Brandywell Stadium Development

[Keyser Soze]

I don't for sure of course, but most of the cost of the current work is NOT on the new stand.

I'm just guessing that once the site is finished the matter of extending the new stand won't run into several million pounds.

Then again, I'm no builder.

[magspat]

it will not take millions in the future to tack on two end bits to widen it out. .

How do you know?

Agree 100% Keyser soze.

[martinbradleey]

As far as I know there was no piling done for the wings of the stand when the piling was done for the new stand. I don't think that they would be able to bring in the equipment again after the stadium is finished and kitted out with landscaping etc. I don't care what has been promised regarding this I am of the opinion that I will never see the two wings added to the stand in my lifetime. Maybe someone who is working on the site could say if I am being too pessimistic about this.

[eugenio]

It's strange me posting here. Because I agree with my son Joe AND Steve Bradley who are not exactly together on this but Fishead well he's getting on my wick re " nyamin" .,,,,,,,,his word . Joe was so reluctant to let his wee girl use the stinking toilets the other night away , yet the toilets at Brandywell on Lone Moor side were a health hazard for years yet OUR COUNCIL allowed it. That what I hated. when the City got the City of Culture all the stops were pulled out now we AGAIN are considerer 3rd Class Citizens by OUR OWN COUNCIL. Ilove Derry City but I live in Belfast It hurts me so much to see how YOU the true DERRY fans are treated ... and have been treated,,, in all my years supporting City . I will nyam because it hurts me that this great support that has raised the profile of Derry all over Ireland And Europe are treated like dirt. But I'll go anywhere and even a wee improvement will give me a wee lift. Brandywell is my second home as it is yours but I sometime fee that being a Derry City Fan is like being a leper When ever has the Council been positive about us Biutvwe are fans and we will go on but SHAME SHAME on the Council. Living here in Belfast I don't see such neglect to the teams here

[fish-head]

https://www.thesun.ie/

sorry steve, you lost me at this stage.

[Keyser Soze]

Eugenio, of course a lot of what you say is 100% correct, we have as a city been treated badly by those in charge. As the second city we get a poor slice of the pie in terms of money. It needs our politicians to stand up for us and demand more, and most of them have done a crap job in that regard.

As for DCFC, I'm playing devil's advocate here, but perhaps the club should have made the break away from the ties of the council? We have as a club always been beggars, moaning about people not doing things for us. We used to get 10000 at home games for several years, and maybe we should have done some planning for the future when we were raking it in.

Then some of the recent transfer fees, not a penny was ever put aside for future development, or to have some kitty ourselves that we could try to kick-start ground improvements or a ground move with. Clubs of our size and smaller have done it, with less. We have to look inwards and admit that we could have done things a lot better as a club too.

[shauna]

As far as I know there was no piling done for the wings of the stand when the piling was done for the new stand. I don't think that they would be able to bring in the equipment again after the stadium is finished and kitted out with landscaping etc. I don't care what has been promised regarding this I am of the opinion that I will never see the two wings added to the stand in my lifetime. Maybe someone who is working on the site could say if I am being too pessimistic about this.

That's nonsense about not being able to bring in the piling equipment again after this present work is done. How have clubs across the water been able to built new stands in an existing stadium, how is the 3rd stand at tallaght stadium going to be built, how was the 2 wings added to the southend park stand in the summer of 1989 a year after the middle part was built without that entire side being piled together.

[MariborKev]

Then some of the recent transfer fees, not a penny was ever put aside for future development, or to have some kitty ourselves that we could try to kick-start ground improvements or a ground move with. Clubs of our size and smaller have done it, with less. We have to look inwards and admit that we could have done things a lot better as a club too.

Just in case anyone cares to forget - Wellvan collapsed with debts of hundreds of thousands of pounds, despite those fees.

And all post Wellvan fees have been swallowed us, plus PO'D subsidies over several hundred grand pr year, in keeping the show on the road.

Just important to state, when people talking about what we could/should/would have done.

[rodgers]

What will the story be with the UEFA category status of the redevelopment?

One way of seeing the Council be put under pressure to secure the money to finish the stand might be if it turned out that some games still couldn't be played at the Brandywell post redevelopment.

[Keyser Soze]

Then some of the recent transfer fees, not a penny was ever put aside for future development, or to have some kitty ourselves that we could try to kick-start ground improvements or a ground move with. Clubs of our size and smaller have done it, with less. We have to look inwards and admit that we could have done things a lot better as a club too.

Just in case anyone cares to forget - Wellvan collapsed with debts of hundreds of thousands of pounds, despite those fees.

And all post Wellvan fees have been swallowed us, plus PO'D subsidies over several hundred grand pr year, in keeping the show on the road.

Just important to state, when people talking about what we could/should/would have done.

Appreciate that Kev, but in the long run since 1985, maybe the club should have tried to make some plans to break away from their dependency on the Council?

Its been obvious for decades now that they see the Brandywell as low on their list of priorities when it comes to spending money. The ground has been an embarrassment forever.

[MariborKev]

Agreed,

However would the vast majority of support accepted years in the First Division etc whilst the funds would have been diverted to that?

Perhaps one could have argued that the 1985-89 period could have been used for that, but in that period floodlights were put in, the Southend Park stand was completed etc. Plus, given the state of grounds in the UK etc at that time, the Brandywell was on par with that.

We continued to spend big into the 90s, despite the crowds falling massively post 89. The company was basically bust in the mid 90s, which is when Wellvan came in. Paul and PO'D bankrolled it then, saw us win a league in 97 and yet were bascially going to the wall again by 2001.

After that we had a couple of years of frugal spending, we flitted with relegation before a few people put in financial support, culminating in the Kenny era. That saw us eventually go to the wall again.

Again, just wondering when this mythical period when we were rolling in cash that could have been diverted to stadia was.

Plus, compare us to the likes of Sligo etc. They raised more in a Bingo weekend than we will raise for the European Draw. Their summer draw raises more than probably any Derry City fundraising venture annually. We have a support base an element of whom have no issue with buying concessionary tickets despite being adults, then ridiculing the chariman for not supporting the club. This despite the fact that whatever your views, there would be no Derry City without POD.

If we wanted a stadia, it should have been in a ringfenced company that was nothing to do with Derry City.

[Keyser Soze]

"just wondering when this mythical period when we were rolling in cash that could have been diverted to stadia was"

Maybe there was never a time we were rolling in cash? We certainly lifted plenty from 1985 until maybe 1989, but of course the ground was probably fit for purpose then, and there wasn't demands to improve or move away.

I agree 100% with you re: our fan base. For supposedly the 'best fans in Ireland', we seem to have a very fickle bunch, who seem to want the best but don't want to stump up any money to achieve this.

I try to do my part in being a monthly draw member, buying a handful of halftime draw tickets at every game, buying merchandise when its available, buying a handful of prize draw tickets such as the current Europa League one etc. But I understand that these things are all badly supported by the fans. We have a certain amount of fans who want everything for nothing.

I have seen first hand in GAA cirlces just how much money can be raised and big plans achieved if there is the will of the members to do it. Their pride in their local club puts most Derry City fans to shame, and we could learn a thing or two about passion from them.

[paul60]

What is going on with either side of the new matchbox stand?

Is it going to be concrete terracing and the bases/founds for the rest of the lego stand being set up for future preparation after the A5 up grade is finished?

[stevebradley]

What is going on with either side of the new matchbox stand?

Is it going to be concrete terracing and the bases/founds for the rest of the lego stand being set up for future preparation after the A5 up grade is finished?

What's the A5 upgrade got to do with the Brandywell ? It's different pots of money/departmental budgets.

I'd be surprised if the A5 is dualled all the way before 2025 btw, so I hope that sequencing isn't right !

[eugenio]

Ihave a dream

[magspat]

What is going on with either side of the new matchbox stand?

Is it going to be concrete terracing and the bases/founds for the rest of the lego stand being set up for future preparation after the A5 up grade is finished?

What's the A5 upgrade got to do with the Brandywell ? It's different pots of money/departmental budgets.

I'd be surprised if the A5 is dualled all the way before 2025 btw, so I hope that sequencing isn't right !

Agree with some of the comments above people always giving out about something wouldn't buy a programme lotto or half time draw,when it comes to dipping Into pocket not Interested.

[Andy Bernard]

What is going on with either side of the new matchbox stand?

Is it going to be concrete terracing and the bases/founds for the rest of the lego stand being set up for future preparation after the A5 up grade is finished?

What's the A5 upgrade got to do with the Brandywell ? It's different pots of money/departmental budgets.

I'd be surprised if the A5 is dualled all the way before 2025 btw, so I hope that sequencing isn't right !

Agree with some of the comments above people always giving out about something wouldn't buy a programme lotto or half time draw,when it comes to dipping Into pocket not Interested.

People always giving out about something like slaging off the few people who actually go to the games

[paul60]

Now that Arlene wants to work for all the people of Norn Irelan and with her new found clout would see herself extending the RHI scheme to other fields by way of progressing the completion of the Brandywell or better. 'It's an ill wind that blows some good', 'strike while the iron is hot'.

[pmac]

Now that Arlene wants to work for all the people of Norn Irelan and with her new found clout would see herself extending the RHI scheme to other fields by way of progressing the completion of the Brandywell or better. 'It's an ill wind that blows some good', 'strike while the iron is hot'.

I think Downing St are installing all the RHI boilers that Arlene can supply.

[paul60]

Any update photos or reports on how the refurbishment is progressing?