Blue Pound Wasted

[BrahimHemdani 1]

Back on topic. I think it is very idealistic to look at these wee teams and think they should be spending the Blue Pound on their stadia and infrastructure. Many of these clubs are close to bankruptcy as it is, so receiving Rangers money is an unexpected bonus that they will probably be banking to save for a rainy day.

 

For them to spend the additional income on stadia would make very little sense - as Frankie says, given their home crowds are so small they don't really need covered shelter - besides, to enhance their stadia would cost far more money than the Blue Pound brings them - and it provides very, very little additional benefit and doesn't bring in any additional supporters to watch the games.

 

On the other hand, Craig, some of these stadia, e.g Ayr are literally crumbling due to lack of the most basic routine maintenance.

 

Also I think the OP is being a little unfair as I know that some of the Clubs e.g. Berwick did spend about half of the money they took from the games v us on the stadium and they had an enormous police bill as well.

[Bearman 9]

On the other hand, Craig, some of these stadia, e.g Ayr are literally crumbling due to lack of the most basic routine maintenance.

 

Also I think the OP is being a little unfair as I know that some of the Clubs e.g. Berwick did spend about half of the money they took from the games v us on the stadium and they had an enormous police bill as well.

 

Sorry mate, I didn't know that.

[BrahimHemdani 1]

Dundee only needs one stadium

Ayrshire (Ayr & Killie) only needs one stadium

Glasgow has too many

Edinburgh only needs one stadium (use Murrayfield instead of both Tynecastle & Easter Road)

 

But history and rivalry would never allow the above to happen, even though it would mean better stadia and better facilities, plus the costs of such being split between more than one team.

 

Dundee is so obvious they can't see it.

 

I am not so sure about Ayr, which is 15 miles from Kilmarnock and is actually slightly the larger of the two by population. I think Ayr should be able to support a small community club.

 

Glasgow should never have wasted all that lottery money on Hampden and what a mess they made of it; but I think Thistle can justify their own stadium.

 

Edinburgh is interesting; in theory you are right and the Milan example shows it can be done despite bitter rivalry; but I think it would need a new stadium, the history of the two existing is too strong. The Council should take the lead.

[Little General 80]

Dundee is so obvious they can't see it.

 

I am not so sure about Ayr, which is 15 miles from Kilmarnock and is actually slightly the larger of the two by population. I think Ayr should be able to support a small community club.

 

Glasgow should never have wasted all that lottery money on Hampden and what a mess they made of it; but I think Thistle can justify their own stadium.

 

Edinburgh is interesting; in theory you are right and the Milan example shows it can be done despite bitter rivalry; but I think it would need a new stadium, the history of the two existing is too strong. The Council should take the lead.

 

I doubt Hibs would move out of Easter Road after spending so much on the new stand.

[pete 2,499]

Would we want to share a ground with Celtic. I doubt many will say yes. (On both sides)

[BrahimHemdani 1]

Would we want to share a ground with Celtic. I doubt many will say yes. (On both sides)

 

It is highly unlikely for so many reasons, which is why I did not suggest it.

 

If there was to be such an arrangement, given a blank sheet of paper and ignoring 140+ years of history a new ground on the site of Hampden (which is pretty close to half way between) might be the answer; but that ain't going to happen.

 

It also ignores the fact that the Main Stand at Ibrox is a Grade B listed building, so it is protected and it is difficult to imagine circumstances in which Celtic would want to ground share at Ibrox even if we wanted them there.

 

IBROX STADIUM (THE STAND BY EDMISTON DRIVE OR BILL STRUTH MAIN STAND ONLY), 100-170 EDMISTON DRIVE, GLASGOW (Ref:33338)

 

Archibald Leitch & Partners, 1926-29, addition of upper deck by Gareth Hutchison 1989-1990. Three-storey, and with later 4th storey, 25-bay, rectangular plan Renaissance Revival football stand with segmental-headed arcade to ground floor and distinctive tall round-headed keystoned window openings to 2nd floor. Red brick; metal framework. String courses and eaves cornice. Parapets over advanced central bay and end bays. Plain pilasters between each bay rising from string course to eaves cornice.

 

Entrance in central bay with engaged columns and pilasters carrying lintel and mutule cornice above. Balustrade and 4 light windows under large round arch at 2nd floor. Flanking bays with pedimented square-headed windows; similar arrangement in end pavilions with bi-partite pedimented windows. Mosaic shields with lion rampant on return elevations, inscribed `1872 Ready 1928' at W and `1972 Ready 1981' at E. Central parapet with faience panel inscribed `Rangers FC'.

 

Metal framed small pane glazing to 1926-29 part.

 

INTERIOR: timber and leaded glass two-leaf central door to lobby with similarly detailed doors to right and left. `RFC¿ in floor mosaic. Simple plaster cornices and timber panelling in most principal areas, some original light fittings etched with `RFC'. Period staircase with decorative metal panels and timber handrail and newel posts. Blue Room with deeply moulded classically inspired cornice and timber-panelling to picture rail height, timber and marble chimneypiece. Corniced door to Director¿s room. Boot room with numbered hooks; tiled players¿ bathing room.

 

The Main Stand at Ibrox opened on the 1st January 1929. It is important as it is one of the very few remaining relatively little altered football stands of the early 20th century. The classical exterior elevation was formerly used as the main entrance to the stadium and continues to make an significant contribution to the streetscape. Designed by the leading architect of football stadia at the time, Archibald Leitch (1865-1939), the stand was built with seating rather than terraces. There are very few early surviving buildings associated with football. This is in some part due to the recommendations of the Taylor Report following the Hillsborough disaster of 1989 which resulted in the banning of standing terraces at all major football stadiums. However, well before the Hillsborough disaster Ibrox had already implemented many of the safety features noted in the Taylor Report because of previous accidents at the ground. Leitch rose to fame as the premier architect of football stands in Britain at a time when the sport gained enormously in popularity in the early decades of the 20th century. He was responsible for stands at many of the most famous clubs including Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Heart of Midlothian, but in fact his stadium career began with the stands for Glasgow Rangers at Ibrox. The first stand at Ibrox was built of timber on an iron frame between 1899 and 1902. However on 5 April 1902 the west terracing collapsed causing the death of 26 people, an event witnessed by Leitch. This incident led to the ban on wooden scaffold type terraces and the substitution of earth banking, the designs for which were largely developed by Leitch as were crush barriers and radial gangway routings. Despite the accident, Leitch was employed by Rangers as their architect for the next 30 years and most significantly in 1926-29 to build the new south stand. The design of the exterior although simple is well detailed. It has much in common with contemporary commercial and industrial architecture such as that by James Miller combining a pared-down modern style with classical details. It bears a number of Leitch's trademarks in the keystoned windows, small pane glazing and tall pilasters The historical importance of Ibrox's Main Stand also lies in the fact that from its opening in 1929 until the 1970s it was the second largest stand in Britain, second only to the stand at Hampden Park (now replaced), which Leitch extended in 1927-36, and the largest he designed from scratch.

 

http://data.historic-scotland.gov.uk/pls/htmldb/f?p=2200:15:0::::BUILDING:33338

Edited August 21, 2015 by BrahimHemdani

[pete 2,499]

It is highly unlikely for so many reasons, which is why I did not suggest it.

 

If there was to be such an arrangement, given a blank sheet of paper and ignoring 140+ years of history a new ground on the site of Hampden (which is pretty close to half way between) might be the answer; but that ain't going to happen.

 

It also ignores the fact that the Main Stand at Ibrox is a Grade B listed building, so it is protected and it is difficult to imagine circumstances in which Celtic would want to ground share at Ibrox even if we wanted them there.

 

IBROX STADIUM (THE STAND BY EDMISTON DRIVE OR BILL STRUTH MAIN STAND ONLY), 100-170 EDMISTON DRIVE, GLASGOW (Ref:33338)

 

Archibald Leitch & Partners, 1926-29, addition of upper deck by Gareth Hutchison 1989-1990. Three-storey, and with later 4th storey, 25-bay, rectangular plan Renaissance Revival football stand with segmental-headed arcade to ground floor and distinctive tall round-headed keystoned window openings to 2nd floor. Red brick; metal framework. String courses and eaves cornice. Parapets over advanced central bay and end bays. Plain pilasters between each bay rising from string course to eaves cornice.

 

Entrance in central bay with engaged columns and pilasters carrying lintel and mutule cornice above. Balustrade and 4 light windows under large round arch at 2nd floor. Flanking bays with pedimented square-headed windows; similar arrangement in end pavilions with bi-partite pedimented windows. Mosaic shields with lion rampant on return elevations, inscribed `1872 Ready 1928' at W and `1972 Ready 1981' at E. Central parapet with faience panel inscribed `Rangers FC'.

 

Metal framed small pane glazing to 1926-29 part.

 

INTERIOR: timber and leaded glass two-leaf central door to lobby with similarly detailed doors to right and left. `RFC¿ in floor mosaic. Simple plaster cornices and timber panelling in most principal areas, some original light fittings etched with `RFC'. Period staircase with decorative metal panels and timber handrail and newel posts. Blue Room with deeply moulded classically inspired cornice and timber-panelling to picture rail height, timber and marble chimneypiece. Corniced door to Director¿s room. Boot room with numbered hooks; tiled players¿ bathing room.

 

The Main Stand at Ibrox opened on the 1st January 1929. It is important as it is one of the very few remaining relatively little altered football stands of the early 20th century. The classical exterior elevation was formerly used as the main entrance to the stadium and continues to make an significant contribution to the streetscape. Designed by the leading architect of football stadia at the time, Archibald Leitch (1865-1939), the stand was built with seating rather than terraces. There are very few early surviving buildings associated with football. This is in some part due to the recommendations of the Taylor Report following the Hillsborough disaster of 1989 which resulted in the banning of standing terraces at all major football stadiums. However, well before the Hillsborough disaster Ibrox had already implemented many of the safety features noted in the Taylor Report because of previous accidents at the ground. Leitch rose to fame as the premier architect of football stands in Britain at a time when the sport gained enormously in popularity in the early decades of the 20th century. He was responsible for stands at many of the most famous clubs including Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Heart of Midlothian, but in fact his stadium career began with the stands for Glasgow Rangers at Ibrox. The first stand at Ibrox was built of timber on an iron frame between 1899 and 1902. However on 5 April 1902 the west terracing collapsed causing the death of 26 people, an event witnessed by Leitch. This incident led to the ban on wooden scaffold type terraces and the substitution of earth banking, the designs for which were largely developed by Leitch as were crush barriers and radial gangway routings. Despite the accident, Leitch was employed by Rangers as their architect for the next 30 years and most significantly in 1926-29 to build the new south stand. The design of the exterior although simple is well detailed. It has much in common with contemporary commercial and industrial architecture such as that by James Miller combining a pared-down modern style with classical details. It bears a number of Leitch's trademarks in the keystoned windows, small pane glazing and tall pilasters The historical importance of Ibrox's Main Stand also lies in the fact that from its opening in 1929 until the 1970s it was the second largest stand in Britain, second only to the stand at Hampden Park (now replaced), which Leitch extended in 1927-36, and the largest he designed from scratch.

 

http://data.historic-scotland.gov.uk/pls/htmldb/f?p=2200:15:0::::BUILDING:33338

 

I am sure they would be allowed to build the stand to suit other purposes but as you said I doubt if any of the two teams would be interested. I suppose they could have a Bayern effect having it lit up with blue for Rangers and the other colour for the other team.

Edited August 21, 2015 by pete

[BrahimHemdani 1]

eL Estadio San Mamés certainly looks good lit up at night.

 

[craig 5,199]

On the other hand, Craig, some of these stadia, e.g Ayr are literally crumbling due to lack of the most basic routine maintenance.

 

Also I think the OP is being a little unfair as I know that some of the Clubs e.g. Berwick did spend about half of the money they took from the games v us on the stadium and they had an enormous police bill as well.

 

So how are they getting health & safety certificates ? Until they are refused certification they wont spend money on the infrastructure. It really is that simple.

[BrahimHemdani 1]

So how are they getting health & safety certificates ? Until they are refused certification they wont spend money on the infrastructure. It really is that simple.

 

That's a fair point and some of the smaller clubs we played such as Peterhead

 

 

 

chose to put in temporary terracing and even turnstyles which they might regard as a cost of doing business that day, when they might have been better to make more permanent upgrades that may have made their places more attractive and save money in the long term even if their normal crowds are very small.

 

Of course, clubs shouldn't wait till their stadia fall apart and they are refused a licence because then it wil cost much more to repair; but I'm sure you're correct that a lot of clubs will think that way especially where facilities for a normal handful of away supporters are concerned.