Brandywell Stadium Development

[Greengo]

Steve,
This maybe outside of our realm but is the club or council exempt from the "Levelling Up" fund that was granted recently ?

LINK Click Me

[rodgers]

Even if the council group can split up the three tasks, I don't see any new terrace being ready this year. Perhaps a temporary structure is still feasible?

The other thing that strikes me from the document is that the plastic pitches aren't maybe as lucrative as made out once a proper comparison is done with grass.

[TenaciousDee]

One of the Match Day stewards told me the temporary stand was shot down when the club met the council. He told me it was a H&S issue but I can't remember what the issue was.

[marcoloco]

Lastest interview by POD confirms the new Brandywell Road stand is for 2024 season and not this season which is as expected given that design planning and build need to be factored in. This ends any talk that Derry will move away from the Brandywell. Building upon what we have is the preferred approach.

[mokendismucker]

It’s Phil’s approach so yeah it is the only show in town. This is a good news story imo and if Phil is putting his money in it will get pushed along. When there is a real desire it’s surprising how quick things can happen.

On the pitch the Aviva option of a hybrid grass & plastic is interesting.

[rodgers]

It’s Phil’s approach so yeah it is the only show in town. This is a good news story imo and if Phil is putting his money in it will get pushed along. When there is a real desire it’s surprising how quick things can happen.

On the pitch the Aviva option of a hybrid grass & plastic is interesting.

I think it's a good news story too overall. The desire is certainly there from the club's end which I think will push it on.

I think the council are a bit less interested based on the council officer's comments here:

https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/foot ... on-3994144

And that's even with someone else paying for it. I also think a terrace is a good idea. All stands don't necessarily need to be the height of luxury in a ground.

Particularly for teenagers and the like who bring noise and will eventually graduate to to posher seats. Just stick them in a terrace at a tenner a head. They'll be happy out.

[marcoloco]

It’s Phil’s approach so yeah it is the only show in town. This is a good news story imo and if Phil is putting his money in it will get pushed along. When there is a real desire it’s surprising how quick things can happen.

On the pitch the Aviva option of a hybrid grass & plastic is interesting.

There's always been desire. Its money that makes things happen. That's the difference here... and why the MF stand is sat 1/3 built out. With SF holding back the stadium money all the desire in the world will make no difference.

[mokendismucker]

It’s Phil’s approach so yeah it is the only show in town. This is a good news story imo and if Phil is putting his money in it will get pushed along. When there is a real desire it’s surprising how quick things can happen.

On the pitch the Aviva option of a hybrid grass & plastic is interesting.

There's always been desire. Its money that makes things happen. That's the difference here... and why the MF stand is sat 1/3 built out. With SF holding back the stadium money all the desire in the world will make no difference.

The money point is true enough. Is the inference that Phil is going to finance the whole deal on the guarantee that SF will eventually come up with the statia funding.

[marcoloco]

It’s Phil’s approach so yeah it is the only show in town. This is a good news story imo and if Phil is putting his money in it will get pushed along. When there is a real desire it’s surprising how quick things can happen.

On the pitch the Aviva option of a hybrid grass & plastic is interesting.

There's always been desire. Its money that makes things happen. That's the difference here... and why the MF stand is sat 1/3 built out. With SF holding back the stadium money all the desire in the world will make no difference.

The money point is true enough. Is the inference that Phil is going to finance the whole deal on the guarantee that SF will eventually come up with the statia funding.

No. Completely unrelated. SF only interested in delivering Casement Park.

If they dish out the stadium money now they lose their leverage. Everything and everyone else are held to ransom in the meantime.

[mokendismucker]

Yeah but when they have got their way on Casement the Mark Farren stands money will become available. In the fullness of time……

[PauliAlonso]

Looking forward to seeing the plans for this terrace. At first glance it seems tricky to build something for 1000 people, that won't obstruct the view of fans in Blocks A and B.

Also, does anyone know the breakdown of costs for the pitch redevelopment when the 3G was first laid? In the Journal, it says it cost around 929K, but the contractor who did it puts the cost at 483K - which includes building the new dog track as well. What was the other 500K for?

[stevebradley]

Steve,
This maybe outside of our realm but is the club or council exempt from the "Levelling Up" fund that was granted recently ?

LINK Click Me

Not at all. The Council got £16m in the last/first round of allocations for various projects : https://www.derrystrabane.com/Council/N ... nd-project

Coleraine bid for money in this round to create the 'North West Stadium' (!) but missed out : https://colerainefc.com/lord-rogan-disc ... ng-up-bid/

So no reaosn why the Council and DCFC couldn't submit future bids. With a General Election likely in approx May 2024, I'd expect there will be at most one more round of Levelling Up funding before the Tories hopefilly get booted out and a new government presumably stops this funding stream. So if there is a desire to put a bid in for the Brandywell, it would need to get cracking on the details

[stevebradley]

Yeah but when they have got their way on Casement the Mark Farren stands money will become available. In the fullness of time……

It's only been 8yrs so far...

Once a grubby deal is done on Casement, the problem will be that the £36m for football will have been heavily eroded too by cost inflation. So it will need topping up further. Presumably that will all be part of any grubby deal done for the Belfast white elephant - but if not then there will be a hell of a lot of disappointed clubs, as £36m won't much at all. Especially if we're now looking for £9m to finish the MF Stand.

[rodgers]

Unless I am reading it wrongly, para 4.8 of the Council documents suggests they have no money budgeted to replace the current pitch in 2026 no matter what type of new pitch is chosen.

[stevebradley]

Lastest interview by POD confirms the new Brandywell Road stand is for 2024 season and not this season which is as expected given that design planning and build need to be factored in. This ends any talk that Derry will move away from the Brandywell. Building upon what we have is the preferred approach.

POD has never been interested in a move away from the Brandywell. I suspect history will prove that to be an unwise decision, but time will tell all ! It's also his money, to do as he wishes with.

It will also be interestng to see what his plans are to get Brandywell to the kind of capacity which will enable it to hold further rounds in Europe. Terracing won't achieve that (unless it's rail terracing/safe standing and UEFA ease restrictions - but that would make 1,0000 spaces in that area seem challenging).

[KEVK]

Looking forward to seeing the plans for this terrace. At first glance it seems tricky to build something for 1000 people, that won't obstruct the view of fans in Blocks A and B.

Also, does anyone know the breakdown of costs for the pitch redevelopment when the 3G was first laid? In the Journal, it says it cost around 929K, but the contractor who did it puts the cost at 483K - which includes building the new dog track as well. What was the other 500K for?

My initial thoughts exactly.

3 ways of doing it:

- You build something that doesn't obstruct blocks A and B in Southend Stand but it means the distance between the stand and the pitch will be considerable
- You build something that is close to the pitch but doesn't stretch the full way across to protect the views in blocks A and B
- You knock down blocks A and B so you can build a terrace that stretches the whole way across and is close to the pitch

It has to be the last option, otherwise it's another half arsed job that typifies Irish football stadia. You would then consider doing the same at the other end of the Southend Stand and build a terrace/stand behind the other goal.

[KEVK]

If the pitch is going to be replaced, I wonder would Phil consider lowering the pitch level which then makes it easier to expand with the current stadium confinements - you add more rows of seating to the bottom of the stands.

Quite a common thing abroad when stadium expansion was limited due to it being in built up/residential areas.

Only downside is the floodlights would need re-aligned but they should have been re-aligned when the pitch was moved closer to the Southend Stand during the last refurb as you can clearly see dull patches on the pitch that don't get the right lighting from the floodlights.

[marcoloco]

Think we'll need a bigger Regional Development Fund.

[Greengo]

you can clearly see dull patches on the pitch that don't get the right lighting from the floodlights.

Is that not because its plastic ?

The camera guys with us on LOITV are always on about the colour of the pitch and how the levels need adjusting from one side to the other at times...

[stevebradley]

Sligo Rovers are pushing ahead with their plan for a redevelopment of the Showgrounds to a 6,100 seater, Category 3 stadium : https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/03 ... vsMRjBZ0yc

Sligo town has a population of 20,000 people (though the cliub obviously draws support in from the surrounding area too).

We're being left behind lads - even with the Mark Farren Stand finished.

Irish football is going through a clear growth phase, and we're outgrowing the constraints and the potential of the Brandywell. That should be plain for anyone to see. We need a Plan B.