I fear I may be losing my sanity. I just cannot help but respond to comments made by our one and only Mr Baldbloke. It is not personal, if we met on the street, or over a pint, I am sure we would get along fine and have many a discussion and laugh about our wonderful side. But in the realms of this forum I just find it too much to resist but to try and point out any potential holes or misconceptions that seem to just pour out.
For Example:
I have said this many times before, can anyone name a club anywhere in the world that has been successful as a result of building a massive stadium. The answer is that there isn't one. Every club with a massive stadium was successful first, and I believe this investment is so Levy can sell the club and make himself a fortune. As much as I dislike the man, I don't hold this against him.
Sometimes you say things as if they are fact and no one could dare say that you do not know what you are talking about. The problem is that with a little investigating it is very easy to see that you only see what you want to see and anything that falls outside of the point you want to make is ignored.
It is true that many of the larger stadiums were built by clubs that have been successful first and these can be seen across Europe. I will not even go into Stadia around the world, because they are often used for different sports as well. Therefore the obvious high capacity stadia: The Nou camp, The Bernabeu, Old Trafford, Borussia Dortmand’s and The Emirates. All built by sides that have been successful and expanded their stadiums or built new ones because of that success.
However, you wanted someone to name one, I will name 5!(Feel free to state why you may think that these do not count)
1. Hertha Berlin – Capacity 74,228 – Yes it is built on the old Olympic Stadium and is a multi sports arena.
There are a number of large stadiums in Germany of a high capacity, but due to the World cup 2006 they were refurbished or built for that purpose so slightly unfair to name them all.
However
2. HSV – Capacity 57,000, although used for the 2006 World Cup, this stadium was built in 1998 and you can see by their league positions, that this side has not been successful in recent times. Finishing between 3rd and 13th since 1984.
3. Newcastle’s St Jame’s Park - Capacity 52,387 Has never won the Premier league!
4. Sunderland’s Stadium of light – capacity 49,000
Now for my personal favourite:
5. Lille’s Grand Stade Lille Métropole. This project was agreed in 2008 and the building began in 2010. Lille then won its first title since 1954 in 2011. In August 2012 it moved to its new stadium. Capacity 50,186. The complete anti-thesis of what you have been saying!
The fact is that football clubs have been redeveloping, re-building or moving stadiums for various reasons since the beginning of the game. It is only old stalwarts that cannot accept change that have a problem with it. Ask the next generation of supporters if they would like to stay in an old outdated heap of junk, or see their side have a world class stadium which reflects the image of the team?