|
Post by Dodger on Jan 20, 2020 12:04:58 GMT
Such a pity about Perdiswell.
OK, so we get back to Worcester by playing at Claines.......but then what?
In the ideal world, we get bigger crowds and the associated greater revenue. We then have money to improve the squad and get better results. Better results mean promotion, and so on and so on.
The problem then is that we have nowhere to go to once we get 'bigger' than the Claines Lane site can cope with (crowd capacity, parking etc.).
In addition would need to be improved to meet larger numbers travelling by that mode of transport. Imagine the scramble of, say, 200 supporters waiting to board the next 144 on a cold winters evening and not wishing to wait for the next bus. I would also imagine the frustrations at trying to turn right, out of Claines Lane, onto the A38.
Claines Lane can only be good for so long.
|
|
|
Post by thatloudbloke on Jan 20, 2020 12:31:00 GMT
memory serves me correct, the board said it was a 10 year plan at Claines Lane, whilst looking forward at other sites, we need to get behind this to see the club back in Worcester & help the club get back up the leagues, as far as buses & other transport i'm sure there are plans to overcome any issues, they did say they were talking to local schools & businesses for parking. #keepthefaith...
|
|
|
Post by Brooksiders Return!! on Jan 20, 2020 15:51:17 GMT
Totally agree with thatloudbloke , we just have to get behind it and make it work, and if we do end up with problem of getting too big for Claines Lane, wouldn't that be a great problem to have? Claines Lane isn't ideal, and will be a temporary measure, but it is in Worcester, and the club is not too big for it at the moment. It gives the opportunity to stabilise instead of haemorrhaging cash on out of town groundshares. It has been an interesting ride ending up at Claines Lane. Sixways would have been ideal, apart from the flaky owners, who talked the talk on two separate occasions, but bottled it when it became a reality. Perdiswell is still a future option, and who knows? We could always move across the road to the hockey "stadium" where there will be a football pitch already in play. But, for now, it's Claines Lane
|
|
|
Post by Dodger on Jan 24, 2020 11:27:34 GMT
It isn't about NOT getting behind the City, it's just a worry that playing at Claines may well stifle any league/s progression. It's good that playing there may well encourage more supporters but how long will parking and general travel difficulties put people off.
Does the 10 year plan for Claines mean an acceptance of playing at MFL level (or just above) for those 10 years? Could Claines ever be developed further to incorporate National League level (ground grading)?
It won't matter to the Council as they can (with hand on heart) say that they facilitated bringing City home.
|
|
|
Post by Brooksiders Return!! on Jan 24, 2020 15:02:31 GMT
It might stifle any promotions some time in the future, in fact, it most probably will, but for now, and certainly the next few years, we have to re-stabilise a football club that was in financial freefall under the previous regimes. Lets face it, WCFC haven't known what a promotion feels like since 1978, so there's little point in worrying about the impact on promotion unless the club is in a position for this to happen. What are these "general traffic difficulties"? Claines Lane is just off a main road, its easy to get to by car, its cycleable, and there a bus stop right outside the ground. Wheres this parking problem? Worrying about whether Claines Lane could be developed to incorporate National League level ground grading is like Stevenage Borough worrying about whether their ground could be developed to play in the Premiership!! Forget it, its about the here and now. WCFC still may not be in existence in 5 years time, its still all on a knife edge. There could well be a Worcester Warriors FC playing in the Conference in 5 years time, who knows? Worcester Raiders might be the premier team in Worcester, and built a purpose built ground at the site of the defunct hockey stadium, who knows? It should be borne in mind just how important the recent shareholders vote on ownership, and share drag through is. It means that, if a wealthy indivudal , or company, or consortium, wanted to invest a large amount of money in building a new future for WCFC, it is now entirely possible, depending on shareholder voting, for this to happen. This could never happen in the past, and however many Arab sheikhs Dean Holdsworth had lined up, they simply could NOT have invested. It would have been long-winded for Warriors to have done the same. Now its possible, and the millstone of the 1% ownership, and high number of DEAD shares has been taken out of the equation. Sorry to be blunt but thats how I am, Its as simple as this, if it ain't Claines Lane, it's nowhere!! Now ......what's your choice?
|
|
|
Post by Woodenose on Jan 24, 2020 18:42:42 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Brooksiders Return!! on Jan 24, 2020 19:48:32 GMT
Perdiswell is DEAD!!!
|
|
|
Post by cloud on Jan 25, 2020 20:27:02 GMT
I don't think we should take anything for granted regarding people going to Claines Lane. It's not a case of simply build it and they will come. Complaisansy will kill us. It will be seven years since we last had a home ground in Worcester. Since then we've lost hundreds of fans. We can all name people who we no longer see. They now do other things with their time. Will they come back to watch City play MFL games at Claines? Probably not. They definitely won't come back if the games are pointless if there is no chance of a promotion. Of the remaining fanbase that attend matches- they currently do so in a nice ground at the Vic. Claines Lane is going to be very different. We need to give people a reason to go to games, just being in Worcester will not be enough to get people to come. I think the Board said, at the meeting in December, that the new ground would enable promotion. I hope this will be the case. If not, its going to be a struggle to get those lapsed folk to go down a new Lane. We'd also even probably see current fans lose interest. And as for attracting new fans, when I've spoken to people, they didn't even know we existed.
|
|
oxford
First Teamer
Posts: 406
|
Post by oxford on Jan 26, 2020 8:46:56 GMT
I don't come on here much now as I don't think the opinion of one selfish outsider is very pertinent to the future of the club which has to be priority. I must confess though that I have been thinking the same but didn't say anything for the above reason. It is interesting to hear a Worcester person(I assume)say the same.
|
|
|
Post by zeke on Jan 26, 2020 9:52:33 GMT
I don't think we should take anything for granted regarding people going to Claines Lane. It's not a case of simply build it and they will come. Complaisansy will kill us. It will be seven years since we last had a home ground in Worcester. Since then we've lost hundreds of fans. We can all name people who we no longer see. They now do other things with their time. Will they come back to watch City play MFL games at Claines? Probably not. They definitely won't come back if the games are pointless if there is no chance of a promotion. Of the remaining fanbase that attend matches- they currently do so in a nice ground at the Vic. Claines Lane is going to be very different. We need to give people a reason to go to games, just being in Worcester will not be enough to get people to come. I think the Board said, at the meeting in December, that the new ground would enable promotion. I hope this will be the case. If not, its going to be a struggle to get those lapsed folk to go down a new Lane. We'd also even probably see current fans lose interest. And as for attracting new fans, when I've spoken to people, they didn't even know we existed. Just to add. Whether the younger fanbase will come back is not known yet. I hope they do. But at The Vic, with less than 300 fans, probably 200 are seated. As we have an older fanbase, this is a necessity to most of them. With only 100 seats at Claines, how many will "forced" to decide it's a no go for them?
|
|
|
Post by thatloudbloke on Jan 26, 2020 11:20:30 GMT
why be so negative, we should be grateful we are comming home, i think its about time all fans look at the positives & help to grow the gate at Claines Lane, 200 seated is not correct as there are more supporters standing & lots of the older ones stand on the opposite side to the stand & at either end. #keepthefaith #bringcityhome...
|
|
|
Post by The sound and the fury on Jan 26, 2020 13:30:07 GMT
I'm not fussed about promotion, I just want to be able to watch Worcester City. If promotion and on-pitch glory were priorities for me in football I wouldn't have spent getting on for 50 years living and breathing WCFC! Yes it's great to have winning spells, cup runs or great performances occasionally, but it's about the being. And that very being has been threatened so much of late, it's great to just be able to see the team play in whatever guise that is or wherever it may be.
|
|
|
Post by The Verner on Jan 27, 2020 11:52:44 GMT
I hope some of the stay away supporters come back and support the club again, how would they expect the club to grow and move back in the direction of where we once were (on the pitch) if they sit at home and do nothing about it (Until we have a decent cup run).
Is Claines Lane going to be a challenge ? Yes
Can we get in there and improve the facilities ? Yes
How much...that depends how much the council and WFA want the site to grow
Perdiswell is dead, has been for a very long time
|
|
|
Post by cloud on Feb 21, 2020 21:25:58 GMT
With the FA Vase disaster and the departure of Demetri to our rivals (in our dreams) Hereford, it looks like it really is season over. He held out up to now, so fair play to the lad. Looking at things logically... before the end of the season, more players will leave and crowds will naturally go down.
We desperately need some good news story releases about Claines to keep things rolling along for next season. Anybody from the club got any Claines news to say? Got to keep interest going....
Us City fans are aware that the Board are working hard to get the move to Claines resolved, but we need to keep drip feeding stories out to the general public/media so they know we are still coming home/back to Worcester next season. It's gone a bit quiet recently, hope that will soon change.
|
|
|
Post by Brooksiders Return!! on Feb 23, 2020 11:56:03 GMT
I agree with the comment above, and as a Director of the Supporters Trust, you would think that I'd know what's going on at Claines Lane, or indeed what needs to be going on at Claines Lane, but I don't. I've asked the question, and received no response. Based on what the club board said at the meeting at the cricket ground, the club is definitely playing at Claines Lane next season. On the basis that no-one has been asked, or is asking , about any help required, I'm assuming (and it only an assumption) that everything is all in order and sorted out. All grants applied for, all volunteers in place, all sponsorship done etc. This is only an assumption based on the radio silence, but in this new world of transparency, I'm sure if the club needed assistance in making Claines Lane happen, they would have asked, and shareholders, supporters and Trust members would already know.
|
|
|
Post by The sound and the fury on Feb 29, 2020 11:53:57 GMT
Simple but obvious question. Have City, Raiders or the County FA applied for a Football Foundation grant for a 3G pitch? Could make a mint atm with a playable pitch, have four or more games a weekend renting the pitch and facilities out to waterlogged clubs.
|
|
|
Post by jupu on Mar 1, 2020 11:05:24 GMT
Good question, but presumably not our call. We are tenants, WFA own the ground. They presumably have developed a business case, which takes into account an evaluation of the costs/benefits of grass versus 3g. It will be a major embarrassment and deeply disappointing if we are faced with endless postponements again next year and the prospect of 5 or 6 games a week on a poor pitch by the time April comes around. I don't think that's an exaggeration, the MFL had to extend the season by a week due to the weather two years ago and I suspect will be obliged to do the same again this time around.
|
|
|
Post by The Verner on Mar 2, 2020 9:23:53 GMT
Good question, but presumably not our call. We are tenants, WFA own the ground. They presumably have developed a business case, which takes into account an evaluation of the costs/benefits of grass versus 3g. It will be a major embarrassment and deeply disappointing if we are faced with endless postponements again next year and the prospect of 5 or 6 games a week on a poor pitch by the time April comes around. I don't think that's an exaggeration, the MFL had to extend the season by a week due to the weather two years ago and I suspect will be obliged to do the same again this time around. As of last weeks league meeting, they confirmed there would NOT be an extension due to their being play offs this season and the FA wanting to start work on the new league pyramid look for next year. As it stands, we could well be playing Selston on a Thursday night as any dates we have free are taken by Selston already!
|
|
|
Post by Tim Munslow on Mar 5, 2020 12:27:30 GMT
The weather-inspired postponements of the last few weeks point ever more to the need for a 3G pitch. Look how Malvern must be earning money by renting their pitch out.
I've witnessed matches at Claines Lane and I fear the worst with two teams playing on that surface: just look how many postponements Raiders have had - and that's with only one team playing on it.
|
|
|
Post by zeke on Mar 5, 2020 14:21:13 GMT
I see the Raiders had a game cancelled due to someone nicking the power cables.
|
|
|
Post by thatloudbloke on Mar 5, 2020 17:55:04 GMT
typical WN only half a story, there were other properties broken into & things stolen or destroyed, but that is not news, its been used to get Raiders & WCFC having a go at each other again,I am not a Raiders fan but feel for them after all the effort they have put in to get to where they are with the ground, hope they can get help to get back to playing at Claines Lane soon & this could also affect the City in getting to play there next season...
|
|
|
Post by lancashirelad2 on Mar 30, 2020 19:08:08 GMT
I hope some of the stay away supporters come back and support the club again, how would they expect the club to grow and move back in the direction of where we once were (on the pitch) if they sit at home and do nothing about it (Until we have a decent cup run). Is Claines Lane going to be a challenge ? Yes Can we get in there and improve the facilities ? Yes How much...that depends how much the council and WFA want the site to grow Perdiswell is dead, has been for a very long time If the new season (2020-21) starts up in August. Will City be playing at Claines Lane or Bromsgrove?
|
|
|
Post by The Verner on Mar 31, 2020 8:38:14 GMT
I hope some of the stay away supporters come back and support the club again, how would they expect the club to grow and move back in the direction of where we once were (on the pitch) if they sit at home and do nothing about it (Until we have a decent cup run). Is Claines Lane going to be a challenge ? Yes Can we get in there and improve the facilities ? Yes How much...that depends how much the council and WFA want the site to grow Perdiswell is dead, has been for a very long time If the new season (2020-21) starts up in August. Will City be playing at Claines Lane or Bromsgrove? Claines Lane I believe
|
|
niels
City Legend
Posts: 1,741
|
Post by niels on Apr 1, 2020 8:27:47 GMT
You don't sound too sure, Kev.
|
|
|
Post by The Verner on Apr 1, 2020 10:52:27 GMT
It isn't my place to update everyone, someone asked my opinion so I gave it. I believe Lancs has contacted Dave Wood
|
|
|
Post by The sound and the fury on Apr 1, 2020 20:26:29 GMT
Have you seen the latest twatter posts from the pub team? Lots of snide digs at City, how it's their ground that they are paying for, that Claines Lane is red and black etc etc.
|
|
|
Post by jupu on Apr 2, 2020 19:28:40 GMT
That's what happens when people have too much time on their hands. Please don't enter into a childish spat, folks. Both sides have to learn to share.
|
|
|
Post by lancashirelad2 on Apr 3, 2020 13:58:21 GMT
If the new season (2020-21) starts up in August. Will City be playing at Claines Lane or Bromsgrove? Claines Lane I believe Thats good news then. I will try and get down (from Preston) for a couple of games next season.
|
|
|
Post by lancashirelad2 on Apr 3, 2020 14:01:38 GMT
Will I be right in thinking that if City are to play their home games at Claines Lane next season, the local pubs will be "THE MUG INN" and "THE RAVEN" ? I used to drink in both those pubs in the late 70s and early 80s (does anyone remember Wally Trow (maybe spelled wrongly) the 1970s landlord of THE MUG INN? - Good days!
|
|
|
Post by cloud on Apr 3, 2020 15:49:05 GMT
There was a quick mention of this on BBC H&W this morning, presenter said that Steve Goode had said (something like) Claines Lane is still the plan, but there is a short term contingency plan to play somewhere else for bit if coronavirus causes any delays.
Mug Inn = Mug House, yes, just down the Lane from the new ground. Absolutely gorgeous old pub, in the church yard.
|
|