The Copthall Stadium Thread

[SteveR]

What you need to have groundwise for Level 6 and what you need for Level 3 are completely different. If KTFC are going to stay at Copthall long-term, and progress through the leagues, you are going to have to spend a lot of money at some point to upgrade the stadium.

[Lato]

not with friends like Sir Trevor Brooking, Lord Whatever his name is, Arsenal FC and The Nigerian FA at their beck and call.

[Rhodes]

Originally Posted By: SteveR

What you need to have groundwise for Level 6 and what you need for Level 3 are completely different. If KTFC are going to stay at Copthall long-term, and progress through the leagues, you are going to have to spend a lot of money at some point to upgrade the stadium.

Thanks for that reply but give one or two examples, when I've been discussing the matter with the endless stream of groundhoppers that have visited us this season they seem convinced the ground is already good enough for Conference South level and possibly even Conference, it's capacity is 10,000 afterall, sorry 9,999.

[GRS67]

The stadium looks in pretty good shape, and to my mind could easilly handly Ryman Prem football. It has entry points at either end with turnstiles and the main entrance. A huge covered seating stand, terracing along the side and behind both goals.

 

Its in better condtion then Claremont Road, though that does offer bar faciltys and food etc. But cant a lisecnse be obtained for that at Copthall?

 

All in all for an altheics stadium being used as a footall ground its one of the better ones.

[Rhodes]

Gavin - Yes that's right, I'm not sure what SteveR is going on about but it's probably just sour grapes, we're not that fussed about an alcohol licence to be honest as the demon drink only leads to problems and we're trying to get the right message across particularly with Arsenal looking over our shoulder at every turn.

[GRS67]

Thats fair enough, I am sure you can still sell soft drinks and hot food? Do the club get a % of those takings or is that the council who I would presume are the stadium owners?

 

I MUST get down to see a Kentish Town match, I have said that time and time again, but I really do want to get to see a game.

 

Hopefully before the season is out I will manage a game or two.

 

As you may have seen Edgware are having a pretty good season

 

We sit top of the table at the halfway stage at xmas

[Rhodes]

Gavin - Yes we've got an all singing all dancing cafe at the Stadium which we run ourselves, it's hugely popular on matchdays and handy for making all the food after matches, we're really able to push the boat out as our visitors will no doubt confirm.

Yes please come down to a game soon, it was a real let down for us when you decided not to join team Kentish Town but we fully appreciate that your heart is very much with Edgware Town.

[GRS67]

Originally Posted By: Rhodes

Gavin - Yes we've got an all singing all dancing cafe at the Stadium which we run ourselves, it's hugely popular on matchdays and handy for making all the food after matches, we're really able to push the boat out as our visitors will no doubt confirm.
Yes please come down to a game soon, it was a real let down for us when you decided not to join team Kentish Town but we fully appreciate that your heart is very much with Edgware Town.

I was going though a difficult time, and needed to get some space away from the game for a little while. It was wrong of me to get in touch with Kentish Town and offer my help when I was cleary not in the right frame of mind to do so, and had I jumped in and then left it would have been worse.

I only wish Kenitsh Town FC good things in the future as well as yourself.

[Rhodes]

Many thanks, at least it gave us a first hand insight into what you are capable of, it was amazing how you initiated that Blog, Forum and link to the BBC Non League Website in about five minutes flat and Edgware Town should thank their lucky stars for having you.

[Hendonboy]

Originally Posted By: Rhodes

Thanks for that reply but give one or two examples, when I've been discussing the matter with the endless stream of groundhoppers that have visited us this season they seem convinced the ground is already good enough for Conference South level and possibly even Conference, it's capacity is 10,000 afterall, sorry 9,999.

Two examples off the top of my head... the fence needs completely replacing and there isn't enough covered accomodation.

[GRS67]

Those two examples would hardly cost the figures that were mentioned when Hendon were looking to move to Copthall.

 

I hope Hendon can stay at Claremont Rd, but if they did move Copthall would not have been a bad location.

[Rhodes]

HendonBoy - Many thanks but would that cost between 500k and 1M to get done.

Merry Christmas

[Greg_Dyke]

Originally Posted By: Hendonboy

Two examples off the top of my head... the fence needs completely replacing and there isn't enough covered accomodation.

Not enough covered accomodation ?

I am certain it's more than enough for the average home crowd.

As for the fence, I think the relationship with KTFC's near North London neighbours may be the answer to that one...

[Rhodes]

Greg Dyke - I see that you saw the article in Non League yesterday, what did you think, Arsenal are chasing us as opposed to the other way around

[Hendonboy]

Er... Rhodes asked for one or two examples of what needed doing. I just gave two that I knew off the top of my head. I rather suspect there's a number more things that need doing, but can't claim to be sure of the detail of things such as size of referee's dressing room, how many working turnstyles there are, the Lux rating of the floodlights and suchlike at Copthall and whether it meets the standard we need.

 

And yes Mr Dyke, we need more covering than would accommodate our entire crowd at each game other than against AFC Wimbledon. I suspect also, but can't be sure, that Kentish Town haven't taken on the maintainence costs of Copthall Stadium. We were asked to do so, which along with the necessary costs to make Copthall habitable for a progressive step 3/2 side with little ongoing turnover made the project very difficult to justify.

[Hendonboy]

Incidentally - it's also worth noting that the Ground Grading requirements were changed during the period that we were looking at the ground. Again, I can't be sure, but it may partially explain why the interest dwindled (as has the fact that we still have our ground several years after we originally expected it to have been bulldozed!)

[Rhodes]

Hendon Boy - You forgot to type 'I rest my case' after your last post and you make some positive and valid points without needing to throw all your toys out of the pram like your cohort SteveR often does un-necesarily.

Having said that I still sense an element of sour grapes on your part at Kentish Town succeeding where 'the mighty' Hendon failed in securing the Copthall Stadium and I also sense this whenever I speak to Graham on the phone. Afterall you didn't know that your life span at Claremont Road would be extended considerably particularly as the bulldozers were already parked up outside on 22 April 2006 following your 1-0 defeat against AFC Wimbledon.

[Football Man]

Originally Posted By: Hendonboy

I suspect also, but can't be sure, that Kentish Town haven't taken on the maintainence costs of Copthall Stadium.

No, they just hire the use of the facilities from the athletics club.

[Rhodes]

Football Man - How on earth would you know that, incidentally when do you plan to make a pilgrimage to the stadium this season

[Football Man]

Maybe Saturday, maybe later.