SUFC: The Future The regeneration of Roots Hall

[tommy tucker]

The old girl of football is slowly being tidyed up .Who needs a nice new stadium .In time we will have one A new posh rootshall

 

[Swiss Tony]

I doubt they do micro surgery.

No they do John, my mate had it done.

 

[united we stand]

View attachment 33018

Is it just me - but my first thought was ‘ nice, but you can’t polish a ****’

 

[It'sGrimUpNorth]

Is it just me - but my first thought was ‘ nice, but you can’t polish a ****’

Just you

 

[Crowstone Crevette]

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

@North Wales Shrimper @Cricko
According to Peter Mason's excellent book:
"The pitch ran from north to south, as it does today, and although it had a pronounced slope from one end to the other, it was judged a satisfactory surface by the standards of the day."

"...when the First World War put a stop to the Southern League two years later a dispute developed over outstanding rent. Southend tried to generate money by sub-letting Roots Hall to the military, but by June 1916 when the lease ran put, there was no option than for the owner George Radford to hold an auction of Roots Hall assets to raise money...A week later work begun on digging the pitch into allotments.

[Soon after the end of the First World War]...it's [Roots Hall] new owners, Southend Gas Company, discovered large deposits of sand on the site. The firm had originally intended to erect a Gas Holder on the land, but the inter war housing boom in Southend had created a huge demand for sand, so the opportunity at Roots Hall was too good to miss.

When the sandpit was exhausted most of the area was taken over by the Gas Light & Coke Company, which used the huge hole created by quarrying as a dump for old cookers, piping and other gas related paraphernalia. Locals also took to throwing rubbish in the pit..."

Hope this helps tidy up a few inaccuracies concerning our route to 'The Hall' as we know it.

 

[Strykr]

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

That idea allows for making the east and west bigger, also extending the north so it occupies the space behind it seem the only real ways to massively increase capacity. But how much capacity in reality do we need??

Back in the l1 winning, championship eastwood days you could argue we could have sold 15k tickets, but thats a massive peak. Historically given the catchment area we should be pulling in a lot more...

Also the quest for self sustainability probably requires that extra land in the east (car park) to somehow generate income on non matchdays and increased income on matchdays...

Will be interesting to see what/if they intend to do. And i do hope the fanbase (within reason) are able to voice an opinion when the time comes. With a bit of luck the decisions made will be what sufc will become over the next 100 years.

 

[Smiffy]

That idea allows for making the east and west bigger, also extending the north so it occupies the space behind it seem the only real ways to massively increase capacity. But how much capacity in reality do we need??

Back in the l1 winning, championship eastwood days you could argue we could have sold 15k tickets, but thats a massive peak. Historically given the catchment area we should be pulling in a lot more...

Also the quest for self sustainability probably requires that extra land in the east (car park) to somehow generate income on non matchdays and increased income on matchdays...

Will be interesting to see what/if they intend to do. And i do hope the fanbase (within reason) are able to voice an opinion when the time comes. With a bit of luck the decisions made will be what sufc will become over the next 100 years.

It’s an interesting question regarding what is our attendance ceiling.

I think our fanbase Post-Covid has increased significantly. You could argue pound for pound it’s the best it’s been for a couple of decades. Considering where we are.

If we were in the championship now under new ownership, with decent facilities and capacity, I’d like to think we’d be pulling well in excess of 15,000, perhaps even 20,000 for the bigger games. Especially when you consider a lot of Championship teams take 2000+ on the road.

 

[Strykr]

It’s an interesting question regarding what is our attendance ceiling.

I think our fanbase Post-Covid has increased significantly. You could argue pound for pound it’s the best it’s been for a couple of decades. Considering where we are.

If we were in the championship now under new ownership, with decent facilities and capacity, I’d like to think we’d be pulling well in excess of 15,000, perhaps even 20,000 for the bigger games. Especially when you consider a lot of Championship teams take 2000+ on the road.

Id like to think that at some point we could pull in those figures, as you say our support has rarely been stronger and we are in non league, quite amazing.

Could we squeeze 15-20k out of the hall somehow? Just how long term are cosu looking? We of course run the risk of having a half empty stadium for years with a crap atmosphere...

The balance between sustainability and potential growth will be interesting.

 

[BoyWonder2]

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

Depends what their long term vision is.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

Depends what their long term vision is.

The vision is to provide a self sustaining Football Club. That will take time of course. COSU will have budgeted to make a loss each season for the at least the next couple of years if not longer. However, can we somehow take advantage that most of our home games will be on a Saturday. These days it seems at Premier and even Championship level the games are played on different days of the week.

 

[BoyWonder2]

The vision is to provide a self sustaining Football Club. That will take time of course. COSU will have budgeted to make a loss each season for the at least the next couple of years if not longer. However, can we somehow take advantage that most of our home games will be on a Saturday. These days it seems at Premier and even Championship level the games are played on different days of the week.

I meant with the stadium.

I’m aware of those plans, but I meant in terms of where they plan to host away fans, what they intend to do with the north bank, if away fans are moved.

I’ve heard so many different versions. I was just stating, as per my earlier post, there is no point in spending much money on where away fans are housed other than the bare minimum.

 

[Liam AAS]

I meant with the stadium.

I’m aware of those plans, but I meant in terms of where they plan to host away fans, what they intend to do with the north bank, if away fans are moved.

I’ve heard so many different versions. I was just stating, as per my earlier post, there is no point in spending much money on where away fans are housed other than the bare minimum.

I saw this earlier but couldn't put a thorough reply together as I was at work.

I disagree and am disappointed by this attitude in all honesty. We are an attractive club in an attractive part of the country (even if you do have to come via London/M25 to get here) and should be looking to make sure that visiting fans spend more time (and money) in the ground and thus putting money into the club; not just each week but also on returning visits in successive seasons.

How many away ends have we all been to that are, quite frankly, dog**** and never go back. Ours is firmly in that category at the moment, but if we made the travelling experience better for supporters then we'd see greater numbers of returning fans beyond the single capacity-coach figures we see now containing the sort of loyalists that would happily travel to Venus away on a Monday night if that was where their team were playing.

We'll grow even faster if we can pack out the away end as that is the part of the ground with the most fluctuation in attendance.

 

[Mr. Benedict]

I saw this earlier but couldn't put a thorough reply together as I was at work.

I disagree and am disappointed by this attitude in all honesty. We are an attractive club in an attractive part of the country (even if you do have to come via London/M25 to get here) and should be looking to make sure that visiting fans spend more time (and money) in the ground and thus putting money into the club; not just each week but also on returning visits in successive seasons.

How many away ends have we all been to that are, quite frankly, dog**** and never go back. Ours is firmly in that category at the moment, but if we made the travelling experience better for supporters then we'd see greater numbers of returning fans beyond the single capacity-coach figures we see now containing the sort of loyalists that would happily travel to Venus away on a Monday night if that was where their team were playing.

We'll grow even faster if we can pack out the away end as that is the part of the ground with the most fluctuation in attendance.

This. We all moan about places like Maidenhead, Aldershot and Dorking, and rightly so as their facilities are beyond poor. But people in glass houses etc...

We can't do much about the uncomfortable seating in the North at the moment until we rebuild it. But maybe some refurbished loos, a half decent bar and some nice food might encourage the away fans to spend a bit more.

 

[Supershrimper]

I saw this earlier but couldn't put a thorough reply together as I was at work.

I disagree and am disappointed by this attitude in all honesty. We are an attractive club in an attractive part of the country (even if you do have to come via London/M25 to get here) and should be looking to make sure that visiting fans spend more time (and money) in the ground and thus putting money into the club; not just each week but also on returning visits in successive seasons.

How many away ends have we all been to that are, quite frankly, dog**** and never go back. Ours is firmly in that category at the moment, but if we made the travelling experience better for supporters then we'd see greater numbers of returning fans beyond the single capacity-coach figures we see now containing the sort of loyalists that would happily travel to Venus away on a Monday night if that was where their team were playing.

We'll grow even faster if we can pack out the away end as that is the part of the ground with the most fluctuation in attendance.

Couldn't agree any more. We all have grounds where we think this is a **** hole of an away end and vow never to go back even if the beer was cheap.

I don't want us ending up like Gillingham where they upgrade 3 sides of their ground but make away supporters sit on a makeshift grandstand with no roof.

 

[Humphs1965]

Looks like they made a change already to ensure we don't lose the unique character of our club.

 

[leeblue]

Lit up

 

[dusterman]

Couldn't agree any more. We all have grounds where we think this is a **** hole of an away end and vow never to go back even if the beer was cheap.

I don't want us ending up like Gillingham where they upgrade 3 sides of their ground but make away supporters sit on a makeshift grandstand with no roof.

4 nil down at Lincoln, boiling hot day. No bar, they bought out a trestle table and luke warm IPA at £6 a pop. We asked the police to let us the f*** out, they had to get a key for the locks.

 

[leeblue]

Just a bit of background on Foxhie, particularly the owners, true southenders.
Have always been community minded.
For example they get a lot of free tickets for sponsorship of the east, they give all these tickets away to local schools a d plan to do the same this year...looking at 500 tickets.
They are also good friends of mine and top people.

 

[BoyWonder2]

I saw this earlier but couldn't put a thorough reply together as I was at work.

I disagree and am disappointed by this attitude in all honesty. We are an attractive club in an attractive part of the country (even if you do have to come via London/M25 to get here) and should be looking to make sure that visiting fans spend more time (and money) in the ground and thus putting money into the club; not just each week but also on returning visits in successive seasons.

How many away ends have we all been to that are, quite frankly, dog**** and never go back. Ours is firmly in that category at the moment, but if we made the travelling experience better for supporters then we'd see greater numbers of returning fans beyond the single capacity-coach figures we see now containing the sort of loyalists that would happily travel to Venus away on a Monday night if that was where their team were playing.

We'll grow even faster if we can pack out the away end as that is the part of the ground with the most fluctuation in attendance.

I get where you are coming from, and anyone that spends more money in the ground is helping us out.

In terms of bigger numbers and returning fans, I’ve not looked but have the numbers diminished from when we first dropped into the national league vs last season? Obviously some games would have been Saturday back then and last season midweek, and their own teams form can dictate how many travel down too.

Let’s be honest, at this level, we will not sell out our away end at Roots Hall. Have only Wrexham done that since we’ve been at this level? Daggers & Barnet have brought alright numbers from memory, possibly Stockport and Chesterfield too.

The likes of Solihull Moors, Wealdstone, Maidenhead (for example) won’t suddenly bring a load more fans because we’ve done up the north bank.

I’ve not saying then it into Gillingham. Just saying, IF the plan was to leave away fans in the north bank, the last stand I’d be spending money on, bar the essential, is the north stand.

 

[BoyWonder2]

Just a bit of background on Foxhie, particularly the owners, true southenders.
Have always been community minded.
For example they get a lot of free tickets for sponsorship of the east, they give all these tickets away to local schools a d plan to do the same this year...looking at 500 tickets.
They are also good friends of mine and top people.