SUFC: The Future The regeneration of Roots Hall

[Jasrod]

Personally, the last place I’d be spending money on as the new owners would be the place where the away fans are held. Whether that’s the North, North West corner or anywhere else in the ground.

Yes, a food kiosk and working toilets, but I wouldn’t be doing much more. Don’t want away fans being comfortable at our ground, make it intimidating and uncomfortable for them.

I’d say the big reason we don’t get big away followings at Roots Hall is because of the level we are at, and the size of club. You can almost guarantee that if we got a Leeds or a Millwall in the FA Cup, they’d pack the away end like they always used to in our league fixtures.

But it would make sense at this level to do as was suggested a new north stand with bars etc underneath. Move away fans to south lower. So as soon as it is ready it would be our fans making use of it

 

[leeblue]

I'd say to those in the east stand....be prepared to be displaced in the near future.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

I agree. I doubt if any major renovation or demolition would be for a few years. Make do and mend for a few years and then decide what to rebuild. I still think the North will be first so it'll probably be the west.

I'm sure that's what was said a few months back. The North Bank needs to be sorted so that when the East is demolished we have usable capacity in the rest of the ground.

But like you I think any major renovation or demolition could be years away yet.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

I'd say to those in the east stand....be prepared to be displaced in the near future.

I'd love to see a structural engineers and safety officer's report about Roots Hall although I think it might scare us. We don't actually know for example except for gossip what exactly is the issue with the restricted capacity.

 

[Seaside Shrimper]

Just as pure speculation and dreaming, when it was discussed before i was a big fan of the idea of building a new east stand behind the current one, knocking down the current when its finished and moving the whole ground gradually east, allowing a bit more room to develop the west.

No idea how feasible this actually is, but on the face of it makes a lot of sense to me, would mean the new stand is operational and makes up for a reduced capacity while other stands are worked on

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

So it's the Solopress North Bank this season, after Solopress renewed their sponsorship. They also retain the naming rights to the North Bank. They will also display Solopress in the tunnel area.

 

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

Just as pure speculation and dreaming, when it was discussed before i was a big fan of the idea of building a new east stand behind the current one, knocking down the current when its finished and moving the whole ground gradually east, allowing a bit more room to develop the west.

No idea how feasible this actually is, but on the face of it makes a lot of sense to me, would mean the new stand is operational and makes up for a reduced capacity while other stands are worked on

@Sherif H would be your man for that sort of project and feasibility of it.

 

[Shrimper]

Just as pure speculation and dreaming, when it was discussed before i was a big fan of the idea of building a new east stand behind the current one, knocking down the current when its finished and moving the whole ground gradually east, allowing a bit more room to develop the west.

No idea how feasible this actually is, but on the face of it makes a lot of sense to me, would mean the new stand is operational and makes up for a reduced capacity while other stands are worked on

I think it would be too expensive but a new East Stand with more seats is doable. The only thing I think they could do for the West would be to re-profile it

 

[Fairport]

I remember when Vic was in charge he often mentioned that the East Stand was built on a rubbish tip, one of the reasons he gave for moving to another site. I wonder if this will have an impact on the cost of replacing or renewing the East.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

A while back @Sherif H shared details of the new stand at Bristol Rovers. I wonder if the plan might be to do something like that with the north at the end of this season?

This new stand might effectively replace the East for a while in due course with away fans being moved to the North West corner.

Of course if it is replacing the East for a time then hospitality needs to be considered in there too, and I’m not sure how feasible that is.

 

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

I think the initial plan was:

Nothing much could be done with the South, so spruce up and clean.

North - refurbish

West - New roof and causeway at the back rurbish food outlets

East demolish and rebuild.

As for timings and the current plan, as the above may well have changed with the amended deal completed, who knows?

Be good to get an update from COSU/POSU for what the plan exactly is/will be now.

 

[Seaside Shrimper]

I feel so relaxed with the timing of it all, as i have confidence in COSU that the work will happen, I am just so damn excited to see Roots Hall get the facelift and modernization it desperately needs/deserves.

There are so many options I would be happy with, it would be cool if there was some kind of multiple choice referendum to decide the final plan, or even to get a peak at the options that were considered before revealing the final plan.

Upgrading Roots Hall was one of my favorite parts of LMA manager and has stuck with me for years!

 

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

Judging by previous Sz votes and the diverse results of them the last thing I would want is a design by referendum.

The ground refurbishment is one area definitely left to professionals in that field and those with control of the budget imo.

 

[North Wales Shrimper]

I remember when Vic was in charge he often mentioned that the East Stand was built on a rubbish tip, one of the reasons he gave for moving to another site. I wonder if this will have an impact on the cost of replacing or renewing the East.

The whole ground is built on a rubbish tip. The original ground was the other way round but we were forced out at the start of WW1 for use as a storage area.

After the war it was then used as a quarry for Sand before being infilled as a rubbish tip.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Another great thing about the consortium is that a lot more local firms are willing to sponsor Southend United in a big or little way to suit. SUFC has rightly had a bad reputation under the former chairman, but with the good reputation returning, and the new way the club will be run, sponsors are more willing to get involved.

 

[Cricko]

The whole ground is built on a rubbish tip. The original ground was the other way round but we were forced out at the start of WW1 for use as a storage area.

After the war it was then used as a quarry for Sand before being infilled as a rubbish tip.

The ground was actually used as allotment during world war 1 and NO I wasn't there before the smart arses chirp in.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

The ground was actually used as allotment during world war 1 and NO I wasn't there before the smart arses chirp in.

Did your Great, Great, Great Grandad pass that information down the family?

 

[Cricko]

Did your Great, Great, Great Grandad pass that information down the family?

Yuss.

 

[overseas shrimper]

The ground was actually used as allotment during world war 1 and NO I wasn't there before the smart arses chirp in.

Of course you weren't there at the time, you were fighting in the trenches. Surprised they enlisted seeing as you were already getting on a bit.

 

[Napster]

Of course you weren't there at the time, you were fighting in the trenches. Surprised they enlisted seeing as you were already getting on a bit.

You are mistaken, that was his grandson