Swapping DE to BPE and vice versa.

[demportdave]

Strangely I almost agree with IJN!
Taking the emotion out of it all, if that's possible.
At the moment, you have the Away fans walking along the back of the Lyndhurst, through the home supporters. Likewise after the game the same. If they were in the Demport End, their coaches could drop them off right outside, straight into the ground, then straight back on the coaches after the game. That makes complete sense. Now the segregation, in the BP end we usually lose around a thousand or more seats, which is ridiculous. You see Manchester, Liverpool & other derbys with just a line or two of Stewards or Police. But if they were in the Demport you have a natural part over the tunnel,using about 150-200 seats. So more seats available to sell. Plus the changing rooms, our players having to walk past the away fans, which at times won't be easy.
But then there is the emotional tradition of being in the Demport. Logic says it's a good idea, but emotional maybe not.

Don't know how many Home games you have been to Dave but there hasn't been any trouble along the back of the Lyndhurst this season and we have hosted Leeds (×2), Millwall, Cardiff, Bristol City, et al.

I'm a Lyndhurst ST holder and I haven't seen any trouble.

The only hint of trouble in recent seasons has been when the Stone Island brigade get all excited when we play Exeter, but that's mostly school kids trying to look hard.

Also, the vast majority of Away fans don't come in Coaches anymore, they make their own travel arrangements. For all of our fantastic Away support this season, how many Coaches do Argyle put on?

As for the size of the segregation area, I believe that is the Police and others rather than Argyle who decide on that. So moving ends wouldn't necessarily alter that.

The tunnel location is a complete non-issue. Some people seem to imply that the Away fans are the only ones making any noise as the players come out and the Argyle fans are silent, which of course isn’t the case.

All the players must hear is the combined sound of all of the fans as they come on to the pitch and 15000 Argyle fans ought to be able to make more noise than 1600 Away fans, as they do.

There is also Semper Fidelis blaring out as the players come out of the tunnel, so I don't think the Away fans have that much effect.

 

[Lancastergreen]

It's a shame the barn park end is adjoined to the Lyndhurst end, how it used to be back in the days on that little scoreboard at the back of the barn park was perfect.
I would guess that when the stadium was re done, we weren't expecting the volumes in attendance that we have now or have thousands on a waiting list.
Had we maybe been a little brave, the barn park could have been similar to how it was, penned in for away fans whilst the other three sides were upgraded further and with much more seating.
I sat in block one for the leicester match and noticed that the leg room is much less than anywhere else I've sat, so seems to be a squash in what you can.
Now though it will be so expensive to do major upgrades for attendance, the natural move would be to extend the Devonport up a level, similar to the grandstand but much more seating.
The barn park for me is away only, get that end blocked off so no policing needed, house what 2500/3000 there?
So whoever has asked for this to be put to the pasoti family for feedback, a big fat no from me.

 

[L G]

Listening to how loud the boos were near the tunnel only proves the theory that the away fans have the definite advantage.

Add this to the fact that the Far Post Club will be right in the corner next season, it just makes even more sense for PAFC to do the swap next season.

If we stay up, anything like bad news will be gobbled up in the euphoria of staying up, if we get relegated everyone will be on a downer in any case.

Plus of course, the away fans (more important if we do stay up, as Everton and Man City will bring 1000s) can get away far easier and safer being right theire for the away coaches.

The Far Post club is for corporate/premium sports bar members next season isn't it?
Folk being moved from their lower Mayflower seats next season so that more padded seats can be added.
From the limited replies on this thread, I think the club will understand the feedback they asked for.

 

[Green Flash]

If there are any long term plans for developing the ground (which I presume there are as we want to be a sustainable top half championship club but have one of the smallest capacities and sell out every week) it doesn't make much sense to upset thousands of fans for the sake of a season or two with the current configuration. The time to reorganise would be when we redevelop

 

[IJN]

You could put Leicester fans all around the ground and you still wouldn't hear them. 😶

 

[oldage]

The club have already shown the fans worth by booting 300 odd supporters out of their season ticket seats next season to install more corporate offering so this wouldn't surprise me.

The Devonport end seems illogical to me, its almost like for like, but I do like the idea of the away fans being housed in Block 7/8/9.

Access wise it makes more sense, the open space behind the BP end linking in to the new sports bar / tavaners tent too. If you look at most clubs in the champ, the away fans are NOT given the premium "behind the goal spot". Every little advantage to be gained matters, even if it means an extra point of 2 a season by swaying the ref's mind as he goes down the tunnel at half time, intimidating the opposition having Argyle fans behind both goals and either side of the tunnel too. People may poo poo this but there is phycological reason behind it. Teams in the champ that have allocated away fans a side / corner part of their ground now: Ipswich, Leicester, Leeds, Norwich, Hull, Middlesbrough, Cardiff, Blackburn, Stoke (will be next season). Add to this the ones that plonk away fans in a top tier Sunderland, Millwall, QPR I think I would like to see relocation of away fans to the Devonport / Lyndy corner

The club has also shown the fans worth by stopping two coaches carrying home supporters from offloading and collecting in Jack Leslie Way yet allowing away coaches. 🙄

 

[shortbred]

The club has also shown the fans worth by stopping two coaches carrying home supporters from offloading and collecting in Jack Leslie Way yet allowing away coaches. 🙄

I was just about to post similar myself. Sticking them in goals with 15+ Leicester coaches at the last game, even the police couldn't believe it.

 

[TBP]

I sit in block 7 and I like it. I don't want to be moved to accommodate way fans and I doubt any of those around me who are also season ticket holders want that either.

 

[Timeout]

It does seem that home park is no longer fit for purpose (that might be a bit strong) going forward for modern day football, media, fan demographics and experience. The game has moved on so much since the horseshoe was built, and only going to radically change further in the coming years.

Once the new investors have got themselves in and feet under the table it is something they will need to look at. It going to take a large project involving development of all areas of the stadium to bring it up to championship standard. It needs future proofing looking at increased multi usage and revenue making 24/7...... Of course this is going to take many millions. Anything else is just a sticking plaster.

 

[TBP]

Best answer is what Rangers did at Ibrox (the main stand of which is a Leitch and listed) - put a third tier on the grandstand and cantilever roof. Probably at least 5000 more seats, but also a lot of money required.

 

[Green Flash]

One advantage Argyle has is space to expand on its existing concrete footprint which many other clubs do not have

 

[Quinny]

Most clubs look at where fans are situated in stadia up and down the land, and there's more than the occasional moan on PASOTI wondering why clubs elsewhere don't open up more away space (to cater for the travelling Green Army). Why should Home Park be exempt from changes?

 

[Argylegames]

there's more than the occasional moan on PASOTI wondering why clubs elsewhere don't open up more away space (to cater for the travelling Green Army)

They don't because they only have to offer 10% of their capacity and that's all they do offer.

 

[demportdave]

Best answer is what Rangers did at Ibrox (the main stand of which is a Leitch and listed) - put a third tier on the grandstand and cantilever roof. Probably at least 5000 more seats, but also a lot of money required.

We've still not finished building the 1st tier yet!

70+ years and still waiting.

We had the perfect opportunity a few years ago to finally complete the Grandstand down to the BP End when it was ripped right out to leave just the basic steel framework but instead, we spent about £8M or £9M and managed to actually reduce the capacity!

How much money has been lost by not having 500-odd extra seats in the Grandstand just this season alone?

Same old Argyle!

 

[jimsing]

We've still not finished building the 1st tier yet!

70+ years and still waiting.

We had the perfect opportunity a few years ago to finally complete the Grandstand down to the BP End when it was ripped right out to leave just the basic steel framework but instead, we spent about £8M or £9M and managed to actually reduce the capacity!

How much money has been lost by not having 500-odd extra seats in the Grandstand just this season alone?

Same old Argyle!

Who are the "We"? You and who else?

I don't think anyone had the money to expand the capacity, did they?

Same old Argyle supporter!