New Stadium-The Willows

Gullscorer · Post by **Gullscorer** » 04 Feb 2016, 13:17

I've nothing against Americans being involved; just check their integrity and ability to get the job done, and agree all the details of the deal. I'm only disappointed that a British firm did not have the business acumen and forward thinking to get in first, so good luck to the American company.

But I really do think we should be a little more ambitious with the size of the ground: we should go for at least a 10,000 capacity, with the ability to enlarge on that in the future, even if a little extra money needs to be put in from the council or other sources. Think of the immediate commercial money-making opportunities for the club and the council, with occasional bigger away crowds, concerts, sports and leisure facilities, and car parking. Various income streams will be there regardless of the club's league position, and can only improve sustainability and prospects for the future.

But, first things first: there's a cup match on Saturday, followed by a big effort to avoid relegation, which require our full support. God knows KN and the board have been doing their best in dire financial circumstances; now let's get up there and cheer the lads on.

Oil Beef Hooked · Post by **Oil Beef Hooked** » 04 Feb 2016, 13:47

Looks like additional details have started to come out regarding the new stadium. According to the HE today, former Fulham FA Cup player John Mitchell is behind these plans.

http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/T ... story.html

Post by **happytorq** » 04 Feb 2016, 14:36

tomogull wrote: I'm old and decrepit and so I don't have to give my head a wobble. It wobbles on its own. For starters, I intensely dislike Americans and never trust their ulterior motives.

There's the old xenophobia that I thought I'd left behind when I left Torquay - I knew it was still around.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » 04 Feb 2016, 17:37

I have googled "John Mitchell Fulham" and the results don't make comfortable reading. His track record doesn't look good!

IanGull01 · Post by **IanGull01** » 04 Feb 2016, 17:58

http://m.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/TOR ... story.html

JamesTUFC · Post by **JamesTUFC** » 04 Feb 2016, 19:19

I found out today that the stadium, if given the go-ahead, is going to be a 14000 capacity. Apparently, there is currently talks about potential terracing (which I am all for) on one of the sides. The reason for having such a large capacity, I'm told, is to be able top host music events there, which is also great not only for the local people but is a brilliant source of income. I also found out that the Bristows' name will be dropped and that Thea has agreed to this. But, as others have said, there is a large possibility of there being something a bit 'dodgy' with this American company, but I guess time will tell.

ferrarilover · Post by **ferrarilover** » 04 Feb 2016, 20:43

We're on day three of beginning to think about considering possibly maybe asking if one day we might investigate the possibility of a new ground and you expect us to believe they've already chosen names for the stands. Yeah, if you're sure.

Jezza, I don't think any of us thinks our opinions on this are ground breaking, it isn't that sort of thread. For my part, I've just chucked in my feelings about the plans. It seems we all agree that this is an excellent prospect, but that we must be extremely wary.

6667, wobble wobble wobble.

Matt.

tomogull · Post by **tomogull** » 04 Feb 2016, 23:56

happytorq wrote:
There's the old xenophobia that I thought I'd left behind when I left Torquay - I knew it was still around.

No, no, no - I'm not xenophobic. I simply do not like or trust Americans - full stop. That's not being xenophobic.

Gullscorer · Post by **Gullscorer** » 05 Feb 2016, 00:35

Don't tar everyone with the same brush. Americans are no different from people anywhere; you'll find the good, the bad, and the ugly, wherever you look in the world.

Orange Gull · Post by **Orange Gull** » 05 Feb 2016, 01:12

tomogull wrote: No, no, no - I'm not xenophobic. I simply do not like or trust Americans - full stop. That's not being xenophobic.

You dislike and distrust a people simply because of their nationality. That is xenophobia.

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 05 Feb 2016, 05:52

I'm with tomo, never trust a nation or its people when they like to call all their sports "world championships" when nobody else participates. Besides, they are all fat too

Jerry · Post by **Jerry** » 05 Feb 2016, 06:58

The World Series is so called because it was originally sponsored by the World newspaper and nothing to do with any claim to be a world championship.

MF68 · Post by **MF68** » 05 Feb 2016, 09:06

The more I hear about this scheme, the more concerned I get.
As previously mentioned the site is a former landfill site and if I am not mistaken other local Clubs wanted to use it for sport. They were told it would not be ready for sport for at least 15 years.
Also any talk of 10k and 14k arenas is a complete an utter joke. Cinemas and restaurants were mentioned - Paignton has a Vue cinema that is empty 90% of the time and restaurants do not attract people to a Football Club.

What attracts people to football is a team doing well and providing entertainment.

Train stations, car parks and shuttle buses are great if we were attracting the Clubs that we were 7 or 8 years ago but in our current plight this is dillusional.

Also just read HE report from the Torquay United Indoor Bowling Club ...........how on earth have they not been contacted ? Disgrace

Concentrate on football and not pipe dreams of 80% empty stadiums and ageing rockers pulling in 1500 and eating Franky and Bennys after.

BayGull · Post by **BayGull** » 05 Feb 2016, 09:13

MF68 wrote:The more I hear about this scheme, the more concerned I get.
As previously mentioned the site is a former landfill site and if I am not mistaken other local Clubs wanted to use it for sport. They were told it would not be ready for sport for at least 15 years.
Also any talk of 10k and 14k arenas is a complete an utter joke. Cinemas and restaurants were mentioned - Paignton has a Vue cinema that is empty 90% of the time and restaurants do not attract people to a Football Club.

What attracts people to football is a team doing well and providing entertainment.

Train stations, car parks and shuttle buses are great if we were attracting the Clubs that we were 7 or 8 years ago but in our current plight this is dillusional.

Also just read HE report from the Torquay United Indoor Bowling Club ...........how on earth have they not been contacted ? Disgrace

Concentrate on football and not pipe dreams of 80% empty stadiums and ageing rockers pulling in 1500 and eating Franky and Bennys after.

This all sounds so familiar to what Roberts had planned - conference centre, cinema, restaurants, hotel, retail outlets, underground stage which would 'appear' in the middle of the pitch (until the flooding issues were pointed out to him!), rail station with direct walkway to the ground .... and so it goes on.
All this, once again, at no cost to the club so they will only benefit from the move by paying just a peppercorn rent for the right to play!
He even thought that by attracting star names to perform at his new ground he could persuade the FA to change football fixture dates to fit in with his bookings!

Me skeptical?? You bet!!

Jack · Post by **Jack** » 05 Feb 2016, 09:32

For the true xenophobes out there we have a group of Americans fronted by a dodgy London geezer (allegedly)

http://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/former_st ... s_1_290864

Added in 9 minutes 38 seconds:
Plus a more recent venture that Mr Mitchell has been involved with apparently

http://citywire.co.uk/money/football-in ... el/a768061

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