tom_widdows

Id like to add nimbyism to you little list Jaeger. in the rare occasions you get a supporting planner, a fantastic architect with a great multidisciplinary design team etc behind them the whole thing can always be scuppered by mr bloggs from down the road - which while frustrating is not a bad thing. Take that away and we are China. Whilst not great design in any way take a look at the main stand at fir park - runs only 2/3 of the pitch because one local resident put up a fight. Ill bet the aberdeen bypass never comes about because no one wants it through their aberdeenshire back yard (if at all) Then of course come historic scotland, english heritage, RCAHMS, environmental groups, independant conservation groups, residents groups, rival developers or businesses stirring up the locals -old mr milne certainly benefited from that at kepplestone. There are always going to be shite buildings but Ill lay good money that more than half of these are created for retail or to encourage industry - Aberdeen is a classic example with beach developments of the mid 90s and of course the latest addition down by the station. It is alleged that Aberdeen city council told the beach developers (Amadeus etc) to get stuffed, to which the response was 'ok we'll go build it in dundee then' - sudden U-Turn. Except of course for the new retail units -Big W, JJB gym etc which were refused by the council but approved on appeal by the scottish executive. A football stadium doesnt encourage major retailers to come to the city or create jobs the way a shopping mall does so 'backhanders' are a bit more expensive As for the M8 through charing cross? that was built in 1969, a time where you could pretty much build what you liked - Historic scotland was only formally set up in the late 80s. I seriously doubt the M8 would have been built through charing cross or tradestone had someone with their influence been around.

Go make an appointment with Aberdeen city council and see what they say. I already know what their answer will be

Reekie, as my boss say ' you can do anything so long as you can afford to pay for it.' Stating that those who dont see your grand scheme of things are lacking imagination is showing a great lack of thought on your part. There are several members of this board, including myself who work in the construction trade and know all too well the perils of the planning process. To the best of my knowledge there is not a single british stadium which has a stand built over a road. The mighty manchester united have been in negotiations for years to reconstruct their main stand over a local railway line and have been turned down every time. Spurs proposed extending one of their stands over paxton road and were told to get stuffed even though paxton road is not too disimilar to pittodrie street. They have now spent millions on masterplanning a brand new stadium/ hotel/ houing complex away from white hart lane which has only just been submitted for planning but already has english heritage up in arms. Head over to Ireland and you will see that Landsdowne road has been rebuilt away from the railway line - the old stand was built over it. I can only think of 1 football stadium which as a motorway running underneath it and that is athletico madrids and they had the advantage of 1) spanish planning and building regulations, 2) the motorway was being constructed at the same time as the stadium. To answer your question about how keen i am to head out to loriston loch for 7pm in late november in the pissing freezing rain to see us play st mirren? I feel exactly the same as I would going to pittodrie. I think pittodrie is a shithole. It has bad views, poor facilities, poor legroom in 3 of the 4 stands and should be ever get into the champions league we wont be able to play there. The only decent stand has had a section of its upper tier views damaged by lengthening the pitch. I want to put this to you. None of us have seen detailed plans for the stadium. If it is to ever obtain planning permission they will have to masterplan the whole thing - Transport links, road structures, car parking, environmental impacts. You are not allowed to go build a 20,000 seat stadium and not have infastructure available to cope with it. Oh and as for mr milne. Please please please will every single one of you get this into your heads. Milnes company is worth several hundred million (or at least it used to be). The man himself is not. If he wants to fork out 50million of his companies cash on a new stadium he has to go through shareholders, the banks, and ill bet the inland revenue will want a word, not to mention the few hundred employees who were either let go or put on a 3 day week on half pay when the arse fell out of the construction industry. His own personal fortune will probably cover the stadium costs but leave him completely broke and ill bet the family and friends will be 100% behind that venture Its like hitting your head off a brick wall sometimes. Change the record.

Do you have any idea of the red tape that comes with messing with public roads? The main stand - you suggest a concourse in the car park area. 1) instantly you have reduced the carparking available to the stadium. Where are these cars going to go. Where are the players and staff going to park? 2) concourse has to be traffice free so pittodrie street would have to be closed. This will impact businesses, local residents, Emergency access to the stadium not to mention what issues it could have on local traffic management, servicesm utilities etc. Id say the number of objections from domestic residents would be enough to slam that one into the ground. The south stand - The large nothing at the back of the stadium? You've just destroyed the stadiums largest car park and also an area the police use on occasions to ensure away fans are put onto their buses without having to leave the curtilage of the stadium. 'so mr Milne you propose to redevelop your stadium but want to lose all your carparking spaces? And the chief constable here seems to have an issue with security. Golf Road why are you highlighting golf road as a potential area to build on. This is the one part of the stadium that actually meets the criteria. Are you suggesting that the stadium be completely demolished and moved closer to the beach? Im actually concerned at your 'golf road has nothing but the broadhill bar opposite it' because that sounds like the sort of shit donald trump would pull. You seem to have forgotten that golf road is an access route for the golf course, the driving range, the graveyard, houses, flats, etc . These people have claims to that road and fucking it up will be met with objections and expensive legal battles. Please start thinking with your head and not your heart. It cost Arsenal £80,000,000 to do stuff similar to what you are suggesting and that was before they even got to building the emirates. Last time I checked our budget was £50,000,000 for the whole package.

The fact manchester city council obtained compulsary purchase orders to free up the land doesnt have any impact on this then? Or Arsenal having to buyout all the tennants in ashburton grove and also pay to re-house them (not just householders either, some pretty big businesses too) plus all the transport infastructure - total cost approx £80,000,000 And in the case of Manchester city they had the advantage of not having to pay to build the bloody thing since the local council, lottery commision and local tax payer funded not just the stadium but also the transport infastructure. Arsenal on the other hand also had the advantage of £100,000,000 coming on from emirates. (over 1/4 of the total stadium cost) and that little patch of ground called highbury being worth considerably more than the £9million pittodrie WAS valued at prior to the economic downturn. The Chris anderson complex is not a stadium and more importantly it is not designed to have 20,000 people converging on it every second saturday. If it was they would never have got past the feasibility stage. Do you think it is a coincidence that there is such a large concourse at the back of the RDS - and that is for 6000 fans? Can you see where an equivalent concourse could be constructed behind the merkland, south stand or main stand?

This whole shirtlifting thing kicked off when Middlebrough signed Ravanelli in 1996. At the time I was confused as to why the press & FA etc were making such a big deal about a bloke showing his chest to the crowd but as far as I can recall it was deemed that the sight of a pro footballer running up the touchline showing his bare chest while covering his face could 'insight a riot' in England. So Ravanelli and Middlesbrough were actually told he could only do it if he wore a T shirt underneath. And of course the SFA followed suit Pre 1996 remember seeing Duncan Ferguson taking his shirt off and waving it like a flag and I dont think he got booked but cant be sure. Anyway IMO the only celebrations that should warrant a yellow card should be those that are conducted directy and deliberatly infront of the other teams fans, or possible jumping into the crowd to celebrate with yer own fans (potential injuries as the crowd surges forward- although thats happened at celtic park each time ive been there no dons player has left the pitch). Had Mcadonald done this infront of the East Stand then I could understand this booking but this really is pathetic but either way he gave away a really stupid yellow in the middle of the pitch (highlights) and knew the rules on celebrating so hes a bit of a muppet. But pro footballers aint usually famous for their intelligence.

2-1 united

6k RDS yes But i cannot see how they could re-build a 9000 seat south stand, 3000 seat Merkland or main with the new flats, the existing graveyard and an increase in the pitch size. Try to make any of these 2 tiered and the residents will be up in arms plus they will all probably have to be like this.

Actually we didnt sign Hamilton until March 1999. Winters came along in September 1998. Ive no idea who winters was upfront with (Only other attacking players I can think of were Jess and Darren Young) We all knew winters was a different type of player which was why, over in the highlands myself and the few local dons fans were quite looking forward to the winters Dodds partnership.

I think it would have been slightly less painful if dodds hadnt scored a hat trick in his last game for us (league cup away to caley thistle). He then scored a hat trick in his first game for united against st johnstone. Meanwhile we had to wait until the 2nd week of december for winters to get his first goal for us (header which Rousett managed to break the goals trying to keep out, followed up by Eoin Jess scoring a second with a run from the halfway line.) Believe we missed a penalty in that game too.

Clyde Auditorium 1 week on wednesday

5live guy said the birmingham player never touched the scouse boy Have to say im getting a bit more respect for radio commentators these days. Heard a lot of criticism towards diving players over the last few weeks both north & south of the border

according to the radio a fair few of the crowd refused to go into the ground until the minutes silence had passed. Not sure if thats both sets of fans though

3-2 tic now seemingly olesnik had a double save from a first half penalty that has to be seen to be believed

Underwater volcano or sink hole by the looks of it

Bobby I see football as a form of entertainment. The whole discussion of tactics, who we should sign, How far derek Young should be from the touchline is lost to me and ill try to keep out of these subjects. And the strange thing is this seems to wind up certain folk. Case and point, your reaction to hearing I think Zidane is over-rated.

Personal Opinion. If I was fishing id have stuck in Jim Hamiltons goal against Celtic Heres another one to get your head around. Ive never rated zidane same as I never rated Eoin Jess, Del Piero and various others everyone seems to rave about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KxdTwXa23k Said it before and Ill say it again. Zidanes goal at hampden is a piece of piss compared to the first one.

embedding diabled by request

Didnt say anything about us all boycotting them. My own personal choice same as my decision to avoid games at Ibrox. Id rather avoid the opportunity to be put in Hosptial or if things went the other way, the courts and several years in jail.

Made it onto the BBC news now They have noted this statement has not been attributed to any particular member of the club Smart move I say because while we will no doubt be fined they cant serve a touchline ban on one of our management team or suspend one of the players.

poor highlights too. Only got to listen to the game but im sure there were numerous chances for both teams in both halve. Seem to recall the only action from the first half were the yellow cards.

Yer fortunate dave. Ive seen knives (charming rangers fans saying hello to me on the castlegate), broken bottles and in one instance a hibs fan getting almost the same treatment my fellow Glasgow red did on saturday. This apparent rule of 'Scarfers are to be left alone' if it ever existed has been thrown out of the window now. Im not going to be rushing back to easter road anytime soon.

They are not rare enough.

So we've now got out very own Bobo Balde all be it a slimmer version