Brandywell Stadium Development

[rodgers]

Thank you JP.

You can see the accompanying report for the meeting at item 12 of this page.

https://meetings.derrycityandstrabanedi ... 2272&Ver=4

[IfYouTolerateThis]

Sinn Fein clutching at straws for votes in the North West by acting now? The stoopers must be rubbing their hands whilst sitting back with popcorn

There is no way DCSDC will stump up the 3M or 40% thats needed... This is what happens when you dont own your own ground...

I'll not mention the plastic pitch or lack of irrigation systems

It's a strange take to slate a political party as clutching at straws for votes when they come up with a viable solution.

Delivery for the community, I would have thought, would be worthy of attracting votes in any future elections.You know, judging candidates on their performance.

Strange one.

[PauliAlonso]

Sinn Fein clutching at straws for votes in the North West by acting now? The stoopers must be rubbing their hands whilst sitting back with popcorn

There is no way DCSDC will stump up the 3M or 40% thats needed... This is what happens when you dont own your own ground...

I'll not mention the plastic pitch or lack of irrigation systems

It's a strange take to slate a political party as clutching at straws for votes when they come up with a viable solution.

Delivery for the community, I would have thought, would be worthy of attracting votes in any future elections.You know, judging candidates on their performance.

Strange one.

This isn't about the community, it's the Council saving face and trying to wash their hands of their own incompetence. They've gotten nothing right at the Brandywell for decades. The MF Stand: half built. The pitch: no irrigation. The North Stand: privately built and paid for. Even before the MF, that random batch of seats that was plonked beside the Glentoran Stand and is now in Donegal. DCSDC has time and again masterfully failed in its attempts to do anything right with the Brandywell. They'll do anything to let POD take it over - as is seen by the speed at which this proposal was put forward and approved. Council can't get out of the Brandy quick enough. It's shameful. Years of neglect, then when it comes to the crunch, abandon ship and let the Club pay for everything. Remember this when they come knocking on your doors for votes.

[rodgers]

The repeal of the section preventing the Council from granting a lease of more than one year is a matter for the Assembly. I am guessing that it will ultimately be up to the DUP to decide whether or not they want to veto that.

I can foresee a scenario where the DUP come under pressure from others to resist on the grounds that agreeing to it could potentially reduce the amount of money in the fund available for Irish League clubs.

Derry currently have a licence arrangement with the Council.

[marcoloco]

Makes you wonder why the 1918 Act wasn't repelled / amended before now...

Clearly not fit / no longer fit for purpose and contributing to many of the issues at the ground.

Hopefully, it'll clear the way for transfer / sale to the Club.

[IfYouTolerateThis]

Sinn Fein clutching at straws for votes in the North West by acting now? The stoopers must be rubbing their hands whilst sitting back with popcorn

There is no way DCSDC will stump up the 3M or 40% thats needed... This is what happens when you dont own your own ground...

I'll not mention the plastic pitch or lack of irrigation systems

It's a strange take to slate a political party as clutching at straws for votes when they come up with a viable solution.

Delivery for the community, I would have thought, would be worthy of attracting votes in any future elections.You know, judging candidates on their performance.

Strange one.

This isn't about the community, it's the Council saving face and trying to wash their hands of their own incompetence. They've gotten nothing right at the Brandywell for decades. The MF Stand: half built. The pitch: no irrigation. The North Stand: privately built and paid for. Even before the MF, that random batch of seats that was plonked beside the Glentoran Stand and is now in Donegal. DCSDC has time and again masterfully failed in its attempts to do anything right with the Brandywell. They'll do anything to let POD take it over - as is seen by the speed at which this proposal was put forward and approved. Council can't get out of the Brandy quick enough. It's shameful. Years of neglect, then when it comes to the crunch, abandon ship and let the Club pay for everything. Remember this when they come knocking on your doors for votes.

These are all very valid points and I agree with what you're saying. I only disagree with focusing older failings than focusing on a swift solution to a current impasse, which tbf, has only come about due to the underhand tactics of a DUP minister.

Expecting the council to front up 40% of a possible £11M project was nothing more than a sly move. The council could have said er, too rich for us, and the club loses out. Seems to me this possible solution has broad support within the council. Would it have been preferable for them to do nothing again?

[attack!attack!attack]

You would imagine with Derry City 'leasing' the stadium - they can now have offices at the back of the Mark Farren Stand & get rid of that horrible looking container.

Also, would be nice to see more club imagery around the ground, tunnel, changing rooms (which blandly have a strip of red paint) etc. & hopefully the club would have more autonomy to do these types of things.

A really progressive & positive move.

[stevebradley]

You would imagine with Derry City 'leasing' the stadium - they can now have offices at the back of the Mark Farren Stand & get rid of that horrible looking container.

Also, would be nice to see more club imagery around the ground, tunnel, changing rooms (which blandly have a strip of red paint) etc. & hopefully the club would have more autonomy to do these types of things.

A really progressive & positive move.

The club may finally have a bit of genuine control over its own home, which would be hugely positive.

I wonder what the arrangement is with the dog track though. Anyone know if that and the big car park are included in the lease?

[stevebradley]

Sinn Fein clutching at straws for votes in the North West by acting now? The stoopers must be rubbing their hands whilst sitting back with popcorn

There is no way DCSDC will stump up the 3M or 40% thats needed... This is what happens when you dont own your own ground...

I'll not mention the plastic pitch or lack of irrigation systems

It's a strange take to slate a political party as clutching at straws for votes when they come up with a viable solution.

Delivery for the community, I would have thought, would be worthy of attracting votes in any future elections.You know, judging candidates on their performance.

Strange one.

On that basis - dont forget that it was a Communities Minister from the very same party who held the stadium money hostage between 2020 and 2022, to use it as a bargaining chip over Casement. Had she got on with releasing the money as she shoukd've, we'd have had our allocation and built something with it already. Instead NEITHER Casement nor the football money has happened so far.

[dcfc_jp_1989]

You would imagine with Derry City 'leasing' the stadium - they can now have offices at the back of the Mark Farren Stand & get rid of that horrible looking container.

Also, would be nice to see more club imagery around the ground, tunnel, changing rooms (which blandly have a strip of red paint) etc. & hopefully the club would have more autonomy to do these types of things.

A really progressive & positive move.

The club may finally have a bit of genuine control over its own home, which would be hugely positive.

I wonder what the arrangement is with the dog track though. Anyone know if that and the big car park are included in the lease?

Would need to watch it back again but I think Longtower Youth Club & Greyhound men were mentioned briefly as stakeholders who would need to be involved in the consultation. Most of the focus was on the actual stadium & the user groups of that

[stevebradley]

Sinn Fein clutching at straws for votes in the North West by acting now? The stoopers must be rubbing their hands whilst sitting back with popcorn

There is no way DCSDC will stump up the 3M or 40% thats needed... This is what happens when you dont own your own ground...

I'll not mention the plastic pitch or lack of irrigation systems

It's a strange take to slate a political party as clutching at straws for votes when they come up with a viable solution.

Delivery for the community, I would have thought, would be worthy of attracting votes in any future elections.You know, judging candidates on their performance.

Strange one.

This isn't about the community, it's the Council saving face and trying to wash their hands of their own incompetence. They've gotten nothing right at the Brandywell for decades. The MF Stand: half built. The pitch: no irrigation. The North Stand: privately built and paid for. Even before the MF, that random batch of seats that was plonked beside the Glentoran Stand and is now in Donegal. DCSDC has time and again masterfully failed in its attempts to do anything right with the Brandywell. They'll do anything to let POD take it over - as is seen by the speed at which this proposal was put forward and approved. Council can't get out of the Brandy quick enough. It's shameful. Years of neglect, then when it comes to the crunch, abandon ship and let the Club pay for everything. Remember this when they come knocking on your doors for votes.

I think you're being unduly harsh on some of these things here :

- The plan was always for the council to build the first half of the Mark Farren Stand, and for Stormont to then stump up for the rest. The council did what it said it would do, at a cost of £7m (probably about £10-12m in today's money), so not point lashing out at them for that stand only being half-built.
- Why have a go at the council over the North Stand? They have zero need for it, and are skint. It's entirely for Derry City, so i think it's unreasonable to have expected the council to pay for it.
- The irrigation was indeed a council balls up to save money. I doubt anyone realised how dry the surface would be without it. Do any other artifical pitches in Ireland have in-bult irrigation btw?
- Where's the evidence that there was any desperation at the council to have the club take over the Brandywell? Or within the club to take it over right now? If it wasn't for this 40% thing, I suspect it wouldn't have happened for quite a few more years yet.

There's lot of reasons to criticise the council. But I don't personally believe that not handing Derry City a 6-8,000 seater stadium on a plate paid for by local rates is one of them. The club needs to pull on its big boy pants and start looking after itself a bit more, and thankfully having virtual ownership of its own home for the first time in 97yrs shoukd now see that happen.

[stevebradley]

You would imagine with Derry City 'leasing' the stadium - they can now have offices at the back of the Mark Farren Stand & get rid of that horrible looking container.

Also, would be nice to see more club imagery around the ground, tunnel, changing rooms (which blandly have a strip of red paint) etc. & hopefully the club would have more autonomy to do these types of things.

A really progressive & positive move.

Presumably the offices, shop and toilets will all be contained within the extended Mark Farren Stand?

We could really do with a better shop, as the container one is the wrong shape and size.

[attack!attack!attack]

You would imagine with Derry City 'leasing' the stadium - they can now have offices at the back of the Mark Farren Stand & get rid of that horrible looking container.

Also, would be nice to see more club imagery around the ground, tunnel, changing rooms (which blandly have a strip of red paint) etc. & hopefully the club would have more autonomy to do these types of things.

A really progressive & positive move.

Presumably the offices, shop and toilets will all be contained within the extended Mark Farren Stand?

We could really do with a better shop, as the container one is the wrong shape and size.

Couldn't agree more Steve. Please see below plans for Mark Farren Stand Extension, this will be very impressive indeed.

Inclusive of VIP Hospitality, VIP seating (left side) & Press seating (right side), Male and Female Toilets etc.

Also visible are tunnel-like entrances for either side of the extension, enabling access from the back of the stand.

Club imagery also on sections of the stand, which would be a nice touch.

[PauliAlonso]

I think you're being unduly harsh on some of these things here :

- The plan was always for the council to build the first half of the Mark Farren Stand, and for Stormont to then stump up for the rest. The council did what it said it would do, at a cost of £7m (probably about £10-12m in today's money), so not point lashing out at them for that stand only being half-built.
- Why have a go at the council over the North Stand? They have zero need for it, and are skint. It's entirely for Derry City, so i think it's unreasonable to have expected the council to pay for it.
- The irrigation was indeed a council balls up to save money. I doubt anyone realised how dry the surface would be without it. Do any other artifical pitches in Ireland have in-bult irrigation btw?
- Where's the evidence that there was any desperation at the council to have the club take over the Brandywell? Or within the club to take it over right now? If it wasn't for this 40% thing, I suspect it wouldn't have happened for quite a few more years yet.

There's lot of reasons to criticise the council. But I don't personally believe that not handing Derry City a 6-8,000 seater stadium on a plate paid for by local rates is one of them. The club needs to pull on its big boy pants and start looking after itself a bit more, and thankfully having virtual ownership of its own home for the first time in 97yrs shoukd now see that happen.

I had initially responded point-by-point, but it was a long post and then has the potential for massive back-and-forths, which are never good So I deleted everything and have briefly summarised:

Council owns the Brandywell and DCFC has been the long-term tenant for almost a century. Either the Council assumes responsibility for providing the necessary infrastructure for a LOI Premier Division team, or it doesn't. It hasn't, and deserves to be criticised for it. Even the bare minimum was a chore (do you remember having to piss against a wall for "toilets" on the Lone Moor side?). Development, planning, forward-thinking has been ignored for DECADES and more (the Glentoran Stand was temporary, don't forget). The Council deserves only criticism for the lack of investment in the Brandywell. "Shit or get off the can", as it were. If they don't need or want any additional infrastructure at the Brandywell, they should say it publicly. Then maybe POD can move away from "the only show in town" and you'll get your stadium at Templemore. But Council is finally getting off the can, so let's see what happens.

[brandyball]

North Stand open for Cork City game.

[stevebradley]

I think you're being unduly harsh on some of these things here :

- The plan was always for the council to build the first half of the Mark Farren Stand, and for Stormont to then stump up for the rest. The council did what it said it would do, at a cost of £7m (probably about £10-12m in today's money), so not point lashing out at them for that stand only being half-built.
- Why have a go at the council over the North Stand? They have zero need for it, and are skint. It's entirely for Derry City, so i think it's unreasonable to have expected the council to pay for it.
- The irrigation was indeed a council balls up to save money. I doubt anyone realised how dry the surface would be without it. Do any other artifical pitches in Ireland have in-bult irrigation btw?
- Where's the evidence that there was any desperation at the council to have the club take over the Brandywell? Or within the club to take it over right now? If it wasn't for this 40% thing, I suspect it wouldn't have happened for quite a few more years yet.

There's lot of reasons to criticise the council. But I don't personally believe that not handing Derry City a 6-8,000 seater stadium on a plate paid for by local rates is one of them. The club needs to pull on its big boy pants and start looking after itself a bit more, and thankfully having virtual ownership of its own home for the first time in 97yrs shoukd now see that happen.

I had initially responded point-by-point, but it was a long post and then has the potential for massive back-and-forths, which are never good So I deleted everything and have briefly summarised:

Council owns the Brandywell and DCFC has been the long-term tenant for almost a century. Either the Council assumes responsibility for providing the necessary infrastructure for a LOI Premier Division team, or it doesn't. It hasn't, and deserves to be criticised for it. Even the bare minimum was a chore (do you remember having to piss against a wall for "toilets" on the Lone Moor side?). Development, planning, forward-thinking has been ignored for DECADES and more (the Glentoran Stand was temporary, don't forget). The Council deserves only criticism for the lack of investment in the Brandywell. "Shit or get off the can", as it were. If they don't need or want any additional infrastructure at the Brandywell, they should say it publicly. Then maybe POD can move away from "the only show in town" and you'll get your stadium at Templemore. But Council is finally getting off the can, so let's see what happens.

But has the club shown any real interest in taking over the Brandywell prior to very recently? I don't believe they have. They've certainly never said so publicly anyway, nor acted like they wanted to until the last few months when it's started to be raised.

The problem with 'shit or get off the can' here is that Derry City didn't even have a pot to piss in instead of the Brandywell. When you only have one toilet to use, and no other options, you don't get to dictate terms about what colour the bog roll or wallpaper should be. And if you donlt like it, you can always make plans to find yourself another can to shit in somewhere else instead. But we told the world that we wouldn't be doing that. So we got what the council could afford.

Why should the ratepayers of Derry - who have long had the highest rates in NI combined with the lowest inomes - be responsible for providing whatever stadium improvements Derry City wants, regardless of the cost? A club which has had many tens of million of pounds go through its coffers over the years, and has literally absolutely nothing to show for it now. Why hasn't Derry City taken a bit more responsibility for itself over the last 40 years, as it is now finally doing - though only after being forced to do so by a Stormont funding application?

Should the council also now be responsible for providing Stute with a 'shit or get off the can' stadium too btw?

[IfYouTolerateThis]

Coleraine F.C. certainly can't be faulted for their transparency. Ambitious and keeping supporters informed.


https://colerainefc.com/coleraine-fc-su ... plication/

[PauliAlonso]

But has the club shown any real interest in taking over the Brandywell prior to very recently? I don't believe they have. They've certainly never said so publicly anyway, nor acted like they wanted to until the last few months when it's started to be raised.

The problem with 'shit or get off the can' here is that Derry City didn't even have a pot to piss in instead of the Brandywell. When you only have one toilet to use, and no other options, you don't get to dictate terms about what colour the bog roll or wallpaper should be. And if you donlt like it, you can always make plans to find yourself another can to shit in somewhere else instead. But we told the world that we wouldn't be doing that. So we got what the council could afford.

Why should the ratepayers of Derry - who have long had the highest rates in NI combined with the lowest inomes - be responsible for providing whatever stadium improvements Derry City wants, regardless of the cost? A club which has had many tens of million of pounds go through its coffers over the years, and has literally absolutely nothing to show for it now. Why hasn't Derry City taken a bit more responsibility for itself over the last 40 years, as it is now finally doing - though only after being forced to do so by a Stormont funding application?

I don't know if I've mistyped or misspoken somewhere, but you seem to be answering issues I haven't raised. DCSDC owns the Brandywell and is responsible for all things development-related in the ground, not our Board. Asking why the Council should develop the stadium - "it's their job", (Roy Keane, 2024). Whether DCSDC pays for any work directly out of DCSDC coffers (which are probably very low, I'll trust you on that), or goes to Stormont for money, or goes to Westminster for money, shouldn't matter - it is DCSDC's responsibility and their councillors should be driving it. Find the money, apply for the grants, work within your party or work with other parties. But they've done nothing. Before the MF Stand, what money was spent on improving the stadium? The Maginn seats, thats it. That's 40 years worth of improvements from DCC/DCSDC. And how hard did the fans and the club have to beg and work to get those shitty seats in the first place? Very. You cannot honestly tell me that that's OK and doesn't deserve criticism.

If we want to be critical of the club in terms of infrastructure, then a lack of action on training facilities over the last 20, 30 years is where to aim it. But not with regard to owning the stadium. I know you've been banging that drum for a long time, but that was never based on any reality. 20, 30 years ago, no club in Ireland was in a position to even consider privately building a new stadium, or privately buying out from their respective owners/landlords. It would have been more realistic to save towards building a training pitch with a small stand, changing and gym facilities. But not a new stadium.

Should the council also now be responsible for providing Stute with a 'shit or get off the can' stadium too btw?

No comparison with our situation whatsoever. Silly comment and you know it.

[PauliAlonso]

Coleraine F.C. certainly can't be faulted for their transparency. Ambitious and keeping supporters informed.
https://colerainefc.com/coleraine-fc-su ... plication/

With ours, that's two big projects at least. Be interesting as well to see how much Stute have applied for. If they've gone for big money too, then I see ours as having less and less chance, as Stute and Coleraine need that money more than we do.

[Keyser Soze]

Coleraine looking to build "a stadium for the NW".

Whilst we are trying to do the same.

Will history repeat itself?