I can't comment on the queues which were metioned elsewhere as I bought my three year South Standing ST before I even saw the stadium,

But what I can say is what a fantastic stadium it is!

On the assumption that transport home to iBozz Towers is sorted, then I think that I'll enjoy standing to watch rugby again.

I'm looking forward to the new term already!

---

No matter what you say, or how you say it, someone somewhere will deliberately go out of their way to be offended.

In loving memory of Her Ladyship - d: 29/12/2007.

You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone. RiP



Please help medical research by Folding@Home and join Swanny's Irregulars - PM me for details. Please!

South Stand with The New Birtles Faithful.

Totally agree Ibozz. Great ground. Looking forward to watching Sale there next season.Lets make the south stand rock !

Sounds like your off back to boarding school for the autumn term with the 'boys' iBozz...

Seasons are for Mozzerballers, rugby union has terms!

---

No matter what you say, or how you say it, someone somewhere will deliberately go out of their way to be offended.

In loving memory of Her Ladyship - d: 29/12/2007.

You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone. RiP



Please help medical research by Folding@Home and join Swanny's Irregulars - PM me for details. Please!

South Stand with The New Birtles Faithful.

agree iBozz the Stadium looks great really looking forward to standing in the south stand as well.

....and with Heineken Cup rugby? Bring it on!! All I can say is, if our players are not up to the game next week we have serious problems. One more win and we can have a nice relaxing final day of the season, drinking ginger beer in the sun, singing songs...tra la la la la..

I was so impressed with the new ground and the view from my seat in the east stand. If the club can make getting there straightforward ten we should have a great new home that will attract new players and fans alike.

Thanks for the kind comments, appreciate it

Where are you going to sit/stand Emergers? Some seriously good deals - £59 in the south stand for the Grey Army before May 5th!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 15/04/2012 18:54 by PAAACE.

New stadium is absolutely bang on.

agreed

Agree, the stadium itself looks excellent. There has been talk that it could be expanded to 20,000. Which parts would be changed to allow for that expansion? Presumably the east stand and/or filling in the corners

What a great option that would be, just need it filled every game and then we can plan for the 20,000

Speaking to a Reds fan after the tour, I get the impression that foundations have been laid so that the corners can be filled in to create the extra seats - possibly up to around 20,000(ish?).

The current in-goal area looked a tad short to me, but there did seem to be some room to expand it.

Is this a league/union difference?

Are there plans to drop the dead ball line back a bit?

---

No matter what you say, or how you say it, someone somewhere will deliberately go out of their way to be offended.

In loving memory of Her Ladyship - d: 29/12/2007.

You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone. RiP



Please help medical research by Folding@Home and join Swanny's Irregulars - PM me for details. Please!

South Stand with The New Birtles Faithful.

So each corner can accomodate 2000 iBozz???
I think not...

Very impressed with today! Stadium looks superb, I hope they tarmac abit more land for parking but overrall our seats in Eaststand are fantastic for viewing.

Border

I emailed Mick about the 'retro-fit' a few weeks ago and he said "both ends and the smaller seating stand (East) can be re-built without altering the foundations. Hopefully both clubs will be pushing capacity in the next few years and this then becomes a more pressing requirement!".

I'm not sure if this would mean a re-developed end would no longer be standing, and also I'm not sure about the disruption this would cause given the overlapping seasons.

great news

Quote:

emerging shark
So each corner can accomodate 2000 iBozz???
I think not...

Come off it, es, I'm not stupid!

The new seats will be designed so that three people will sit on each seat by sitting on each other's shoulders!

Simples!

---

No matter what you say, or how you say it, someone somewhere will deliberately go out of their way to be offended.

In loving memory of Her Ladyship - d: 29/12/2007.

You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone. RiP



Please help medical research by Folding@Home and join Swanny's Irregulars - PM me for details. Please!

South Stand with The New Birtles Faithful.

Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere, but original plans for the three phases of development can be found here: Stadium Plans PDF- Salford Council

Must admit, if phase three is reached then wow! some stadium indeed! Still, looking excellent in the current form and can't wait for the move.

Exciting times ahead we hope. Really good to see so many people there choosing their tickets. How many season ticket holders do with have this year, and how many are we expecting to beat it by next season.

We have 3000 this season and the signs are very encouraging, boosted by the fact several lapsed season ticket holders are returning and have booked already

What is the most no of season tickets we have sold for a season, and when?

Quote:

iBozz
Speaking to a Reds fan after the tour, I get the impression that foundations have been laid so that the corners can be filled in to create the extra seats - possibly up to around 20,000(ish?).

My understanding is that a 'retro fit' on the East Stand foundations means that, in the event of an expansion, the entire East Stand can be Pulled down and replaced by something more akin to the magnificent West Stand; same with the North and South Stands too I think. I haven't heard anything about filling in the corners though.

Quote:

iBozz
The current in-goal area looked a tad short to me, but there did seem to be some room to expand it.

Is this a league/union difference?

Are there plans to drop the dead ball line back a bit?

League in-goal areas are indeed considerably smaller. The league club I play for used to share with West Park Leeds (Stuart Lancaster's current grassroots club) and used to regularly exploit the enormous in-goal markings, much to the annoyance of visiting teams. I'm guessing the Sharks will want to expand them though (league uses metric pitch markings rather than imperial, so there are other differences too).

Union followers who need ten fingers to count use metric too, RJP. Who on earth knows where the twenty five celsius line is, or just how cold three degrees hectare really is?

We Oldies still use yards, Fahrenheit and acres!

---

No matter what you say, or how you say it, someone somewhere will deliberately go out of their way to be offended.

In loving memory of Her Ladyship - d: 29/12/2007.

You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone. RiP



Please help medical research by Folding@Home and join Swanny's Irregulars - PM me for details. Please!

South Stand with The New Birtles Faithful.

Record sales for the club today

Excellent news.Stadium is great.Can understand folk being unsettled by not immediately finding out exact seat allocation,but we're trading good Printerland seats for what I'm sure will be a great experience in the South Stand at a phenomenal rate.Personally I sit on my j*cksie for the majority of the week,& standing for 90 mins in a brilliant stadium every couple of weeks,hopefully watching a sale team buoyed by the whole move,will not be a struggle.Sorry for being unashamedly positive

Thanks for that

Great new stadium. It looks as wide as EP is long.

Saw Stan looking at the pitch out of the windows. I think he could be planning a comeback!

Yes indeed, a splendid stadium and the view from what Strinesian correctly describes as the New Birtles (It had a great atmosphere at Monday's match) is excellent.

But as yet -- as you might expect from a new facility -- it is grey and soulless.

One way to alleviate this is with Sale Sharks/Sale memorabilia. We noticed today that the Reds already have a trophy room/ museum. It would be great to have the same for us.

Also, there are any number of top photos that would enliven the bar areas. Here are just a couple:

we can probably share one small glass fronted case, I suspect neither we nor SCR will cause too much trouble to the local engravers....

Quote:

MikeGC
we can probably share one small glass fronted case, I suspect neither we nor SCR will cause too much trouble to the local engravers....

Don't speak too soon. We were the glamour team for a brief spell in the 70s (the David Watkins, Keith Fielding, Colin Richards era) and one of the few benefits of being a yo-yo team in subsequent years is that you get lots of division one championship trophies

Me and the wife were going to test the water and go to a few matches next season after letting our season ticket lapse 2 years ago. After having a nosey around the stadium on sunday we bit the bullet and bought 2 season tickets.I think the stadium is amazing and is the best move sale could have done.

I thought the most significant thing about Sunday morning was the optimistic mood which prevailed, despite some season tickets holders feeling a bit disenfranchised. A much more optimistic mood than when we moved to Stockport - then it was more relief that we were not on our way to Maine Road!

Keith Fielding attends most Sharks home games, he is a teacher in Bramhall

Quote:

SwannyMediaMan
Keith Fielding attends most Sharks home games, he is a teacher in Bramhall

Excellent. I look forward to seeing him at City of Salford Stadium

Good omens for the South Stand:

Did a rough calculation yesterday on the sellout capacity (as a sellout is looking quite likely) and it came to, would you believe it, 1861! -- give or take a few.

And of course SS also stands for Sale Sharks, Sale Supporters, and Serious Supporters.

Happy Days ahead

Sorry if I'm about to put a damper on things regarding our "new home". The facilities in the West Stand are excellent. The corporate "fans" have super views and so have the Gold season ticket holders. However I'm rather concerened regarding the lack of facilities "back of house". Toilets we have plenty of but the grey breeze blocks walls make the areas very dark and miserable, especially so on a cold wet windy night in January. The wind blew through these areas yesterday and even tho' the sun was out it felt very cold. I'm sure that the areas would be more welcoming with a lick of cream paint, posters etc.,

However my bigggest grip is the lack of a Social Club where one can have a drink with friends and mix with visiting supporters, assuming that they can get to Dumplington on a Friday night. All I could see were two small units under each stand which advertised, among other things, wine at £5 a glass, beer at £3.30 a pint and a bottle of water at £2.00 and a pint and a pie for £5. there are no facilites to sit or indeed any shelfs to use.

I assume that there are plans to provide a social club type facility sooner rather than later. With a distinct lack of watering holes near the stadium this to me is a must.

Rant over I have renewed my season ticket and look forward to our first friendly at our new home.

As we only had the press conference last week, we have as yet no identity at the stadium but this is at hand. Its a shared facility with SCR and it should look great once we move in alongside SCR.
Regarding a 'social club' there will be a facility pre and post game for Sale Sharks supporters to get a drink.

Not 'the shark tank' by any chance?

The airport lounge bar is an option for a social drink pre/post match shy retired shark.
One can wait for the traffic to clear!

HD nope not the Shark tank

Re traffic making rapid strides with this too

That's my current plan Swanny, rapid strides to Eccles: by far the quickest option!

Travelled from Chester to the Stadium in 42 mins less than to EP on a Sunday. But will see what Friday night traffic brings,plan to use the A57 staying off the Motorways. Stadium stupendous, soulless fill it fans and it will be great. Grey walls, a bit of paint and posters will fix that. Sat in East stand seats, 6' 2" and could sit with knees together, never been able to do that at EP in Printerland. loads of toilets, hot air hand dryers and soap dispensers what luxury! Come on next season!!!!

After seeing Saracens new stadium can I retract all my negativity about Salford please? It looks amazing in comparison. Really don't get what they're thinking of at Saracens, for such a big club. A 10,000 capacity ground which will be keeping the running track, the rusty old wooden stand and having lots of temporary structures of which some are uncovered. Doesn't seem to match their on fields ambitions.

This is the existing stand that I believe they are keeping.

[mw2.google.com]

Surely Watford isn't that bad?

Just read in The Scotsman that you've sold nearly 6000 season tickets so far.

Quote:

The Scotsman
Whether that is the case or not, Redpath’s career appears set to take another significant step up as Kennedy and Diamond embark upon a new era at Sale in the 12,000-capacity Salford City Stadium, for which they have already half-filled in season tickets, and with a new team including Scotland lock Richie Gray.

Looks a bit of a jump from the 3000 mentioned earlier in this thread. But congrats if true!

Future's looking bright for you guys!

---

If it really is 6000 then it's going to be fairly crowded on the terraces because I imagine that is where the bulk of STs will have been sold.

Without wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth (or eye), I wonder whether a £99 season ticket, quite probably extended to three years by a large proportion of buyers, is a sustainable income stream for the club over the next three seasons.

The "regular" priced seat tickets are far less attractive and my guess is that the headline season ticket sales figures could well be better than the financial reality.

Quote:

Rampant
Just read in The Scotsman that you've sold nearly 6000 season tickets so far.

Quote:

The Scotsman
Whether that is the case or not, Redpath’s career appears set to take another significant step up as Kennedy and Diamond embark upon a new era at Sale in the 12,000-capacity Salford City Stadium, for which they have already half-filled in season tickets, and with a new team including Scotland lock Richie Gray.

Looks a bit of a jump from the 3000 mentioned earlier in this thread. But congrats if true!

Future's looking bright for you guys!

Would seriously doubt those figures. We currently have around 3,000 season ticket holders for this season and my understanding is that we shifted approximately 1500 last weekend-this would tie-up with Steve Diamond saying that in the region of 1800 fans came to see the new stadium at the open day on Sunday.

Have nearly 6,000 really been sold? I think whoever set the pricing levels should take the main plaudits. At the early bird prices it's no wonder they are selling like hot cakes.

Quote:

Shw Mae
If it really is 6000 then it's going to be fairly crowded on the terraces because I imagine that is where the bulk of STs will have been sold.
Without wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth (or eye), I wonder whether a £99 season ticket, quite probably extended to three years by a large proportion of buyers, is a sustainable income stream for the club over the next three seasons.

The "regular" priced seat tickets are far less attractive and my guess is that the headline season ticket sales figures could well be better than the financial reality.

This could well be offset by any advertising that they can sell though, as they can say "We've got a guaranteed 6,000 fans in there every home game, plus the rest" and drive up the prices that way.

Shw Mae, shw mae. (O/T How is the girls' power getting along these days?)

I presume the belief and hope is that improving headlines = better players = better standard of play = more people coming to watch = more money coming into the coffers = the cycle of success.

I would expect the most expensive places will sell out first. The cheapest will be the most popular, just because there are more of them.

With the North and South terrace pricing being so inexpensive for an ST it probably pays me to get one. Then, on the occasions when four of us come together, get a stand ticket for certain games as I don't think the other three will want to stand for a full game.

That also has the advantage also I am then in two places at once - at least in terms of the "gate.

If one person buys a season ticket for 3 years, then 3 season tickets have been sold.
I wonder if that is the explanation?

We shall be able to see how many STs have been sold by the number of greyed out dots on the new stadium map, (though I do wonder if the terraces will be represented in the same way.)

Quote:

H's D
If one person buys a season ticket for 3 years, then 3 season tickets have been sold.
I wonder if that is the explanation?

It actually says "already half filled with season tickets."

That may well have been the journalists interpretation of the club indicating they had sold 6K season tickets, RJP!
Without wishing to poor cold water on the possibility of selling 6k for next season I don't think it likely or even possible this early in the sales period.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 18/04/2012 15:47 by H's D.

Quote:

Without wishing to poor cold water on the possibility of selling 6k for next season I don't think it likely or even possible this early in the sales period.

I know exactly what you mean H's D, but then I can interpret sentences in which words are incorrectly used.

Do you think there will be any bronze seats left then?

SB14 - I had the same fear about no bronze being left, as I can't afford to pay for my ticket until payday on the 30th April. I was very kindly advised by Mr Swanton that I could ring and reserve my ticket and the pay on the 30th. So that's what I did yesterday :-)

---

Not Everything in Black and White makes sense

Well, my alternative route was a nightmare and even though I set off at 5.15 I didn't get there til 6.50! Had a quick peek and my friend tried a few of the seats - hardly any bronze seats available and only a couple of 'twos', and they were all where you'd get soaked if the wind was blowing in the wrong direction on a rainy day.

So, even though I said I was not under any circumstances ever going anywhere near Barton, not only did I go in and look around, I ended up persuading my friend to get a standing ticket in the South Stand with me, my son (now he is returning from uni in London) and his mate. I hope there will be other ladies in there!

I intend to park at Trafford Centre and my friend will drive over the bridge so I can shut my eyes. Then when I do move to Beverley I'll drive over during the afternoon, collect son and his friend en-route ,park up at Trafford Centre, and stay with my son overnight. Sorted. There is always a solution to a problem if you look hard enough.

Don't suppose they mentioned the level of space left in Southstand?
Seems very popular and I'm hoping to get one on monday

Olly - Lisa who usually works in the shop was serving us originally and when she asked the ticket office she was told there were still quite a lot left in South Stand. You should be ok. Fingers crossed.

Good stuff, cheers

No need to worry!
We have a proven masterplan for large numbers to migrate to, and survive in, the bleak wastes of the South (Pole) stand

Bags me being the 'bird' on the outside. I am always warm so no need for me to huddle and hug you all thank you very much.

H's D, I put your video on, watched most of it then flicked back later to see a polar bear on screen. I presume Discovery had loaded another video, unless it was an interloper from the north stand.

Correct Daveaitch- you only get Polar Bears and Seals in the North stand.

We went to see the new stadium last night and we both really impressed. Only slight complaint was how slippy the steps get when it has rained! nice shiney concrete + rain = someone falling ar*e over

Ahaaaaa, now, health and safety!! That's something we haven't covered for a while.

It was just an observation as most people seemed to have gone on Sunday and I’m sure it didn't rain then

Dewinter. perhaps we should follow League and make it a Desummer game.

O/T H's D, penguins, though, can be spotted north of the equator. This one was seen wandering around Mrs. T's home town, Colwyn Bay, last summer.




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 19/04/2012 08:49 by DaveAitch.

If you see Mrs T wandering round her home town today, let her Carers know - they've lost her again.

She pooped out to get some more denture fixative and has got lost again.

---

No matter what you say, or how you say it, someone somewhere will deliberately go out of their way to be offended.

In loving memory of Her Ladyship - d: 29/12/2007.

You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone. RiP



Please help medical research by Folding@Home and join Swanny's Irregulars - PM me for details. Please!

South Stand with The New Birtles Faithful.

Several Southern Penguins have already indicated that they will migrate to the north if they are too short to see above the huddle Dave! One or two have even indicated they have already done so.

H's D, they'll be the Little Blue Penguins then.

I'm not sure how Mrs T is getting about iBozz - I still have her bath chair from the last trial run to B&Q car park. We retrieved it when she fell in the cut. No sign of her though...

Mrs T was at the new stadium last night having a look around

Quote:

SwannyMediaMan
Mrs T was at the new stadium last night having a look around

Swanny,
How did it go last night? Was there a decent turnout and sales?

H's D: Top idea

Now that looks really snug.

iBozz: I'm just a little concerned about Mrs T "pooping" out

Dear old thing that she is, I don't think she is quite that far gone (yet).

Running Rugby reporting here that we've sold 2,200 season tickets so far.

Quote:

JS Shark
Running Rugby reporting here that we've sold 2,200 season tickets so far.

That report was dated the 16th so before yesterday's second stadium viewing session. No doubt a fair few have or will buy after last night. Very encouraging to think that 5 months before the start of the season and before we know what European competition we'll be in and already we are approaching this season's ticket numbers. Get into the Heineken up and sales could really take off.

Thank you all, I think, who have showed some concern about my whereabouts. I'm getting about by various means of transport using unlikely combinations.Yesterday I travelled through Eccles. I had no idea people actually lived like that. Indeed one lives and learns.

Little to add to what's been posted above about the stadium except perhaps acknowledgements to all involved in its design and construction. Some posts on here give the impression that CS & SS were involved with it in some way.

With such a large pitch I worry that our kickers won't be able to get it off the playing area, never mind into row Z. How will Nick decide it's out of range without a centre circle?

However it's time the players and their opponents had respectable facilities on matchdays.

I presume that the 2nd floor lounge used yesterday isn't for the use of supporters but for the corporate clients.

Dave - that Colwyn Bay penguin is striped, not spotted.

I'm looking forward to the South Stand ex-Birtles lags reffing the game from an end.

Christos Anesti - Chronia Polla to all my regular readers.

An update about season ticket sales from today's MEN.

Interesting that Dimes refers to 'the next five years'

[menmedia.co.uk]

Alithos Anesti Magirissa!

The contract review with the stadium company is in 5 years. i expect Dimes hopes to be pressurizing for stadium enlargement to Stage II of 20,000 by that time.

I think we can now see how some journalist added 2+2 and got 5, (re. selling half of the stadiums capacity to STH's already).

The reality being now they've sold getting on for 3000 season tickets but around 1000-1200 of those are for future seasons.

That is still fantastic for just a few days sales.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 19/04/2012 13:31 by H's D.

Quote:

Mrs Trellis
I'm looking forward to the South Stand ex-Birtles lags reffing the game from an end.
Christos Anesti - Chronia Polla to all my regular readers.

Mrs T: Are you suggesting that this is how the South Standers should celebrate our first match at Barton: Christos Anesti - Xronia Polla - Elounda, Crete

It would certainly get the season going with a bang

Perhaps the two ends could celebrate every try as the Chiots celebrate Easter.

Now pass the raki around. It'll keep the cold and wet out.







Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 19/04/2012 15:15 by Mrs Trellis of North Wales.

Hi Bull Shark

We nipped back last night to have a better look round and sit in the seats we were given. Seats fine but the front few rows of seats all round seemed to be getting a bit damp. With a good wind blowing some people quite well back will need to take macs.

It took us just shy of an hour to get there from Stockport, at about the time we would need to set off get our normal amount of drinking time in.

Last night was quite quiet while we were there.

We did see some TVs under the west stand but non under east yet. Also like all new stands. Nowhere to put your beer.

I'll certainly miss the wall I currently have in front of me to rest my pint but I'm going to enjoy the extra legroom...swings and roundabouts and all that!!
Glad you like your new seats though

Perhaps the shop can start stocking Sale Sharks branded versions of these:

Is that David Boon's helmet ... allegedly?

Quote:

Is that David Boon's helmet ... allegedly?

Don't be silly Mrs T, it only has two cans attached. That would never be enough.

Quote:

DaveAitch

Quote:

Is that David Boon's helmet ... allegedly?

Don't be silly Mrs T, it only has two cans attached. That would never be enough.

...Allegedly.

---

Somewhere in the South Stand

To complete my sentence:

Don't be silly Mrs T, it only has two cans attached. That would never be enough......for you to even think about buying it.