While news is quiet...

by Nick Entwistle | 10/06/2016

28 Comments [Jump to last]

The quality of build that modern stadiums have is little in compensation for the generic soulless bowls their designs often become, and leave the fan without that feeling their home is something special.

So to help out any future Archibald Leach whose blueprints will become our home long after we've witnessed yet another Champions League victory, I thought some Royal Blue sky thinking could provide some inspiration.

I'm sure there could be better ideas than this, but how about more imaginative?

For the Trafalgar Docks, instead of 4 normal sized stands, why not open an entire side for a view of the Mersey. With the pitch positioned closer to the dockside? It leaves room for three much bigger, more daunting stands.

And like behind the goal at the Aviva/ Landsdown Road stadium you could line the Mersey side of the pitch with a simple token stand about 15 seats deep but behind that have massive clear glass panels that could be opened when the elements allow... or open them anyway when soft southerners come up to play.

Further still for those wanting a VIP experience — there would be no executive boxes, but instead Bill can pick up a second-hand cruise ship on the cheap, set sail pre-match for a luxurious dinner cruise down the Mersey, then dock alongside the stadium for the kick-off with the berths kitted out as executive boxes.

I'll offer this idea for free. No need to thank me.

back Return to Talking Points index : Add your Comments »

Reader Comments (28)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

Brian Williams
1 Posted 10/06/2016 at 19:39:30

No need? You're right. I'll have a couple of what he's had.

Tim Greeley
2 Posted 10/06/2016 at 19:48:56

Thank you, Nick. Oh wait.... DOH. A more immersive, seafaring soccer experience, I like it. A bit dangerous. They better serve Crabbies too.

Maybe Hibbo can take up residence as the Rear Admiral of the SS Have Mersey.

Kevin Jones
3 Posted 10/06/2016 at 21:11:57

What a genius idea. I wonder why NORMAL stadium designers have never thought of it.

Someone keep him busy while organise the straight jacket

Julian Wait
4 Posted 10/06/2016 at 21:21:06

Or something like this: http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2014-03-28/all-aboard-the-soccer-train/

John Daley
5 Posted 11/06/2016 at 00:58:38

Failing that, we could just buy one of these and chuck it in the river:

Link

Lloyd Brodrick
6 Posted 11/06/2016 at 01:16:20

I still have a preference for a floating stadium like the one they have built for Qatar. Unique and would continue our history of firsts, in the UK anyway.

Nick, nothing wrong with a bit of imagination, an open sided stadium would be a great backdrop for a range of summer events, concerts, boat shows drawing income. The (executive hospitality) ship would compliment the open sided arena and with our award winning catering, add casino, night club, gym, cinema etc, would also be a unique earner.

More importantly, what a way for our fans to arrive at Old Trafford having sailed stress free up the ship canal to Salford. Kevin you might get a discount on two jackets.

Alistair Anderson
7 Posted 11/06/2016 at 06:34:16

See article in the Telegraph "Could Suprastadio put Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham to shame with its revolutionary design?"

Eric Myles
9 Posted 11/06/2016 at 13:32:02

Not such a daft idea of an open sided view of the river but probably impractical for wind and rain considerations.

They sorted that problem at the Otago Stadium in NZ by making one end and part of the roof of glass, but there's so much supporting steelwork it would effectively destroy the view.

Eric Myles
10 Posted 11/06/2016 at 13:37:53

And of course it all depends on budget. High tech engineering comes at high prices so although impracticality can be overcome, it comes at a high cost.

Alan J Thompson
11 Posted 11/06/2016 at 15:07:08

Yeah, let's get that bloke who did those buildings in Barcelona and the Gugenheim(??) museum in the States. Hate to think the shape of his goalposts though.

Jimmy Salt
12 Posted 11/06/2016 at 18:02:19

What about an open end facing the liver buildings with a small /low stand below.
They are ours aswell, just to remind people.

Eric Myles
13 Posted 11/06/2016 at 18:45:14

Alan J, the architect of the Guggenheim is dead but they did a good job of using his ideas on the San Siro

Jose Walsh
14 Posted 11/06/2016 at 19:06:52

Sounds great - but what about the amount of balls we would lose floating down the Mersey!

Unless, like at school... If you kicked it over you have to go and get it!

Dan Davies
15 Posted 11/06/2016 at 19:28:42

If your looking for a stadium that dominates the skyline, runs right alongside a river, slap bang in the city centre that has a great atmosphere then Everton might want to take a look at the Millennium Stadium.

Brian Williams
16 Posted 11/06/2016 at 20:58:43

.....or, and there'll be a chance to see it as we play there in a preseason friendly. The MK stadium. Lovely design, built in a way where capacity can be increased easily. I believe it's to get an additional 10k seats during this close season. Could be built with an initial 50k capacity no problem, with scope for more. Take a look at it!

Garry Corgan
17 Posted 11/06/2016 at 21:14:17

I'd like a stadium that's distinctive. One where all the signage could be taken off and you'd still know what it is. The stadium in Bordeaux which Wales played in this afternoon was designed by the same people as the Allianz Arena. Not the biggest and very square, but highly distinctive. No soulless bowls please.

Liam Reilly
18 Posted 11/06/2016 at 22:15:16

Interesting idea, but the reason the Aviva has one low tier isn't for aesthetics, it's because the locals objected fiercely because a large tier would have removed their sunlight and the area is not with Euros.

Nick McGregor
19 Posted 11/06/2016 at 23:14:51

I concur with the sentiments above; I really hope the new stadium has a unique and instantly recognizable design (and is on the docks of course).

I also hope acoustics are an important factor in the design. I want a loud and intimidating place to play, with the stands starting tight on the pitch. I know we can't have standing sections like they have in the Bundesliga, but I hope the architecture helps cultivate a real 'bear pit' kind of vibe.

Dan Davies
20 Posted 12/06/2016 at 00:42:17

I actually liked the design for the stadium that is now the Echo Arena, but maybe we could mix it with the Kirby design for extending the attendance when needed?

John Hughes
21 Posted 12/06/2016 at 11:32:37

I suggest we get Tom Hughes involved he knew how to revamp Goodison Park he knows what we want as supporters he would be brilliant to design our waterfront stadium: Get Tom!!

Peter Lee
22 Posted 12/06/2016 at 12:11:38

I thought that King's Dock would have been fantastic. However, the problems that an arena less than a third the size creates when there is a sell-out concert rule out a river-side solution to a site for a new ground and I am glad that we didn't go there now.

At such times you can't get in, out or across the city.

It would suit my match-day routine, meet friends in town, few pints and taxi to Goodson for entry 10 minutes before the start, but for most it would be a nightmare to get to and ,worse, to get away from.

The problems that LFC had with Stanley Park were at least two-fold. One was the cost and the other was that increasing the capacity to what they then wanted would have meant digging into the sandstone bedrock 10 metres to lower the pitch. This added to the cost of course but there are some rules about keeping spoil from construction on site and who knows where that could have gone on the restricted site. This information was shared with me by someone who was at the original meeting with the American architects and the first US investors.

If we assume that the cost of building a new stadium is not seen as prohibitive by Farhad Moshiri then the Stanley Park option could be for us, particularly using the Suprastadio concept mentioned above.

Even if this wasn't an option we surely need a site which is accessible on all four sides and with public transport more easily available than a dockside site.

Eric Myles
23 Posted 12/06/2016 at 17:15:19

Peter, keeping spoil on the site for later re-use is just a cost saving exercise. They could easily have removed it to any external stockpile and brought it back later.

Damian Wilde
24 Posted 13/06/2016 at 11:28:28

Read this and see video clip:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/06/01/could-suprastadio-put-chelsea-liverpool-and-tottenham-to-shame-w/

Peter Lee
25 Posted 13/06/2016 at 15:52:53

Eric, see your point but they were intending to cut out 300,000 cubic metres of sandstone, at least 300,000 tonnes, so, as I said, can't see where it was going to go when it came back.

Eugene Ruane
26 Posted 13/06/2016 at 16:19:25

'For the Trafalgar Docks, instead of 4 normal sized stands, why not open an entire side for a view of the Mersey'

An Entwistle Trojan Horse (stand..whatever).

We leave one side open and we'll wake one morning to find one hundred foot high statue of the miserable presbyterian has been rolled in overnight and is now standing on the centre-circle.

Steavey Buckley
27 Posted 13/06/2016 at 16:25:47

Any new stadium should be built with the fans and playing conditions in mind. The stadium should help to generate more sound from the home fans and keep any adverse weather conditions at bay as much as possible. A retractable roof would be a great idea, that would allow the all weather stadium to be used for non football events such as pop concerts, to generate extra income.

Eric Myles
28 Posted 13/06/2016 at 16:44:07

Peter, they wouldn't bring sandstone back, I suspect the major problem would have been disposal, 15,000 20m3 trucks running through what is largely residential and heavily trafficked areas.

Richard Reeves
29 Posted 13/06/2016 at 18:09:15

I'd much prefer a dome-like stadium than the squarer type but a design close to the pitch with steep overlapping stands. The Suprastadio design with a closing roof would be perfect, no other stadium in England would come close to generating a noise and atmosphere like it.

60,000 Evertonians in a stadium designed to amplify noise and a roof to boot... it would be deafening. Being a little bit greedy, I'd also like it to be stylish/artistic looking landmark.

Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

» Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.

About these ads