New Stadium !

[Neil]

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2106867,00.html



Daniel Taylor
Wednesday June 20, 2007
The Guardian

Nottingham Forest will today begin the process of trying to re-establish themselves as a leading club by announcing plans to move into an "east Midlands super stadium" on the outskirts of the city. The Guardian has seen plans for the new site, which has been designed with the 2018 World Cup in mind and will usher in a new era for the fallen two-time European Cup winners.

Initially, the stadium will have a capacity of around 40,000 but there will be scope to increase to 50,000 if Forest can make the long climb from League One to the Premiership. That would make it the largest stadium in the east Midlands and, if the Football Association is successful in bringing the 2018 tournament to England, among the leading grounds to be selected for games alongside Villa Park, Old Trafford, St James' Park, the City of Manchester Stadium and Liverpool's new ground.


The City Ground, which has stood on the banks of the River Trent since 1898 and was the scene of many of Brian Clough's former glories, is expected to be sold in a move that will dismay traditionalists and those who remember when it was home to the champions of Europe.

The Guardian has learned that Forest, who have averaged crowds around the 20,000 mark despite their slide into the third tier of English football, have agreed a deal in principle where the majority of the costs for the new stadium will be funded from outside the club.

Developers have offered Forest use of a vast site in the Clifton region of Nottingham, close to the M1 and have offered to foot most of the bill because they are aware of the huge potential for the area and the financial rewards from other businesses setting up around the ground. Nigel Doughty, Forest's multimillionaire owner, is expected to fund the rest of the project and the club are understood to be seeking financial help from the local authorities. However, the project may have to wait until the A453, which supporters will use to get to and from the M1, is turned into a dual carriageway.

The club have been desperate to keep the plans confidential but are aware that details have leaked and will hold a press conference at the City Ground this morning.

Intriguingly, Derby County, Forest's main rivals, have just announced plans to redevelop Pride Park and increase the capacity from 33,500 to 44,000. The suspicion at Forest is that Derby have got wind of their plans and are keen for their own stadium to be regarded as the most impressive football arena in the east Midlands. Forest, however, are confident their famous past will stand in their favour.

[Darren]

If we were a premiership club, could see it happening but wots the point in having a spanking stadium if we are in the third division in england. Makes no sense!!!.

Dont want a move away from the City Ground.

[Justin]

Final straw for me.

I'll stick with it for the next couple of seasons but if we leave the City Ground to line Doughty's pockets I'll give up the club.

I certainly won't be travelling to some souless hell hole in the middle of nowhere.

[Kevin Reidy]

Unfortunately we were always going to be open to this, if it happens to the likes of Arsenal or Liverpool why not us. Mind you, they only moved a short distance away. All of the new stadiums these days seem to look the same. If its going to be named the Brian Clough Stadium it might appease some, but this is going to take some getting used to. A huge stadium with big empty spaces is going to look stupid.

Our ground right by the river was unique, I always thought with Trent Bridge only across the road it was a great place to be at with all the excitement of matchday. Its just not going to be the same going out on the bus or tram to some retail park beside the stadium before the game wasting time in some chain super pub. As well as that, the likes of us coming into the airport may as well not bother coming into Nottingham City Centre, as Clifton is out on the airport side.

A sad day, but if this meant we'd get a better team on the pitch and got to the Premiership and stayed there I might just accept it. This however looks more unlikely as the seasons go on.

[Dominic Hammond]

Certainly a sad day and a shocker.

The City Ground is one of the most 'attractive' stadiums in the country. Got good pubs and eateries around it, not bad for transport structure, cricket ground next to it and of course the river Trent. I know most away fans love the day out there!

It's hard to take right now but it is I guess a sign of the times. I'm sure all of us fans in reality would like a 50,000 stadium and if the City Ground could accomodate that it'd be great.

This is going to drag on for ages and ages, and still not definite yet!

[Justin]

I also object to Paul Ellis Chairman of the Supporters Club coming out in support of this.

He is not speaking for me and I would imagine the majority of supporters.

Disgusted :evil:

[Darragh]

http://www.nottinghamforest.premiumtv.co.uk/javaImages/52/4b/0,,10308~3296082,00.jpg

I would support this if it happens (sounds a bit too much like Eircom Park to me at the moment). As much as I love the atmosphere of the City Ground, the walk to the stadium and a pint or two beforehand in the Southbank, you need a modern stadium with capacity as a basis for success.

[Kevin Reidy]

I also object to Paul Ellis Chairman of the Supporters Club coming out in support of this.

He is not speaking for me and I would imagine the majority of supporters.

Disgusted :evil:

Paul Ellis has to toe the party line about huge issues like this, otherwise the football club would start alienating the supporters club even more. That is, unfortunately how things are....

[Neil]

Would be nice to actually have a football team first.

Look at the shite being spewed out:

Mark stresses that it will be a long journey, with 2014 the earliest the stadium will emerge. "As a club, our priority for this season is promotion. Then it's promotion again the next season. Then it's to ensure we establish ourselves back in the top flight and challenge for Europe.

"Our supporters will also want to know that a not a penny of money which could go on buying new players or strengthening the team will go towards the new stadium. Football is the main priority for this club.

"The vision for the future is exciting - but we won't be distracted in any way from bringing success on the pitch and promotion."

Just what planet is the fool on eh??? :roll:

[Kevin Reidy]

Would be nice to actually have a football team first.

Look at the shite being spewed out:

Mark stresses that it will be a long journey, with 2014 the earliest the stadium will emerge. "As a club, our priority for this season is promotion. Then it's promotion again the next season. Then it's to ensure we establish ourselves back in the top flight and challenge for Europe.

"Our supporters will also want to know that a not a penny of money which could go on buying new players or strengthening the team will go towards the new stadium. Football is the main priority for this club.

"The vision for the future is exciting - but we won't be distracted in any way from bringing success on the pitch and promotion."

Just what planet is the fool on eh??? :roll:

I listened Arthur's interview this morning on Radio Nottm and I still get the impression this new ground is not set in stone. Anybody who says its not dependant on what happens on the pitch is wrong in my opinion. If this club stays in league 1 or even the Championship for too long it can't be viable having a 50k stadium with only 20-25k max in it every week. When we were last in the Prem in 1999 we never thought we'd slip down 2 divisions in the space of 8 years, and now we're pushing it by saying we'll be back to the Prem in another 8 years. The whole thing is presuming a hell of a lot and after the all the shit we've had to put up with it, its only natural that many supporters aren't convinced. Have to say I'm not, until we start to see something decent happen on the pitch. The Yeovil fiasco still makes me sick.

Radio Nottm had a poll this morning and over 60% of local people were for the move. Was a bit surprised to be honest.

[Dominic Hammond]

We're already a laughing stock to many people....if we don't go ahead with this now that it has been announced, we're going to look even sillier :cry:
The move apparently is still not certain, so why announce it? More capers from the NFFC board eh....

[dallasred]

personally, the old romantic in me is against this move and, let's face facts, there's no guarantee that we'll be even out of this division in 8 years, never mind in the Prem and challenging for Europe. if it was that easy then why haven't we done it already!!.
there's no finer sight for me than walking round the corner and seeing the Trent End across the river. i'd hate to lose that. then again, if this 7 year plan goes as well as the 5 year one that preceded it, we could be groundsharing at Meadow Lane!!!

[seamus fagan]

Jesus lads don't sweat it even if it does happen its seven ****ing years away,so much can happen in that time we could be in the conference or we could be in the premier,one thing is certain though it really proves what a conniving pair of ****s doughty and arthur really are,all the bullshit they come out with cannot hide what a ****ing pigs ear they have made of Forest.








LENNON IS OUR SAVIOUR.

[Neil]

Jesus lads don't sweat it even if it does happen its seven f*****g years away,so much can happen in that time we could be in the conference or we could be in the premier,one thing is certain though it really proves what a conniving pair of ****s doughty and arthur really are,all the bullshit they come out with cannot hide what a f*****g pigs ear they have made of Forest.








LENNON IS OUR SAVIOUR.



Nice post.......















until the last line :razz:

[trucker]

Everyones getting so worked up! Personally, while i am very VERY suspicious as to whether it will happen, in a way it's good. As long as the new design doesn't leave us with a lifeless soulless stadium, and the off-field progress is matched by on-field...it has my support.

Oh...and comfier seats and a little more legroom please!

[EDDIE CLERKIN]

I'm gutted at the moment to even say anything :sad:

[Forest74]

as i'm all for change a better squad a bigger capaticy it would be nice to hae a 40,000-50,000 stadium screeming down manu but can we not do it at the CG the athomsphere will be gone no southbank before kick-off and it will be called some other s***y name like what arsenal did and higher ticket prices so to the BIG MEN in charge F*** o** and leave ourCG alone bring on the new season :sad:

[Brendan]

I'm sure the ideal solution for all of us would be to have a City Ground with up-to-date facilities, both corporate and for the ordinary punter, a capacity of 40k, and good access. But it seems that that can't happen because of the ground's location, or won't happen because nearly everyone with an interest in all this [excluding the fans for the moment] wants the move to the new ground.

If we are presented with a choice of remaining where we are with no development of the ground or moving to a better new stadium, then I'd jump at the new stadium. I don't support a football ground. I support a football club, warts and all.

There's been talk for some time about developing the land alongside the river, and although the council owns the City Ground land, the club, I think, owns the training ground land. For development one is probably no good without the other. So maybe this is where Doughty will make some money. But what's new about club owners and directors making money [remember who made the money when the club was sold in 97]?

Anyway, all this is a few years away and a lot will happen between now and then. But unless Forest get back to the premiership with its buckets of money, where's the finance for development and improvement going to come from?

The development around Clifton is going to happen anyway - it has Government backing. The opportunity for a state-of-the-art stadium, and keeping up with other clubs, at little cost is too good to miss. Everyone's a winner!![I'm still excluding the fans].

If the new stadium design is really good, and allows a good atmosphere to develop, then a lot more fans will accept the change more readily. Me included.

The club has been drifting for 5 or more years. A serious development of the City Ground [unlikely] or the new stadium will give the club a lift and hopefully direction. The plans do show ambition. Whenn Lennon signed he didn't waffle on about "sleeping giant" etc. but he did say the club was going places. I'm still to be convinced but the right quality of signings will be the only true measure of the club's ambition.

[Colm O'Sullivan]

I think Doughty and Arthur are getting desperate now, they're scraping the end of the barrell. This 'Super Stadium' and 'back in the Premiership within 8 years' is wishy washy stuff at best. On what basis are they suggesting that we'll be anywhere near the Prem? If the last 10 years trend is anything to go by, we'll be further near the Conference. This move is the last throw of the dice for two truly desparaging men....