WHAM Stadium (face lift) Improvements

[andyd]

Originally Posted by maccawozzagod

Playing catch up on various threads and I can't remember what I've read and where. I think somebody mentions on this thread though about 'we seem to revel in tinpottedness'

I entirely agree, but don't think that it is a bad thing if done right. There is a vast difference between tinpot and scummy. The toilets are scummy - the ground is tinpot.

With the best will in the world we aren't going to have the big shiny stadium and we don't need one. What we need is something that is comfortable for the fans that we have, and something that enables us to maximise what we already have.

First rule of customer building? Look after the ones you have. It should be easier to retain customers than continually find new ones.

Priority

Improve the Bogs
Fix the leaking roof on every stand (except maybe the Cow shed)
Find some way of providing shelter on the concourses so that people can spend money there pre-game and at half time

Secondary

Find a way of taking money off people other than on the gate, programme and 50-50 draw.
Can we do our own catering? has anybody looked into this in recent years? Many clubs seem to use the pre-cooked, wrapped in tin foil type of fayre. Surely this is as simple as ordering, putting into warmy contraption and then selling for a vast profit?
If catering is beyond us then can we have some kind of additional provision where crisps and chocolate and pop is available for the kids? Even just a brew shed. Often I have fancied a brew rather than a beer but I'm standing in line for 15 minutes to pay two quid or whatever for a cup of warm water.

Thirdly
Now we get to the major builds. Once we've looked after the existing customers we can start to look at bigger things. Any kind of development of the cowshed would be primary. If we were to make a big push on attracting families where would we put them? The main stand doesn't have enough room to section a decent area off as 'family area'. Anywhere near the dug-outs is too close to some choice language, anywhere near to the changing rooms is too close to the away fans and any intimidating behaviour. I'm not saying that kids can't go in the main stand at all, but there simply isn't room to target a big push on families. The Clayton End is where the action is, but as a father of a young child I'm not entirely sure I want him in amongst some of the songs and the bad language of many. Yes they'll hear it where ever they go, but I wouldn't bet on families returning when they are in immediate earshot.

Any development of the Cowshed should be done with 'Family Stand' as the primary objective.

Agree with most things their Macca especialy the priorities section look after the punters we have we lost enough since we came back into the league as for more fans I think everything has been covered on that one I still think corporate facillities is a priority along with more sponsership and advertising improve facilities slowly and success off the field will hopefully convert onto the pitch as well as from now hopefully will be run as a successful buisness model professionally and less mistakes and the buisness will grow hopefully.

[maccawozzagod]

Originally Posted by Red-Osbornello

WHEN?!

Cheeky! Usually midweek if I know I'm driving the following day

[winstanley asfc]

Take the roof off the Clayton End bogs and let the heavy rain give them a good wash(for the first time in donkey's)!

[choirboy]

Clearly we need to raise the level of the pitch after yet another postponement!
The pitch level could be raised by 18 inches, but still retaining a slight slope, with lots of drainage put in, even including a proper drainage system with pumps fitted at the lower Coppice End to take away the water that seems to fall endlessly from our local sky!!!
Definitely need to improve the Stone Age toilets in the Clayton End which are a health hazard as described by other posters earlier.
T'would be nice to see a Family Stand replacing the cowshed on the Whinney Hill side!

[cashman]

Will the clay base not make it a waste of money raising the pitch? I ask but have no idea personally.

[andyd]

Move the lot to Dubai believe it's quite dry their.

[deeayess]

Rebuild the stadium in the same way as the one in Monaco. From what I remember its on the fourth floor above car parks and a swimming pool

[Outback Ozzy]

just put a roof over the whole stadium, simples. Keep a certain whinger off our boards.

[widnes viking]

Employ Danvic Ltd who installed drainage at GT Hardwood CC that transformed it from the worst to best draining ground in the league.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by widnes viking

Employ Danvic Ltd who installed drainage at GT Hardwood CC that transformed it from the worst to best draining ground in the league.

Aye but was Harrods clay underneath?

[widnes viking]

Originally Posted by cashman

Aye but was Harrods clay underneath?

Sand filled slits every metre feeding into drainage system ringed round the edge of the ground. Sand slits grassed over. Would be within Stanley's budget too.

[Redraine]

Originally Posted by widnes viking

Sand filled slits every metre feeding into drainage system ringed round the edge of the ground. Sand slits grassed over. Would be within Stanley's budget too.

But haven't we done the sand slits at least twice before? It's what lies beneath which is the problem.

[widnes viking]

Do they feed in to anything?

[Exile on Spencer St]

They'd have to feed into an attenuation tank/pit/lake within Stanley's control. Can't simply discharge surface water onto your neighbours' land anymore, and move the flooding further downstream. Would have thought somewhere under the Coppice end car park would be an option. Could install a giant SUDS system under there, but it's unlikely to be cheap, unless it as part of a more comprehensive development at that end of the ground.
But the current groundwater levels are exceptional, and across the country, and the cost of further drainage infrastructure has to be balanced against both how often this level of incessant rain occurs and what else the money could be spent on.

[DaveinGermany]

Large capacity underground storage tanks? Excess water can be run off into them then recycled as & where required, toilets, ground sprinklers, or even a local farmer or two should it be required.