Friday 14 November 2008

Let the Park Lane and Shelf live on forever

If you look down this thread over at Glory Glory you'll see something that I've always been a firm believer of. I'll quote:


Existing season ticket holders, and seat prices/stand names, to be transferred as closely as possible from WHL. So in the new stadium, everyone who's got a season ticket for the Park Lane gets a season ticket behind the goal at the Northumberland end for the same price (or the same price ratio in comparison with a ticket in the new West Upper), everyone who's in the Shelf corner gets moved to the corner next to that end, and so on, and on matchdays the cheapest tickets in the new stadium are in the bits which are cheapest now, and - well, actually this bit is architectural, put all the executive boxes and corporate crap in the mid-level and upper tier of the new "West" (i.e. actually now East) Stand.

- edam_anchorman


This is something I've always failed to understand when other clubs don't attempt to retain some form of structure when migrating us fans across to a new ground. Personally think this is vital for us. And Levy best listen to the voices of thousands because if he is genuine with his promises on atmosphere then this is simply the only way to achieve it.

More quotage (this time belonging to Danish White):

The key criteria apart from the obvious stuff like view, safety, catering, access etc should well be:

Acoustics: You really, really do some freaking research in the sound patterns of the pitch, simulated with "soft" background of the stands filled with fans in clothing and all. How hard can it be, seriously. Be an an avante garde for bloody once and be the club who creates a fans ground created for atmosphere !

Proximity: Spare space from touchlines and sidelines should be the absolute minimum allowed for excess pitch feet, space for warmups, add boards and stewards. No a single inch more, not a single.

Denseness of internal build: Upper tiers need to be as advanced to the pitch as possible and wherever possibly by any means should the design aim to allow for more seats upwards on the stand by tilting the stands as steeply vertically rather than horizontally to create space upwards above the pitch rather than outwards towards the streets. Anybody disagreeing with this part can impossibly have been to Bernabeu and felt the thrill in the upper ranks.


If Spurs get this right, then we'll have the best ground in the country, apart from maybe Old Trafford which retains its tradition by being an old stadium built new and expanded. If we get it wrong, you might just find yourself sitting next to Billy Glory-Hunter more interested in the half-time ribs than the action out on the field.

Our enemy will not be Levy, but more so the architects who have this mis-conception that the most vital thing regarding the football experience is comfort, plenty of leg-room and having the best view possible. No thanks. Give me White Hart Lane any day of the week. Compact, busy and loud.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Would be marvellous to have the park lane peeps in the same place (behind the goal). Does all still depend on how the ground is built. I like the German grounds including the ones you showed in the other post. Proper grounds? Wholeheartedly agree. Hoping we go down the same route.