Fans Forum

[brandyball]

The club will hold a Fans Forum on Sat Feb 17th at 12 noon in the City Hotel Ballroom.

Club Chairman, directors, Ruaidhri Higgins and some players will be in attendance to update fans on stadium development, team etc.

All welcome.

[stevebradley]

Will there be an update on when the PSG tickets are out ?

[rodgers]

Would it be possible to have this streamed or have a recording put up online afterwards? I think Dundalk may have done something similar recently.

[marcoloco]

Would it be possible to have this streamed or have a recording put up online afterwards? I think Dundalk may have done something similar recently.

That's a good shout.

[magspat]

Surprising this wasn't done before the league started.

[da-gama]

Surprising this wasn't done before the league started.

Just thinking that. Some craic this would be if Friday night doesn't go well

[Keyser Soze]

Surprising this wasn't done before the league started.

Perhaps it was only thought of very recently?

[brandyball]

Any news from The Fans Forum?

[TenaciousDee]

I was sent a screenshot from Bakenovel of a post JP wrote breaking it all down. Seems like a lot of discussion on the stadium and pitch, including the fella in charge of the leisure facilities in attendance to answer questions about switching to a grass pitch. If he (JP) reads this maybe he can copy it in, I don't use Bakenovel so I can't see it.

[barry]

JP's summary

New stand to be ready by July provided the weather plays ball. It will be 2900 for domestic games & 1800 for European games with the fold down seats similar to what is in Celtic Park & stadiums in England.

A business case will be put forward in the next few weeks (by end of March) for the funding to complete the MF stand as it is expected the money will be released in the coming months. 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. He also said that we are the only club ticking all the criteria of those who are looking to increase their capacity. Name dropped Glentoran & Glenavon as two clubs who want bigger stadiums but can't sell out their current stadium - we're the only club in the North doing that.

John Kelpie from the council was in attendance & fielded questions about the pitch. The council has been working with Derry City & the FAI as regards to what is best going forward, hasn't ruled out a return to grass & also stated that the loss in revenue that will come with a return to grass won't be the deciding factor.

When asked by Paul Hegarty if they could install a proper sprinkling system to the current pitch whilst they make a decision on a new pitch he said that if the decision on a new pitch was to be years away then they would consider it but the preferred option is to "go for gold" get a decision asap & along with a new pitch install a sprinkler system too.

Ruaidhri was asked about the injured players. Whelan - if all goes to plan will be back in the first half of the season, Jackie - has been given the all clear & will more than likely play 6 or 7 matches either in arranged friendlies or for the u20s as an overaged player, Fats - not too serious, could be back for Sligo - if it was the last game of the season then he would've played last night. Connolly - going for a scan on Monday, Diallo - 6/7 weeks away.

Other comments

It was fai not Linfield or IFA that stopped us playing at Windsor.

There was some chat that DCC would be open to discussions about Derry taking over the Brandywell in its entirety, if there was consent from other stakeholders. This would require a decision from Councillors

[rodgers]

Thanks very much for that. That's all very positive.

It'd be brilliant to have the stand completed this year. I wonder would we give it a name like the Mark Farren?

Also very positive that a return to grass is not being ruled out.

The "loss" in revenue from switching to grass is a total red herring anyway since whatever extra annual income a plastic pitch does generate is wiped out by the cost of the continaul replacement of the plastic pitch once it reaches the end of its lifespan.

[TenaciousDee]

JP's summary

New stand to be ready by July provided the weather plays ball. It will be 2900 for domestic games & 1800 for European games with the fold down seats similar to what is in Celtic Park & stadiums in England.

A business case will be put forward in the next few weeks (by end of March) for the funding to complete the MF stand as it is expected the money will be released in the coming months. 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. He also said that we are the only club ticking all the criteria of those who are looking to increase their capacity. Name dropped Glentoran & Glenavon as two clubs who want bigger stadiums but can't sell out their current stadium - we're the only club in the North doing that.

John Kelpie from the council was in attendance & fielded questions about the pitch. The council has been working with Derry City & the FAI as regards to what is best going forward, hasn't ruled out a return to grass & also stated that the loss in revenue that will come with a return to grass won't be the deciding factor.

When asked by Paul Hegarty if they could install a proper sprinkling system to the current pitch whilst they make a decision on a new pitch he said that if the decision on a new pitch was to be years away then they would consider it but the preferred option is to "go for gold" get a decision asap & along with a new pitch install a sprinkler system too.

Ruaidhri was asked about the injured players. Whelan - if all goes to plan will be back in the first half of the season, Jackie - has been given the all clear & will more than likely play 6 or 7 matches either in arranged friendlies or for the u20s as an overaged player, Fats - not too serious, could be back for Sligo - if it was the last game of the season then he would've played last night. Connolly - going for a scan on Monday, Diallo - 6/7 weeks away.

Other comments

It was fai not Linfield or IFA that stopped us playing at Windsor.

There was some chat that DCC would be open to discussions about Derry taking over the Brandywell in its entirety, if there was consent from other stakeholders. This would require a decision from Councillors

Thanks Barry

[stevebradley]

The "loss" in revenue from switching to grass is a total red herring anyway since whatever extra annual income a plastic pitch does generate is wiped out by the cost of the continaul replacement of the plastic pitch once it reaches the end of its lifespan.

I don't think you can say that without having access to the rental figures, Rogers. Also - a grass pitch involves significantly more maintanence, and theefore cost, than an artifical surface does - so there are definitely pros and cons fianncially of both surfaces. Plus - when it comes to laying a new artifical surface, that attracts grants because of te multitude of potential users (whereas maintenance doesn't). So it really isn't as black annd white as you're suggesting.

[rodgers]

I am working off the most recent set of figures that I can find provided by Council (January 2023) so I am happy to say it, but thanks.

http://meetings.derrycityandstrabanedis ... tadium.pdf

There's no reference to maintenance costs in that document, but by my rough workings, grass maintenance would need to be around 400k more expensive over the course of 8 years in order for it to be, as you put it, less black and white than I am suggesting. I honestly don't know what those relative costs are so if you have access to those figures, that would be very helpful.

If Council can find someone to provide the cost of replacement every 8 years, great.

I can show workings but don't want to sidetrack this thread. However, the figures should be easy enough to figure out.

Was there any mention at the forum about where a European game might be this year?

[magspat]

Yes European games will be at Tallagh if we get that far but still a possibility that Windsor Park could be an option but the FAI turned it down ,not the IFA,not Linfield but the FAI that's what PODtold us at the fans forum ,He said they would go down that avenue again this year to see if we can get it this time.

[stevebradley]

I am working off the most recent set of figures that I can find provided by Council (January 2023) so I am happy to say it, but thanks.

http://meetings.derrycityandstrabanedis ... tadium.pdf

There's no reference to maintenance costs in that document, but by my rough workings, grass maintenance would need to be around 400k more expensive over the course of 8 years in order for it to be, as you put it, less black and white than I am suggesting. I honestly don't know what those relative costs are so if you have access to those figures, that would be very helpful.

If Council can find someone to provide the cost of replacement every 8 years, great.

I can show workings but don't want to sidetrack this thread. However, the figures should be easy enough to figure out.

Was there any mention at the forum about where a European game might be this year?

Can't get that link to work there Rogers. Could you posit it again ? Thanks.

Did it factor in both total costs and total income from each surface?

[rodgers]

Try this instead Steve:

http://meetings.derrycityandstrabanedis ... 2036&Ver=4

Then scroll down to the pdf at "HC11/23". You should be able to click on it from there.

It factored in income generally from both but only considered the cost of certain replacements. A "like for like" replacement was estimated in excess of £1 million while a "replacement of the 3G surface with traditional sand mattress construction" was "likely to cost in the region of £600,000-800,000 and yield limited income". (Please see para. 4.9.)

You might also note para. 4.8 of the pdf in relation to where the cost of a replacement would come from (basically rates increases or external funding) as there was "currently no capital budget for a replacement pitch at the stadium and rates investment would therefore be required to fund the capital costs unless an alternative external funding source can be identified."

[davy_g]

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?

[magspat]

Davy g you are 100% right.

[Nige92]

It may have been mentioned already but John Kelpie on the 'Talking Derry City' podcast said that the pitch would be approved for another few seasons by UEFA for European games of they keep replacing the beads.