24-03-2022, 01:44 PM
The proposed South stand development is certainly an improvement, but to watch 21st century football with an obscured view behind ladders and stanchions is very short sighted indeed. All in the name of preserving the Leitch architecture??? I really don’t think that’s a valid reason, does anyone else agree?
If we are staying at Fratton Park long term, the most sensible decision is to turn the ground 90 degrees as has been discussed before. This overcomes four primary issues, namely:
1.) The pitch orientation of North to South satisfies FIFA guidelines I.e. goalkeepers are looking directly into the Sun. Who remembers Knightsie wearing his baseball cap?
2.) The pitch can be enlarged to meet FA standards. The current pitch size is too small and if we were to ever get back to the Prem, we would have to ask for special dispensation to play home games at Fratton.
3.) Increase in stadium capacity to 35-40k. This might appear a little audacious, but if we can sell 51k tickets for a tin pot trophy final, I’m confident we could fill a large stadium playing prem football week in week out. That’s if the Eisners harbour any ambition to reach the upper echelons of English football? I suspect not looking at the frugal investment in the team building over the last 5 years.
4.) Avoid clashing with the existing sub-station behind the North stand. I would like to see the current proposals of how a new North stand avoids this “White elephant”?
If we are staying at Fratton Park long term, the most sensible decision is to turn the ground 90 degrees as has been discussed before. This overcomes four primary issues, namely:
1.) The pitch orientation of North to South satisfies FIFA guidelines I.e. goalkeepers are looking directly into the Sun. Who remembers Knightsie wearing his baseball cap?
2.) The pitch can be enlarged to meet FA standards. The current pitch size is too small and if we were to ever get back to the Prem, we would have to ask for special dispensation to play home games at Fratton.
3.) Increase in stadium capacity to 35-40k. This might appear a little audacious, but if we can sell 51k tickets for a tin pot trophy final, I’m confident we could fill a large stadium playing prem football week in week out. That’s if the Eisners harbour any ambition to reach the upper echelons of English football? I suspect not looking at the frugal investment in the team building over the last 5 years.
4.) Avoid clashing with the existing sub-station behind the North stand. I would like to see the current proposals of how a new North stand avoids this “White elephant”?