Queen’s Park 21/22

[spiders4ever]

7 hours ago, Arachnophile said:

 

Looks good

[JT1867]

8 hours ago, G_&_T said:

The way things are going, you'll be in the Championship next season. You'll need a bigger capacity ground than the one originally planned. Why not incorporate terracing? It makes sense. But you could be entertaining Thistle, St. Mirren (especially given the meltdown their fans are having) and other sides who could well bring 1,000 fans with them. Plus surely you must anticipate your own fanbase growing?

That was one of my concerns, we couldn't seriously play at a 1,000 capacity ground if we were in the Championship next season.

Suspect we could end up back Firhill if that was the case.

[williebraveheart]

3 minutes ago, JT1867 said:

That was one of my concerns, we couldn't seriously play at a 1,000 capacity ground if we were in the Championship next season.

Suspect we could end up back Firhill if that was the case.

I agree. We seem to be building a stadium out of expediency not related to our ambitions. 

[Mick1867]

55 minutes ago, JT1867 said:

 

Suspect we could end up back Firhill if that was the case.

That would be the only sensible course of action should that happen (or wherever would take us )  

[Spidersmad]

47 minutes ago, JT1867 said:

That was one of my concerns, we couldn't seriously play at a 1,000 capacity ground if we were in the Championship next season.

Suspect we could end up back Firhill if that was the case.

I've been saying for years that the best solution for QP is to move over the hill back to Second Hampden, or the former Cathkin Park as it is perhaps better known. There's plenty of room there to build a modern stadium which could start with a possible capacity of around 3,000 and could be expanded in stages up to 10,000 if the need should arise. The Lesser Hampden site has always seemed too closed in to me. Having been used to the views from the Hampden Centre Stand and now the Jackie Husband Stand, the views from just a few rows back in the new Lesser will take a bit of getting used to.

[an86]

2,500 would do us in the long term. Generally not going to sell that out. Even if we wanted more, we could surely move the pitch up further and build on the four sides? 

[Spidersmad]

18 minutes ago, an86 said:

2,500 would do us in the long term. Generally not going to sell that out. Even if we wanted more, we could surely move the pitch up further and build on the four sides? 

Agree that that's the most realistic medium / long term plan. I think the capacity in the original plans for developing the east and west sides of Lesser is 1,800. With the present layout there's definitely room for another stand at the Somerville Drive end but with no room for a 4th stand at the Letherby Drive end. Moving the pitch slightly north would give room for a stand / terrace at that end. If all 4 sides were developed then there would probably be room for a 2,500 - 3,000 capacity stadium.

Currently the regular QP support is only around 500. At the open meetings about turning pro, Gerry Crawley spoke about hopefully growing the support to around 1,200 which would be quite an achievement. Even back in the early '80s when QP were briefly in the second tier of Scottish football we struggled to get gates of over 1,000. Perhaps a professional Queen's side competing consistently at a decent level and with strengthened links with the local community would have more potential for increasing the support.

[Dooflick]

On 26/08/2021 at 15:53, Anonymous Spider said:

Make that 2. 

Had a reply yet?

[Anonymous Spider]

28 minutes ago, Dooflick said:

Had a reply yet?

yes 

[G_&_T]

 

5 hours ago, an86 said:

2,500 would do us in the long term. Generally not going to sell that out. Even if we wanted more, we could surely move the pitch up further and build on the four sides? 

 

4 hours ago, Spidersmad said:

Agree that that's the most realistic medium / long term plan. I think the capacity in the original plans for developing the east and west sides of Lesser is 1,800. With the present layout there's definitely room for another stand at the Somerville Drive end but with no room for a 4th stand at the Letherby Drive end. Moving the pitch slightly north would give room for a stand / terrace at that end. If all 4 sides were developed then there would probably be room for a 2,500 - 3,000 capacity stadium.

Currently the regular QP support is only around 500. At the open meetings about turning pro, Gerry Crawley spoke about hopefully growing the support to around 1,200 which would be quite an achievement. Even back in the early '80s when QP were briefly in the second tier of Scottish football we struggled to get gates of over 1,000. Perhaps a professional Queen's side competing consistently at a decent level and with strengthened links with the local community would have more potential for increasing the support.

 

 

What is 'long-term'? Ten years' time? As a professional club, there's every chance you could be playing in the SPL by then! Only the top two tiers are fully professional, after all. I believe you'll require a 6,000 capacity ground to play in the SPL - the Old Firm, Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen could all bring thousands to your ground, after all, especially if they're looking for a decisive league victory.

I fully understand why the club is being prudential - why waste money on a stadium that's going to be mostly empty, right? But if that's the case, why go full time? Why not semi-professional? How do you anticipate being able to fund a full time squad on crowds of 600?

To me, building a wee stadium just doesn't accord with your full time status! Either you've overreached by going full time, or you're lacking ambition by building inadequate facilities.

Nobody wants to see another Gretna, but at the very least you need to be able to expand your stadium to a 6,000 seater, and should have considered that in the current designs - i.e. by moving the pitch, or whatever.

Anyway, it's fascinating to see your club, with her magnificent history, finally going places. I would love to see you back in the top-tier.  

 

Edited September 1, 2021 by G_&_T

[Boris the Spider]

1 hour ago, Dooflick said:

Had a reply yet?

Other e-mail replied to as well. Fair play.

[Mick1867]

22 hours ago, Spidersmad said:

 

Even back in the early '80s when QP were briefly in the second tier of Scottish football we struggled to get gates of over 1,000. 

You're right and that would have included decent away supports. We had a great team back then that finished the 18th best in Scottish football and reached the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup ( two years in a row)

The biggest QP support I've seen in my time at a single game was the Scottish Cup tie at Parkhead in 2009 when we sold out our allocation of around 1200 (and that was also supplemented by youth teams and players' families & friends) We took around 800 to Cowdenbeath in 2000 when we won the league and 600 to Methil in 2007 when we won the play offs. I won't count the home game v Rangers in Dec 2012 as our section was full of bigots (horrible day)

We've got a hell of a lot of work to do to have crowds one day that can help sustain full time football, once Haughey's funding stops. 

[NavyBlueArmy1876]

22 hours ago, G_&_T said:

 

 

 

 

What is 'long-term'? Ten years' time? As a professional club, there's every chance you could be playing in the SPL by then! Only the top two tiers are fully professional, after all. I believe you'll require a 6,000 capacity ground to play in the SPL - the Old Firm, Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen could all bring thousands to your ground, after all, especially if they're looking for a decisive league victory.

I fully understand why the club is being prudential - why waste money on a stadium that's going to be mostly empty, right? But if that's the case, why go full time? Why not semi-professional? How do you anticipate being able to fund a full time squad on crowds of 600?

To me, building a wee stadium just doesn't accord with your full time status! Either you've overreached by going full time, or you're lacking ambition by building inadequate facilities.

Nobody wants to see another Gretna, but at the very least you need to be able to expand your stadium to a 6,000 seater, and should have considered that in the current designs - i.e. by moving the pitch, or whatever.

Anyway, it's fascinating to see your club, with her magnificent history, finally going places. I would love to see you back in the top-tier.  

 

 

Worth noting that both the east and west stands could be extended, as well as a new stand behind each goal to increase capacity to 5000+ which would be plenty: 

 

The last thing you want is a situation where you're giving 75%+ of your own stadium away to the ugly sisters (eg Clyde, Airdrie etc) or rattling around inside an enormous stadium you don't need 95% of the time (eg Killie).

You only have to look at a similarly supported club like Arbroath, their average attendance has jumped from circa 800 in league 1 to around 1,500 in the championship. Really no point in expanding much beyond the current set up unless reaching the Premiership is achieved.

 

[G_&_T]

1 hour ago, NavyBlueArmy1876 said:

 

Worth noting that both the east and west stands could be extended, as well as a new stand behind each goal to increase capacity to 5000+ which would be plenty: 

 

The last thing you want is a situation where you're giving 75%+ of your own stadium away to the ugly sisters (eg Clyde, Airdrie etc) or rattling around inside an enormous stadium you don't need 95% of the time (eg Killie).

You only have to look at a similarly supported club like Arbroath, their average attendance has jumped from circa 800 in league 1 to around 1,500 in the championship. Really no point in expanding much beyond the current set up unless reaching the Premiership is achieved.

 

My calculations suggest that still falls shy of the requisite 6,000 for SPL football.

[NavyBlueArmy1876]

1 hour ago, G_&_T said:

My calculations suggest that still falls shy of the requisite 6,000 for SPL football.

That rule was scrapped years ago during league reconstruction (when the play-offs were created and the Highland & Lowland joined the pyramid). Along with the requirement for all seated stadia and undersoil heating. 

The minimum requirement you now need to play in the Premiership and Championship is to achieve SFA Bronze Certificate compliance - which is 500 covered seats.

6,000 seats are still required to achieve Gold Certificate compliance but that isn't necessary to obtain.

Edited September 2, 2021 by NavyBlueArmy1876

[Boris the Spider]

https://queensparkfc.co.uk/fixture-amendments/

 

Hope my church service finishes on time.

[G_&_T]

1 hour ago, NavyBlueArmy1876 said:

That rule was scrapped years ago during league reconstruction (when the play-offs were created and the Highland & Lowland joined the pyramid). Along with the requirement for all seated stadia and undersoil heating. 

The minimum requirement you now need to play in the Premiership and Championship is to achieve SFA Bronze Certificate compliance - which is 500 covered seats.

6,000 seats are still required to achieve Gold Certificate compliance but that isn't necessary to obtain.

In which case I stand corrected!

[Arachnophile]

Those of you old enough to remember Jimmy Gilmour will enjoy this...

Understandably, being a Falkirk podcast, it's predominantly about his time at Brockville, but the first few minutes are about his time as a spider. He was some player.

[QPSpider1867]

Awful football. Anyway, the double is on. 

[Theyellowbox]

On 02/09/2021 at 13:54, NavyBlueArmy1876 said:

 

Worth noting that both the east and west stands could be extended, as well as a new stand behind each goal to increase capacity to 5000+ which would be plenty: 

 

The last thing you want is a situation where you're giving 75%+ of your own stadium away to the ugly sisters (eg Clyde, Airdrie etc) or rattling around inside an enormous stadium you don't need 95% of the time (eg Killie).

You only have to look at a similarly supported club like Arbroath, their average attendance has jumped from circa 800 in league 1 to around 1,500 in the championship. Really no point in expanding much beyond the current set up unless reaching the Premiership is achieved.

 

Could there ever be a possibility if Hampden got redeveloped that bringing in the stands behind the goals would allow for an extension or rebuild of the stand currently under construction? The last thing needed is an emptying stadium with loads of unused seats, but can see even at championship level anything less than 5k might be too small. 

Always felt lesser hampden was under used and its great to see QP making it a real home.