League News
Main Stand
land prices in the area. The Hornets are now looking at ways of financing a new main (east) stand at
Vicarage Road and improved access to the current ground from the Cardiff Road end (via the allotments). The club had originally hoped to move to a new multi-purpose arena within the town but land
prices of almost £1 million per acre for a 25-acre site have priced them out of the market.
Blackpool currently only have two sides of
Bloomfield Park in operation after the
summer demolition of the Kop end and the
gutting of the old main stand. Plans are for
the realignment of the pitch and for new
stands to be built in their place. (Pictured left
is the façade of the doomed main stand - Tony Cunningham)
Poor old Barnet are still juggling with ideas
to solve their current ground crisis that almost lead to them being expelled from the
League last season. The local council have
put forward a plan to rebuild their current Underhill site by realigning the pitch and constructing four
new stands around it, giving a 10,000 capacity. Fans of the club are cautious about the new pans
however as they don’t wish to enter another planning enquiry that could lead to another disastrous
delay. The club chairman, Tony Kleanthous, is reportedly keen on a new site at Laing’s Playing Field,
Rowley Lane, Arkley. A solution still seems no nearer.
Gillingham appear to be enjoying life in the First Division and the rebuilt Priestfield Stadium has
been warmly greeted by visiting fans. The Gillingham End is the only part of the ground that has not
been rebuilt in the last few years. The new Medway Stand opened at the start of the season although
at the time it was far from complete with stewards checking tickets at entrances due to the lack of
turnstiles. The new-look ground is now fully operational. (Pictured above is the new Medway Stand - Stephen
Mumford)
Groundtastic
page 5
Issue
Issue23
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