How big a stadium could your club have?

[SeasideKurt]

When we were in the PL we sold out every game at 16,500 so I would imagine that max potential would be between 22,000 but due to the Oystons as it stands you'd be lucky if we sold 4,000 home tickets.

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Most big city clubs would sell 30k+ weekly in the Premier League. Bradford would, no doubt.

 

[4froale]

I reckon 20,000 for us. We have been in the doldrums for that long people forget what it was like being a tic in the late 80s and early 90's. Everyone in the town was a blue and the ground was packed every week without fail. With even half that success we could drag some punters in. Still know loads of fans who "follow"us. They could get the itch back with a bit of success

Even in the last ten years the decline has been alarming. I remember getting 13000 at home to Leeds in 07 and 10500 against Leicester the season after, even with reduced capacity. The fans are there but they aren't coming to Boundary Park.

 

[Madejski]

If Reading were on a consistent run in the Prem, then 35,000 would be manageable I would guess, large away end and then lots of PL hangers on.

In our second PL season we were set to expand to 28,000+ had we not avoided relegation, plans and building companies were all set. Eventually for a maximum of 38,000. Thankfully that didn't happen as we only get 17,000 in the Championship.

Also think most of the clubs here (Sheffield Utd in particular) are underestimating how many local people turn up just because a footballer they've actually heard of has ended up playing in their garden.. Add 10k to your Championship potential and that's what you'll get in the Prem, it's ridiculous.

 

[mozzavale]

Our capacity currently stands at 17,000, with room for 4,500 away fans. It's obvious why this thread was started by Brammar, in light of the recent % report that didn't reflect well on us, but I don't think I'd change our capacity. I think it's a good number for us. The capacity for home fans is 12,500. When we won promotion 2 years ago we got 11,500 home fans, plus there is always the potential to draw a decent cup crowd. All welcome revenue. Our support fluctuates massively, and sometimes unpredictably. In league 2 we got 8,000 home fans for a night match v Shrewsbury, last season in league 1 we got about 4/5,000 home fans for a Saturday match against them.

The current capacity allows for growth, which is important, whilst also enabling us to cash in on big away followings. In recent years they've come from the likes of Wolves, Sheff U, Preston, Coventry etc. If we ever did get back into the Championship, that would be a huge source of income. You only have to look at the growth of clubs like Rotherham. They set their capacity at 12k (I imagine it could be expanded, but that comes with a cost), and now they have situations where they sell out the home end and have to restrict away support to less than 2k sometimes.

So whilst this report has been nice for a few people to poke some fun our way, it matters not one bit to me. Our ground needs updating and bringing into the 21st century, but the capacity I'm fine with. I even think we should complete the lorne street, obviously not for the increased capacity, but for the whole image of the club. It looks s**t, and could put off potential investors.

I think it depends on your age too. I'm 33, so spent my teens following us in the Championship. We had some great cup matches, league games against Stoke etc, where the ground was full. They may seem a pipe dream now for a lot of our fans, but I imagine that was also the case in the mid 80's, before we had our best spell in living memory.

 

[Fedora Dale]

We could build a 25, 000 capacity out-of-town stadium.

Like Darlo did.

Maybe not...

We'll stick with the current 10k-and-a-bit, thanks. 3k away capacity is enough to cope with this Division. If we got promoted, then of current Championship teams Leeds, Wednesday, Burnley, Bolton and Blackburn ought to bring 3k (maybe others, too) but I can't see our fanbase more than doubling from the current 2.5 to 3k regulars.

No, steady as we are...

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Our capacity currently stands at 17,000, with room for 4,500 away fans. It's obvious why this thread was started by Brammar, in light of the recent % report that didn't reflect well on us, but I don't think I'd change our capacity. I think it's a good number for us. The capacity for home fans is 12,500. When we won promotion 2 years ago we got 11,500 home fans, plus there is always the potential to draw a decent cup crowd. All welcome revenue. Our support fluctuates massively, and sometimes unpredictably. In league 2 we got 8,000 home fans for a night match v Shrewsbury, last season in league 1 we got about 4/5,000 home fans for a Saturday match against them.

The current capacity allows for growth, which is important, whilst also enabling us to cash in on big away followings. In recent years they've come from the likes of Wolves, Sheff U, Preston, Coventry etc. If we ever did get back into the Championship, that would be a huge source of income. You only have to look at the growth of clubs like Rotherham. They set their capacity at 12k (I imagine it could be expanded, but that comes with a cost), and now they have situations where they sell out the home end and have to restrict away support to less than 2k sometimes.

So whilst this report has been nice for a few people to poke some fun our way, it matters not one bit to me. Our ground needs updating and bringing into the 21st century, but the capacity I'm fine with. I even think we should complete the lorne street, obviously not for the increased capacity, but for the whole image of the club. It looks s**t, and could put off potential investors.

I think it depends on your age too. I'm 33, so spent my teens following us in the Championship. We had some great cup matches, league games against Stoke etc, where the ground was full. They may seem a pipe dream now for a lot of our fans, but I imagine that was also the case in the mid 80's, before we had our best spell in living memory.

Would love to see Vale draw Stoke at home in one of the cups next season.

 

[mozzavale]

Would love to see Vale draw Stoke at home in one of the cups next season.

I get nervous even considering a game like that again. It would be absolute chaos around Stoke on Trent. In a way I'd prefer it if we played them at their place. I'd feel more confident given our record at Stoke is good since I was born. Think we've played either the Vic or the Brit 11 times when I've been there, won 5, lost 3 and drawn 3. At home I'd just hate having so many of them all over the ground. I remember the early 90's when we'd get 20k for the games at our place, and there'd be fighting in every part of the ground with lardies everywhere.

 

[valefan16]

I get nervous even considering a game like that again. It would be absolute chaos around Stoke on Trent. In a way I'd prefer it if we played them at their place. I'd feel more confident given our record at Stoke is good since I was born. Think we've played either the Vic or the Brit 11 times when I've been there, won 5, lost 3 and drawn 3. At home I'd just hate having so many of them all over the ground. I remember the early 90's when we'd get 20k for the games at our place, and there'd be fighting in every part of the ground with lardies everywhere.

I rather like the 7 or 8 game unbeaten run against the lardies we have going at the moment. Keeping that intact is nice so would happily wait for them to slide back down the pyramid or us up.

 

[PUSBCCFC]

I get nervous even considering a game like that again. It would be absolute chaos around Stoke on Trent. In a way I'd prefer it if we played them at their place. I'd feel more confident given our record at Stoke is good since I was born. Think we've played either the Vic or the Brit 11 times when I've been there, won 5, lost 3 and drawn 3. At home I'd just hate having so many of them all over the ground. I remember the early 90's when we'd get 20k for the games at our place, and there'd be fighting in every part of the ground with lardies everywhere.

They would give you the whole end at theirs without doubt. The reason I'd prefer it at your place was that it would feel like a proper derby. The Brit is a shite ground.

 

[chairboyexile]

If hs2 happenes 500 -1000 at most

 

[mozzavale]

They give us most of it, but put in segregation so that knocks a few hundred off. The last time we played there we sold out, about 3,800 I think. The two times before that though we only took about 2,000. Shit excuses like the trouble put a lot of family's off and it's a shit ground to get to etc. We filled it the first time we played there though, which was the day after England drew 0-0 in Italy to qualify for France 98. Remember it well.

The atmosphere at our ground tends to get a lot more toxic. Like I say, they get all over the ground, plus Burslem is a lot easier to get to and move around mobbed up. Which they ALWAYS did. Hundreds of them.

 

[Etienne Vermeer]

Oh man we have such a huge floating support, we could draw some big crowds should we ever actually be any good. I know the ground can be expanded up to around 40k, but I doubt we'd fill that. 30k perhaps? Hard to tell.

 

[Dan Phillips]

Approximately 40k.

It'd be like watching Queens Park play at Hampden Park though, admittedly.

 

[Glasshalffullpools]

We could build a 25, 000 capacity out-of-town stadium.

Like Darlo did.

Maybe not...

We'll stick with the current 10k-and-a-bit, thanks. 3k away capacity is enough to cope with this Division. If we got promoted, then of current Championship teams Leeds, Wednesday, Burnley, Bolton and Blackburn ought to bring 3k (maybe others, too) but I can't see our fanbase more than doubling from the current 2.5 to 3k regulars.

No, steady as we are...

Darlo may have built a 25000 seater stadium but because they built it in the wrong bit of out of town they were only allowed a 10000 capacity due to parking , access and the rest which meant when Pools went there , for thier last "sell out" 15000 seats were empty

 

[travelling blade]

If Sheff U and Sheff Wed merged to become Sheffield City, they could build a 75k stadium next to meadowhall

Here we go again. A + B > C (where C = A + B)

Somewhere near 50% of Blades fans, and 50% of Owls fans do not LIVE in Sheffield, and their allegiance is to their CLUBS not to the CITY of SHEFFIELD.

Take myself for instance, I currently live in Lincoln, but I was born and bred in Sheffield, as it was a Wednesday supporting family, but at around the age of about 5 years old, I was taken to Hillsborough one week and Bramall Lane the following week, and for me being a BLADE was for ME!, even during my teens I was on the Wednesday ground staff. That was over 50 years ago.

When I was 18, I left Sheffield to go to University, and I have never lived there since, although every other Saturday and the occasional Tuesday I make my way through the southern suburbs to Bramall Lane. (I've been back to Hillsborough once to see make his debut for them against the Blades.

Last year, I went back to Sheffield City centre, for the 50th reunion of my old school, which was the first time I'd been in the centre during those 50 years.

Now consider the options for the two teams.

Joining them together is in other words UNITING them. Wednesday used to play at Bramall Lane (the oldest ground in the world where professional football is regularly played), so there is the ground chosen. The team would play in Red & Blue stripes... maybe.

As I said at the start, anything less for me, and most other exile Blades & Owls, would result in me not supporting the new club, in the same way that Wimbledon fans do not support MK Dons. I'd probably support Lincoln City, who play in Red & White stripes.

The same goes for me and all MY family (from me down) all of whom live in Lincoln, but are Blades season ticket holders.

Hence A + B > C.

Leave the two Sheffield teams to go their own way.

 

[S74Blade]

I agree with the sentiments addressed above about merging the Sheffield clubs it's a complete non starter. I presume that the guy commenting about Meadowhall was just having a laugh so Blades need to lighten up.

I'd say that a lot of Wendy support comes from South Yorkshire and beyond whereas Blades support is 90%
Sheffield. I live 7 miles from both Rotherham and Barnsley, 9 miles from Hilsborough and 13 miles from Bramall Lane but choose to support the Blades. My area is split 50-50 between Barnsley and Wendy. I used to live in Sheffield but moved 2 years ago. That said Man Utd and Leeds are hugely supported from this area

 

[JimmyD]

Plus the Red/Blue stripes would be awful

 

[Vale on Trent]

Would love to see Vale draw Stoke at home in one of the cups next season.

Vale v Stoke derby is massively over due! It's got to happen soon! It must be one of the most anticipated potential cup games in England now. However, I don't think the 2 clubs have ever been so far apart.

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

Vale v Stoke derby is massively over due! It's got to happen soon! It must be one of the most anticipated potential cup games in England now. However, I don't think the 2 clubs have ever been so far apart.

You were further apart a couple of years ago before you got promoted.

 

[mozzavale]

You were further apart a couple of years ago before you got promoted.

I don't think he was talking literally, probably in terms of wealth and size. Stoke have always been a much bigger club than Vale, but with the Sky money over the last few years, Stoke's most expensive player is probably worth 4 or 5 times more than our whole club, which is just ridiculous really.

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

I don't think he was talking literally, probably in terms of wealth and size. Stoke have always been a much bigger club than Vale, but with the Sky money over the last few years, Stoke's most expensive player is probably worth 4 or 5 times more than our whole club, which is just ridiculous really.

I know, I was being facetious. Sorry.

 

[mozzavale]

Don't be.

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

OK

 

[PUSBCCFC]

Yeah, would be great viewing to see it. As been mentioned, the difference between the two clubs is huge, who would have thought 15 years ago Stoke would be a top half Premier League side selling out every game.

 

[jbet]

Dread having to play them again.

It would be an embarrassment and afterwards we'd have about 3000 fans on banning orders.

 

[mozzavale]

They don't sell out all matches, which is why I don't think they're any closer to filling in those corners. If they were my club and I had the money I'd pay anything just to keep the wind out and warm the place up a bit.

I certainly didn't think they'd be a prem team any time soon. Just goes to show how some people's views on clubs are influenced by their age. Lads older than me in their 40's etc will remember the last time Stoke were a regular top flight club. between the mid 80's and 08 they were Championship or L1, so I always viewed them as a lower end Championship club. I expected them to go straight back down, but obviously they're well established now. Coates isn't doing too bad for himself with bet365, and the business is going to be taken on by others in the Coates family when he's gone. Their wealth shows no signs of dwindling any time soon.

Fair play to them.

 

[Brammer_£500000]

. It's obvious why this thread was started by Brammar, in light of the recent % report that didn't reflect well on us, but I don't think I'd change our capacity.

Errr no, the thread was started because I was interested in what the fans think would be a fair capacity for for their stadium or future stadium. You really need to drop this weird paranoia you have where you think everybody is talking about fail, trust me, they are not.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Here we go again. A + B > C (where C = A + B)

Somewhere near 50% of Blades fans, and 50% of Owls fans do not LIVE in Sheffield, and their allegiance is to their CLUBS not to the CITY of SHEFFIELD.

Take myself for instance, I currently live in Lincoln, but I was born and bred in Sheffield, as it was a Wednesday supporting family, but at around the age of about 5 years old, I was taken to Hillsborough one week and Bramall Lane the following week, and for me being a BLADE was for ME!, even during my teens I was on the Wednesday ground staff. That was over 50 years ago.

When I was 18, I left Sheffield to go to University, and I have never lived there since, although every other Saturday and the occasional Tuesday I make my way through the southern suburbs to Bramall Lane. (I've been back to Hillsborough once to see make his debut for them against the Blades.

Last year, I went back to Sheffield City centre, for the 50th reunion of my old school, which was the first time I'd been in the centre during those 50 years.

Now consider the options for the two teams.

Joining them together is in other words UNITING them. Wednesday used to play at Bramall Lane (the oldest ground in the world where professional football is regularly played), so there is the ground chosen. The team would play in Red & Blue stripes... maybe.

As I said at the start, anything less for me, and most other exile Blades & Owls, would result in me not supporting the new club, in the same way that Wimbledon fans do not support MK Dons. I'd probably support Lincoln City, who play in Red & White stripes.

The same goes for me and all MY family (from me down) all of whom live in Lincoln, but are Blades season ticket holders.

Hence A + B > C.

Leave the two Sheffield teams to go their own way.

Wrong

 

[mozzavale]

Errr no, the thread was started because I was interested in what the fans think would be a fair capacity for for their stadium or future stadium. You really need to drop this weird paranoia you have where you think everybody is talking about fail, trust me, they are not.

I know mate, I was simply referring to you.