New Stadium-The Willows

[Dave]

At last. Common sense.

Explore all avenues by all means but just ensure the club still has a sustainable and strategic business plan for the next few years at least. No club, no ground.

Sorry to disagree with you Andy on this, 667GULL post was far, in fact a country mile any from being common sense. The one thing that is causing me to despair right now and surprised it's not been realised by all.

A move to the new stadium is "sustainable and strategic business plan for the next few years" Clubs below the football league have little or no funding, clubs in the football league get a golden share of the football league pot, and a share of the sky T.V money which TUFC no longer get, as well as the lost youth academy funding.

Clubs at our level can no longer rely on gate receipts and the tiny little bit of sponsorship to fund the football club, it's why TUFC now finds itself in the mess it's in, Plainnmoor does not have the capacity to increase it's commercial funding, yes the club could take back boots and laces for a few extra quid and do something with bowling club and earn an extra 50p here and there not enough, and there's no additional room do anything else.

A new stadium with fit for purpose car parking, for a start could become an events stadium, 6,000 is enough, I would have gone for 10,000, yes not needed for the football, but how much money could the club make by the new stadium being used by headline music acts, think big and beyond the football.

With a 4g pitch, training sorted, also could be rented out to the community for extra revenue, could there be an opportunity for retail space at the new ground to bring in further income to the club. Only need to look at how Barnet FC's move to, The Hive changed that club who now have massive commercial income, and the only reasons they've returned to the football league, didn't do if of their gates that's for sure, or a sugar daddy.

I'd like to say a massive well done to Steve Breed, the board and all at the club, this is a cracking idea.

[PhilGull]

There's also the fact that getting to and from Plainmoor is a PITA and there is no parking. A shuttle bus from the new train station could make this as easy to reach as any stadium in the country.

[Yorkieandy]

I do however think something closer to 10000 with room to expand in the future should be the aim.
As for "Plainmoor is fine - we don't need to move". Well Plainmoor isn't fine, it gets waterlogged every January and regardless of Plainmoors suitability there are the finances to consider as well. this could see a big windfall for the club and future revenue streams we don't currently see.

This is the crux. As many of you are quick to come on here and point out , the current board are vastly inexperienced and have made erroneous and odd decisions since taking over - many of which you aren't happy with. Add to that the past 5 years at the TUFC free-for-all when it seemed that whatever the deal done was, those who had struck it always did so leaving the club either in the shit or out of pocket.

IF it's done properly then of course, it's better than not having a football club - which is the likely outcome in the next 5 years unless the club can stabilise and begin self sustaining. Just that I would sincerely hope the board don't lose all sight of what needs to be done to keep the club afloat these next couple of critical years whilst trying to chase a dream - no matter how much of a reality it could become.

[Dazza]

The devil's always in the detail but logistically it clearly has veryconsiderable merits. It's well worth the fullest exploration. Just one request from me should it come to fruition -there has to be a 'Bristow's Bench. Their generosity needs to be remembered.

[Yorkieandy]

Sorry to disagree with you Andy on this, 667GULL post was far, in fact a country mile any from being common sense. The one thing that is causing me to despair right now and surprised it's not been realised by all.

A move to the new stadium is "sustainable and strategic business plan for the next few years" Clubs below the football league have little or no funding, clubs in the football league get a golden share of the football league pot, and a share of the sky T.V money which TUFC no longer get, as well as the lost youth academy funding.
A new stadium with fit for purpose car parking, for a start could become an events stadium, 6,000 is enough, I would have gone for 10,000, yes not needed for the football, but how much money could the club make by the new stadium being used by headline music acts, think big and beyond the football.

With a 4g pitch, training sorted, also could be rented out to the community for extra revenue, could there be an opportunity for retail space at the new ground to bring in further income to the club. Only need to look at how Barnet FC's move to, The Hive changed that club who now have massive commercial income, and the only reasons they've returned to the football league, didn't do if of their gates that's for sure, or a sugar daddy.

I'd like to say a massive well done to Steve Breed, the board and all at the club, this is a cracking idea.

Totally agree with this though Dave. Spot on. All I was trying to say was basically if such a deal is 'on' then the board should obviously go for it but just to make sure that it's all done properly and no loose ends, no leaving the club in the shit if it goes tits up and just keeping an eye on the situation at the club in terms of keeping it ticking over viably if anything fails to materialise. I think after all that's gone on the last few years, it's natural for TUFC fans to be overly sceptical and cautious to the point where you almost expect something to go wrong because it usually has done. Like someone else posted, just be very very careful.

I agree it's a great idea on the face of it and offers new hope.

[Gullscorer]

We could ground share with Hele Rovers.

Oh wait..

[tomogull]

12000, 8000 500,000,000 capacity. Are you lot insane? Darlington FC called, they want their supporters back.

The plans for a new ground are encouraging. If you don't understand why, give your head a wobble.

My concern is this: "The club gets a new stadium and, importantly, the revenue from the ground, the all-weather pitch and other facilities around it, and it doesn't cost us a penny."

If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Provided a swap deal is all it is, then fine. Beyond that, I'm not sure I'd want to know. Beware strangers bearing gifts. Matt.

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. Next, us old gits don't like change. There's over 100 years of history at Plainmoor and although things are the darkest black at present, there have been many good times. Finally, I'm a neanderthal who believes that grass, not synthetic plastic, was created to play football on.

But Matt (and others) are right. Dear old Plainmoor is no longer fit for purpose and a new ground, with parking facilities, at The Willows makes sense, but beware Greeks/Americans bearing gifts. Torbay Council and TUFC must be extremely wary of any contract they are getting into. Although I understand the advantages of G4 surfaces being played on 7 days a week, I feel plastic pitches produce sterile football because the playing surface is the same week by week, year by year.

I have looked at the map to envisage where this parcel of land is. Can anyone confirm that this is the land originally 'earmarked' for housing but there was a fuss some years ago because it was the old tip and had to be piped to release methane gas? Goodness knows what would happen to Bristow's Bench. Isn't part of it used by Westlands/The Spires School ? IF this scheme goes ahead, I wonder if a large part of Plainmoor could be taken over by the school as they don't have their own Playing Fields at present? I'm sure lots of conundrums and twists and turns ahead ......

[6667GULL]

The team with the best ground in the Conference South or heaven forbid the Southern League if our downward trajectory continues.
This is utter madness.

[IanGull01]

Sorry to disagree with you Andy on this, 667GULL post was far, in fact a country mile any from being common sense. The one thing that is causing me to despair right now and surprised it's not been realised by all.

A move to the new stadium is "sustainable and strategic business plan for the next few years" Clubs below the football league have little or no funding, clubs in the football league get a golden share of the football league pot, and a share of the sky T.V money which TUFC no longer get, as well as the lost youth academy funding.

Clubs at our level can no longer rely on gate receipts and the tiny little bit of sponsorship to fund the football club, it's why TUFC now finds itself in the mess it's in, Plainnmoor does not have the capacity to increase it's commercial funding, yes the club could take back boots and laces for a few extra quid and do something with bowling club and earn an extra 50p here and there not enough, and there's no additional room do anything else.

A new stadium with fit for purpose car parking, for a start could become an events stadium, 6,000 is enough, I would have gone for 10,000, yes not needed for the football, but how much money could the club make by the new stadium being used by headline music acts, think big and beyond the football.

With a 4g pitch, training sorted, also could be rented out to the community for extra revenue, could there be an opportunity for retail space at the new ground to bring in further income to the club. Only need to look at how Barnet FC's move to, The Hive changed that club who now have massive commercial income, and the only reasons they've returned to the football league, didn't do if of their gates that's for sure, or a sugar daddy.

I'd like to say a massive well done to Steve Breed, the board and all at the club, this is a cracking idea.

Do something with the bowling club?! Like what? We have one of the best teams in England. Losing the club would be a travesty.

[Gullscorer]

Tomogull, I think you're right: the new land was part of an old council waste/refuse tip, full of garbage and gas. Seems an appropriate move for the club ( :~D ). However, to be honest Plainmoor was never suitable enough nor big enough for a professional football club and I've always thought it desirable to move away to a new stadium.

[Jack]

Tomogull there is an aerial photograph on the Herald Express link in one of the early postings.
I suspect that it is the old Barton Valley tip. I remember in the early seventies that Torbay Council spread a lot of topsoil on it, marked out some flat pitches and thought that they would be the best council owned pitches. Unfortunately broken glass and tin quickly came up to the surface and the pitches had to be abandoned.
Apart from the ongoing gas problem, the only buildings that could be constructed on the site would have to be on floating platforms. In other words industrial buildings that could only be used for industry, shops or if there is no demand for them, football stands!

[SenorDingDong]

The people saying we need a larger stadium are mad. 6k to start with and pre-designed expansion plans if the club ever grows (dubious) makes total sense. Despite saying this I do feel the need to state that contrary to what some are saying we have had 6k+ attendances recently, we got a 6,015 attendance for the Conference Play off match against Exeter in 2008, 6,018 against Coventry the next year, 5,666 against Bristol Rovers in 2013 etc. These are unusual figures but we do occasionally get something near the capacity.

If this is going to work though, there will need to be expansive other features at the ground. For rent 4G pitches on the site, conferencing facilities, possibly an attempt by the club to host events there like music gigs etc. Just a stadium and one for rent pitch next door is not going to be enough to really make a massive difference to our finances.

On the plus side, perhaps with the ease of getting to the stadium it'll draw in more Newton Abbot residents and make United truly the team of Newton Abbot and even Teignmouth? I've always got the feeling that those two towns never contributed much to the United crowd despite their geographic proximity.

[SBP]

I honestly think that if any of you think that this is going to happen you must be mad.
This is Torbay Council that we are talking about, the Council that is being counter sued by the Developers for Oldway Mansion. How many years has that now been empty?? Its a complete balls up . You cannot trust Torbay Council to get this right surely.
Then the land that is being considered, by the time that they have completed all the environmental studies, because as you know someone will no doubt find some rare 5 legged pink spotted frog that needs relocating or moving.
Then there's the Yanks, they'll get fed up waiting and build elsewhere

[tomogull]

Tomogull there is an aerial photograph on the Herald Express link in one of the early postings.
I suspect that it is the old Barton Valley tip. I remember in the early seventies that Torbay Council spread a lot of topsoil on it, marked out some flat pitches and thought that they would be the best council owned pitches. Unfortunately broken glass and tin quickly came up to the surface and the pitches had to be abandoned.

Ah yes - that was it. Not only the housing contoversy, but also the super-duper pitches that had to be abandoned when broken glass, stones, tin and shopping trolleys came to the surface. Thanks Jack.

[BobBobBob]

This sounds pretty great on the surface. So for a very superficial concern, presumably the new ground would look very basic and have zero character. I'm sort of picturing Burton Albion's ground which kind of feels like a life size Subbuteo set. But I'll take it.