Do not do it.Use the monies for team strengthening. We have been down this road before.The board ,then,built the white elephant,known as the East Stand at The Vetch instead of team strengthening. What happened? We got relegated.
I see where you are coming from, not many remembered how we wasted money on that white elephant that took much needed cash from the squad, but it was a contributing factor during those heady Toshack days, I remember talking to the then Chairman Malcolm Struel, he was my solicitor back then, and he admitted it was a mistake.............. Struel is far right with glasses please log in to view this image
Back in struel's day we were heading into the top flight with a ground that was an absolute disgrace. So I can understand the thinking to a degree. Today the Liberty is perhaps too small for the ticket demand but it is respectable. The priority should be team first, stadium and other elements of infrastructure second .... Or we will drop and that would kill us as it has done many other clubs.
The Vetch was a dump and no amount of tarting up ,as it was often was would improve it ,the balance between having a successful team and decent facilities is a fine one but if there's no success on the pitch then there's no fans to fill the bright shiny seats .We were relegated because we didn't strengthen with no money in the pot and the gates dropping off because novelty of playing in the 1st division wore off quicker than you'd expect .The trouble is it's becoming cheaper to improve the infrastructure than the squad .The Board want to expand the stadium but also realise you have to continue bringing in players just to maintain the status quo .
I think the stadium expansion is a lower priority than achieving category one academy status and certainly lower than team strengthening which we are in danger of leaving too late.
We've got enough money to do both. The expansion should pay for itself with extra income from the extra seats.
I'm not sure the comparison is a good one for lots of reasons: the money involved in football these days; the different position we're in today; the demand for tickets etc., not to mention the fact that building the East Stand was like putting a necklace on a pig (yes know we all loved the Vetch so don't be nasty to me ) I actually think we can do both. Why not? I wouldn't let yesterday's result affect your thinking on this one either.
This was a question asked at the pre-season press conference. The guy specifically asked if it was sensible to spend money on expanding the stadium while the team would need strengthening. HJ reiterated to more than one person that the money for expanding the stadium was 'spare' money that wasn't included in the player budget or the daily running of the club. I'm happy with that explanation. It implies that player budget is being considered as an important thing while a plan for expansion has been sensibly mitigated for.
Forget about expanding the liberty that can never be ours to do as we wish,Build our own purpose built stadium for the future to come. we will always be restricted with red tape at the liberty in everything we ant to do. Why should we waste millions because we have it and everybody else benefits from the extra revenue it makes..
I don't care who owns the stadium. I just want to be able to go and watch the Swans play instead of poxy streams all the time.
That is the best long-term solution, or buying the Liberty from the council. But do we have enough money to build a new stadium from scratch? But it does seem odd to be paying to expand a stadium you don't own. It could end up in a bit of a legal nightmare.
There's strong rumour and thats all it is so don't shoot me down but the Ospreys are going to be offered an offer to good to turn down to move out of the Stadium very soon , for us locals we know the Council is desperately short of funds so if we were to offer to buy the Club then now would be the right time for the Board but with the proviso the taxpayers aren't short changed , the Club's making money atm ,,the council aren't.
All sensible stuff but ... if we moved the Ospreys would never generate the income needed to maintain the Liberty which is where a new stadium option breaks down IMO. The council would have to agree to end whatever contract we have on the Liberty & agree a licence to rebuild elsewhere. This is unlikely as it could lead to loss of income in the area and leave the council with yet another fund draining property. It might be cheaper in the long run to buy out the Liberty and extend AND pay part of the cost of a new venue for the Ospreys. The cost to build a 15,000 stadium redevelop the Gnoll, St Helen's or even Bridgend for the Ospreys would be surely be affordable. All that would lead us to is the police and residents' objections to expansion with regard to excess, egress and parking.
I think MBSL is saying the Ospreys will be moved out to somewhwere else (where?) and we will buy the Liberty stadium from the council, not the other way round.
I've always thought that with the crowds they are getting that the Gnoll would be a better bet for the Ospreys and I don't mean it in a nasty way.
