Hatch Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 24 hours later. still laughing at the 'running track.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottery st mary Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 (edited) IOC are very keen on what is being proposed by SWF Athletics section.... To be fully involved they have insisted that Sir Clive Woodward return to front the Athletics at the stadium.. He wants to bring some chap called Clifford along....Not sure what that is all about.. I have put the initial proposal to Sir Clive and this was initially received with some reservations but after agreeing to some of his conditions.. We may well have the great football, Athletics and tiddlywinks, coach on board... His demands.... He controls both Saints football and SWF Athletics at the Stadium. (Can we swing that football request) Harry Redknapp is returned to be Sir Clives OWNed ...PA Storrie be brought in to control all finances.. His old friend Rupert be allowed to be Official starter for all Athletic meetings. I only agreed after being told the starters gun only fired blanks and the start finish line would be well away from as Rupert described, The ruffians in the Northam end. So fellow Athletic followers we may have Athletics..off the drawing board and into the 8 (eight) laned banked arena. ...Sir CLIVE... HAS INSISTED ON 8 LANES..AND THE banking.. ( I am sure Mr Storrie can do all the banking from HMP Ford open prison..) Edited 26 January, 2011 by ottery st mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wurzel Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 This doesn't bode well for attendance figures at the Sports Centre - although they do have a boating lake and kiddies fairground as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank's cousin Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Must admit, that I often question what the fuss is about when talking running tracks and atmosphere - sure from a visbilty point of view the distance makes it crap, but I was in Munich at the old Olympic Stadium when England beat Germany 5-1 in 2001 and there was certainly no shortage of atmosphere, noise that distracted from teh game. Think its one of the usual excuses trotted out when games and atmosphere is crap, as no one ever wants to question whether its us at fans that are at fault.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceandfriendly Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Must admit, that I often question what the fuss is about when talking running tracks and atmosphere - sure from a visbilty point of view the distance makes it crap, but I was in Munich at the old Olympic Stadium when England beat Germany 5-1 in 2001 and there was certainly no shortage of atmosphere, noise that distracted from teh game. Think its one of the usual excuses trotted out when games and atmosphere is crap, as no one ever wants to question whether its us at fans that are at fault.... Of course the atmosphere would be a little better for that game. England won 5-1! To be fair, you could have been sat on your own and you'd have had a great time and thought the atmosphere was wonderful. It's not really a matter of opinion, it's physics. The fans being further away from the pitch means they are further away from other fans, making it harder to generate songs across the stadium, and the stadium "bowl" is more open allowing noise to escape. Football stadiums with a running track are worse for atmosphere, but I still don't think we should get rid of ours at SMS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saints67 Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 By simply laying planks over the first 8 rows of seats will allow an 8 lane running track to be easily fitted into St. Marys AND keep the pitch full size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St_Tel49 Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 So we can't have running but can have ambulance racing? Now that IS fun! And when you get the inevitable and very exciting crashes you have an ambulance right there on the spot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 By simply laying planks over the first 8 rows of seats will allow an 8 lane running track to be easily fitted into St. Marys AND keep the pitch full size. Albeit about 10 feet below the running track. Also, I'm pretty sure a running lane is wider than the combination of aisle and seat. So let's say 20 feet above the pitch and a superstructure taking up the first 16 rows of seats. Actually as I'm in Row S that works out pretty well for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saints67 Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Albeit about 10 feet below the running track. Also, I'm pretty sure a running lane is wider than the combination of aisle and seat. So let's say 20 feet above the pitch and a superstructure taking up the first 16 rows of seats. Actually as I'm in Row S that works out pretty well for me. Ah the planking could be removed during matchdays and stored 'under' the seats. I'll have to get my thinking cap on if you're talking about having a football match and an athletics meet at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Of course the atmosphere would be a little better for that game. England won 5-1! To be fair, you could have been sat on your own and you'd have had a great time and thought the atmosphere was wonderful. It's not really a matter of opinion, it's physics. The fans being further away from the pitch means they are further away from other fans, making it harder to generate songs across the stadium, and the stadium "bowl" is more open allowing noise to escape. Football stadiums with a running track are worse for atmosphere, but I still don't think we should get rid of ours at SMS. I pretty much agree with you. The Withdean is craapamundo because the away fans are behind the curved track, the long jump pit, the high jump, a perimeter fence and a random area of concrete - plus it's an open stand, and you're a million miles from the far end of the pitch and any opposing fans. It's not just the distance, it's the rubbish open plan nature of the place - but the distance is particularly bad too. Newport County's Conference ground is at an athletics track and you can't hear the opposing stand and the view from the back of even the side stands is relatively useless as the biggest stand only goes back about 25 rows. However, when they whacked some temp stands right behind the goal inside the athletics track for the visit of Blackpool in the FA Cup in 2001 the place improved significantly. Subsequent promotions meant the need for permanent structures behind the goals, which start about 50 yards from the pitch and are utterly pointless as no-one uses them. Meanwhile, I can't say the athletics track at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin was an issue when I went in 2006, but I was a fair way back in the stand and it was worse being behind the goal at old Wembley. Again, the nearer you SHOULD be, the further away it feels. Front row people don't expect to be 50 yards from the near byline. Having been to Stade de France for a few games in 1998 as well, I can confirm that the view from the low down seats is a bit pants, but further back it's not a problem. In summary, if the stand goes back a long way the distance to the pitch doesn't seem significant, but in small grounds, an athletics track absolutely kills the view and usually any chance of an atmosphere too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Comprehensive measurements but you have made the common mistake of assuming that the track has to be flat. A few adverts removed and a dozen or so crash barriers removed and the bends can fit nicely up and down the Northam and Chapel terraces. Runners might need to remove their spikes though to avoid slipping on the steps. Once we've seen how successfully that works it won't take long till speedway and greyhounds follow (either as separate events or greyhounds riding motorbikes for added entertainment value) Having also had experience at Newport when they had a speedway track around the pitch at Somerton Park in the 1970s, I can confirm that speedway tracks are either smaller than athletics tracks, or the pallets of turf they used to wheel in for the corners of the pitch must have been much bigger than I thought. And of course Wembley Stadium had greyhounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chorlton Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Actually went to watch Hertha Berlin at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday. Despite the running track, and despite the main 'singing' fans being at oppo ends of the ground, and despite the PA announcer sometimes interfering (i.e. after goals), it was a fantastic atmosphere and far superior to anything I have seen in England (bar maybe the JPT final) over the last few years. The fans were chanting songs in support of their team rather than at the opposition fans, and conceding a goal didn't mean they shut up for 20 mins. As someone mentioned above, perhaps it is the fans that create atmosphere and are to blame when there isn't a decent vibe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatch Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Maybe the length of the pitch isn't long enough for a traditional athletics track, but maybe it could be squeezed in if we used the diagonal. It would mean the track would have to be in a figure of eight shape, but i think it could be workable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durleyfos Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Or we could have a hugh hamster wheel with a circumfrence of 100m. The 110m hurdles would be great to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanh Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Or we could have a hugh hamster wheel with a circumfrence of 100m. The 110m hurdles would be great to watch. that sounds like the way forward. Probably best to put it in the car park at SMS though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancake Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Maybe the length of the pitch isn't long enough for a traditional athletics track, but maybe it could be squeezed in if we used the diagonal. It would mean the track would have to be in a figure of eight shape, but i think it could be workable. This. but you need a tunnel/bridge combo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wurzel Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 This. but you need a tunnel/bridge combo. Enabling us to replace those naff half time "entertainments" like hit the bar from the half way line with a life size scaletxtric competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimond Geezer Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Or we could have a hugh hamster wheel with a circumfrence of 100m. The 110m hurdles would be great to watch. That would make the longer races interesting, when the back markers are 50m or so behind tha leaders, as they would be upside down. Harnesses may be need, or red-bull, to give 'em wings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Hmm so the next big decision is Do we also fit a Red Bull quality Skateboarding Park in the Chapel Kingsland corner? The Banking on the Athletics track corner would be a good base to fit a ramp and we might be able to get one of those jumps where they go from Chapel straight into the Away fans. Think that would work better than a Dry Ski Slope. Have to think about getting 24 hour usage out of all this new investment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durleyfos Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Maybe the length of the pitch isn't long enough for a traditional athletics track, but maybe it could be squeezed in if we used the diagonal. It would mean the track would have to be in a figure of eight shape, but i think it could be workable. This. but you need a tunnel/bridge combo. Or traffic lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintBobby Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Is this seriously a thread arguing about whether or not SMS has a running track? Poll please mods???? Jesus H Christ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatch Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Is this seriously a thread arguing about whether or not SMS has a running track? Do you think it has or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 26 January, 2011 Share Posted 26 January, 2011 Is this seriously a thread arguing about whether or not SMS has a running track? Poll please mods???? Jesus H Christ. And SO much more. I don't think there was much of an argument, 28_F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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