll be a lot of clubs looking for funding I reckon, ourselves included. We've not really got a lot of it over the years in comparison to what we've spent ourselves.