Comments on: An Unlikely World Cup Venue: Home Park, Plymouth http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/16/an-unlikely-world-cup-venue-home-park-plymouth/ A soccer blog featuring essays, news and photography exploring soccer around the world Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:59:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Darbs http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/16/an-unlikely-world-cup-venue-home-park-plymouth/comment-page-1/#comment-17581 Darbs Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:36:08 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5601#comment-17581 MK Dons is a big surprize when you consider Derby has a great stadium as does Leicester. Fair play to Plymouth - it will be great for the area. Also Paul Mariner the former Assistant Coach of the New England Revolution is now the Manager of Plymouth Argyle. MK Dons is a big surprize when you consider Derby has a great stadium as does Leicester. Fair play to Plymouth – it will be great for the area. Also Paul Mariner the former Assistant Coach of the New England Revolution is now the Manager of Plymouth Argyle.

]]> By: The Sweeper: England’s World Cup Bid Goes Against Its History | Pitch Invasion http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/16/an-unlikely-world-cup-venue-home-park-plymouth/comment-page-1/#comment-17564 The Sweeper: England’s World Cup Bid Goes Against Its History | Pitch Invasion Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:10:14 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5601#comment-17564 [...] the comments on our post yesterday about the surprising inclusion of Plymouth as a candidate city, Penfold wrote a long and thoughtful commentary on what he called the other more controversial choices: Milton Keynes, Hillsborough and Elland [...] [...] the comments on our post yesterday about the surprising inclusion of Plymouth as a candidate city, Penfold wrote a long and thoughtful commentary on what he called the other more controversial choices: Milton Keynes, Hillsborough and Elland [...]

]]> By: A. Ruiz http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/16/an-unlikely-world-cup-venue-home-park-plymouth/comment-page-1/#comment-17557 A. Ruiz Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:50:18 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5601#comment-17557 "even only a few miles across Sheffield to Bramall Lane, you will find better stadia owned by financially stable clubs (relatively…) with existing, realistic plans to further develop into world class facilities under their own steam. And get this, without the need to subsidise their development with public money. Imagine that!" Do you see? That's exactly the whole point. The FA will pick stadiums that need renovation, because they know that in the excitement they can get public money so teams don't have to spend any of their own. “even only a few miles across Sheffield to Bramall Lane, you will find better stadia owned by financially stable clubs (relatively…) with existing, realistic plans to further develop into world class facilities under their own steam. And get this, without the need to subsidise their development with public money. Imagine that!”

Do you see? That’s exactly the whole point. The FA will pick stadiums that need renovation, because they know that in the excitement they can get public money so teams don’t have to spend any of their own.

]]> By: Penfold http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/12/16/an-unlikely-world-cup-venue-home-park-plymouth/comment-page-1/#comment-17553 Penfold Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:14:27 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=5601#comment-17553 I can understand why you pick Plymouth out for particular consideration (it's American connection through AEG). Far more surprising - and maybe even concerning for English fans - would be the selection of three other grounds in the 16, namely MK Don's MK Stadium, Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough and Leeds United's Elland Road. MK Dons and MK Stadium, let us not forget, only exist due to the despicable decision to allow a franchise to enter English football. This is not something we should be promoting in the home of football - a particular aspect the FA continue to peddle in it's bid for the 2018 World Cup. The Guardian provides a good comment on the inclusion of this stadium right here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/dec/16/milton-keynes-world-cup-2018. Coupled with this is the fact that Milton Keynes is a god-awful 'new' town lacking any sort of character, ambience or charm. I pity the fans of teams based there. The good news is that it does have excellent transport links to nicer towns and cities Moving on to Hillsborough and Elland Road - only a fool can question their history - but any recent visitors to either stadium will surely agree that they are both crumbling, scruffy, beyond-their-best grounds in dire need of complete redevelopment. If you have the temerity to turn your gaze from these two FA default Yorkshire-choice grounds , even only a few miles across Sheffield to Bramall Lane, you will find better stadia owned by financially stable clubs (relatively...) with existing, realistic plans to further develop into world class facilities under their own steam. And get this, without the need to subsidise their development with public money. Imagine that! Taking Bramall Lane as an example; here is a ground steeped in footballing history, conveniently located next to Sheffield City Centre, within 10 minutes walk of a major mainline train station, an existing capacity of just under 33,000 and advanced plans to extend to 40,000+. These plans are so advanced that the scheme has already been submitted to Sheffield City Council for their consideration. Also worth noting is that Sheffield United are backed by chairman and property expert Kevin McCabe - a man with a fantastic record of delivering large schemes on budget and, crucially, on time. There may even be the an argument for considering Hull City's KC Stadium or Doncaster Rover's Keepmoat Stadium over Elland Road and Hillsborough. Yet the FA continue to choose these to ageing, flaking, tired monoliths. OK, so the World Cup is still 8 years away, allowing plenty of time for grounds to be improved. The bid may not even be succesful; but the FA have made a far more controversial decision through the inclusion of these three grounds. All the best to Plymouth! Yours etc, Penfold I can understand why you pick Plymouth out for particular consideration (it’s American connection through AEG). Far more surprising – and maybe even concerning for English fans – would be the selection of three other grounds in the 16, namely MK Don’s MK Stadium, Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough and Leeds United’s Elland Road.

MK Dons and MK Stadium, let us not forget, only exist due to the despicable decision to allow a franchise to enter English football. This is not something we should be promoting in the home of football – a particular aspect the FA continue to peddle in it’s bid for the 2018 World Cup. The Guardian provides a good comment on the inclusion of this stadium right here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/dec/16/milton-keynes-world-cup-2018. Coupled with this is the fact that Milton Keynes is a god-awful ‘new’ town lacking any sort of character, ambience or charm. I pity the fans of teams based there. The good news is that it does have excellent transport links to nicer towns and cities

Moving on to Hillsborough and Elland Road – only a fool can question their history – but any recent visitors to either stadium will surely agree that they are both crumbling, scruffy, beyond-their-best grounds in dire need of complete redevelopment. If you have the temerity to turn your gaze from these two FA default Yorkshire-choice grounds , even only a few miles across Sheffield to Bramall Lane, you will find better stadia owned by financially stable clubs (relatively…) with existing, realistic plans to further develop into world class facilities under their own steam. And get this, without the need to subsidise their development with public money. Imagine that!

Taking Bramall Lane as an example; here is a ground steeped in footballing history, conveniently located next to Sheffield City Centre, within 10 minutes walk of a major mainline train station, an existing capacity of just under 33,000 and advanced plans to extend to 40,000+. These plans are so advanced that the scheme has already been submitted to Sheffield City Council for their consideration. Also worth noting is that Sheffield United are backed by chairman and property expert Kevin McCabe – a man with a fantastic record of delivering large schemes on budget and, crucially, on time.

There may even be the an argument for considering Hull City’s KC Stadium or Doncaster Rover’s Keepmoat Stadium over Elland Road and Hillsborough. Yet the FA continue to choose these to ageing, flaking, tired monoliths.

OK, so the World Cup is still 8 years away, allowing plenty of time for grounds to be improved. The bid may not even be succesful; but the FA have made a far more controversial decision through the inclusion of these three grounds.

All the best to Plymouth!

Yours etc,

Penfold

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