Change of plan for ground development
AN EXTENSION to the Grove Wharf stand is the latest plan being studied by Scunthorpe United for the development of Glanford Park.
Their hopes of a move to a brand new ground have now been scuppered by the current economic climate, and original plans for a £5million construction behind the present home terrace seem to be a non-starter.
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Steve Wharton
But the club is looking at increasing the capacity for away support – and knows it will have to find more capacity for home fans too if the terrace area has to be removed.
The Iron face having to get rid of the terracing and make their ground into an all-seater stadium in a year's time if they stay at Championship level, so the race is on to find a way to extend elsewhere.
"I wrote to the Football League asking them to change the rule to clubs being able to play in the Championship for three consecutive years before having to change to an all-seater stadium," said chairman Steve Wharton.
"Terracing is the cheapest way for fans to watch the game. Seating will make it more expensive and means us having to spend money we can ill afford.
"Replacing the terrace with seating will reduce the capacity that we need to find elsewhere.
"I have now asked for drawings to be made up for 10 extra rows of seats on the middle two thirds of the Grove Wharf Stand, so we can compare it with what we might do at the home end.
"We are only looking at the middle section because one end of the Grove Wharf is too near to our boundary."
For the full story, see Saturday's Scunthorpe Telegraph.
10 Comments
by Brock, Keadby
Sunday, February 07 2010, 8:43PM
“The stand at Bescot is a good solution as it is like our ground. I was site manager on the construction of the extension a few years ago. It was basically to accomodate the fact that they had to change to all seater, but Jeff Bonser thier chairman accepted that the main revenue was from away supporters and this gave him scope for increasing accomodation for them by adjusting the layout. There is a basic difference in the scenarios now though. Then ITV had pumped money in, Grants were available, the economy was in good shape, and the faciliities they extended were more on the conference and commercial side as they are adjacent to the M6 not the M181!!. You have to cut your cloth to the width, and face it guys we only have a dedicated fanbase who turn up regular of 5,500 at most. Leave it to Steve Wharton, he will ensure football at this stadium for our grandkids to enjoy like we have done . KEEP THE FAITH, DON'T GIVE UP, BELIEVE. UP THE IRON!!!.”
by steve, crosby
Sunday, February 07 2010, 11:12AM
“MARINERGIRL, go do something useful,like get the sunday dinner ready, or stick to your own(soon to be none league) website.”
by marinergirl, barton
Saturday, February 06 2010, 11:48PM
“This ground should've gone all-seater years ago. Yes the FA don't demand it while you're carefully avoiding the second tier. Come and join everyone else in the all-seater generation. At last, you've got away with this for too long. And as far as spending £25 to watch Scunny, you must be joking....”
by Eddie Murphy, Beverley Hills
Saturday, February 06 2010, 12:08PM
“So long as any expansion capitalises on the commercial opportunities currently missed out on. We should be offering more seats to away teams and fleecing them for a pint (or 3) on their way in. Also, weren't there rumours a couple of years ago of a feasibility study into bringing back standing areas, along the lines of German grounds?”
by Grove Wharf Stand, Bottesford
Saturday, February 06 2010, 11:53AM
“I will repeat what i have posted numerous times. The away end needs extending to allow for the increase in away support. This will free up the corner in our stand for the home support. Extending the DRE by 6-8 rows could offset the loss of standing to seating attendance and keep everyone happy. Also, put up the prices for the away support-it's too cheap.”
by steve, birmingham
Saturday, February 06 2010, 11:43AM
“Because of the sun on the grove wharf end why not build above the telegraph stand ? once the seats are in donny road end fill in the corners in above the refreshments areas at all end so it also increases the away ends which will make a little more cash over the season.”
by bums on seats?, DRE
Saturday, February 06 2010, 11:30AM
“I agree with P.Doff they should look at walsall's Bescot stadium with a view to extending the DRE instead of only extending the middle section of the Grove wharf stand!?”
by steve, gunness
Saturday, February 06 2010, 10:27AM
“Steve, whatever you do, dont do things on the cheap, look to the future, it sound as though the plans you are making are a bit of a botch up job, extend the dre upwards if you are short of room, same with the away end, and charge your captive audience(the away end) a properprice, ie, 25quid mi,nimum, if league rules dont allow it, have a couple of vip seats in the stand at 50quid, to justify the league rules.”
by Helen, Down on the terrace
Saturday, February 06 2010, 9:41AM
“I personally wouldn't want to sit in an extended Grove Wharf stand - during the match, the viewing is impaired cos of the sun! I'll be claiming my season ticket seat in the DRE”
by P.Doff, Grantsville
Saturday, February 06 2010, 7:27AM
“Is there no FA grants available? From what I have heard the needed improvements are in the region of £3m and that would reduce our capacity by about 800 and worse of all the home capacity.
If there was a grant of say £2m a new DRE is achievable. Also the impact of making the DRE all seater - does this mean that prices will rise? I for one would be glad to pay £2 a week more to watch us in the CCC but you would get the dissenters like those that say they will drink a pint less a night because beer has gone up 2p.
A nettle has to be grasped and we need to extend. Even Walsall have done it with their ground which was a mirror of GP. Their gates only average 4000.
It seems to be a vicious circle and fine line treading but I don't think we will achieve it by self financing alone.”