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Something I never knew about St Marys


StratfordSaint
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Just found this: http://www.deftlyhallowed.co.uk/st%20mary's%20stadium.html. Not seen it before, don't know if it's been discussed on here.

 

"Barr, worked in conjunction with The Miller Partnership, architects, both firms have a reputation for delivering large projects, particularly sporting arena, on time and on budget. One of the most important facets of the project was its flexibility. St Mary’s is designed, ultimately, to accommodate around 42,000 spectators with a minimum of deconstruction work. There is little doubt that had it not been for Saints’ extended exile from the Premier League we would now be supporting them from a substantially larger stadium."

 

I've seen various ground extension forum posts over the years, but thought the line "minimum deconstruction work" interesting, which I take for meaning not much cost!

 

We'll see if it ever happens, but I'm personally happy with how St Marys is right now.

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Just found this: http://www.deftlyhallowed.co.uk/st%20mary's%20stadium.html. Not seen it before, don't know if it's been discussed on here.

 

"Barr, worked in conjunction with The Miller Partnership, architects, both firms have a reputation for delivering large projects, particularly sporting arena, on time and on budget. One of the most important facets of the project was its flexibility. St Mary’s is designed, ultimately, to accommodate around 42,000 spectators with a minimum of deconstruction work. There is little doubt that had it not been for Saints’ extended exile from the Premier League we would now be supporting them from a substantially larger stadium."

 

I've seen various ground extension forum posts over the years, but thought the line "minimum deconstruction work" interesting, which I take for meaning not much cost!

 

We'll see if it ever happens, but I'm personally happy with how St Marys is right now.

If it meant they could substantially reduce ticket prices then I would probably go more often. Doubt they would though

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Just to get a word in before the usual bickering about capacity starts up, that entire blog is worth a read (even if you couldn't care less about the pullquote posted above).

 

The expandability is largely inconsequential information at the present time, though worth knowing. How many times do we completely sell out in a season? Really couldn't see an expansion meaning a reduction of ticket prices as the owners would surely look for a swift return on investment.

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When fans talked of expanding in 2003 after the cup final Lowe was quick to quash this talk by saying each seat would cost £3,000 and he would want to see a couple of years of sell outs and waiting lists before any serious discussion would take place. he was right. Anyone that thinks the club are going to expand and then reduce the price of tickets is nuts. In an ideal world we'd all love to sell 50,000 tickets every week and never pay more than £15 but it aint going to happen.

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This is not meant to be another "we should/shouldn't expand" thread, it was just that I personally did not know "St Mary’s is designed, ultimately, to accommodate around 42,000 spectators with a minimum of deconstruction work."

 

I'm sure the information has been around for donkeys years but there is a chance that some people on this forum never knew that and I posted it because its interesting info to know if you didn't.

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This is not meant to be another "we should/shouldn't expand" thread, it was just that I personally did not know "St Mary’s is designed, ultimately, to accommodate around 42,000 spectators with a minimum of deconstruction work."

 

I'm sure the information has been around for donkeys years but there is a chance that some people on this forum never knew that and I posted it because its interesting info to know if you didn't.

 

The info has been around since 2000 at least, all this was talked about at the time of construction. Stadium of Light is the one to look at, much the same as SMS with three sides raised above the level of the main stand. Fair point to bring forward and I for one would like to see them get on with it before this particular Koeman bubble bursts.

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The three stands other than the Itchen have a steel frame that can be extended on up , only needing the removal of the roof cladding and supporting cantilever structure.

 

This. I used to know a guy who worked for Barr at the time. He described it back then as "in layman's terms, unbolt and remove the roof, bolt on some more uprights, drop in and bolt on a new level , conduits for existing electric and water extend upwards, drop roof back in and bolt on" Simples. He reckoned it could be done in a close season if necessary .

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Of course because the Emirates and Old Trafford have twice as many seat as St Marys means those supporters are paying a lot less than us for matches and STs

Higher demand for tickets at those clubs to be fair. But yeah, I'm sure the maths wouldn't add up for us to do it, it would have to be a benevolent gesture

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This is not meant to be another "we should/shouldn't expand" thread, it was just that I personally did not know "St Mary’s is designed, ultimately, to accommodate around 42,000 spectators with a minimum of deconstruction work."

 

I'm sure the information has been around for donkeys years but there is a chance that some people on this forum never knew that and I posted it because its interesting info to know if you didn't.

 

I, for one, am grateful for your contribution.

 

Higher demand for tickets at those clubs to be fair. But yeah, I'm sure the maths wouldn't add up for us to do it, it would have to be a benevolent gesture

 

If it were worth doing them somebody would be on the case already.

 

 

As for selling out, I would argue that we have effectively already done that several times this season. It all depends on what you mean by 'sell-out', if you're expecting every single seat to have a bum on it then you're going to be disappointed because when it gets to the last few hundred single seats they are difficult to shift.

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I'd prefer the entire Northam end to be made standing terraces rather than adding more prawn sarnie and tourist seats. Of course it won't happen as it needs legislation to be repealed. A bank of 10,000 raucous working class lads paying say £10-15 per ticket would improve the atmosphere no end.

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When fans talked of expanding in 2003 after the cup final Lowe was quick to quash this talk by saying each seat would cost £3,000 and he would want to see a couple of years of sell outs and waiting lists before any serious discussion would take place. he was right. Anyone that thinks the club are going to expand and then reduce the price of tickets is nuts. In an ideal world we'd all love to sell 50,000 tickets every week and never pay more than £15 but it aint going to happen.

 

But if we were to use the German method.

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This. I used to know a guy who worked for Barr at the time. He described it back then as "in layman's terms, unbolt and remove the roof, bolt on some more uprights, drop in and bolt on a new level , conduits for existing electric and water extend upwards, drop roof back in and bolt on" Simples. He reckoned it could be done in a close season if necessary .

 

That's explained to me how Cardiff managed to bolt a load of new red seats onto the back of one of their side stands over the course of about 3 months then, especially as their stadium is only a few years old.

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When fans talked of expanding in 2003 after the cup final Lowe was quick to quash this talk by saying each seat would cost £3,000 and he would want to see a couple of years of sell outs and waiting lists before any serious discussion would take place. he was right. Anyone that thinks the club are going to expand and then reduce the price of tickets is nuts. In an ideal world we'd all love to sell 50,000 tickets every week and never pay more than £15 but it aint going to happen.

 

I think at the time of construction Lowe and Cowan thought or hoped we might be part of a World Cup bid and the expansion would happen part funded by the bid but of course we went bust before the bid process went ahead and Portsmouth was provisionally selected instead (that went well as indeed did the bid itself).

Edited by krissyboy31
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