lowandhard wrote:Yes , absolutely. The current position of the club in its relationship with the landlord being a case in question. Have we even had a terse statement saying “ negotiations are ongoing regarding facilities for the club at RP “ ? That’d at least be something.

Would it be too harsh to descibe the situation as 'A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.'

lowandhard wrote:Yes , absolutely. The current position of the club in its relationship with the landlord being a case in question. Have we even had a terse statement saying “ negotiations are ongoing regarding facilities for the club at RP “ ? That’d at least be something.

Yes we have.

From the redacted August board meeting minutes:

1. WRU UPDATE
1.1 PM provided an update of the ongoing negotiations with the Welsh Rugby Union and the
Dragons on a number of Rodney Parade issues.
1.2 Positive progress is being made on a number of issues. The Trust cannot communicate
further on these matters as to do so could be a business risk to the Club.
1.3 The Board formally recorded its thanks to PM and SJ for their continuing efforts with these
issues.

lowandhard wrote:Yes , absolutely. The current position of the club in its relationship with the landlord being a case in question. Have we even had a terse statement saying “ negotiations are ongoing regarding facilities for the club at RP “ ? That’d at least be something.

I'd go one stage further than that.

Surely the Directors of the club actually have a legal responsibility to their shareholders to disclose the nature of any major risks to the company? If it's business sensitive, then it needs to be worded and delivered carefully, but it still needs to be delivered.

Possibly, but first there would need to be a major risk. Is there?

rncfc wrote:

lowandhard wrote:Yes , absolutely. The current position of the club in its relationship with the landlord being a case in question. Have we even had a terse statement saying “ negotiations are ongoing regarding facilities for the club at RP “ ? That’d at least be something.

I'd go one stage further than that.

Surely the Directors of the club actually have a legal responsibility to their shareholders to disclose the nature of any major risks to the company? If it's business sensitive, then it needs to be worded and delivered carefully, but it still needs to be delivered.

They are discussing it amongst themselves, as elected representatives of the shareholders - but another good question for the 20th.

I hope there is a decent turnout and that people don't just buckle when such questions are deflected as being 'commercially sensitive'.

Sometimes persistence is needed, accompanied by direct words and a bit of finger pointing.

penycwm county wrote:

OLDCROMWELLIAN wrote:

allontheamber wrote:It's a miracle than Flynny and his management team have produced the team they have on a reduced budget.
Such a shame that the board have accomplished the exact opposite for the club on the windfall that came our way through the cup run and transfers last season.

The 'windfall' of last year only amounted to just under £200,000 ? What were you expecting to happen from that sum?

Build a new stadium on the old Sainsbury site

Even if we had the money it's simply not a big enough area without either extending over the river or re-routing the road up to the Old Green roundabout. I did a drag and drop of the Rodney Parade footprint onto the Sainsbury's site and Wyndham Street is basically in the way.

I've just had another look at the random bits of green near the city centre and the St Mary's Primary School site (old Queen's High School site?) on Queen's Hill would be really good - unless you live in Queen's Hill Crescent or St Mark's Crescent. Presumably that's owned by the council too?

There's enough room there for a comfortably bigger stadium than Rodney Parade without replacing the primary school near the middle of the space, but stick a new primary school on the old Sainsbury's and improve the pedestrian access from the old station and there's plenty of room and only a relatively minor impact on residents - parking might be interesting, but it's a big green site near the middle of the city and if we're being hypothetical it would meet all the needs (other than being free).

That must be a very valuable piece of land and maybe too valuable to put a stadium on.
Probably explains why all the new stadia are out of town developments.
Out of interest, does anyone know the last time a town/city centre stadium was built. I exclude the redevelopment of places like the Millennium or Wembley.

SJG99 wrote:
Build a new stadium on the old Sainsbury site

Even if we had the money it's simply not a big enough area without either extending over the river or re-routing the road up to the Old Green roundabout. I did a drag and drop of the Rodney Parade footprint onto the Sainsbury's site and Wyndham Street is basically in the way.

I've just had another look at the random bits of green near the city centre and the St Mary's Primary School site (old Queen's High School site?) on Queen's Hill would be really good - unless you live in Queen's Hill Crescent or St Mark's Crescent. Presumably that's owned by the council too?

There's enough room there for a comfortably bigger stadium than Rodney Parade without replacing the primary school near the middle of the space, but stick a new primary school on the old Sainsbury's and improve the pedestrian access from the old station and there's plenty of room and only a relatively minor impact on residents - parking might be interesting, but it's a big green site near the middle of the city and if we're being hypothetical it would meet all the needs (other than being free).[/quote]

Not that we have any money, and the biggest crime ever to take place in the city of Newport was the failure of Newport County BOD not making an offer on Rodney Parade just like the WRU did, and we could of either developed or sold the cabbage patch bit to pay off the finance used to purchase the ground.

Alternatively and hypothetically, if we were able to acquire the old Sainsbury’s site, Is it might be big enough for 2 or 3 football pitches and possibly 1 or 2 kids pitches, if so we could possibly exchange this for the Shaftesbury Park site which would be big enough to build a stadium, of course we’d need the council to buy in to it.
Or the only other alternative is to pay for and build a new athletic track back over the gleeblands, then we’d be able to rip up the track at spytty and rotate the pitch, we’d already have stands behind each goal but would need to build new stands down the flanks

Newportonian wrote: Not that we have any money, and the biggest crime ever to take place in the city of Newport was the failure of Newport County BOD not making an offer on Rodney Parade just like the WRU did, and we could of either developed or sold the cabbage patch bit to pay off the finance used to purchase the ground.

.

The snag is IIUC anyone other than the WRU would have had to pay back millions in loans.

] rip up the track at spytty and rotate the pitch, we’d already have stands behind each goal but would need to build new stands down the flanks

It wouldn't fit. One goalmouth would be in the grandstand foyer.

George Street-Bridge wrote:

] rip up the track at spytty and rotate the pitch, we’d already have stands behind each goal but would need to build new stands down the flanks

It wouldn't fit. One goalmouth would be in the grandstand foyer.

It would if you raised the pitch in the middle. A 1 in 3 slope from each goal to the centre line should do it

Or just moved the terrace back a bit (and the wall, turnstiles and velodrome!)

George Street-Bridge wrote:

Newportonian wrote: Not that we have any money, and the biggest crime ever to take place in the city of Newport was the failure of Newport County BOD not making an offer on Rodney Parade just like the WRU did, and we could of either developed or sold the cabbage patch bit to pay off the finance used to purchase the ground.

.

The snag is IIUC anyone other than the WRU would have had to pay back millions in loans.

] rip up the track at spytty and rotate the pitch, we’d already have stands behind each goal but would need to build new stands down the flanks

It wouldn't fit. One goalmouth would be in the grandstand foyer.

There’s 10m difference, 16 foot either side so not so unviable as some might think

The issues are the running track (we don't want it) and league requirements (min. certified 5000 capacity and min. 2000 seats).

We need a feasibility study on relocating the Harriers (unlikely to happen, so could stop here maybe), ripping up 5 or 6 m of running track between the current pitch edge and the main stand (west side), moving 5 or 6 m of east-side pitch to the west side, extending the current west main stand either end (effectively nearly doubling it I think) to obtain at least the minimum seats, having banked and covered "safe standing areas" on the running track and reclaimed pitch area on the east side and to the north and south ends. Might take us up to about 8000 capacity or so. Plenty of space then for access/offices.

Issues? Harriers and money! Two or three major televised cup runs perhaps?

Of course, part of our ongoing discussions with the WRU may involve increasing the length of our lease. Not that I think that is likely given what appears to have been going on over the summer. That said, such a discussion on extending the lease would be very informative. If the WRU are amenable to that then great (depending on affordability of course), but if they are not then we know for certain where we need to be in 5 years time (i.e. not where we are).