Issue No.51 October 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

Stade News

ClubCall Goole AFC

Spurs Stadium Tour

Aston Hotel
Birmingham






________________________________
STADE NEWS
BEES NEW HOME TAKES SHAPE

The Brentford Community stadium in West London is on course to open as scheduled for the start of the 2020/21 season.
With a capacity of 17,250, the stadium will be the new home for both Brentford FC and London Irish RFC.
Located at Lionel Road adjacent to Kew Bridge railway station, the new stadium is around a mile from Brentford's Griffin Park, home to the Bees since 1904.The site, whilst being restricted in size and situated in a triangle of railway lines, also includes an extensive residential development.

NEW WHEELCHAIR FACILITY IN STRETFORD END

Manchester United have received planning permission for new wheelchair facilities at Old Trafford.
The main changes will be in the Stretford End, where a new tier will be added to accommodate the extra places for wheelchair and assistance fans.
The existing staircases will be extended, and lift towers installed to enable access to the new concourse.


RAIL STANDING AT RUGBY PARK

Ayrshire Scottish Premiership club Kilmarnock have installed rail standing sections in the East and Family Stands at Rugby Park, the second club in Scotland to do so after Celtic installed a similar albeit much larger facility.
The standing sections, funded by the supporters group the Killie Trust, are aimed at attracting younger supporters to matches in general, and boosting crowds in the Family stand in particular.

RESEARCH FOR FOXES STADIUM PLANS

Leicester City have appointed a market research company to undertake a supporters study, ahead of the future development of the King Power stadium.
The Foxes want to engage with supporters and the local business community, to deliver the best possible facilities in the stadium which has a current capacity of 32,300.
The club have purchased over six acres of land behind the East stand, giving plenty of room for expansion to around 40,000.

POSH TO PURCHASE LONDON ROAD

Peterborough United have agreed a deal with the City Council to buy the London Road stadium, sixteen years after the club sold the ground to a property developer.
The Council subsequently bought the stadium in 2010, and the contract to return it to the club's ownership should be completed this month.
Posh are still evaluating a possible move away from London Road, and have promised full consultation with supporters on any future stadium plans.




NEWS IN BRIEF
AZ ALKMAAR
Netherlands Eredivisie side Alkmaar have suffered a calamitous roof collapse at the AFAS Stadion.
A large central section of the north-east stand fell onto the seats below, thought to be caused by a combination of storm damage and solar panels fitted on the roof.
AZ are currently playing home games at the ADO Den Haag stadium.
BRIGHTON
South Coast club Brighton and Hove Albion are planning to make the AMEX Stadium a cashless venue.
Catering kiosks and bars will start to switch immediately, with the club planning to make the stadium including hospitality lounges and the club store card payments only by the start of next season.
UEFA FINALS
The next three Champions League Final venues have been announced by UEFA.
2021 will see the Final in Saint Petersburg, followed in 2022 at the Allianz in Munich, with Wembley hosting the 2023 showpiece.
Seville has been confirmed as the host for the 2021 Europa League Final, with Windsor Park in Belfast hosting the 2021 Super Cup game.

__________________________________________
CLUBCALL Goole AFC

Victoria Pleasure Gardens, Marcus Road, 
Goole DN14 6TN.
Founded - 1997
League - Northern Counties East League Premier 
Capacity - 3,000
Record Attendance - 976
Nearest Railway Station - Goole
Club Website - www.gooleafc.com

________________________________________________________________
STADIUM TOURS Tottenham Hotspur

The newest football stadium in England and arguably by far the best in the country, the tour at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium is a fantastic way to experience this amazing new ground.
The meeting point for the tour is inside the huge club store, and after entering the concourse you take the lift to the top 5th floor of the main West stand.
This gives the first glimpse of the pitch from inside the glass covered corporate area, but equally as impressive from the other rear side of the stand, you get the most incredible views over north and central London.
The tour meanders its way back to ground level to take in the dressing rooms area.

Home dressing room

Strangely the home dressing room, whilst in decor far superior, is actually a good deal smaller than the visitors dressing room.
The tunnel area is huge, and includes the glass screen dividing the Legends corporate area, one of the most expensive in the stadium, from the players.
The business side of the venue is obviously huge for Spurs, with over 60 restaurants in the stadium catering for the corporate clientèle.
Making your way through the tunnel to pitch side, you get a real idea of how impressive the stadium actually is.
The pitch, which is in three parts is retractable to allow the switch to a different surface for the American Football games planned at the venue.
It only takes 25 minutes for the whole playing surface to be removed.
The 17,000 capacity single tier South stand is the real focal point, a stand already equipped with a rail standing area for when legislation will allow it to be used.

The Goal Line bar

The concourse underneath this stand is also home to the Goal Line bar, the longest in Europe stretching between each corner flag.
A nice touch is the aggregate in the stadium concourse floors is made from the remains of the demolished old White Hart Lane.
The tour then makes its way to the impressive media suite, with its dedicated area for the press, television, and the interpreters now required for the many Overseas media who attend the pre and post match conferences.
The tour then finishes back in the club store, where the new Spurs museum will also be opening soon.
Another new soon to open attraction will be the Sky Walk, where you can walk to the top of the stadium (40 metres high) then abseil down to the pitch.

The South stand

The new stadium has been a massive financial outlay and commitment for Tottenham, but staying on the same site has kept the club at the heart of the north London community.
After years of progression on the pitch including a Champions League final, the new stadium will certainly allow the club to progress off the pitch too.

Tottenham Stadium Tour Info
Times - Tours available 10am until 6pm Monday to Saturday
            and 10am to 4.30pm Sunday.
Contact - www.experience.tottenhamhotspur.com  Tel:020 3929 1882.
Prices - Adult £30, Student/Senior £27, Child £15.
Travel - by train from Liverpool Street to White Hart Lane(5 mins walk)

The East stand

________________________________
FAMOUS LOST FOOTBALL PUBS
Aston Hotel Birmingham

Imposing, gothic style pub on Witton Road just yards from Villa Park, the Aston Hotel was always a favourite football watering hole.
A former Midlands beer favourite Ansells pub, the brewery was nearby at Aston Cross, the Aston was hugely popular with Villa and visiting fans given its proximity to the away end at Villa Park.
The pub, which closed in 2016 is now a sheltered hostel.

________________________________

STADE IMAGES

Distinctive floodlights at the London Stadium

________________________________

Many thanks for your interest in the blog.

All photographs and text copyright footballstadeblog2019

Any comments/queries welcome at footballstadeblog@gmail.com
Twitter@FootballStade

Next issue (No.52) published Sunday 1st December 2019

footballstadeblog.blogspot.com
________________________________
________________________________