Work On The New Training Ground Has Started Today 11th July 2022

[8]

Better than nothing

Not moaning about it. Just pointing out to some people who seem to be getting carried away with 2 million for a training ground. It is not. Just pitches and parking. Other contracts to be agreed. However, I definitely feel the stadium is starting.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I may be in a minority but I really couldn’t give a fiddlers **** who is paying as long as it is a) funded and b) legal. After a million years of waffle, incompetence and prevarication, a spade will definitely break ground in the coming days - rejoice!

 

[rigsby]

I may be in a minority but I really couldn’t give a fiddlers **** who is paying as long as it is a) funded and b) legal. After a million years of waffle, incompetence and prevarication, a spade will definitely break ground in the coming days - rejoice!

Let’s hope it’s a least a large digger rather than the big lad with his fork.

 

[Lincoln Shrimp]

Jist having a look back through White Horse's twitter timeline and noticed that we actually selected them to renovate the Roots Hall pitch a couple of weeks ago....

It's #throwbackthursday! This week we're revisiting what happened last week!

Thank you to Southend United Football Club for selecting White Horse to renovate your pitch at the Roots Hall Football Stadium.

We look forward to working with you again in the future.

#TheShrimpers https://t.co/GgGSLq5Wam

 

[Smiffy]

Jist having a look back through White Horse's twitter timeline and noticed that we actually selected them to renovate the Roots Hall pitch a couple of weeks ago....

It's #throwbackthursday! This week we're revisiting what happened last week!

Thank you to Southend United Football Club for selecting White Horse to renovate your pitch at the Roots Hall Football Stadium.

We look forward to working with you again in the future.

#TheShrimpers https://t.co/GgGSLq5Wam

Good spot. Hope the Roots Hall surface is top notch then and doesn’t turn into a mud bath by January, or Ron will be wanting a refund...

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

so on a clear day we can see the Crematorium.

No smoke without fire.

 

[londonblue]

Are these Domes in good condition and fit to put up ? They were purchased back in 2014 and if left in the open rust may have set in . Hopefully someone has retained the instruction manual on how to erect them. I would think the cost of erection would be over the £1m mark - it is a huge job but the whole community will have use of one of them so that's good.

Yes and no. The structure is all stainless steel so shouldn't have deteriorated in the weather. The issue is that the artificial grass was set alight a few years back, so will need replacing. In fairness I suspect it would have needed replacing anyway as I guess it wasn't 4g, or whatever the latest is.

 

[londonblue]

I know that the Brighton training ground was about £22 million. Obviously ours isn't supposed to be as outlandish as that, but modern facilities do cost a pretty penny.

Their stadium was just shy of £95 million. Might have to ask Wimbledon for a bit more of they are interested in Dalby!

Jokes aside, one would hope that this is the first huge step for the whole process to be completed successfully.

Let's hope this season matches it on the field.

That probably includes all the buildings. This doesn't, it's purely the pitch and players' car park. Or at least that's the way I read it.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

That probably includes all the buildings. This doesn't, it's purely the pitch and players' car park. Or at least that's the way I read it.

That's kind of my point. £2 million is just for the pitches. Just imagine how much capital it's going to cost to build the facilities too!

Pitches are all well and good and are obviously important but the indoor facilities are the hub for a lot of what goes on for the team. I don't think the players care that much about the training pitches as long as they are playable. Yes, of course if they had the option of state of the art pitches, they'd take it. However, if you offer them upgraded indoor facilities over new pitches, I think they would take the former.

Lots on here have been derogatory of the gym at Boots and Laces, but at least the squad have one. It's better than nothing. There's no mention of a new one at the new site as of yet. So until we get the details of that, there is going to be slight trepidation amongst the fans.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

I think I have enough faith to believe Boots and Laces will not be demolished until the replacement is built on the new training ground. A gym and changing room and showers is a basic for any professional club. We do love agonising over stuff. Still this is SZ. I presume eventually a project manager for the whole scheme will be appointed and he or she can give us updates.

 

[Westcliff Shrimper]

I think I have enough faith to believe Boots and Laces will not be demolished until the replacement is built on the new training ground. A gym and changing room and showers is a basic for any professional club. We do love agonising over stuff. Still this is SZ. I presume eventually a project manager for the whole scheme will be appointed and he or she can give us updates.

Under Sport England rules, Boots and Laces can not be demolished until there are replacement training facilities built. Would imagine there will be portacabins next to the new pitches for the players to train in and the manager's office (complete with whiteboard) will move to Roots Hall until the new stadium is built with all the bells and whistles.

Bit like pre-Boots and Laces times, when the players changed at Roots Hall and then walked over to Priory Park to train.

Also, £2m isn't a lot for training pitches if they are half-decent. Leicester's new training complex was north of £50m. These don't come cheap!

 

[Holy Joe]

That's kind of my point. £2 million is just for the pitches. Just imagine how much capital it's going to cost to build the facilities too!

Pitches are all well and good and are obviously important but the indoor facilities are the hub for a lot of what goes on for the team. I don't think the players care that much about the training pitches as long as they are playable. Yes, of course if they had the option of state of the art pitches, they'd take it. However, if you offer them upgraded indoor facilities over new pitches, I think they would take the former.

Lots on here have been derogatory of the gym at Boots and Laces, but at least the squad have one. It's better than nothing. There's no mention of a new one at the new site as of yet. So until we get the details of that, there is going to be slight trepidation amongst the fans.

The indoor area is shown on the plans - just seems like the contract hasn't been awarded to build it yet or there will be a 'temporary' arrangement on site

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I think this contract might be with a specialist for pitches and groundworks, rather than a major builder (of buildings). The permanent training building with gym and changing facilities is possibly going to a different contractor (maybe the same one who will build the stadium and flats), that’s all. No great cause for concern.

 

[Shrimperstrust]

Work starts on Fossetts - Shrimpers Trust Statement 8th July 2022

The Shrimpers Trust welcomes the news that a contract has been signed with White Horse Contractors to develop the new training ground pitches and players' car parking for Southend United Football Club at the Fossetts site.

The protracted saga of the club's move from Roots Hall has long been a source of frustration for supporters, and the sight of spades in the ground on the first phase of the project to move to a new stadium will further increase the air of anticipation around the football club following a difficult period on and off the pitch.

There have been many false dawns during the past 30-40 years, and especially in the 23 years since the current Chairman became involved in the football club, and the maintenance of Roots Hall continues to place a burden on the club's fragile finances. Fans could be forgiven for believing that work would never start at a new site.

Whilst we are still some way from the turnstiles at Roots Hall clicking over for the last time, and we will never lose the memories from famous matches and fabulous players over the past seven decades at our current home, this feels like a long-awaited sign that we can also look forward to our future, and we eagerly await further updates from the football club.
The construction of Roots Hall in the 1950s was made possible by the fundraising efforts of the original Supporters Club, and whilst we are not in a position to act in a similar manner with regards to the new stadium, we will be making strong representation at future Liaison Meetings with the football club to ensure that supporters are consulted as the new stadium plans take shape.

The Shrimpers Trust Board​

 

[sufc4life21]

Yes , can we be sure that the planning application for the temporary training facilities is dead and buried . Perhaps someone has just decided that they need to be located somewhere different, to improve traffic flow for example, and so a new application will come forward shortly for low cost facilities .

Why build a temporary training ground? Surely makes logical sense to build a permanent training ground. Unless of course the plan is to build temporary training ground which ends up permanent.

 

[Rayleigh boy]

Press puff regarding a low level contract ........... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ...

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Press puff regarding a low level contract ........... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ...

Please nobody rise to this obvious fishing exercise

 

[kentblues]

Why build a temporary training ground? Surely makes logical sense to build a permanent training ground. Unless of course the plan is to build temporary training ground which ends up permanent.

Indeed. It is not the temporary training ground. It is THE training ground as per Phase 1 of the plans.

 

[Medway Blue]

Indeed. It is not the temporary training ground. It is THE training ground as per Phase 1 of the plans.

A permanent site with temporary facilities was the initial idea. The facilities were going to be temporary and thus cheaper for now, with more expensive permanent facilities to replace them in the future once money had come in via the rest of the development. The planning application for the temporary facilities has been withdrawn by SUFC without comment or explanation, so it seems at the moment that it will be 4 pitches without ancillary facilities.

 

[londonblue]

Indeed. It is not the temporary training ground. It is THE training ground as per Phase 1 of the plans.

It's not a temporary training ground. The temp bit is the actual training building. My understanding is that they're building a temp complex because it will be quicker, meaning that they can tear down B&L earlier and thus start on the new stadium.