Jump to content

Takeover at Somerset


Recommended Posts

I agree with safe standing.

Let's face it, a new Somerset with 4 x 2,500 seated stands, rarely be any need to open any more than one stand. 2 x stands with seats and 2 x standing areas would be much more sensible. I can't see Gilmour's plans ever happening to be honest. The hooses would go up and then he'd tangled himself up in red tape, never mind the council.

Am I missing something though re: South Ayrshire Council and the planning permission? Last time I heard anything there was no movement to do with Heathfield.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 567
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Am I missing something though re: South Ayrshire Council and the planning permission? Last time I heard anything there was no movement to do with Heathfield.

Hmm.

South Ayrshire Cooncil. Goal posts. Movement.

I'm sure the paper article suggested that Somerset would be in it's current vicinity, the houses will be on the land that AUFC hold at Heathfield. Who in their right mind would by a house inside a railway triangle with shit access roads? Doesn't make sense. I'm still trying to find the plans submitted for the railway area on S.A.C website. No joy yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm.

South Ayrshire Cooncil. Goal posts. Movement.

I'm sure the paper article suggested that Somerset would be in it's current vicinity, the houses will be on the land that AUFC hold at Heathfield. Who in their right mind would by a house inside a railway triangle with shit access roads? Doesn't make sense. I'm still trying to find the plans submitted for the railway area on S.A.C website. No joy yet.

Link me up if/when you find them please?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agree completely until that final part. 10,000 is a pie-in-the-sky figure.

To be discussing what Ayr could attract in the Premiership when they're currently fighting for their life in League One seems a bit strange in all honesty, but considering that their highest average attendance in recent times was around the 3000 mark in seasons 97/98, 98/99 you get an idea of what they'd be averaging nowadays. The last time that Ayr averaged close to 10,000 was in the 1970's. A lot has changed since the days of the late 90's, and the only time Ayr would get close to 10k would be for the visits of Rangers, Celtic and of course Kilmarnock.

I think it's fairly obvious that people aren't expecting Ayr to average around 10,000 fans at home. You'd be an absolute idiot to think so.

10,000 is a good number for Ayr. What's the point in building a 5000 seater ground? What happens when the OF come to town, or Killie, or even one of the Edinburgh sides? Fans would miss out. 5000 is a stupid number and so fucking negative. The club should be looking to try and get new fans going to games, make a massive fucking deal about the new ground and get folk interested. 10,000 is ambitious - but that's what's needed, ambition. Go big or go home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's fairly obvious that people aren't expecting Ayr to average around 10,000 fans at home. You'd be an absolute idiot to think so.

10,000 is a good number for Ayr. What's the point in building a 5000 seater ground? What happens when the OF come to town, or Killie, or even one of the Edinburgh sides? Fans would miss out. 5000 is a stupid number and so fucking negative. The club should be looking to try and get new fans going to games, make a massive fucking deal about the new ground and get folk interested. 10,000 is ambitious - but that's what's needed, ambition. Go big or go home.

Too right, Lachlan had planned for a 4000 seater one stand job, that's shite IMO, if we were doing well we'd be getting the same crowds as the Killies of this world, 8000/10000 seater would be about right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's a compromise here. It has to be considerably bigger than the average, but not too big that it becomes an empty shell.

The key aspect, of course, is the safe standing. That way it doesn't feel quite so empty and a better atmosphere can be generated all round. We shouldn't build a new stadium until that's been sorted by the authorities.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The skeptic in me wonders how long the football development would remain a priority once planning permission for the housing was in place and ownership of that land transferred.

By all accounts the unsigned Section75s from the Barratts Application included a Condition that NO works could be undertaken at Somerset Park until the 'new' stadium was completed. Sensible if you ask me. I would hope that any forthcoming Application would evoke the same Condition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's fairly obvious that people aren't expecting Ayr to average around 10,000 fans at home. You'd be an absolute idiot to think so.

10,000 is a good number for Ayr. What's the point in building a 5000 seater ground? What happens when the OF come to town, or Killie, or even one of the Edinburgh sides? Fans would miss out. 5000 is a stupid number and so fucking negative. The club should be looking to try and get new fans going to games, make a massive fucking deal about the new ground and get folk interested. 10,000 is ambitious - but that's what's needed, ambition. Go big or go home.

Building a 10,000 seater stadium when in League One (possibly L2 very soon) is ridiculous. Sorry, but it is. Build two stands holding 4000/5000 in total with planning permission for two extra stands to be built if/when they have a realistic chance of increasing the fanbase would be the sensible option. You could even have two temporary standing areas behind the goals that could be dismantled if/when new stands were to be built.

The point in using historical attendance figures was to show that even in the 90's 'boom' Ayr didn't attract anywhere near a big crowd. In order to judge the chance of Edinburgh sides bringing a big away support, you should compare it to the crowds they've brought to Ayrshire in recent years. Hearts and Hibs have brought <1000 to Rugby Park for near on ten years, with a few exceptions aside. So if they were to bring 1000, you'd say that there would be 4000 Ayr fans realistically in the ground?

'Ambition' is what left Darlington playing in, and eventually losing, a white elephant ground. A stadium similar to Forthbank, but slightly larger, is what should be proposed IMO. Spend the money on a decent youth/fitness centre, something that can benefit the club for years to come rather than a stadium that will be filled 4 times a season, if that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the cup. A one-off 'novelty' match. Would they bring anywhere close to that if Ayr were a regular Premiership team? I doubt it.

I don't think it's a fair comparison to guess how many fans would go to Ayr based on how many went to Kilmarnock. That'd be like comparing the amount of tourists going to Beirut to weigh up how many would go to Monte Carlo.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the cup. A one-off 'novelty' match. Would they bring anywhere close to that if Ayr were a regular Premiership team? I doubt it.

The big crowds once or twice a season (or once every couple) is a big pay-day for Ayr and taking that completely out the equation would not make sense.

But safe standing will be agreed in a few years. I don't want to rush this - getting it right for the long term is vital.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The big crowds once or twice a season (or once every couple) is a big pay-day for Ayr and taking that completely out the equation would not make sense.

But safe standing will be agreed in a few years. I don't want to rush this - getting it right for the long term is vital.

Nobody is denying that, but for a Scottish Cup quarter final against a big Premiership club, Ayr still had less than 2000 there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

By all accounts the unsigned Section75s from the Barratts Application included a Condition that NO works could be undertaken at Somerset Park until the 'new' stadium was completed. Sensible if you ask me. I would hope that any forthcoming Application would evoke the same Condition.

Without doubt, selling our ground before our new one was built was what ruined Airdrie. Ayr should also learn from Airdrie and not get a 10,000 seat stadium. Watching games in a stadium that size with the size of crowds that Airdrie and Ayr get is horrible. Incorporating some form of standing area might be good, or if you must go all seater then 6-8,000 max. I really like Palmerston as a ground, a good mix of seating and standing for a variety of fans, and doesn't feel as empty on crowds of 1,500 as it would if they had a 10,000 seater. A modern version of that would be ideal for Ayr.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What game are you talking about?

Im assuming v Hibs in the Scottish Cup 1/4 Final. The club charged Premier League prices for that game reducing the potential home support considerably. Breakdown of the 5.991 attendance was home 2,691 away 3,300. The away allocation was sold out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are ayr fans deluding themselves about being sleeping giants? Ayr as a premiership club(unlikely to happen in the first place) would be fine with 6000 capacity, 8000 would be more than enough. Take a look at the clubs around you, why would ayr attract much more away supporters than the sides currently in the league.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...