Fans Forum

[dcfc_jp_1989]

Sean Barrett commented that the club had to make the case that we were entitled to the money from sub-regional stadia fund because we are based in the jurisdiction even if we don't play our football in it as apparently some figures (didn't say who) were claiming the money was only for Irish League clubs.

So, as far as I know this money is coming from the executive so I can't really see what the issue is. Even though we play in a different league, I pay my taxes in this juisdiction so I'm presuming that I have the same equal rights as someone who supports a team from the Irish League and I am entitled to the same benefits of any windfall or cash that is available from the sub-regional stadia fund. Or am I misssing something?

Yes Davy we are entitled to it however from SB's comments there seemed to people in certain positions or clubs (he didn't say who) suggesting that the money was for Irish League Clubs or clubs who play their football with the IFA. The people or clubs who were suggesting this didn't read the original document from 2011 (when the sub-regional stadia fund was set up) which states that stadia that will host senior football such as NIFL, LOI or UEFA competitions will be eligible for funding

[Greengo]

With the GAA opening their grounds for "OTHER" sports... Would Celtic Park be a viable option for European games instead of travelling to Tallaght again...

[stevebradley]

With the GAA opening their grounds for "OTHER" sports... Would Celtic Park be a viable option for European games instead of travelling to Tallaght again...

Only if CP had significant investment in it to be honest Greengo.

The Brandywell is currently a Category 2 stadium (i.e. below 4,500 seats), and the main stand in Celtic Park only holds 3,600 so wouldn't beat that. When the Mark Farren and new Brandywell Road stands are completed, Brandywell will be a Catgeory 3 in terms of seating capacity - but it's unclear if we'll meet that category for all the other considerations included (e.g. 75 VIP seats, 100 VIP parking spaces, media spaces, press conference area etc). If we ever make the group stages in Europe - something we should genuinely aspire to - then the Brandywell won't hit the 8,000+ seats and other requirements involved in that. And neither will Celtic Park.

If DCFC are going to commit their long-term future to the Brandywell, the ideal scenario for me would be that the MF and Brandywell Rd stands get completed, and that Celtic Park also gets developed to bring its capacity to over 8,000 seats (the demand and the space is there for that IMO).That way DCFC could use the Brandywell for most games, and then ideally switch to CP for bigger European matches - and possibly also bigger domestic games where we needed a capacity above the 7,000 or so that the Brandywell would get to.

The problem is that Derry County Board have historically had a preference for Owenbeg since it's been built, and stated piublicly a few years back that they wanted to develop it into the county ground. Celtic Park is in a fairly shabby state currently apart from the main stand, but the crowds being drawn there are good. So hopefully Derry GAA have a chage of heart and focus instead on developing CP into a more modern main county facility.

[marcoloco]

A new south stand like the one in tallaght will solve all those problems. No need to over complicate things. We don’t need 2 stadiums.

[brandyball]

A new south stand like the one in tallaght will solve all those problems. No need to over complicate things. We don’t need 2 stadiums.

Let's get The North Stand up first Eh?

[marcoloco]

A new south stand like the one in tallaght will solve all those problems. No need to over complicate things. We don’t need 2 stadiums.

Let's get The North Stand up first Eh?

That’s done & dusted.

And so too should be the MF stand extension. Soon enough we’ll have a 3 sided ground which will more than satisfy 95% of demand for our games.

A south stand is the logical, mythical final phase rather that spending money on a GAA pitch up the road.

[marcoloco]

A new south stand like the one in tallaght will solve all those problems. No need to over complicate things. We don’t need 2 stadiums.

Let's get The North Stand up first Eh?

That’s done & dusted.

And so too should be the MF stand extension. Soon enough we’ll have a 3 sided ground which will more than satisfy 95% of our games.

A south stand is the logical, mythical final phase rather than spending money on a GAA pitch up the road.

[brandyball]

A new south stand like the one in tallaght will solve all those problems. No need to over complicate things. We don’t need 2 stadiums.

Let's get The North Stand up first Eh?

That’s done & dusted.

And so too should be the MF stand extension. Soon enough we’ll have a 3 sided ground which will more than satisfy 95% of demand for our games.

A south stand is the logical, mythical final phase rather that spending money on a GAA pitch up the road.

I couldn't see the New North Stand from where I was sitting.

[marcoloco]

Ye have little faith.

not too long to wait now!

[brandyball]

Ye have little faith.

not too long to wait now!

My point being let's build the North Stand before going for a Sputh Stand. Build it and they will come.

[marcoloco]

Ye have little faith.

not too long to wait now!

My point being let's build the North Stand before going for a Sputh Stand. Build it and they will come.

100%. My point was directed at Steve who was discussing the possibility of using Celtic Park for European games.

We should focus on ourselves and the Brandywell's development and forget about using Celtic Park.

[brandyball]

Ye have little faith.

not too long to wait now!

My point being let's build the North Stand before going for a Sputh Stand. Build it and they will come.

100%. My point was directed at Steve who was discussing the possibility of using Celtic Park for European games.

We should focus on ourselves and the Brandywell's development and forget about using Celtic Park.

Thought we already nominated Windsor and Tallaght

[marcoloco]

My point being let's build the North Stand before going for a Sputh Stand. Build it and they will come.

100%. My point was directed at Steve who was discussing the possibility of using Celtic Park for European games.

We should focus on ourselves and the Brandywell's development and forget about using Celtic Park.

Thought we already nominated Windsor and Tallaght

We have but the idea that GAA may be relaxing their rules has reignited the debate.

[PauliAlonso]

Any chance that the North Stand could delay our Stormont funding application for the MF Stand? Sean Barrett that that we're the only applicant currently that's selling out every home game. Could Stormont decide to wait and see if we continue to sell out after the North Stand is built and decline our application in the meantime?

[marcoloco]

Any chance that the North Stand could delay our Stormont funding application for the MF Stand? Sean Barrett that that we're the only applicant currently that's selling out every home game. Could Stormont decide to wait and see if we continue to sell out after the North Stand is built and decline our application in the meantime?

No. The two are completly unrelated.

[stevebradley]

Ye have little faith.

not too long to wait now!

My point being let's build the North Stand before going for a Sputh Stand. Build it and they will come.

100%. My point was directed at Steve who was discussing the possibility of using Celtic Park for European games.

We should focus on ourselves and the Brandywell's development and forget about using Celtic Park.

How would a stand at the Showgrounds end work though, and how big would it be ? The strip of land there is very thin at the merchandise shop end, due to the dog track and access road. The access road has to be kept clear for broadcast vehicles, ambualances, team buses etc, with a considerable head height required for all of those - so a stand there would struggle to cantilever over the road. So how would it actually work?

Even if something was built there, it more than likely wouldn't get us to the stage of being a Category 4 stadium. I susepct the only credible way to do that would be to get rid of the dog track - thereby enabling a proper/big stand at the showgrounds end, plus additional space for all the extra car parking etc UEFA require.

So if we can't get Bradywell to a Cat 4 stadium and we manage to make the group stages in Europe, you're saying you'd be happy with us having to go to Tallaght or Widsor for games? If not - the what's the alterative?

P.S. Celtic Park is going to need some money spent on it by the GAA at some point anyway, as the crowds its drawing these days are very good. So it's wrong to frame this as being all about not needing 2 decent stadia. Each sport needs and deserves to have a good facility in the city. And if one can be of future help to the occupants of the other, then that would be a sensible use of space and resources.

[marcoloco]

My point being let's build the North Stand before going for a Sputh Stand. Build it and they will come.

100%. My point was directed at Steve who was discussing the possibility of using Celtic Park for European games.

We should focus on ourselves and the Brandywell's development and forget about using Celtic Park.

How would a stand at the Showgrounds end work though, and how big would it be ? The strip of land there is very thin at the merchandise shop end, due to the dog track and access road. The access road has to be kept clear for broadcast vehicles, ambualances, team buses etc, with a considerable head height required for all of those - so a stand there would struggle to cantilever over the road. So how would it actually work?

Even if something was built there, it more than likely wouldn't get us to the stage of being a Category 4 stadium. I susepct the only credible way to do that would be to get rid of the dog track - thereby enabling a proper/big stand at the showgrounds end, plus additional space for all the extra car parking etc UEFA require.

So if we can't get Bradywell to a Cat 4 stadium and we manage to make the group stages in Europe, you're saying you'd be happy with us having to go to Tallaght or Widsor for games? If not - the what's the alterative?

P.S. Celtic Park is going to need some money spent on it by the GAA at some point anyway, as the crowds its drawing these days are very good. So it's wrong to frame this as being all about not needing 2 decent stadia. Each sport needs and deserves to have a good facility in the city. And if one can be of future help to the occupants of the other, then that would be a sensible use of space and resources.

Granted we are talking 10 years down the road when both the North Stand and MF stand are completed but time flies... any new South Stand can be accommodated on lands at the showgounds. 100% it requires the dog track and in all probablility the rarely used showgrounds pitch. Not a chance will anyone start looking at costly engineering solutions just to accommodate a dog track. The access road, and the showgrounds itself would likely be completely re-designed including car parking and internal access roads.

Size is likely to reflect the same approach at the South Stand. Standing and seating could deliver 2k seats and significantly more standing for league games. So all the parts are there, including the land for an eventual new stand, if we aspire to achieve a Cat 4 stadium.

[stevebradley]

100%. My point was directed at Steve who was discussing the possibility of using Celtic Park for European games.

We should focus on ourselves and the Brandywell's development and forget about using Celtic Park.

How would a stand at the Showgrounds end work though, and how big would it be ? The strip of land there is very thin at the merchandise shop end, due to the dog track and access road. The access road has to be kept clear for broadcast vehicles, ambualances, team buses etc, with a considerable head height required for all of those - so a stand there would struggle to cantilever over the road. So how would it actually work?

Even if something was built there, it more than likely wouldn't get us to the stage of being a Category 4 stadium. I susepct the only credible way to do that would be to get rid of the dog track - thereby enabling a proper/big stand at the showgrounds end, plus additional space for all the extra car parking etc UEFA require.

So if we can't get Bradywell to a Cat 4 stadium and we manage to make the group stages in Europe, you're saying you'd be happy with us having to go to Tallaght or Widsor for games? If not - the what's the alterative?

P.S. Celtic Park is going to need some money spent on it by the GAA at some point anyway, as the crowds its drawing these days are very good. So it's wrong to frame this as being all about not needing 2 decent stadia. Each sport needs and deserves to have a good facility in the city. And if one can be of future help to the occupants of the other, then that would be a sensible use of space and resources.

Granted we are talking 10 years down the road when both the North Stand and MF stand are completed but time flies... any new South Stand can be accommodated on lands at the showgounds. 100% it requires the dog track and in all probablility the rarely used showgrounds pitch. Not a chance will anyone start looking at costly engineering solutions just to accommodate a dog track. The access road, and the showgrounds itself would likely be completely re-designed including car parking and internal access roads.

Size is likely to reflect the same approach at the South Stand. Standing and seating could deliver 2k seats and significantly more standing for league games. So all the parts are there, including the land for an eventual new stand, if we aspire to achieve a Cat 4 stadium.

A home would then have to be found for the doggymen. That should've happened when the stadium was refurbished in 2017/18, as was the original plan. But councillors sucuumbed to pressure and had the greyhound track reinstated into the propoals. A terrible idea - with a handful of greyhound folk hamstringing the future of a stadium used by thousands of people. But we are where we are now sadly - and moving the dog track may not prove as easy as we'd like.

[marcoloco]

How would a stand at the Showgrounds end work though, and how big would it be ? The strip of land there is very thin at the merchandise shop end, due to the dog track and access road. The access road has to be kept clear for broadcast vehicles, ambualances, team buses etc, with a considerable head height required for all of those - so a stand there would struggle to cantilever over the road. So how would it actually work?

Even if something was built there, it more than likely wouldn't get us to the stage of being a Category 4 stadium. I susepct the only credible way to do that would be to get rid of the dog track - thereby enabling a proper/big stand at the showgrounds end, plus additional space for all the extra car parking etc UEFA require.

So if we can't get Bradywell to a Cat 4 stadium and we manage to make the group stages in Europe, you're saying you'd be happy with us having to go to Tallaght or Widsor for games? If not - the what's the alterative?

P.S. Celtic Park is going to need some money spent on it by the GAA at some point anyway, as the crowds its drawing these days are very good. So it's wrong to frame this as being all about not needing 2 decent stadia. Each sport needs and deserves to have a good facility in the city. And if one can be of future help to the occupants of the other, then that would be a sensible use of space and resources.

Granted we are talking 10 years down the road when both the North Stand and MF stand are completed but time flies... any new South Stand can be accommodated on lands at the showgounds. 100% it requires the dog track and in all probablility the rarely used showgrounds pitch. Not a chance will anyone start looking at costly engineering solutions just to accommodate a dog track. The access road, and the showgrounds itself would likely be completely re-designed including car parking and internal access roads.

Size is likely to reflect the same approach at the South Stand. Standing and seating could deliver 2k seats and significantly more standing for league games. So all the parts are there, including the land for an eventual new stand, if we aspire to achieve a Cat 4 stadium.

A home would then have to be found for the doggymen. That should've happened when the stadium was refurbished in 2017/18, as was the original plan. But councillors sucuumbed to pressure and had the greyhound track reinstated into the propoals. A terrible idea - with a handful of greyhound folk hamstringing the future of a stadium used by thousands of people. But we are where we are now sadly - and moving the dog track may not prove as easy as we'd like.

Let's be realistic. Things take time and over time many problems resolve themselves.

With the North Stand and MF stand to follow the urgency for a 4th South Stand will be limited. Only after the other 2 aRE built and the ground is full on a regular basis can I see it happening but which time the doggy men could be long since gone or their numbers and political clout less. I think its one for the future... yes, it's not ideal in the interim but were probably only looking at 1 game per season when this may be a problem.