What Should The Long Term Ambitions Of Ptfc Be?

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Don't understand your reference (age thing).

 

But, do you think Archibald gets the same 'abuse' at games or even on here that McNamara did?

 

Maybe it's selective memory but I don't think so.

 

Think most are of the opinion that if McNamara had stayed we may not have been promoted.

 

That's impossible to judge of course but I'd argue that McNamara, although still a young manager, is learning from mistakes he's made with us & DU.

 

Not sure the same is true of Archibald.

 

Sorry the reference was directed at the disgraced pres.

 

The relative level of abuse a Jags manager receives is not something that concerns me. One thing I've learned in six decades at Firhill it is usually irrational. Bertie, if he'd been a sensitive wee soul, would've been offski before the 70s were half thru. Lambie must have had the loudest if not the most numerous of detractors and Gerry B escaped excessive criticism while Whyte got it in the neck.

 

On a specific, I've said before. If McNamara had stayed I don't think we'd have won the league. Same goes tho' if McNamara hadn't been the manager.

[Gibberish]

 

 

Crowds have bottomed out due to pricing & affordability. Also the product on the park last season (2 home wins all season) not encouraging folk to part with their hard earned cash. The last time we were in the premier league, I was part of a group of 7 who regularly went to Firhill. That's now down to 4- affordability & product they watched are their main reasons for chucking it & becoming part time or even armchair supporters.

 

Interesting you mention this website. I tend to thnk that it's the same posters on here, who if they don't like what they read decide to hit the ignore button. There are posters in the for/against keeping the manager who just talk Gibberish butbthere are others, I'd like to think I'm one of them that present an argument why they think the manager should go. Very often the reply to these arguments is in the "la, la, la, not listening...." category. Or it's the fact he's a jags legend.

 

Can't believe that I read someone using the analogy of the pub & someone butting in on their conversation. Of the 4 of us (& the 2 gents that sit in front that we know from sitting these in the JHS) it's a 50/50 split as to sacking the manager. I also know from chats on the bus that those defending him last season, are now beginning to see what others are saying about contacts, scouting, tactics, subs & just a general inability, rather than reluctance, to change things when it's going wrong.

 

That's part of being a football fan. You're allowed to have an opinion- despite what some think on here.

 

The forum & its posters has probably dwindled in size since the .net days when the fans maybe had a common cause in the BoD or the management team.

 

Personally I can't believe folk can post the opening line like the above poster without realising they're countering their own argument to an extent that the manager is doing an ok job.

 

I genuinely believe that the core support are split equally on him staying/going with others in the undecided camp. If you're undecided as to whether or not the manager is doing a good job then surely that does mean you're not convinced?

 

With apologies for the independence referendum pun- "silent majority".

 

With apologies to the poster- I'm probably on his 'ignore' list anyway! ������- we should be a Premier league team with Premier league crowds. It's mismanagement since the early 80s imo that started to see the downfall of this club. I know clubs can yoyo up & down the leagues but when you see clubs like ICT & DU classed as bigger clubs than us you know we have failed to kick on where others saw the opportunity.

 

The youth structures & infrastructures, along with 'good' managers (on the whole) have seen these clubs overtake us in the last 40 years. We're putting a youth structure in place now but it's a bit after the horse has bolted. Hamilton showed how that was done & before that Livi & DU. The money's gone from the Scottish game & if an English team came calling for one of our youths, then they could do an Israel Feruz & walk away for nothing. Failing that, do what ATS did & leave at an age where the club sees nothing in terms of compensation (not a dig, just a fact).

 

We need the young boys in the team at 18 or 19 to get any real money for them but the double edged sword to that is when they've gone we could go into free fall again- look at Hamilton after McCarthy, McCartur, Easton went.

 

We have an aging support by all accounts, myself included, who saw the 71 League Cup win & European adventures. That saw us in the Premier League in the 70s & early 80s. Another spell in the doldrums would kill the club in all probability. The auld yins- most- would probably drag themselves along but the younger ones... Better things to do for many than travel to Forfar or Stranraer to watch us lose.

 

A cup win &/or top 6, in all probability, a long way off under current management/players. We can't keep a clean sheet way for home for what it is now in total half the games of our total league away games, so unless that changes quick...

 

But if a cup win or final were to happen... Look at the 30k supporters at cup finals for St Mirren, St Johnstone, Killie etc. Where are they now?

 

As for top 6... Think the poster has said himself in other threads that's not happening soon also. However if it were to happen then the money, if made available for the team, would no doubt be a help. But... Does the manager have the contacts to get players up here? & if so, what kind of money are they looking for?

 

For example, Ecclestone, I'm led to believe, is one of the highest earners at the club. For a guy whose scoring record as a striker & fitness (for now & for how long?) is questionable & only on a one year deal. I'm not sure that fills me with confidence that the current manager can spend money available wisely.

 

We overspent last January, that's part of the problem why the finances are the way they are. We offered contracts to guys like Forbes, Baird etc Summer 2013 then had to get rid as not good enough = £££. We then had to then replace them with better quality players = more £££.

 

If we'd gone down after that, I dread to think what would've happened. Christie Elliot as our starting CF for one I'd imagine.

 

As for the stadium move, as plenty have said, that would be probably be the final nail for many. Like I said, aging support. Unless someone can say, & convince, that a move would benefit everyone in terms of lower ticket prices & larger playing budget (sure I've heard that line before), then I honestly believe that a move would be the death knell for the club.

 

As a quick aside, the poster knows that the Warriors, in conjunction with the local authority, are delighted with Scotstoun & their training facilities at the Palace of Art? He knows that for his suggestion that we'd have to move to Scotstoun as the Warriors not moving anywhere?

 

Would he be happy with that?*

 

*If someone who can see this can ask him as like I said, I'm in the get rid of the manager camp so I'll be on his ignore button.

zzzzzzzzzzzz

[Bleeding Gums Murphy]

zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

Insightful as always I see.

 

Gibberish by name....

[Bleeding Gums Murphy]

 

 

Sorry the reference was directed at the disgraced pres.

 

The relative level of abuse a Jags manager receives is not something that concerns me. One thing I've learned in six decades at Firhill it is usually irrational. Bertie, if he'd been a sensitive wee soul, would've been offski before the 70s were half thru. Lambie must have had the loudest if not the most numerous of detractors and Gerry B escaped excessive criticism while Whyte got it in the neck.

 

On a specific, I've said before. If McNamara had stayed I don't think we'd have won the league. Same goes tho' if McNamara hadn't been the manager.

 

I agree with what you say re those 3 individuals but in the thread 'Long term ambitions...' I don't think we can continue the way things have been.

 

Like I said, in my opinion 10 away games without a clean sheet, an overspent budget & yet no improvement in tactics or organisation (or overall squad) is evidence enough that if change doesn't happen soon (manager sorting it out or leaving) we'll continue to lose supporters.

 

I agree with you in your last statement also re McNamara & if he wasn't the manager the chances are we wouldn't have been in position to go up but we are up. We should be consolidating this season without a Rangers, Hearts or Hibs. Instead we are going back the way due to the manager's decisions or lack of(again my opinion).

[potty trained]

 

 

I agree with what you say re those 3 individuals but in the thread 'Long term ambitions...' I don't think we can continue the way things have been.

 

Like I said, in my opinion 10 away games without a clean sheet, an overspent budget & yet no improvement in tactics or organisation (or overall squad) is evidence enough that if change doesn't happen soon (manager sorting it out or leaving) we'll continue to lose supporters.

 

I agree with you in your last statement also re McNamara & if he wasn't the manager the chances are we wouldn't have been in position to go up but we are up. We should be consolidating this season without a Rangers, Hearts or Hibs. Instead we are going back the way due to the manager's decisions or lack of(again my opinion).

 

We've overspent the budget?

[Richard Nixon]

As a club we have been long time under achievers and are seen as a bit of a joke in some quarters.

 

Richard Nixon should change his name to Tony Blair, as his vision for "New Thistle" sounds just as awfull as Blairs New Labour.

 

I can't remember who posted this, but it was along the lines of " I don't care if we go down as long as we play good football" I agree with this much more than the present of playing grim football, to hang on in there and just about scrape by.

 

Firhill is a great stadium, alright it's a bit of a work in progress but it's steeped in history and is our home, only a charlaton would want to see us up sticks and set up camp in a souless breeze block, burger munching, popcorn monstosity in the back of beyond.

 

Let's be honest Glasgow is a big city and it's not everyone who likes their football served up with religion, there is a massive latent support out there to tap into? You have to crawl before you walk and walk before you run, but with the youth academy there is no reason that we can not grow and prosper.

 

One of our old players, went into management and took over a team that was third rate and played second fiddle in their own city and turned them into one of the greatest football clubs in the world.

 

We have to believe, as the song goes, there's not a team like the Firhill Jags.

You are right I don't like your ideas. Nor do I care for your selective quoting, Tricky Dicky Nixon.

 

Sorry, I'm not really sure what it is besides "believe" you are actually suggesting as a forward plan for the club. I've quoted your entire post this time, and as I understand these are all of your points::

 

1) We should be playing good football

2) Firhill is a great stadium

3) Glasgow's a big city

4) There's a massive latent support

5) We have a youth system

 

Well, we have been playing great football on the whole for two seasons, and yet crowds are even worse this season. You can't say crowds have dipped because we got beat at home against Hamilton & St Mirren. The poor uptake of season tickets (as anyone who goes to Firhill can see) proves that relative success last season hasn't translated into more people wanting to see us.

 

I disagree that Firhill is a great stadium. Maybe forty years ago. We've got a bing for one end, student flats towering over the other, no wash-basins for away supporters (unless that's been fixed this season), and usually six thousand empty seats. I can count on the fingers of my hands the memorable atmospheres that have been generated there in the twenty years I've been going. This isn't just a Firhill problem - Dens Park and Pittodrie were atmosphere-free when I visited them this season, too. That's why I would argue for smaller, standing stadiums to try to regain some of what has been lost.

 

Glasgow is a massive city, and there is a large latent support - we've always been the "sleeping giants" ... but how do you suggest we get people along?

 

I don't think having a better youth system will make much of a difference. It certainly doesn't for Hamilton, does it?

 

I apologise if I'm misrepresenting what you're saying, but all I can see is, "I don't want anything to change, things will get better if only we play better football." That I would suggest is just blind optimism. And is "play good football" really the best we can do as a long-term plan?

[Richard Nixon]

Re the bold text: rubbish. for one thing the old firm will continue to be stuck in Scottish football (worse luck) but even if they went teams like Aberdeen the two Dundees, Hearts and (yes really) Hibs have relatively big supports and we would have a top league where there might actually be real competition with not the same 1 (or 2) team/s winning each year. Teams like them and smaller than them would have a better chance of getting to cup finals with the OF out of the way. Folk up here have been so mesmerised by the OF and their poisonous dominance of our game that they too often forget we have several reasonable sized clubs up here who are not the OF.

 

Maybe you're right. It would be nice to think so.

 

I think some people are using this thread as their thoughts on how to short out the short-term future of the club - i.e; stop losing games when leading, defend better, sack/don't sack the manager. Which is fine.

 

I was just trying to get some discussion going on where we could be in twenty, thirty years time - exactly where we are now? 3000 fans and bouncing every ten years between the first and second tiers? Can we do nothing to become as big in terms of current success and support as say Dundee United or Aberdeen?

[AndyMac]

Sorry, I'm not really sure what it is besides "believe" you are actually suggesting as a forward plan for the club. I've quoted your entire post this time, and as I understand these are all of your points::

 

1) We should be playing good football

2) Firhill is a great stadium

3) Glasgow's a big city

4) There's a massive latent support

5) We have a youth system

 

Well, we have been playing great football on the whole for two seasons, and yet crowds are even worse this season. You can't say crowds have dipped because we got beat at home against Hamilton & St Mirren. The poor uptake of season tickets (as anyone who goes to Firhill can see) proves that relative success last season hasn't translated into more people wanting to see us.

 

I disagree that Firhill is a great stadium. Maybe forty years ago. We've got a bing for one end, student flats towering over the other, no wash-basins for away supporters (unless that's been fixed this season), and usually six thousand empty seats. I can count on the fingers of my hands the memorable atmospheres that have been generated there in the twenty years I've been going. This isn't just a Firhill problem - Dens Park and Pittodrie were atmosphere-free when I visited them this season, too. That's why I would argue for smaller, standing stadiums to try to regain some of what has been lost.

 

Glasgow is a massive city, and there is a large latent support - we've always been the "sleeping giants" ... but how do you suggest we get people along?

 

I don't think having a better youth system will make much of a difference. It certainly doesn't for Hamilton, does it?

 

I apologise if I'm misrepresenting what you're saying, but all I can see is, "I don't want anything to change, things will get better if only we play better football." That I would suggest is just blind optimism. And is "play good football" really the best we can do as a long-term plan?

 

Playing good football is very important, when you start to hear things like "winninng ugly" you know things are on the slide, Thistle are in the entertainment industry and punters will pay money to be entertained.

 

Big problem and a vicious circle is the amount players are earning these days, good luck to them, but it is having a negative effect on the game at our level. The admission prices to football are (IMO) far too high, £8 would be nearer the mark. However if the going rate is now £1500 to £200 a week for a player rather than £500 -£800 someone has to pick up the tab.

 

Another pig in a poke was the introduction of the premier league in the mid 1970's, with the tedium and boredom it introduced of playing the same teams again and again, yawn.

 

Firhill is a great stadium compared to the dismal Ikea lego land alternative, that we would be shuffled into, it's fashionable to bail out of your ground these days, but so was bulldozing perfectly good buildings and throwing up high rise flats. I really do believe that Firhill is an asset and not a problem.

 

Glasgow is a big city and Thistle have been under achievers for as long as anyone can remember. Many folk really like football but do not want to folllow the old firm because of all the religious baggage. We are well placed to tap into this, we could and should be a far bigger club than we are.

 

The youth academy is vital to our future, look at what Dundee Utd achieved under Jim Mclean in the late 1970's and 1980's, it is worth remembering that they were not even the top club in Dundee when he started out, but went on to reach a European final beating Barcelona (twice) on the way.

Dundee Utd brought through so many good players they could sell some of them and with the proceeds, afford to pay higher wages to the others that remained.

 

There's nothing wrong in believing in a better future. We shouldn't sell ourselves short.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Let's take a step back from what we're doing wrong just now and what we could do right.

 

Post Bosman, how many players have we sold for profit?

 

Is there any other club in our division got such a poor selling record over the same period?

Indeed any other full time club in the country?

 

Our attendances for the most part over this time have been decent enough to support us in a band from mid 2nd tier to bottom top tier. We've rarely exceeded that band and too often fell short of mid 2nd tier. So we've sort of under achieved for the most part and just now we're about top of that band.

 

Point I'm making is some people believe we should be a pushing top six side by default. Why should we have expectations to lord it over other clubs who have raised and sold players regularly for six or even seven figure sums? I can just imagine the spleen venting on here if instead of have we spent this summer's budget we were wondering where the Stevie May, McCarthy, Robertson, Gauld money has gone.

[allyo]

I would take ninth in the Premier League and challenging in the Cups.

[billko]

I would take a play off place and to go out of the cups as early as possible to avoid a huge embarrassment

 

 

 

 

 

 

EDIT,,,,,,, Thought i was on Follow Follow

[AndyMac]

I would take a pay off and pawn the cups as early as possible to avoid a huge tax bill

 

 

 

 

 

 

EDIT,,,,,,, Thought i was on Follow Follow

 

Fair enough Bilko

[Third Lanark]

A ground move would be a good start.

no thanks

Firhill is the closest stand to the city centre. Can be accessed by car bus and very easily underground. A move to some new soulless looking stadium is likely to see support really dwindle.

[Third Lanark]

 

 

 

Sorry, I'm not really sure what it is besides "believe" you are actually suggesting as a forward plan for the club. I've quoted your entire post this time, and as I understand these are all of your points::

 

1) We should be playing good football

2) Firhill is a great stadium

3) Glasgow's a big city

4) There's a massive latent support

5) We have a youth system

 

Well, we have been playing great football on the whole for two seasons, and yet crowds are even worse this season. You can't say crowds have dipped because we got beat at home against Hamilton & St Mirren. The poor uptake of season tickets (as anyone who goes to Firhill can see) proves that relative success last season hasn't translated into more people wanting to see us.

 

I disagree that Firhill is a great stadium. Maybe forty years ago. We've got a bing for one end, student flats towering over the other, no wash-basins for away supporters (unless that's been fixed this season), and usually six thousand empty seats. I can count on the fingers of my hands the memorable atmospheres that have been generated there in the twenty years I've been going. This isn't just a Firhill problem - Dens Park and Pittodrie were atmosphere-free when I visited them this season, too. That's why I would argue for smaller, standing stadiums to try to regain some of what has been lost.

 

Glasgow is a massive city, and there is a large latent support - we've always been the "sleeping giants" ... but how do you suggest we get people along?

 

I don't think having a better youth system will make much of a difference. It certainly doesn't for Hamilton, does it?

 

I apologise if I'm misrepresenting what you're saying, but all I can see is, "I don't want anything to change, things will get better if only we play better football." That I would suggest is just blind optimism. And is "play good football" really the best we can do as a long-term plan?

i don't think scotstoun is a great stadium for football and transport wise far harder to get too. A lot of the new stadiums st mirren park, broadwood, new Douglas park etc are not great stadiums and far more soulless than firhill imo

[potty trained]

i don't think scotstoun is a great stadium for football and transport wise far harder to get too. A lot of the new stadiums st mirren park, broadwood, new Douglas park etc are not great stadiums and far more soulless than firhill imo

 

What makes these stadiums soulless?

 

Why are they not great?

 

 

[Lambies Lost Doo]

For Thistle this season the plan is to avoid relegation. It's that simple. Hopefully avoiding the play off while playing decent football.

 

Long term in terms of youth development it's to produce more players from youth system to play in the first team and hopefully sell to generate money for the club ala Hamilton and Dundee United. We have started from almost nothing and the work by Gerry Britton, Scott Allison and others with the Weir money is very impressive. Follow Scott on twitter and read the Thistle Weir updates and it will put you in a better mood. We are doing well here.

 

Money wise the club is going in the right direction. We have our debts under control and have been breaking even at the least for the past 2 or 3 years. That should be applauded. Fans are over emotional and want want to spend spend spend but to keep the club safe we need to be boring and spend only what we have. We are a small club. We don't have a sugar daddy. These are the facts. Here I'm satisfied again. The only way we get more money is more season tickets sold but it seems some people want any excuse to stay away and criticise the club which I don't understand. It's a culture of being wronged and being offended with limited justification.

 

On the pitch Ian McCall got us moving. Jackie MacNamara took us to another level and the promotion season which Archie took us over the line was a joy to behold including my first ever cup final. Last season was again an exciting season with a lot of plaudits, ropey home results but I was entertained. This season we've had mixed results but I don't understand the negativity. Ross County and ICT were great games. I fear with the plethora of games on tv people expect Barca, Arsenal or PSG. Expectations are way above of what is reasonable.

 

Next steps? Staying in the top league and not be Rangers, Hearts or Hibs. Getting the youth into the team but that will take a good few years yet. Getting more fans involved so instead of them ranting and raving they take that passion and use their skills to help the club. After this we can look at grandiose schemes of stadium developments, European adventures and 5000+ season ticket holders and the like.

[AndyMac]

What makes these stadiums soulless?

 

Why are they not great?

 

They just are boring, bland, bog standard affairs that have no heart or soul.

 

Take St Mirren, their old ground was pretty manky, terrace behind the goal, new stand behind the goal, shed up the side and a really crappy old main stand. Now they have a brand new state of the art ground, but it's as dull as paint drying with zero character.

 

Don't get me wrong Firhill could be improved but it is a cracking ground, the bing will get sorted sooner or later, the JHS is a tip top great big stand one of the best in Scotland, nothing wrong with the north stand and the main stand is brilliant too, some people slag it off and ok it needs a bit of work, but all in all, give me our ground any day of the week to that lego kit St Mirren now call home.

[potty trained]

 

 

They just are boring, bland, bog standard affairs that have no heart or soul.

 

Take St Mirren, their old ground was pretty manky, terrace behind the goal, new stand behind the goal, shed up the side and a really crappy old main stand. Now they have a brand new state of the art ground, but it's as dull as paint drying with zero character.

 

Don't get me wrong Firhill could be improved but it is a cracking ground, the bing will get sorted sooner or later, the JHS is a tip top great big stand one of the best in Scotland, nothing wrong with the north stand and the main stand is brilliant too, some people slag it off and ok it needs a bit of work, but all in all, give me our ground any day of the week to that lego kit St Mirren now call home.

 

You do realise our ground is two thirds a mechano stadium. The JHS hasn't had a bit of work done to it since it was built. Well, that's a lie, all the directors and hospitality rooms have had plenty work. The seats and toilets you n me use? Nothing. Seats are broken all over the place, reported repeatedly to the club but nothing done. The toilets are disgusting, the drainage pipes on the back wall leak, the roof leaks. It's far from tip top.

 

The NS is a mechano stand the same as every other.

 

Heart and soul doesn't come over night, it comes from generations attending, through historic victories, it comes through creating an atmosphere within the ground. But also look at hearts and hibs who have drastically modernised, yet kept their original site, are they soulless?

 

Ask the directors their opinion of the stadium, they will tell you it's a noose round the clubs neck. Poor facilities, no space. Ever increasing maintainence costs as well.

 

I used to be dead against us moving, hell I even created a website dedicated to the main Stand, with Keiron Dempsey. Now? I'd be over the moon if selling firhill gave us the same opportunity it has given St mirren!

Edited September 30, 2014 by potty trained

[Lambies Lost Doo]

In terms of stadium I'd handle us moving or total redevelopment.

 

Expectations and tastes have changed massively over past couple decades and I feel Scottish football is full of angry old men. Stadiums should be generating revenue all week and also before and after games as part of a whole package.

 

I want a seat I can be comfortable in without the seat in front of me digging into my knees. I want a decent choice of beer in the supporters bar, think Aitken Suite is much improved after changes. I want a decent choice of food instead of old pie and bovril. I want protection from the elements and warm water in toilet sinks with space in the concourse.

 

The above is different from others but you need to cater for different people now, families, singers and more padionate fans, hand clappers like me etc. A modern stadium would help this.

[Jaggernaut]

My first visit to the Aitken Suite since the "refurbishment" was the St Mirren defeat a couple of weeks ago.

 

Frankly, I thought it was dreadful. Not a single item on any wall to remind you that you were in a Partick Thistle supporters' lounge; bare walls, industrial flooring, stark wooden tables and chairs.... the place looked like an empty, soulless aircraft hanger with a wee bar. I wouldn't go out of my way to go back there for a pre-match pint; I felt depressed even before the game started!

[Lindau]

 

 

You do realise our ground is two thirds a mechano stadium. The JHS hasn't had a bit of work done to it since it was built. Well, that's a lie, all the directors and hospitality rooms have had plenty work. The seats and toilets you n me use? Nothing. Seats are broken all over the place, reported repeatedly to the club but nothing done. The toilets are disgusting, the drainage pipes on the back wall leak, the roof leaks. It's far from tip top.

 

The NS is a mechano stand the same as every other.

 

Heart and soul doesn't come over night, it comes from generations attending, through historic victories, it comes through creating an atmosphere within the ground. But also look at hearts and hibs who have drastically modernised, yet kept their original site, are they soulless?

 

Ask the directors their opinion of the stadium, they will tell you it's a noose round the clubs neck. Poor facilities, no space. Ever increasing maintainence costs as well.

 

I used to be dead against us moving, hell I even created a website dedicated to the main Stand, with Keiron Dempsey. Now? I'd be over the moon if selling firhill gave us the same opportunity it has given St mirren!

 

Totally agree. Some people appear to be attending Firhill with their eyes shut. The place is a crumbling wreck. If moving to another ground meant the club was debt free, able to attract better players and with the added bonus of the youth policy moving along nicely, I would be all for it and this comes from a veteran that has seen every European game played in the stadium. Sometimes you have to move on and with the amount that would be required to make Firhill a half decent stadium, it's a no brainier for me that the club should be looking to move if there is suitable localised ground for another stadium.

[Richard Nixon]

In terms of stadium I'd handle us moving or total redevelopment.

 

Expectations and tastes have changed massively over past couple decades and I feel Scottish football is full of angry old men. Stadiums should be generating revenue all week and also before and after games as part of a whole package.

 

I want a seat I can be comfortable in without the seat in front of me digging into my knees. I want a decent choice of beer in the supporters bar, think Aitken Suite is much improved after changes. I want a decent choice of food instead of old pie and bovril. I want protection from the elements and warm water in toilet sinks with space in the concourse.

 

The above is different from others but you need to cater for different people now, families, singers and more padionate fans, hand clappers like me etc. A modern stadium would help this.

 

Very good points - I think to survive and more importantly flourish, football as a whole needs to update it's outlook by a couple of centuries.

 

Remember when Firhill actually had coloured seats, instead of the yellow which has nicely faded to match the grey?

 

I don't know how far-fetched it would be to consider a stadium with multiple uses, designed to appeal as a music venue? I don't know about other entertainments included in a place that was open all week - cinema, bowling, a place for emerging sports like Roller Derby? Look at the facilities that are available in the SSE Hydro, and then compare them to the welcome you receive in the JHS. Imagine if the concourse facilities were improved to the degree where they weren't just concrete sheep-pens. Of course this is a Scottish football problem as a whole, where changes would have to be made to alcohol laws, standing laws, stewarding, etc.

 

What is happening with the old Transport Museum? How about an indoor stadium fully integrated with all the other sporting facilities down there, as part of an entertainment complex in a hugely popular and busy part of town, right next door to where we first played.

[Jaggernaut]

 

 

What is happening with the old Transport Museum? How about an indoor stadium fully integrated with all the other sporting facilities down there, as part of an entertainment complex in a hugely popular and busy part of town, right next door to where we first played.

 

I like that kind of out-of-the-box thinking. Imagine a fully indoor stadium! The atmosphere could be excellent. But what height would the roof need to be? Is there any lower limit set for football stadia with retractable roofs? Some of our one-touch football (Muirhead's clearances) go a hell of a long way skyward! Is there any top-level team in any country that plays only in a fully indoor stadium?

[AndyMac]

I like that kind of out-of-the-box thinking. Imagine a fully indoor stadium! The atmosphere could be excellent. But what height would the roof need to be? Is there any lower limit set for football stadia with retractable roofs? Some of our one-touch football (Muirhead's clearances) go a hell of a long way skyward! Is there any top-level team in any country that plays only in a fully indoor stadium?

 

Some of this stuff is pipe dream stuff, fair enough but the reality would be some el cheapo lego indtikit ground, hopefully with 4 sides on a bit of unwanted scrub / waste land over the hill and far away.

Carefull for what you wish for.

[Derby Jag]

I'm sure that woman who was trying to buy Killie a couple of seasons ago was mooting the indoor stadium idea. If I recall there is at least one example in Europe were it is done, probably Scandinavia.