Stadium or squad.

[matth]

Hopefully, by the time the Offices and Flats are built, we will be coming out of the Recession.
And if England do get the World Cup I would be pig sick if Lxxds got picked and not us due to lack of guts and ambition.

And I'd rather be in our position than that of Leeds, so there you go!

 

[Linz]

On this basis then should every team in the promotion race right now start redeveloping their grounds?

Reading have plans in place to increase the capacity of the Mad Stad... and they have been in place since it was built.

Cardiff have a new stadium springing up next door to them.

Preston built a new stand at the end of last season.

Swansea built a new 20000 capacity ground when they were in League One and getting 6000 people to a home match.

It isn't really that out of the way from what other teams have done and are doing.

I'm starting to think we have a majority prawn sarnie brigade. As long as the stadium is great, I have a comfy seat to sit on, I don't mind how we perform on the pitch. Not one of the replies on here (barring Matt) has made any attempt to make a point of us improving on the pitch, if you're more concerned about the clubs image and stadium status over how we develop ON the field then.....well, lets just say I'm a bit dissapointed.

The only person getting defensive here is you. Everyone else is having a discussion along the lines of the one you started but you seem to want to label people as "prawn sandwich fans" just because they don't agree with you.

Like I said before, no one knows exactly what is going to happen so what's the point in getting all worked up about it?

McCabe has to balance success on the pitch with success off it. There's nothing to suggest so far we aren't going to achieve the former (until Saturday at least!) so I have no problems in them making plans for the latter.

As I said before, who says it has to be squad OR stadium?

Ask yourself, do you come to BDTBL to see the sights or to watch a football match.

Most people do come to the Lane to watch the football, but some might be attracted by going to an impressive ground. Look at how many non-football fans go to Old Trafford just for the experience.

 

[tenerifeblade]

We have been discussing the usefulness of money being generated by Offices and residential developments in order to provide funds to create and maintain a good premiership side, with improved facilities for our fans. NOT solely about the number of extra seats that may or may not be filled. In any case, a few thousand of the prawn sandwich brigade filling the extra seats wouldnt go amiss. Compared to most Clubs we are well ahead of the game with our infastructure and hopefully the extra revenues will begin to show on the playing side of things,too. I cant believe the negativity of a lot of our fans at times.

 

[shorehamview]

If we get promoted and do well then surely we will have more fans to fill a bigger capacity ground. It's a big "if" but there is no reason why it has to be one or the other. I can see one side of the argument in that there's no point having a ground that seats 40,000 but only attracts a crowd of 20,000 but on the other hand if we are successful then what's the point in having a potential 10,000 extra match-going fans locked out every game because they can't get a ticket?

We can develop both the stadium and the squad in tandem, it doesn't have to be one or the other. Let's face it, when you go shopping you don't make a separate trip for bread, milk, beer and crisps, do you?

 

[Billy1889]

Well said that man/woman, I have mates who earned a decent championship footballers wage working in the city plus a nice bonus. One is trying to sell his year old DB7 so he can pay his next mortgage payment, he offered it to me for ten grand. I see lads from Sheff going homeless. Come on Blades men, lets see what wages we are paying next season, champ or prem. It's not easy, look at Southamton and the pigs, we will survive if we go up or not. Having said that we will go up so lets get behind the lads on saturday!!!!!

 

[keenzy]

What more student flats! more tossers to leave their bins out in the middle of the path after football matches!

And why offices and flats??? surely McCabe can build at least another 2 "sister" clubs to own in that space!!!

 

[GrayBlade]

Why can't people understand that to have a big following In the ground, you have to have a good team on the field.
I would rather watch Utd play at Kenilworth Road with a good prem team than watch them at a 1/4 full Od Trafford in the Champs.

And “why can't you understand” that to pay for a "good Prem team", a club needs the infrastructure and a ground with the facilities and capacity to build and support it. Kenilworth Road I ask you.

You’ve reckon other board members are part of the prawn sandwich brigade? Well I’m currently an Executive Suit member but they only serve us soup and coffee. I’ve been supporting the Blades 40+ years, I’ve held a season ticket in various part of the ‘Lane for 28 seasons and I go to more away game then I miss so I’m definitely not a bandwagon jumper. But why is that such a bad thing to bring in new fans (prawn sandwich or not). The more fans we get the more financial lifeblood flows into the club and to draw more fans in, we need a bigger and better ground that we can be proud of as well as build a better team.

I think that your views are short term quick fix’s with no business substance, maybe you’re just part of the Football Manager brigade.

 

[Sensiblade]

Unless of course either the number of student flats in the city reaches saturation point, or people defer coming to university because they can't afford it at the moment.

The only thing that's guaranteed is that nothing is guaranteed. Any kind of construction in this climate is a risk.

Any kind of construction in this climate will also be a lot cheaper as companies are doing anything they can to get work.

 

[beightonblade]

Its all a matter of balance ..............

 

[Linz]

I've got an idea... let's sell off some of the stands because we obviously don't need them. Then only the "proper fans" can get in

See how many top players want to play in front of 6k every week and you'll soon see the need for a delicate balance to be struck.

No one is saying don't spend on the team... but we don't know where we're going to be or who is going to be available until the summer anyway. Who saw the Beattie signing before it happened?

 

[happyhippy]

Its all a matter of balance ..............

The most succinct and accurate thing you've said since ...... er ...... oh, just leave it at that

Personally, I'd prefer to see slightly more investment in the team, and rather more should we reach the Promised Land this season, but we have to continually improve all areas.

 

[Ballinpigpubs13]

I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure. So I'll sit on the fence and say I want stadium and squad.

 

[Hilltop Blade 4 life]

The way i see it, i reckon we've already got one of the best stadiums in this country today, especially outside of the top flight, and it's one which is more than adequate to meet our current needs as a club. On that basis i'd have to say i'd rather spend the money on the squad to help in getting ourselves into a position where we actually need to expand the stadium. As it stands, we don't need to do that.

 

[Linz]

Can I just ask again... who has said it has to be one or the other?

No one has answered me yet.

 

[jodman]

Can I just ask again... who has said it has to be one or the other?

No one has answered me yet.

Nobody has said that it has to be one or the other; there you are

 

[Linz]

Nobody has said that it has to be one or the other; there you are

Thanks for playing jodman

So my next question, why are people getting their knickers in such a twist over a situation that might not happen?

 

[beightonblade]

The most succinct and accurate thing you've said since ...... er ...... oh, just leave it at that

Personally, I'd prefer to see slightly more investment in the team, and rather more should we reach the Promised Land this season, but we have to continually improve all areas.

Well thankyou HH...........mind yer sum of the words you use i don't undesrstand.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

The way i see it, i reckon we've already got one of the best stadiums in this country today, especially outside of the top flight, and it's one which is more than adequate to meet our current needs as a club. On that basis i'd have to say i'd rather spend the money on the squad to help in getting ourselves into a position where we actually need to expand the stadium. As it stands, we don't need to do that.

It's interesting to read this and see how many think that the money being spent on improving the ground would drastically improve the squad of players. If the ground developments cost £10m, then a conservative estimate makes almost 70% of that paying for another Beattie (assuming the Beattie salary + bonuses would work out at about £2.7m, with a £4m transfer fee).

Given the way we were playing with that one signing and how we've player since he left, that's plenty of money out of the club for very little return. And that is another point to consider. Spending on players is always money out of the club (fee and salary) with minimal return. Which is why clubs need to balance spending on salaries much more with income. Too many have not done this and paid the price. Fans will always want the club to bring in new players, better players. Clubs have to buy within their means or suffer like many have and many more will in the coming months. If a club wants to invest in players it has to increase the revenue coming into the club, either through non-football means or directly from the football. The latter means either attracting more people to the games or making the existing fans pay more. Looks like McCabe wants to look after the 'real' fans.

Fans do want it all, immediately. Then have the cheek when others offer a rational argument as to why this can't happen with the 'prawn' riposte. How many applauded the decision to peg and even reduce the price of season tickets?? Yet still expect the club to pay out even more in fees and salaries for new players with reduced income? Rome wasn't built in a day, you can't run before you learn to walk etc, etc. Balance and sensible, solid growth rather than gamble and bust. I'd like more spent on players, but an overly-cautious policy on this is infinitely preferable to the Ridsdale syndrome.

 

[matth]

Thanks for playing jodman

So my next question, why are people getting their knickers in such a twist over a situation that might not happen?

Because it's a forum, and a debate...

 

[Linz]

Because it's a forum, and a debate...

Indeed... but some people seem to be assuming things that haven't been confirmed anywhere

By all means debate, but some posters ought to at least have their arguments grounded in some reality before they start getting huffy

 

[GrayBlade]

Can I just ask again... who has said it has to be one or the other?

No one has answered me yet.

I think RAWW's "So I put it to you, what do you think is more important, building a bigger, better stadium, or getting more quality into the squad?" line in the opening post tried to make it a "black or white" debate Linz, but it seems that most posters think that's not realy the case (to varying degrees).

 

[Linz]

I think RAWW's "So I put it to you, what do you think is more important, building a bigger, better stadium, or getting more quality into the squad?" line in the opening post tried to make it a "black or white" debate Linz, but it seems that most posters think that's not really the case (to varying degrees).

That's the point I was trying to make All we're going on is conjecture, ifs, buts and maybes.

Liking to go to nice stadiums doesn't make you a "prawn sandwich fan" any more than going to shit stadiums makes you a "proper fan".

Saying that you agree in principle with the stadium renovations by no means implies that you want no money spending on the team. The money may be coming from one person, but that doesn't mean it's not from different pots.

The oft-spoken of plans for ground renovations and paying off debts might just be a clever smokescreen... saying to other clubs that we haven't got that much money to spend on transfers so they don't hike their prices up.

No one knows except those holding on to the purse strings.

 

[matth]

Of course they don't, but much of what is said and debated on forums is based on mere conjecture and opinion anyway. This discussion is no different to any other.

 

[Linz]

Of course they don't, but much of what is said and debated on forums is based on mere conjecture and opinion anyway. This discussion is no different to any other.

All I'm trying to say was that RAWW was seemingly getting a bit upset about what he thought people were saying... when what is being said changes nothing and most people were partly agreeing with what he said anyway

 

[Come from away]

I understood it was all to be phased in - first fix the Kop and then move on to the South Stand, with nothing much happening this year. We will know what division and have made 'new' player decisions long before the building even begins.

 

[shorehamview]

Prawn sandwiches are bloody awful anyway. What's wrong with cheese? Or beef?

Now, bacon sandwiches with a side dish of quail's eggs, some nice Champagne and a fat cigar after and you'd need door staff harder than Mike Tyson to keep me away.

 

[jodman]

Lets look at a few things, if we have money to spend on players why did we sell a striker to the Prem, to be promised a quality striker would be brought in, only to sign a Div 4 player. Does that show that we have money. Does statements like, we need to sell before we buy sound like we have money to spend on players? Yes I may not know the whole story, so I can only go on what comes out of SUFC. So based on the fact we are going to develop the ground but not pay out for players shows to me an indication that money is not available for both, so to answer your question Linz, No. What is coming out from SUFC is that I believe that we can't do both.

Your basic point here is a good one in my opinion, the club seem more then happy to throw money at stadium enhancements as soon as there is a glimmer of success at the club but the club are much more prudent when it comes to splashing cash on payers.

You don't have to be a genius to see that spenidng 5 million quid building a hotel and filling in the corner stands was a more financially sound decision then spending 5 million pounds signing Akinbiyi, Horsfield, Shelton and Fathi for example.

The problem is that, when we are being told that there is no money to spend and our best players are being sold without replacement yet hotels are being built and stadium expansions are announced i can't help but feel a little short changed.

 

[Linz]

The problem is that, when we are being told that there is no money to spend and our best players are being sold without replacement yet hotels are being built and stadium expansions are announced i can't help but feel a little short changed.

The point I was making before though was that sometimes there is nothing coming out of the club that suggests we're going to make a signing... and then you have James Beattie walking towards you at a pre-season friendly.

I think it was in the other thread that I said McCabe is going to say we've got loads of cash to spend because of the West Ham thing... because every club we approach will jack their prices up.

What I'd say is that by all means, rant and rave come 8th August or whenever it is the season kicks off next if we're looking to be up shit creek... but until that time, the "woe is poor skint little Sheffield United" line coming from the club might have been engineered to work in our favour and might not necessarily be the whole truth

 

[Foxy]

The problem is that, when we are being told that there is no money to spend and our best players are being sold without replacement yet hotels are being built and stadium expansions are announced i can't help but feel a little short changed.

The thing is though, we haven't we been told there is no money to spend. Even when we splashed out on our "best player", broke our transfer record and wage structure, people still felt short changed and it was continually levelled at McCabe that he still had "no ambition". We've since sold him and you could argue that we've improved as a team by doing so. Fair do's we aren't shouting from the rooftops that we'd like to splash the case... but that is a far more sensible approach and makes us stronger in any potential dealings.

As has already been mentioned, its all about balance and long term planning, something Mr McCabe has been fairly keen on since the beginning of his reign.
Whether or not it will ultimately work, who knows, in my opinion it isn't going too badly so far from an overall perspective.

Providing the ground improvements and investments don't cripple the footballing side of things, I don't see an issue in the slightest. They will only raise our stock and help make us a more attractive club, whilst opening further potential revenue streams.

 

[Bladesman]

We don't need to improve the ground its fine as it is.