quick question re stadium

[paulc27]

Not sure if over time if this Q has been answered but now that the Basildon plan seems dead, what will the club be able to do in the event of any future success on the pitch? in other words with our current ground how far up the league ladder can we go as I thought it was deemed that New Lodge cannot be developed any further. With Mr Kent's backing the chance of team success on the pitch does now seem a realistic option but will our progress on the pitch be stopped because of the facilities we have? Or was the info given by the previous board about NLOdge not being able to be developed further exagerated in order to help the Basildon project?

cheers.

paul

[Alice]

A good question. I was a little puzzled by the statement attributed to Steve kent that the club would continue to search for an alternative to Gloucester Park. If New Lodge is not up to Conference standard, or if the objective is to expand and improve it regardless, has any one looked into the possibility of buying the piece of land next to the ground. If this could be had, there are numerous possibilities to change the pitch orientation 90 degrees and build new stand(s) and car park etc.

 

In any event it would seem to be an appropriate time for Steve to update the Supporters Club on what he has in mind.

[extaffyjim]

Its an interesting question that id been pondering myself. Also, would everyone prefer to stay in Billericay, even if that meant we were limited in limited in how far we could progress on the pitch. Would you prefer to move to another stadium (say Gloucester Park for the sake of argument) and be able to play in the conference, or stay in Billericay but be confined to Conference South? Anyone any thoughts? If it came down to a direct question like this, i dont know what i would choose personally

[GazzaBTFC]

I'm sure that Steve has plans but like everything else, these need working out and setting in concrete. He wouldn't be the Chairman we respect if he came up with some half arsed plan that needed agreement with the Council and such. He is just as dissapointed as you of the events, so give the man some time and he will come up with something.

 

Think about this, Canvey's and HGornchurch's ground is in now way a Conference standard ground and yet they got the certificate. There are ground far worse than ours that have a Ryman grading (how?). Just a few improvements and we'll be okay.

 

Alice, just one question. Do you never praise anything the club / team do? It's okay asking questions but that is all you do. You never seem to praise....I wonder why? Oh and who are the "Old Guard"? We're all wondering....

[Alice]

Bit touchy!!! A genuine question that a large proportion of fans will be thinking about. Also you may note that there is also a constructive suggestion about the possibilty of expanding the existing ground.

 

I would have thought that a communication conduit between Steve and the official supporters club is the best way to keep fans updated...I'm surprised you seem not to agree.

 

Personally, I hate the thought of moving from New Lodge and I was looking for a way to get the best of both worlds. Noone was criticised and if you care to look back thru my recent posts you will see I have praised Steve Kent more than any other contributor to this site. I don't think it will come to a choice between staying put and playing higher grade football. However, if it does, unlike you Gazza I won't sit on the fence...I would want to stay at New Lodge. BTFC will not be the same club if we move.

 

I don't understand your reference to "Old Guard", surely this is a reference to the sad past? Why bring it up now? Seems to me that the only ideas you are prepared to be open minded about are those that you come up with.....and they are very few and far between. Your rhetoric will not move the club forward.

 

As I said in a recent post, BTFC has the best Chairman in non league football. Having spoken to him, I know he is interested in what people think, and he is receptive to ideas. Like all good leaders, he listens, considers, and then makes his decisions. You would do well to take some lessons from his book...that way "your staff" might be a lot happier.

[Andy Walsh]

I agree with Alice. I would prefer we stayed at New Lodge as it is our home, but as Gazza said we might not need a new stadium to make conference standards if the neccessary changes can be done at New Lodge.

 

www.billericaytownfc.20m.com

[The Town Crier]

OK, Firstly lets not get carried away, we have won nothing yet, and as Simon pointed out with the FA cup results, our League is a tough one.

 

And...should we be fortunate enough to gain promotion, Conference South will prove to be a very tough League.

 

But...Alice makes a good point...Can New Lodge comply with Conference grading requirements.

 

I don't think that can be answered until such time that it is required.

The reason being, Ground grading criteria seems to change on a yearly basis.

 

There is no spare land to the side of New Lodge.

On one side it is flanked by a nursing home, and on the other a cricket ground.

There is an area of waste ground behind New Lodge, but that is owned by the local Health authority, and they have submitted an application for housing.

 

Altough the current site is big enough to rotate the playing surface 90 degrees the cost is likely to be a million or so.

Would anyone be prepared to invest in such a project on land that is leased.

Invest is probably the wrong word, the word is probably donate.

 

Havaing said all that, I'm only looking as far ahead as Saturday at Windsor, & Tuesday at Cheshunt.

 

Co'mon you Blues!

[extaffyjim]

Well said TC, were getting a touch carried away with our success. We shall attempt to cross that bridge if and when we come to it