Club fans meeting for development

[Terryfenwickatemyhamster]

Would you like salt and vinegar with them?

I’d bring my own if I had to mate. I’ll tell you now. A decent tray of chips for a few quid would turn out to be the clubs biggest money spinner by a mile…

[Deepcut Cobbler]

I feel the emphasis should be on revenue generation EVERYDAY and not just match days!

Space for business/ community meetings and flexible display areas.

I believe that that is a given with the new East Stand, it's the additional 'nice to have' suggestions/ideas that they are looking for?

[BackOfTheNet]

As much as I want to see the stand completed, all the stuff I want to see implemented is mandated in the council's definition of what they expect to see done. Personally, I tend to turn up 5 minutes before kick off, stay in my seat at half time (unless I need a pee) and leave straight after the final whistle. As such I won't make use of whatever facilities are put in place so I'll leave worrying about the finer points to those that will be enjoying them!  It's good that the club are asking for opinions though.

[Bingers]

I’d bring my own if I had to mate. I’ll tell you now. A decent tray of chips for a few quid would turn out to be the clubs biggest money spinner by a mile…

Even more than selling Charlie Goode?

[Manwork04]

The mantra for sports stadiums has always been “Arrive early and leave late” we don’t have to look far for what makes a decent fans village, the Saints have a fabulous one, often with live music, plenty of ale and edible food.
Completely agree the facility should be aimed at a 7 day a week operation, maybe leasing some of the space in the stand to complementary organisations e.g. a gym, poly clinic etc.
We desperately need to expand the north and south with upper tiers starting with the South, we look so tin pot having to give up home areas to away fans.

[Dan]

Here are some ideas that I gave to Tom when I met with him before Christmas after the vote.

Engage with the support to get volunteers from tradesmen / fans to spruce up the place. We have a lot of Electricians, Plumbers and Painters who I have no doubt would be more than happy to volunteer some hours and materials on return for doing some aesthetic works around the ground which would tidy it up. Paint the toilets, sort some better lighting; bit of hot water, improve the sound system. It all can be done and the advertising for anyone who got involved would be significantly above what they would routinely get.

Link up the Phipps Brewery and get Cobblers Ale as a staple for the ground, both in the Carrs Bar and behind the North Stand. Follow the lead of the Saints(Warner Edwards)  and create a Cobblers gin to sell in the bars and also the club shop. People would buy that 100%.

Push hard for safe standing / terracing. This subject cannot be dropped because it will enhance the atmosphere so much.

I’ve said to him and Kelvin that the marquee needs to be regular for the club. This would go hand in hand with the relationship with Phipps. Do a beer festival bi-monthly and the match day revenue would grow significantly.

[Bingers]

Link up the Phipps Brewery and get Cobblers Ale as a staple for the ground, both in the Carrs Bar and behind the North Stand.

Alaric Neville, the MD of Phipps is a Cobbler. Probably just needs asking.

[corno_ntfc]

Engage with the support to get volunteers from tradesmen / fans to spruce up the place. We have a lot of Electricians, Plumbers and Painters who I have no doubt would be more than happy to volunteer some hours and materials on return for doing some aesthetic works around the ground which would tidy it up. Paint the toilets, sort some better lighting; bit of hot water, improve the sound system. It all can be done and the advertising for anyone who got involved would be significantly above what they would routinely get.

All very sensible!

And albeit minor, I still think it is amazing to have a dead/ partially dead square on the "big" screen - it's been like it an age!

[GrangeParkCobbler]

I didn't go to Carlisle last weekend, instead I took the opportunity to mark one of my few remaining grounds off and took a trip to AFC Wimbledon to see the new Plough Lane.

The ground itself is pretty hidden from the outside, surrounded by apartments, just 200 yards up the road is the site of the old ground, more apartments now with names such as Sanchez House, Beasant Towers, Cork House.....

Anyway, the new ground....the amount of space outside, a lot or portakabins housing toilet blocks, a few outside bars, a row of vans serving all types of "street food" from curried goat to vegan options, whole pizzas (a tenner a pop), and the usual chips (Tel), burgers, hotdogs etc.

Inside the ground they had made a pub between two of the stands, utilised the space below very well, many (all working) large screen TV's in there too. You could walk round three quarters of the ground from the concourse....now I have visited much bigger grounds than this one but the concourses at the new ground were vast, again bars and food outlets a plenty, many toilets too. Better than West Ham's ground I would say for space, selection etc.

What really struck me about the visit though was the sheer number of fans who were drinking and eating at the ground, i'm talking thousands of people there way before kickoff.......I thought to myself they must make more from the food and drink (£4.90 a pint by the way) than they do from the actual football!

All the beer served at the ground (many different brands including affectionately named guest beers in the pub) was served from pumps, none of this bottled rubbish we have.....!!

It got me thinking about how poor our offerings are at Sixfields..... and if Wimbledon can do it, why can't we? The ground itself, pretty compact, just over 9000 capacity, a similar looking stand to what our East Stand could look like (rows of seats with two levels of executive boxes above.....only half of them occupied though), and the whole ground built by Buckingham, who were building and probably will finish our East Stand.

[Alfred]

For me the inside of the ground is gray breeze blocks or white breeze blocks.

id like to see the bland walls of the west stand covered with iconic picture so the past 125 years.   Like it iconic picture of Hill and Morley or Razor lifting the cup.  Pictures that give a feel good factor.

Something i think Bournemouth did pretty well at their stadium,  i hate walking up the steps to the West stand and seeing a gray wall of breeze block doom.

[Deepcut Cobbler]

For me the inside of the ground is gray breeze blocks or white breeze blocks.

id like to see the bland walls of the west stand covered with iconic picture so the past 125 years.   Like it iconic picture of Hill and Morley or Razor lifting the cup.  Pictures that give a feel good factor.

Something i think Bournemouth did pretty well at their stadium,  i hate walking up the steps to the West stand and seeing a gray wall of breeze block doom.

Yes, as well as Bournemouth, Plymouth have similar murals ..

[guest49]

I wouldn’t think the club were too proud to do so but if they followed the suggestions (a DIY SOS style appeal) I’m sure they’d get some local trades in, although they’ll be very busy at the moment. The H&S paperwork however may be reason enough not to do it!

For starters, if they want some large format printing doing for any walls on any media (adhesive wall paper, rigid boards, magnetic etc), I’ll do that FOC in a couple of days if they give me the artwork. The place could be a lot more colourful. I love the fans mural.

[lordjord]

As much as I want to see the stand completed, all the stuff I want to see implemented is mandated in the council's definition of what they expect to see done. Personally, I tend to turn up 5 minutes before kick off, stay in my seat at half time (unless I need a pee) and leave straight after the final whistle. As such I won't make use of whatever facilities are put in place so I'll leave worrying about the finer points to those that will be enjoying them!  It's good that the club are asking for opinions though.

I am usually exactly the same. A few weeks back I brought two mates along for the first time so we went to get a few beers from Cars Barr. I couldnt believe how bad the choice was, essentially just some generic lagers were available as Guinness had gone. I am a big fan of craft beers as are an ever growing number of people. I would 100% get there earlier / stay for a beer afterwards if there was a decent area to sit and a good selection available. Forest Green recently partnered with Brewdog, could we do not do something similar. Maybe tie in the stand name as the (insert sponsor) east stand. If there is choice and comfort people will pay the money 100% percent.

[Terryfenwickatemyhamster]

It got me thinking about how poor our offerings are at Sixfields..... and if Wimbledon can do it, why can't we? The ground itself, pretty compact, just over 9000 capacity, a similar looking stand to what our East Stand could look like (rows of seats with two levels of executive boxes above.....only half of them occupied though), and the whole ground built by Buckingham, who were building and probably will finish our East Stand.

You’ve gotta have chips. It’s the minimum standard.

You’re absolutely right. I get to Sixfields at the last minute, using the surrounding facilities rather than even thinking of spending money on outsourced crap. I sit in the west stand. I can honestly say, that in a stand that should have everything, it has nothing. What’s on offer is poor even by most league two and non league grounds. Whilst I’m happy to attend the meeting and have a look around, I expect the standard to be raised across the board, not just in the East stand. 

[Carton Lid]

You’ve gotta have chips. It’s the minimum standard.

You’re absolutely right. I get to Sixfields at the last minute, using the surrounding facilities rather than even thinking of spending money on outsourced crap. I sit in the west stand. I can honestly say, that in a stand that should have everything, it has nothing. What’s on offer is poor even by most league two and non league grounds. Whilst I’m happy to attend the meeting and have a look around, I expect the standard to be raised across the board, not just in the East stand. 

If I remember correctly, they are not allowed any naked flames at Sixfields meaning everything has to be heated by electric, very difficult for chips. I agree 100% that we could do a lot better, there are lots of really good pie makers within 40 miles of Northampton, go to one of them, OK the customer will be paying a bit more but if what they get is really good, they will return for more.

[The 12th Marquis of Sixfields]

All very sensible!

And albeit minor, I still think it is amazing to have a dead/ partially dead square on the "big" screen - it's been like it an age!

I was going to say this as well. Also, rather than just having the score displayed for most of the match, how about the line ups, match stats, scores from around the grounds etc. Currently it just seems a waste to solely show us something we already know

[Terryfenwickatemyhamster]

If I remember correctly, they are not allowed any naked flames at Sixfields meaning everything has to be heated by electric, very difficult for chips. I agree 100% that we could do a lot better, there are lots of really good pie makers within 40 miles of Northampton, go to one of them, OK the customer will be paying a bit more but if what they get is really good, they will return for more.

There’s many a good electric fryers around…

[The 12th Marquis of Sixfields]

My local chip shop doesn't use a pan to cook their chips

[WadeyCobbler]

The lack of cooking facilities  may also be down to the lack of ventilation extraction. In the kiosks. I seem to recall that from the past. But I also seem to remember a period where they did sell chips?

[guest3491]

I may pop down to this if I have the time that evening.