The Infrastructure Projects

[Sausage Roll]

Tom Cartledge has just (via Forest) posted an update on the future of the City Ground on Twitter but as it's a 15 minute long video I've not listened to it yet. Hopefully they'll also publish the transcript.

[JWJW]

The only constant in life is change. You cannot live in the past forever. You have to embrace change or you become a bitter old person moaning and whinging all the time.

We need a larger stadium. We need 50K or 60K crowds coming in if we are ever to be a top 6 club again.

We need to enable everyone who wants to watch NFFC play the availability of tickets.

It would be cutting off the nose to spite the face to say "we cannot move".

We have to embrace change, we have to embrace improvement, and if it means that the City Ground gets retired and we have a New City Ground somewhere else, so be it.

Whatever happens there will be a Forest team playing football who we can support.

Our owner wants us to be top 6 and playing in Europe. That needs a bigger stadium. Dont we all want to see Forest as a top 6 side again ? And for many, dont they want to see Forest in Europe for the first time in their lives ?

Dont deny people new dreams just because you want to hang on to your old memories is what I say.

[Hyperkoi]

Totally agree with JWJW, Tom made it clear that the top half of the table are dominated by clubs with largecstadiums. The premier league will bring in spending caps linked to revenue, he specifically states that revenue is linked to stadium size. Our chairman runs one of the best architects in the world, if they have to they will build a superb stadium that will impress the world, of that i have no doubt.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

A new stadium doesn't guarantee Europe, it doesn't even guarantee being in the PL.

What about considering the prospect of a half empty 50,000 seater stadium with faded pink seats and crumbling facilities at the bottom end of the Championship? It could happen.

I couldn't live with a soulless bowl with four identical stands in the middle of nowhere.

I could live with a new stadium with four different stands close to where we are located now though.

Although I prefer the original plan to redevelop where we are now.

[Hyperkoi]

Sniffer, Tom stated that it would not be a soulless bowl and i believe him.

[Tricky]

Totally agree with JWJW, Tom made it clear that the top half of the table are dominated by clubs with largecstadiums. The premier league will bring in spending caps linked to revenue, he specifically states that revenue is linked to stadium size. Our chairman runs one of the best architects in the world, if they have to they will build a superb stadium that will impress the world, of that i have no doubt.

I cant disagree with this Hyperkoi. Valid points made.

Sadly, here is the 'but'............

For Forest to be able to follow every fans dreams, as JWJW has said, we need to be challenging at the other end of the table. To attract the crowds into a state of the art super stadium, we need to be playing entertaining football and winning games in style. For that we need a much better quality of player than we currently have. They cost money. We are hamstrung by the amount of money we can spend on players due to the revenue we generate, due to FFP. 

We are currently sat near the foot of the table, with a potential points deduction looming over us. Those points deducted could potentially relegate us. That would potentially see a mass exodus of our better players in the summer, leaving us with a squad that could well struggle in the Championship, depending of course who goes and who stays. Would that then attract 40,000-50,000 crowds? If not, have the club squandered massive amounts of money for no reason?

A move to a new stadium nearer to the City Centre (if possible) makes a lot of sense for a number of reasons. Transport links are far greater for one thing. Closer to the station would be ideal for those travelling in by train, including away supporters. Then there is the potential environmental impact climate change will have (sorry politics again!). We have seen over the past few years, winters getting warmer, which means less frosts and snow and more rain. The amount of rain we have seen this past year alone is swelling the Trent to extraordinarily high levels. How soon will it be before the Trent bursts its bank near the City Ground on a regular basis? Not only will flooding create postponements, it will also cost the club a small fortune in cleaning and decontaminating the pitch every time it gets flooded by the Trent. Also, obviously, a new state of the art stadium would be planned from scratch to facilitate much larger crowds. The City Ground cannot expand much more due to its location and the footprint it sits on. This we all know already. We also currently have the City Council to contend with, which isnt an ideal situation to be in. 

I have highlighted only a few pro's and cons for the situation we currently find ourselves at and the conundrum the club currently faces , in my opinion at least.

[Hyperkoi]

Agree Tricky, its a difficult decision, some will be upset whatever Marinakis does. I truly believe that he will do what he believes is best for the club.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Sniffer, Tom stated that it would not be a soulless bowl and i believe him.

Yes I know mate but we can't even guarantee that Tom will still be chairman in 12 months time.

Some very good discussion in this thread (and the Financial thread) so thanks to all involved.

[optimistic_red]

Its clear that no ones first choice is to move from the City ground, but we can't still be talking about ground redevelopment in another 5 years if the club is going to progress. Hopefully this change of position from Forest will be enough to get the current plan moving.

[Paplane]

If allowable losses are only going to be 70% of turnover, then excluding prem tv money we'd be behind Coventry, Leicester, Leeds, Southampton, Hull, Sunderland, Bristol, Boro, Cardiff in terms of player budget, just because our infrastructure doesnt raise revenue. Even the sheep in divison 3. It needs addressing urgently. Id say our prem place is unsustainable when the rules change.

[Red Dog]

Sniffer, Tom stated that it would not be a soulless bowl and i believe him.

Yes I know mate but we can't even guarantee that Tom will still be chairman in 12 months time.

Some very good discussion in this thread (and the Financial thread) so thanks to all involved.

Agree with all of the above. Given that EM owns Oly what is their stadium like? I have been to the Greek islands many times and have friends in Crete. Greeks are passionate people and i cannot imagine they sit quietly at football matches clapping politely. Therefore i imagine that if we built a.similar stadium to the Oly one it would NOT be a "souless bowl".... Just a thought.....

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Olympiakos don't own their stadium either.

It's also a bowl like stadium.