SUFC: The Future SUFC up for sale

[defender05]

Yes I don't think it is fully appreciated that if you overlay the stadium onto the current RH development site (which also includes some additional land at 297-301 Victoria Avenue) then a meaningful proportion of the residential units could be still built providing funds to develop the stadium.

This assumes what is for sale is the whole RH development site not just the stadium site (separate titles). If just the stadium then more limited development still possible.

If that was done what would happen with the parking that is currently available? There is no point have function rooms to hold events if you can't park there.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

If that was done what would happen with the parking that is currently available? There is no point have function rooms to hold events if you can't park there.

Multi storey car park????

 

[Boreham Blue]

As much as I'm frustrated about the silence I think it's impressive that the membership of the consortium has managed to remain pretty locked down. It feels pretty common expectation that SJ and KT from Kimura are part of the deal but other names don't seem to be more than speculating. I hope the Carl is one of them, (local, a passion for SUFC, a finance professional and experience of running a NL club) I also hope that TL is either involved as an owner or certainly remains as CEO and is helping the consortium with pulling things together. Wonder if Spud remains as part of the set up or if that was just under Kimura.

 

[kentblues]

If that was done what would happen with the parking that is currently available? There is no point have function rooms to hold events if you can't park there.

The question would be how much parking was really required- town centre/city centre stadiums arguably don't need as much as we have. I think it was Carl who mentioned this on one of the Twitter forecasts as well. You need car parking for Blue Badge etc. but there is plenty of parking nearby.

 

[Piledriver]

The thing that has always puzzled me - Southend have been promoted three times during RMs tenure. If you are only in it for a a profit then why fund several promotion winning and near promotion winning teams?





Who knows what was in his head but I doubt it involved waiting at least quarter of a century for the plan to come to fruition.

Maybe a new stadium and a grand development! On paper should be easier to get through off the back of a successful team with ambitions etc.
Obviously RMs greed re scale of the ever changing plan was his undoing (hopefully )

 

[Farmer Fossett]

I like everyone else here wants SUFC to survive and for RM to sell (and have nothing else to do with the club).
I then hope we have owners that are willing to back the Management and invest in the team, pay all staff on time and reduce debt. I want a period of stability and hopefully success.

I am however gutted about FF as I believe a new stadium will attract fans and over time can lead to success (Brighton being a good example). I fear and expect that new owners may only look to initially "patch up" Roots Hall rather than investing in new stands/facilities, which is what the club needs to progress.

 

[gatecrasher]

If Ron had been a smart man, rather than a greedy man, he could of redeveloped Roots Hall, Stand by stand and built his beloved flats on surrounding land owned by the club. Sure, he would never of made the mega millions he believed he could, but he would of become a very wealthy individual, had a well supported, self sufficient football team, with modern facilities he could of also then sold on.


Very much the story of one man who reached for the stars but who will probably end up eating nettles in a ditch.

 

[defender05]

The question would be how much parking was really required- town centre/city centre stadiums arguably don't need as much as we have. I think it was Carl who mentioned this on one of the Twitter forecasts as well. You need car parking for Blue Badge etc. but there is plenty of parking nearby.

That maybe true but the parking is nearly always full and it is included with some of the packages offered.

Also if more properties are built they will require an amount of parking spaces which could lead to the problems that homes near the airport had and permit parking introduced.

 

[Piledriver]

I like everyone else here wants SUFC to survive and for RM to sell (and have nothing else to do with the club).
I then hope we have owners that are willing to back the Management and invest in the team, pay all staff on time and reduce debt. I want a period of stability and hopefully success.

I am however gutted about FF as I believe a new stadium will attract fans and over time can lead to success (Brighton being a good example). I fear and expect that new owners may only look to initially "patch up" Roots Hall rather than investing in new stands/facilities, which is what the club needs to progress.

Luton didn't have a blingy stadium and col u do and that doesn't attract more fans !
RH just needs a new east stand with additional usable areas upto the existing car park cheapest option, of course a new west stand would be nice but not really essential nor is the North Bank for a few hundred visitors imo

 

[SUBBlue]

If Ron had been a smart man, rather than a greedy man, he could of redeveloped Roots Hall, Stand by stand and built his beloved flats on surrounding land owned by the club. Sure, he would never of made the mega millions he believed he could, but he would of become a very wealthy individual, had a well supported, self sufficient football team, with modern facilities he could of also then sold on.


Very much the story of one man who reached for the stars but who will probably end up eating nettles in a ditch.

I long for the day when Southend United are rid of this man.

However I think it will be later rather than sooner, he seems harder to get rid of than fox sh!t on a picnic blanket.

 

[Farmer Fossett]

Luton didn't have a blingy stadium and col u do and that doesn't attract more fans !
RH just needs a new east stand with additional usable areas upto the existing car park cheapest option, of course a new west stand would be nice but not really essential nor is the North Bank for a few hundred visitors imo

Luton are expected to move to a new stadium in a couple of years.
If you look at the vast majority of clubs that move to new stadiums it has resulted in higher attendances. I think Colchester are one of the few examples where this hasn't happened.

RH definitely needs more than a new East stand! I take my 10 year old son and sit in the West, which is uncomfortable, has restricted view and has an asbestos roof!! Toilets are disgusting and have to wait 30mins for a burger.
If we are to attract the next generation we need better facilities and a more comfortable stadium.

 

[united we stand]

Luton didn't have a blingy stadium and col u do and that doesn't attract more fans !
RH just needs a new east stand with additional usable areas upto the existing car park cheapest option, of course a new west stand would be nice but not really essential nor is the North Bank for a few hundred visitors imo

Luton didn't have a blingy stadium and col u do and that doesn't attract more fans !
RH just needs a new east stand with additional usable areas upto the existing car park cheapest option, of course a new west stand would be nice but not really essential nor is the North Bank for a few hundred visitors imo

Col U have a ‘blingy’ stadium- ?

 

[Chairman Trigg]

I don't find it hard to accept to be honest. The price of steel has gone flying up, the roles a stadium plays both on matchdays and non-matchdays have changed dramatically in 15 years (accelerated further by Covid).

Add to that the now desirable costs of renovating existing property offered by the likes of @Sherif H and the dream now can come to reality much closer to home in a unique setting that's our own and not an identikit Populous development.

I have no problems with staying at RH if it is possible that some transformation miracle can happen ,but the whole issue was allowing the club to compete at the next level.
Can RH ever allow that? .The Brighton stadium which was approved at the same time as FF shows a missed opportunity coupled with on field success and they now can compete at the top level.
Construction costs and what the city wants or needs constantly change over time ,and I remember Ron making claims during the years that steel costs had come down ,80% of the retail units at FF were taken and that we need to be at the highest league level to survive the changes taking place at championship level.
We are now left with just hoping we have a club in the NL and have a team next week....some legacy

 

[fredheim_holm]

Luton are expected to move to a new stadium in a couple of years.
If you look at the vast majority of clubs that move to new stadiums it has resulted in higher attendances. I think Colchester are one of the few examples where this hasn't happened.

RH definitely needs more than a new East stand! I take my 10 year old son and sit in the West, which is uncomfortable, has restricted view and has an asbestos roof!! Toilets are disgusting and have to wait 30mins for a burger.
If we are to attract the next generation we need better facilities and a more comfortable stadium.

As @Sherif H has said, it’s all very likely doable.

My understanding is that if we decide to stay at RH for the long term then lighter renovations can happen for South & West which aren’t structurally significant, whilst the North has a little more scope due to not being so close to housing behind, and the East has the most options, it could be renovated or demolished and rebuilt to be far larger and include modern facilities.

To me this is the dream, but we’ve got another thread about this so I’ll leave it there.

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

As @Sherif H has said, it’s all very likely doable.

My understanding is that if we decide to stay at RH for the long term then lighter renovations can happen for South & West which aren’t structurally significant, whilst the North has a little more scope due to not being so close to housing behind, and the East has the most options, it could be renovated or demolished and rebuilt to be far larger and include modern facilities.

To me this is the dream, but we’ve got another thread about this so I’ll leave it there.

Yep, to stay at our spiritual home, have wealthy local owners rather than American billionaires who don't really get it and rid of the rat is for me perfect.

 

[londonblue]

The question would be how much parking was really required- town centre/city centre stadiums arguably don't need as much as we have. I think it was Carl who mentioned this on one of the Twitter forecasts as well. You need car parking for Blue Badge etc. but there is plenty of parking nearby.

But to have a function suite with no parking would really limit its viability. Imagine a wedding where all the guests have to park off site and walk to the venue all togged up whilst it's lashing it down.

 

[Crawliano]

I have no problems with staying at RH if it is possible that some transformation miracle can happen ,but the whole issue was allowing the club to compete at the next level.
Can RH ever allow that? .The Brighton stadium which was approved at the same time as FF shows a missed opportunity coupled with on field success and they now can compete at the top level.
Construction costs and what the city wants or needs constantly change over time ,and I remember Ron making claims during the years that steel costs had come down ,80% of the retail units at FF were taken and that we need to be at the highest league level to survive the changes taking place at championship level.
We are now left with just hoping we have a club in the NL and have a team next week....some legacy

The big difference between Falmer and Sutton Road is a massive trunk road connecting the main city to the stadium as well as a station on the doorstep.

There's more opportunity in a stadium with a modern main stand in a central location to offer decent conferencing facilities, best-in-class reception space and all other mod cons to enable the stadium to operate 365.

I honestly can't think of anywhere offering similar in the Southend area or at FF without major works to connect the airport to Sutton Road which will take years to come to fruition.

 

[Beefy]

He can always re-apply for building more flats at FF though (if a move there is no longer in the club's plans). It would probably suit SCC

I suspect that part of him changing the deal to include selling Roots Hall was the MPs agreeing to support such an application (for whatever that support is worth)

 

[Suffolk Blue]

I would hope that our prospective new owners are already sounding out the council about them building a community stadium with us as tenants as part of a deal that enables Roots Hall to be redeveloped for housing. I think there are plenty of examples of this sort of arrangement; aren't Col U's and Barnet's stadiums owned by local councils?

 

[Beefy]

The big difference between Falmer and Sutton Road is a massive trunk road connecting the main city to the stadium as well as a station on the doorstep.

There's more opportunity in a stadium with a modern main stand in a central location to offer decent conferencing facilities, best-in-class reception space and all other mod cons to enable the stadium to operate 365.

I honestly can't think of anywhere offering similar in the Southend area or at FF without major works to connect the airport to Sutton Road which will take years to come to fruition.

I agree with all this but one thing Ron has said in the past about RH does ring true - the football club will always struggle to compete without additional revenue streams. That's my worry re staying (although tbf it's been very apparent for a decade that SUFC would have got the crumbs off Ron Martin's table at best at Fossetts anyway).

Whoever comes in is going to need a great business plan.