Makes no commercial sense to move to Kent - 60 per cent of supporters live inside the M25 and the population density is much lower outside it.
Makes no logical sense to move to North Greenwich - wrong direction, wrong transport links, no point in abandoning perfectly suitable stadium with deep historical and emotional attachment.
Stay at The Valley buy the houses around it if necessary- add the 2nd tier to the east stand, new south stand (Jimmy Seed stand for Henry), make the west stand more bigger in terms of lounges and better consourse areas like the North Stand. All of course if the total new owners or existing board members and their friends have the dosh that is.
[cite]Posted By: Airman Brown[/cite]Makes no commercial sense to move to Kent - 60 per cent of supporters live inside the M25 and the population density is much lower outside it.
Makes no logical sense to move to North Greenwich - wrong direction, wrong transport links, no point in abandoning perfectly suitable stadium with deep historical and emotional attachment.
Never, not after what it took to move back. I recall we had this debate a few seasons back when there were speculative plans to build a sports complex on the Millennium site after the Dome closed. At that time I thought a 40-50K capacity and purpose built stadium with us as tenants would be great. Then I went to a nightgame at the Valley (Stockport - we won 4-0) and realised that the atmosphere, the way the stands curved up around the pitch, the way the noise of the crowd seemed to be retained in, making the Valley a natural ampitheatre and the perfect to watch football in, and that for all the other problems with transport infrastructure etc is what matters. We might get a spanking new state of the art ground but we risk losing that atmosphere with some monstrosity of a modern meccano built stadioum. Look at the new Wembley or the Emirates Stadium, both grounds (and Millwall for that matter too) have lost the atmosphere they used to hold while the new Stadia are undeniably better places to watch football in.
There is plenty of space at the Valley and the second tier on the East Stand doesn't present any real problems, that gives us a 35K or so capacity, and that for the time being is enough - we don't have the numbers to fill on a regular basis anything higher. Moving to Gravesend or elsewhere isn't going to get us the extra support to fill those extra seats - that will only be done through good marketing, competitive pricing and offering an attractive team hopefuly in the Premiership.
[cite]Posted By: ChicagoAddick[/cite]I heard that Charlton were moving to Chicago - about as much chance of that happening as moving to Kent. Complete bull.
Comments
Makes no logical sense to move to North Greenwich - wrong direction, wrong transport links, no point in abandoning perfectly suitable stadium with deep historical and emotional attachment.
If they ever come for us again, we will be ready!
Stay at The Valley buy the houses around it if necessary- add the 2nd tier to the east stand, new south stand (Jimmy Seed stand for Henry), make the west stand more bigger in terms of lounges and better consourse areas like the North Stand. All of course if the total new owners or existing board members and their friends have the dosh that is.
Amen!!!
Never, not after what it took to move back. I recall we had this debate a few seasons back when there were speculative plans to build a sports complex on the Millennium site after the Dome closed. At that time I thought a 40-50K capacity and purpose built stadium with us as tenants would be great. Then I went to a nightgame at the Valley (Stockport - we won 4-0) and realised that the atmosphere, the way the stands curved up around the pitch, the way the noise of the crowd seemed to be retained in, making the Valley a natural ampitheatre and the perfect to watch football in, and that for all the other problems with transport infrastructure etc is what matters. We might get a spanking new state of the art ground but we risk losing that atmosphere with some monstrosity of a modern meccano built stadioum. Look at the new Wembley or the Emirates Stadium, both grounds (and Millwall for that matter too) have lost the atmosphere they used to hold while the new Stadia are undeniably better places to watch football in.
There is plenty of space at the Valley and the second tier on the East Stand doesn't present any real problems, that gives us a 35K or so capacity, and that for the time being is enough - we don't have the numbers to fill on a regular basis anything higher. Moving to Gravesend or elsewhere isn't going to get us the extra support to fill those extra seats - that will only be done through good marketing, competitive pricing and offering an attractive team hopefuly in the Premiership.
The Charlton Bulls?