With Justin Rees committing to keeping us at Roots Hall if he took over, I've been thinking of how best we would redevelop to make it a stadium fit for the future.
1 - East Stand and North Stand Re-development
While the East Stand holds the bulk of offices, catering, suites, changing rooms etc, the whole place is crumbling, and part of it was an inserted cabin! However, it is the only 'logical' stand that could be pulled backward into the car park to allow more depth in a rebuild, and potential to leave room for the pitch to move across and allow for a West Stand re-development further down the line.
Within the East Stand, you could then put in along the bottom a new Bar that could be accessed 7 days a week, alongside having a gym, which again gives the club further revenue outside of match days. A re-imagined hospitality area, which again if done correct could cater to private events.
Then would layer the offices and hospitality on the above levels. In terms of inside the ground, it would allow to create a concourse area, rather than the current 'walkway' , allowing much needed space for upgraded food / bar areas and even merchandise.
The North Stand... there's little room behind it, but it needs a lot of love - if it were to remain to the away fans, I'd two tier it like the south, to take away the acoustics for the away fans. (not really an issue in this league mind)
2 - Whole ground redevelopment
Without getting carried away, as our goal is merely to exists at present, but there is a lot of potential and space at RH to 'start again' on the land - The ground is currently close to Shakespeare Drive and Fairfax - but if you turned the pitch 90 degrees and put it into the middle of the plot of land - you have a lot more potential you could do with the stadium. A pipe dream of course, and I guess would prove more expensive than moving to Fossetts, but building a new stadium in the overall plot of land would be more palatable than moving to FF anyway. - it of course would mean a temporary groundshare.
However, it would allow for better road infrastructure to be put in place for access to the ground, increase available parking if planned right. You would use the outter lower areas of the ground to host bars, restaurants, a new club store, and your 7 day a week revenue areas.
There are so many areas of the Roots Hall Plot that are under used or gone to ruin, and designed correctly could really being a new 'community hub', that brings people to this area of Southend 7 days a week, and not just passing on the way to the high street. - Vic Avenue is now starting to have a high residential population again thanks to the flat conversions - so give these people an excuse to come on down to RH and spend their money and have somewhere they can go - alongside benefiting the local shops and pubs already in existence.
If you are thinking ... "I want to have what he's been drinking"... mines just a Fosters!
It's just frustrating me all these years saying RH is not viable for the club .... but land is land at the end of the day - what benefits Ron is building Flats on RH and FF... but that isn't for the benefit of the club.
