|
Post by WeAreTheGas on Jul 15, 2019 15:35:37 GMT
I love the Mem and will be sad if and when we leave. There, I’ve said it! 100% agree. Fully recognise the need for us to leave (or at least redevelop the Mem) if we want to have a brighter future, but I love the place and always have.
|
|
|
Post by axegas on Jul 15, 2019 15:37:44 GMT
Sure, we will get the odd transfer coup when the player cares more about playing football than the facilities provided to them but it’s been a consistent trend over the last 10 years or so that we will miss out on players to the likes of Oxford, Fleetwood etc because they can provide better training grounds and stadiums for the players to work every day in.
The location of the mem is great, fairly easy to get to for most of our supporters and lots of pubs and shops to make a day of it nearby, I really like that aspect of it. It’s just a shame the facilities are outdated and hold us back as a club.
|
|
|
Post by albaron on Jul 15, 2019 15:42:25 GMT
I love the Mem and will be sad if and when we leave. There, I’ve said it! Well I hate it and think its an embarrassment .
|
|
|
Post by francegas on Jul 15, 2019 16:25:58 GMT
Good post which highlights some iconic names. Never thought I'd witness the likes of Alan Ball or Mick Channon playing in the quarters, but I did !
The only thing I'd say from the list of names only 2 were in their 20s when signed. We need to be encouraging young up coming players rather than those in their twilight years of their careers and I don't think our current facilities will do that.
|
|
|
Post by gasheadontour on Jul 15, 2019 16:31:19 GMT
Players care a lot more about training facilities than the stadium.
|
|
|
Post by singupgas on Jul 15, 2019 16:46:09 GMT
Facilities at Bristol Rovers must be some of the worse for league 2 and above.
For a professional outfit to not have it's own training ground is a slightly embarrassing, makes no sense to me, I would want to give the players and staff I employ every chance of succeeding by at least having decent training ground.
The stadium, what is there to say, the pitch is amazing, the new bars are big improvement on what we had previously. Beyond on that it is shambles, nothing looks the same, there are 3 tents scattered around the ground, the turnstiles don't even work without human intervention. I really hope Wael delivers a new ground, he must recognise that you cant polish a turd.
|
|
|
Post by roosty56 on Jul 15, 2019 17:01:14 GMT
Being a Rovers supporter for coming up close to 60 years, I’m sorry to say we are so far behind the times it’s frightening , In the 21st Century I want to watch the game in comfort , not come home soaked to the skin to the skin , my family has had links to Rovers since 1950”s so Rovers will always be in my heart, but it does hurt me deeply when I read negative comments about the Mem from busting supporters, I said before I love my club, but I am fed up trying to defend my club from my non gashead friends, my dream is to watch my beloved Rovers in comfort and be proud of the facilities but sadly I don’t believe in my lifetime that day will come , and that hurts...
|
|
|
Post by Westy on Jul 15, 2019 17:17:50 GMT
My first match was at (and obviously has then always been!) at the Mem in '96, so maybe it's Stockholm syndrome that I love the place.
That said, I know it's pretty janky from the outside, although that's never made me think I wouldn't make matchdays.
As has been said a million times, why haven't we sorted our training facilities? I'd say that's my biggest bug bear with the AQ's. I've never held my breath for a new stadium, and when I have it's been for about as long as I have for a music arena here. We all know nothing gets built in Bristol, unless it's student flats...
Maybe that's where we're going wrong? University of Bristol seem to have planning permission coming out of their ears for accommodation. Perhaps we had the wrong choice with UWE. New stadium, partnership with UoB, ten billion student flats made part of the design = winner.
... anyways, back to my point. The AQ's spoke of evolution not revolution, and seemed to of been making good progress with The Colony. And that's gone to sh**, like the rest. Its fundamental to a football team to train, and having the facilties to incorpate the development squad and youth teams all under the same roof seems a no brainer.
How we've been pottering along pretending like it isn't an issue, making do (but not mending) is beyond me!
But hey, as said, Rag Bag Rovers.
Got quite a nice ring to it 😉
|
|
|
Post by straighouttabristol on Jul 15, 2019 20:17:40 GMT
I think people sometimes get carried away with the character of the ground ie tents, weird shaped stands etc. The condition of the interior isn’t as bad as we make out. I certainly remember going to The County ground for a soaking a few seasons back and whilst the ground is more conventional and there is the odd decent stand I certainly left thinking it was all a bit of a sh** hole. Granted, they’re not in the league any more but going to York I was afraid of touching anything in case I left needing a tetanus jab. I’m lead to believe Kenilworth Road is similar. Roots Hall wasn’t pretty. Yes it needs flattening and yes it’s down there with some of the worst but surely the Mem is up together compared to those few examples even if the stands are a bit odd? The poster made a good point as well that this won’t nexessarily stop players wanting to play for us as it gives our heritage and identity a disservice. They’re draws for the right player (those we want signing for us) Luton will soon be getting a new 23,000-capacity stadium, Southend have plans for a 21,000-capacity stadium and Swindon recently purchased the County Ground for £2.5mil in the hope of improving it (probably not tents or like that embarassing eyesore of a 'stand' we have for families). Southend have plans? How many plans have we had? So until they’ve built a new stadium there in same boat as us as are Swindon until the hope of fixing up their ground happens
|
|
|
Post by poorblue on Jul 15, 2019 21:03:45 GMT
It is no coincidence that players whom leave us almost always mention the 'fantastic facilities' at their new clubs.... For the latest examples of this see both SC and JC's press conferences after joining Walsall.. Walsall mind.. Walsall! Our ground is an absolute dump in it's current guise and anyone who honestly does not think that it is holding us back is very mistaken. It's also no coincidence that every player who joins us says the Manager "sold" the club to me and what a great fan base there is and a very intimate intimidating atmosphere there is in the stadium. I have never heard one single player say he signed despite the crap facilities, tents and poor training ground. I would hazard a guess that there is not a single fan who complains about the tents have ever been in one. If the Mem is a "dump" I for one have had many happy memories here. I have had many poor experiences in dumps at away grounds. York, Macclesfield, Hereford, Kidderminster Alfreton to name a few.
|
|
|
Post by socrates on Jul 15, 2019 21:08:58 GMT
The ground is diabolical and one of the worst in the Football League and certainly League One. We train on pitches used for the Western League. How anyone could ever say they are fit for purpose is beyond me. Eastville was over 30 years ago and we left Twerton over 20 years ago, but some things never change and we're still rag bag Rovers. I think people sometimes get carried away with the character of the ground ie tents, weird shaped stands etc. The condition of the interior isn’t as bad as we make out. I certainly remember going to The County ground for a soaking a few seasons back and whilst the ground is more conventional and there is the odd decent stand I certainly left thinking it was all a bit of a sh** hole. Granted, they’re not in the league any more but going to York I was afraid of touching anything in case I left needing a tetanus jab. I’m lead to believe Kenilworth Road is similar. Roots Hall wasn’t pretty. Yes it needs flattening and yes it’s down there with some of the worst but surely the Mem is up together compared to those few examples even if the stands are a bit odd? The poster made a good point as well that this won’t nexessarily stop players wanting to play for us as it gives our heritage and identity a disservice. They’re draws for the right player (those we want signing for us) Yeah our ground looks crap but we’ve got a decent atmosphere , the toilets need sorting , the bars are massively improved , the pitch is great ( hopefully we’ll play some decent football on it next season , if we’re going hoofball then dig it up a bit ) it holds 11,000 we rarely fill it. There’s pros and cons for sure it’s not as bad as some make out, and I actually like it , it’s home. Some clubs our size have grounds that are fairly new have more seats for example the kassam at oxford , would I swap with them ? No chance, awful ground. Obviously to give us any hope of staying in the championship if and when we get there ? we need a bigger ground with more income streams but when I go to Rovers I don’t trudge around thinking this is crap. Twerton was worse and the Mem is a tidier ground now than it’s ever been since we’ve been here. My first season was our first at twerton so basically what I’m saying is we currently have a better ground with better facilities and a better pitch than we’ve had in over 30 years. That’s very slow progress but it is progress , the next step is either a major redevelopment of the Mem or we build a new stadium . Personally I haven’t got a spare thirty million quid so I can hardly complain we haven’t done it yet.
|
|
|
Post by warehamgas on Jul 15, 2019 21:36:25 GMT
I think people sometimes get carried away with the character of the ground ie tents, weird shaped stands etc. The condition of the interior isn’t as bad as we make out. I certainly remember going to The County ground for a soaking a few seasons back and whilst the ground is more conventional and there is the odd decent stand I certainly left thinking it was all a bit of a sh** hole. Granted, they’re not in the league any more but going to York I was afraid of touching anything in case I left needing a tetanus jab. I’m lead to believe Kenilworth Road is similar. Roots Hall wasn’t pretty. Yes it needs flattening and yes it’s down there with some of the worst but surely the Mem is up together compared to those few examples even if the stands are a bit odd? The poster made a good point as well that this won’t nexessarily stop players wanting to play for us as it gives our heritage and identity a disservice. They’re draws for the right player (those we want signing for us) Yeah our ground looks crap but we’ve got a decent atmosphere , the toilets need sorting , the bars are massively improved , the pitch is great ( hopefully we’ll play some decent football on it next season , if we’re going hoofball then dig it up a bit ) it holds 11,000 we rarely fill it. There’s pros and cons for sure it’s not as bad as some make out, and I actually like it , it’s home. Some clubs our size have grounds that are fairly new have more seats for example the kassam at oxford , would I swap with them ? No chance, awful ground. Obviously to give us any hope of staying in the championship if and when we get there ? we need a bigger ground with more income streams but when I go to Rovers I don’t trudge around thinking this is crap. Twerton was worse and the Mem is a tidier ground now than it’s ever been since we’ve been here. My first season was our first at twerton so basically what I’m saying is we currently have a better ground with better facilities and a better pitch than we’ve had in over 30 years. That’s very slow progress but it is progress , the next step is either a major redevelopment of the Mem or we build a new stadium . Personally I haven’t got a spare thirty million quid so I can hardly complain we haven’t done it yet. Agree. That’s what I feel. Of course we need a new ground and it might be old, tired and all the other stuff but I’ve never been embarrassed by it. It is what it is, an old style 1970s type ground and I would love to have a new ground like Swansea but I’ve managed without one for 53 years so I suppose I can manage for a few more. I’d love to be in a new ground but it doesn’t dominate or affect my support for the Rovers, not much I can do about it. For players perhaps training facilities more important but when faced with 2000+ at Fleetwoods ground and 8000+ in our ground I bet there’s no competition and when it comes to players, pay them enough and they’ll come. UTG!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2019 21:41:11 GMT
Players care a lot more about training facilities than the stadium. You aren’t wrong. It’s where they go to work, four days a week. Five, if they lose as often as we have done recently.
|
|
|
Post by toddy1953 on Jul 15, 2019 21:52:19 GMT
Whether we agree that the Mem & the training facilities are a disgrace or not, we ain’t moving forward as a club, whilst we remain at either. Going forward we need sustainability, what’s happening at the moment is not sustainable without new facilities. It’s no point harping on what happened 20/30 years ago, Football is a completely different beast nowadays & IMO we have missed the best chance in my lifetime to lay a foundation for the future.
|
|
|
Post by Dirt Dogg on Jul 15, 2019 22:12:49 GMT
York are currently building a new stadium. It is being funded by their local council.
Just imagine having a half decent, modern stand like that rather than some tents, aren’t York in the Conference North now?
|
|
|
Post by justin blue on Jul 15, 2019 22:32:08 GMT
Being a Rovers supporter for coming up close to 60 years, I’m sorry to say we are so far behind the times it’s frightening , In the 21st Century I want to watch the game in comfort , not come home soaked to the skin to the skin , my family has had links to Rovers since 1950”s so Rovers will always be in my heart, but it does hurt me deeply when I read negative comments about the Mem from busting supporters, I said before I love my club, but I am fed up trying to defend my club from my non gashead friends, my dream is to watch my beloved Rovers in comfort and be proud of the facilities but sadly I don’t believe in my lifetime that day will come , and that hurts... I Try to think of it as character building. It's easy to support a successfull team and sit in a wonderfull stadium have an academy and state of the art training facilities. We made a choice to support rovers we all wish it could be better and hope one day it will be, but until it is we have to content ourselves with plodding along and the odd occasion when we defy the odds and do something special. We might not get so many great days, but it makes the ones we do get that much more enjoyable. I think It takes a special kind of supporter to stay loyal with what we have had to deal with. No It ain't easy being a Rovers supporter but they're my team I can't change that so I'll just make the best of it. UTG
|
|
|
Post by gashead1981 on Jul 15, 2019 22:41:18 GMT
Anyone who looks at the Mem with some sort of pride is clearly looking though blue tinted spectacles. For all the reasons others have highlighted.
It’s beyond fit for purpose, for some people like the disabled it’s embarrassing poor.
Great effort has been made to polish the turd over recent years but we are desperate for a new ground.
|
|
|
Post by socrates on Jul 15, 2019 23:28:56 GMT
Whether we agree that the Mem & the training facilities are a disgrace or not, we ain’t moving forward as a club, whilst we remain at either. Going forward we need sustainability, what’s happening at the moment is not sustainable without new facilities. It’s no point harping on what happened 20/30 years ago, Football is a completely different beast nowadays & IMO we have missed the best chance in my lifetime to lay a foundation for the future. The money wasn’t there under Higgs and it probably is under the new lot but they won’t / can’t / don’t want to spend it. I agree , promotion to league 1 with DC and the likes of Taylor Bodin etc was a great opportunity but to carry that on we’d have to get a stadium built quickly , not easy and spent 30 million + on it and increased our wage budget buy 2-5 million roughly yearly just to win promotion and maybe stay there. Easy to say when it’s someone else’s money. People say why did wael buy the club what’s the point but I think it’s fair enough. He grew up in London going to Chelsea in the 70 and 80s fell in love with the English game stood on the terraces , wanted to buy a decent lower league club that would give him that buzz. He went to a few Gas matches a club with a long history and loyal supporters saw and felt the atmosphere , liked it and said I’ll have some of that. He can’t throw hundreds of millions at it to get us in the prem or the championship even it looks but who in our history has ? To ge fair since they bought the club they have improved the ground , we’ve won promotion and we’ve got a mid table budget for league 1. Lansdaown has spent hundreds of millions on the sh** and all they’ve done is get relegated to league 1 , promoted back etc. Successful football club ownership at the top level takes extraordinary amounts of money, great decision making and a bit of luck along the way. We’ve been much worse off.
|
|
|
Post by purdownpoacher1 on Jul 16, 2019 1:06:56 GMT
I love the Mem and will be sad if and when we leave. There, I’ve said it! Well I hate it and think its an embarrassment . I love the location of the mem.. but it just doesn’t feel like a football ground to me . Will always ‘ spiritually ‘ belong to Bristol rugby club utg
|
|
|
Post by gas2 on Jul 16, 2019 2:12:13 GMT
As far as traston hate goes it's not just a football stadium it's a arena for all things sport and entertainment
|
|