Is Ridsdale for real?

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Can he do no wrong? Although I get the feeling he is learning all the time from the mistakes of others, namely our board.

Meanwhile, Ridsdale revealed the club have launched a feasibility study into developing a new stadium or expanding their current Elland Road home.

"In order to continue to compete at the top of the Premier League and in Europe, it is important that we have the facilities to maximise match day demand and, thereby, enhance shareholder value," said the Leeds supremo.

"Included in the feasibility study will be a full consultation process involving our shareholders, the city council and our supporter base.

"No final commitment will be made until this consultation process has been completed."

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

Answers

Just my thoughts, he sounds like our board when we were the media darlings. The TV cameras turned up when Keegan announced he's changed the colour of the cones at the traing groung because they used to be red & white. The media lapped us up & Leeds are now leading them a merry dance. Risdale musn't emply a scottish manager or talk to any Arabs.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

It sohould be interesting to see how they go about financing the ground redevelopment.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

Half a Rio should do the trick

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

But we did consult our supporters before deciding on the way to go....we just spoke to our intended supporters rather than the current incumbents ;-)

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

We (the club) didn't have a choice, the council moved so slowly that they wouldn't give permission for anything. I thought that if the council couldn't authorise the Leases park plan the club should have gone over the river, at least we wouldn't hve to put up with their umming & arring.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001


I can't quite understand Leeds plans, Eland Road is pretty much surrounded by open space, right next to the motorway, I can't see why they'd want to move apart from the problem of rebuilding while the season goes on. I for one think we did quite well accomodating everyone (albeit open to the elements0 whilst the rebuiling went on.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

I don't see the present capacity being a problem. Allegedly we got over 50,000 for every league game this season. Hands up any one who believes this to be so.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

you think we've been doing a Sunderland?

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

DaveleF,
I know we've discussed this before, but there is not the slightest doubt in my mind that if the Toon had gone ahead and identified an alternative site - such as the site near the Metrocentre that was mooted at one point - spent some money on on outline design, and applied for planning approval, that the Castle Leazes proposal would ultimately have been approved.

If the Toon had demonstrated a serious intent to build elsewhere, there is no way Newcastle Council would have dared allow this to proceed - that would hve been political suicide, something over which Politicians have an acute antenna.

The process would probably have involved The City Council referring the planning application to the DofE to deflect some/most of the flak from local environmentalists/activists. But it would have been approved. As you correctly point out, the timing would have been extended - however IMO for the long haul it was more important to get it right rather than making the expensive compromises and inherent limitations that have been built into the SJP scheme. We'll never know, of course.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001


Newcastle City Council don't and never have given a hoot about the club. They're bitter that the football club appear to have more clout than them and that the resurgence of NUFC helped spark a regeneration of the city.

Sorry, but local government has very rarely done anything useful for the communities they were elected to serve.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001



I agree Clarky & yes we've been here before. I do think the 'club' listened to the fans at the time & we had a great opinion that extending SJP was the favourite option. The problem was that money seemed free flowing and the choice wasn't quite clear. If the options were, stay at SJP, spend £60m on the ground but allow the team to go backwards or move to Gateshead, costing £25m and stay competitive, then we may have had a different opinion amongst the fans.

-- Anonymous, May 23, 2001

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