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Post by wider on Aug 9, 2017 16:47:57 GMT
What is the difference if any between re developing the Mem and the term that Wael uses Re generating ? Yep, I do wonder if that is a deliberate choice of words. If so, I would suggest it means a stand or two. Still, I don't think we've managed one of those since the 50's, so would be an acheivement! Centenary Stand 1988 and West Stand 1997 says Wikipedia (not always right but seems to tie with my memory) Please will people calm down and stop throwing sh*t like our neighbours - some of it always sticks!
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Post by beaver132 on Aug 9, 2017 17:00:18 GMT
Dear WAQ, in case you hadn't realised, we've suffered being Gasheads. Nothing comes easy for us. No gifts of top international Stadia (Man City, West Ham), no sugar Daddy (Chelsea, Man City et al) no great plan for world domination (Man You). Just a small plucky unfashionable West Country club, held in the heart of its small local community, and held on the pitch by pure force of will of a mad 5000 or so supporters down the years. So many obstacles thrown in our way from the sale of Estville, the fire, Twerton (the other fire) the Mem. So many failed stadia plans, too many to catalogue. Protests groups protesting about the very thing they were demanding only a few months before and getting so confused they'll basically protest at the planting of a magic money tree in every garden. So when another stadium goes down the toilet, a lot of people simply assume it's the beginning of more profound heartache, and will lash out. It's our curse, and it's what makes us who we are. Don't be surprised if we complain when the first sod is cut for the first stage of the project, but we simply fear the wrong type of spade will be used. All we ask is that you understand, that we will disect every word and question you answer and try to find the hidden message that says we've been sold to the Devil. Because it's what we've come to expect. Just get us something better than we have. It's the way we are. UTG.
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Post by Gashead73 on Aug 9, 2017 18:51:52 GMT
We never built any of the stands at the Mem.
The last proper stand we built (incomplete) was the Con John Stand at Eastville
Tents don't count
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Post by Topper Gas on Aug 9, 2017 19:40:39 GMT
Yep, I do wonder if that is a deliberate choice of words. If so, I would suggest it means a stand or two. Still, I don't think we've managed one of those since the 50's, so would be an acheivement! Centenary Stand 1988 and West Stand 1997 says Wikipedia (not always right but seems to tie with my memory) Please will people calm down and stop throwing sh*t like our neighbours - some of it always sticks! Any idea why we built a stand at the Mem over a decade before we started ground sharing with Bristol RFC? Perhaps it's you talking sh1t?
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Post by Jester on Aug 9, 2017 19:48:40 GMT
I've listened and watched the interview several times now and I agree with what people have said about Wael being 'down', but wonder why? My hope is that it was because we had reached such an advanced stage with the UWE and he was so disappointed that we couldn't agree the final terms and I think that the one major 'sticking point' was that the Al-Qadis wanted the freehold and UWE wanted Leasehold. However, I thought in recent times Wael had actually started talking about a leasehold agreement. Maybe I got the body language wrong, but I got the impression that Wael had been told that Al-Qadis/Dwayne Sports had made the decision to pull out and the he had to accept that, whether he liked it, or not. He was then told, that as President, he had to convey the message to the fans on something he had no control over? The resurrection of the plan to re-develop the Mem seemed almost like a 'spoonful of sugar', because I'm sure that that route was dismissed when the Al Qadis first took over. I can only see many more years of heartbreak for us all if we go down that route. Unfortunately, because I've seen so many disappointments in my 60 years of watching BRFC, there is that doubt in my mind, I cannot help but think (and I'm sure there are many more that think the same way?) that after the initial euphoria of the takeover and promotion, the Al-Qadi family began to realise that it was going to require a considerable amount more investment to take the club into a position where it would/could generate revenue than they were prepared for. That is why the more senior family members pulled the plug (with quite a bit of help from UWE!) on UWE and have told Wael he must look for a 'cheaper' way. I hope this is not the case, but I guess the 'proof of the pudding' will be how quickly things start to move. If we find ouselves with lots of feasibility studies etc. as these would/should have been done under the old regime, then the longer things take the more I would think that it is never going to happen. I think now, that confirmation of the family's intention to 'make a go of it' will come when things start to move on the training ground. Until then, I remain sceptical and I'm normally a 'glass half full' person. Mind you this is Bristol Rovers, we never get anything the easy way!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 19:49:12 GMT
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Post by Gashead73 on Aug 9, 2017 19:51:41 GMT
Centenary Stand 1988 and West Stand 1997 says Wikipedia (not always right but seems to tie with my memory) Please will people calm down and stop throwing sh*t like our neighbours - some of it always sticks! Any idea why we built a stand at the Mem over a decade before we started ground sharing with Bristol RFC? Perhaps it's you talking sh1t? The centenary stand was built while I was still at School and we were at Twerton. The South Stand was built about 18 months before we even moved to the Mem!!
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Post by Gashead73 on Aug 9, 2017 19:53:15 GMT
Apart from the Tents' all we did was put a roof on the Blackthorn End
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Post by garystash on Aug 9, 2017 19:57:30 GMT
So we're agreed then - if we manage to put one permanent stand up - it'll be the best achievement in terms of ground improvements since the 50's.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 20:00:12 GMT
We never built any of the stands at the Mem. The last proper stand we built (incomplete) was the Con John Stand at Eastville Tents don't count The Family Stand at Twerton Park was built via funding obtained by Rovers.
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Post by garystash on Aug 9, 2017 20:09:08 GMT
I've listened and watched the interview several times now and I agree with what people have said about Wael being 'down', but wonder why? My hope is that it was because we had reached such an advanced stage with the UWE and he was so disappointed that we couldn't agree the final terms and I think that the one major 'sticking point' was that the Al-Qadis wanted the freehold and UWE wanted Leasehold. However, I thought in recent times Wael had actually started talking about a leasehold agreement. Maybe I got the body language wrong, but I got the impression that Wael had been told that Al-Qadis/Dwayne Sports had made the decision to pull out and the he had to accept that, whether he liked it, or not. He was then told, that as President, he had to convey the message to the fans on something he had no control over? The resurrection of the plan to re-develop the Mem seemed almost like a 'spoonful of sugar', because I'm sure that that route was dismissed when the Al Qadis first took over. I can only see many more years of heartbreak for us all if we go down that route. Unfortunately, because I've seen so many disappointments in my 60 years of watching BRFC, there is that doubt in my mind, I cannot help but think (and I'm sure there are many more that think the same way?) that after the initial euphoria of the takeover and promotion, the Al-Qadi family began to realise that it was going to require a considerable amount more investment to take the club into a position where it would/could generate revenue than they were prepared for. That is why the more senior family members pulled the plug (with quite a bit of help from UWE!) on UWE and have told Wael he must look for a 'cheaper' way. I hope this is not the case, but I guess the 'proof of the pudding' will be how quickly things start to move. If we find ouselves with lots of feasibility studies etc. as these would/should have been done under the old regime, then the longer things take the more I would think that it is never going to happen. I think now, that confirmation of the family's intention to 'make a go of it' will come when things start to move on the training ground. Until then, I remain sceptical and I'm normally a 'glass half full' person. Mind you this is Bristol Rovers, we never get anything the easy way! He is clearly informed on what is on the forums. Maybe he's upset at being called names by people he thought liked him?
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pirate
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Post by pirate on Aug 9, 2017 20:09:15 GMT
Apart from the Tents' all we did was put a roof on the Blackthorn End Which the fans payed for.
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Post by Bourne End Gas on Aug 9, 2017 20:53:52 GMT
Sorry if this has been suggested elsewhere but would it be viable to buy up the old B and Q the old bus depot and the former Ford garage and develop theses sites then sell the Mem for housing ?
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Post by Fat Albert on Aug 9, 2017 20:55:12 GMT
Just watched the full interview for the first time and unless Wael is literally lying through his teeth I can't really see much wrong with what he said. I know some say the Mem was disregarded as a future project but things change and surely the greatest mistake you can make is being too stubborn to revisit ideas you felt were not viable at the time because people might criticise you for it? It's not going to be the Ethiad, or Emirates but it COULD be a damn site better than anything we've ever had before!
Also there seems to be a lot of people complaining how hard we have had it over the years, but in reality it seems to me we're no different to the majority of other clubs in the league. There just seems to be a number of our fans who have developed some sort of entitlement complex. Perhaps it's because we are from a big city and have to compare ourselves to other smaller areas of the country.
I don't know whether the Mem redevelopment will ever happen but I do know it'll be the same people dismissing it on here that'll be wetting themselves with excitement if it does!
UTG
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Post by Topper Gas on Aug 9, 2017 21:02:45 GMT
I've listened and watched the interview several times now and I agree with what people have said about Wael being 'down', but wonder why? My hope is that it was because we had reached such an advanced stage with the UWE and he was so disappointed that we couldn't agree the final terms and I think that the one major 'sticking point' was that the Al-Qadis wanted the freehold and UWE wanted Leasehold. However, I thought in recent times Wael had actually started talking about a leasehold agreement. Maybe I got the body language wrong, but I got the impression that Wael had been told that Al-Qadis/Dwayne Sports had made the decision to pull out and the he had to accept that, whether he liked it, or not. He was then told, that as President, he had to convey the message to the fans on something he had no control over? The resurrection of the plan to re-develop the Mem seemed almost like a 'spoonful of sugar', because I'm sure that that route was dismissed when the Al Qadis first took over. I can only see many more years of heartbreak for us all if we go down that route. Unfortunately, because I've seen so many disappointments in my 60 years of watching BRFC, there is that doubt in my mind, I cannot help but think (and I'm sure there are many more that think the same way?) that after the initial euphoria of the takeover and promotion, the Al-Qadi family began to realise that it was going to require a considerable amount more investment to take the club into a position where it would/could generate revenue than they were prepared for. That is why the more senior family members pulled the plug (with quite a bit of help from UWE!) on UWE and have told Wael he must look for a 'cheaper' way. I hope this is not the case, but I guess the 'proof of the pudding' will be how quickly things start to move. If we find ouselves with lots of feasibility studies etc. as these would/should have been done under the old regime, then the longer things take the more I would think that it is never going to happen. I think now, that confirmation of the family's intention to 'make a go of it' will come when things start to move on the training ground. Until then, I remain sceptical and I'm normally a 'glass half full' person. Mind you this is Bristol Rovers, we never get anything the easy way! He is clearly informed on what is on the forums. Maybe he's upset at being called names by people he thought liked him? Doesn't that go with the territory particularly when you destroy fans dreams? What nobody seems to have picked up on is Weal's odd comments at the end the interview about us apparently being in a dispute with a contractor over a payment, what's all that about, is HG's suggestion that we haven't paid the £30K for the fence at The Colony correct?
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Post by curlywurly on Aug 9, 2017 21:31:08 GMT
I'd be exceptionally happy if Dwane Sports could develop the Mem into something similar to these proposals. It has to be an advantage that these plans received planning permission, although we know any new proposals will not have an easy ride. We have also got used to the argument that it was not financially sustainable to stay at the Mem, but there is potential non match income from the previously proposed scheme. Would this be enough? Certainly worth looking at, as well as alternative uses. Thanks to the wonders of Google Maps, I've taken a look at the land footprint of Ashton Gate. It is fractionally more than the plot at the Mem., however part of the parcel of land at Ashton is an appendage in the corner, which forms the entrance behind the KFC. As a result, a stadium the size of Ashton Gate could fit into the 7.3 acres of available land at the Mem. OK, there would be very little on site parking, but then there isn't much at Ashton Gate either (so I'm told).
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 22:06:05 GMT
I'd be exceptionally happy if Dwane Sports could develop the Mem into something similar to these proposals. It has to be an advantage that these plans received planning permission, although we know any new proposals will not have an easy ride. We have also got used to the argument that it was not financially sustainable to stay at the Mem, but there is potential non match income from the previously proposed scheme. Would this be enough? Certainly worth looking at, as well as alternative uses. Thanks to the wonders of Google Maps, I've taken a look at the land footprint of Ashton Gate. It is fractionally more than the plot at the Mem., however part of the parcel of land at Ashton is an appendage in the corner, which forms the entrance behind the KFC. As a result, a stadium the size of Ashton Gate could fit into the 7.3 acres of available land at the Mem. OK, there would be very little on site parking, but then there isn't much at Ashton Gate either (so I'm told). The Mem plans were supposed to be self financing (as nobody at rovers has EVER had any real money). So the income from the flats hotel was to pay for the stadia build. If the money is available for the build without a)selling the mem site and b) having flats etc pay for it. Then the options are greater for the build. The footprint of the site wont matter if the access to the site is not enough for the volume of people. So it is governed by the flow of people per minute I guess and the potential for evacuations during emergencies ?
Now the mem had permission for 18500 people...plus staff...plus emergency staff/police...plus those in the hotel...plus those in the flats and their guests. Who are all present on site potentially matchdays. Ashton gate has exits towards the park and the opposite way towards winterstoke road, Rovers currently only have exits in one direction,filton avenue. The mem plans had blocks in all the corners...removing them would allow for more seating there so maybe take the capacity up to 20,500. Near enough the basic size for the UWE stadia.
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Post by Antonio Fargas on Aug 10, 2017 7:18:00 GMT
Also there seems to be a lot of people complaining how hard we have had it over the years, but in reality it seems to me we're no different to the majority of other clubs in the league. There just seems to be a number of our fans who have developed some sort of entitlement complex. Perhaps it's because we are from a big city and have to compare ourselves to other smaller areas of the country. Yeah, I think there's this thing with Gasheads where we've been so obsessed with getting our own stadium over the years, that we've actually forgotten/never realised that we've got our own stadium.
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