Read your article with interest but found your findings slightly skewed. I totally agree that there is a lot to improve but hey have you been to many away games (stadium's) as the experience I and many others experience fortnightly I can tell you isn't too beautiful either.
Let me tell you the ozone is completely plastic but there is somewhere /some places to lay ones stomach unlike some grounds you visit where you couldn't lay a house brick.
Firstly who the heck would be happy with the fill me up before you go go stadium? Circa 6k capacity, open ended, nothing around it, a walk to the toilet's which are positioned not underneath a stand for any comfort in cold weather and of the parking in side roads which isn't my ideal match day experience but it's what it is. Now take Pompey. Stadium atmosphere is granted ok but luxurious it certainly isn't. Bolt on seats to a somewhat windswept terrace, tiny portakabin toilet's, nothing too close in the vicinity to add to the big match feel. Also, if you ask many other away day trippers to Pompey most will say it's not the best in facilities and comfort, and the view from the shallow seating is poor, something you say apart from the ssu the rest of the kassam is which to me is again skewed, as most visitors to the kassam actually say this is one of the better aspect's of our ground if they are truthful.
Rochdale? Fleetwood? Brizzle Rovers? Gillingham? Southend? AFC Wimbledon? Peterborough (side seating etc) all have loads of facility issues and all need massive shake ups to attract new punter's etc etc. I'm not in the camp saying the kassam is anything special but it is definitely not as bleak a day out as some and I really do believe you perhaps haven't been to some of these away grounds on a regular basis.
Take Millwall, nothing of anything around it apart from a few miles back at London bridge but do we when we go there harp on about how far things are from the ground? No you take what's on offer and stay away from the toast in the Millwall cafe. The ground is a near cheap carbon copy of the kassam albeit with another stand. Do they moan in the Barry Kitchener stand about the ground...you bet they do but they work the system and get on with it. Atmosphere wise it can be as bad as ours at times so l've been told...but when there is over 10k in the den it can work to there advantage...just like our ground can do when the crowds rise.
Of the others left untouched is: Bolton, Sunderland, Rotherham, Ipswich etc etc the grounds are a mix some old school some new builds in the last 10/20 years but have an albeit probable better experience than ours at the moment but with a regular group of real across the board oufc fans apparently meeting with oufc representatives other than getting a forth stand built I'm hoping whilst we are there the whole shebang improves in time for this potentially great team to pull in bigger crowds.
Our city centre is a great location for away fans who have a little more time on their hands before a match and yes there should be a real concerted effort from our marketing team to get more brand exposure in the city centre immediately.
Most of the away fans like PB seem to find many alternatives than drinking right bang on any away grounds doorsteps! This can happen at oufc believe me -ask our Sunderland friends as many really enjoyed the city centre with ease and still got into the game on time.
In wrapping up... there is plenty to improve on and yes the breeze block is in need but believe me there are lots of shockers out there and anyone reading your assessment could be forgiven if they give up coming back or coming for the first time.
With everybody's input chipping in whilst we are here try for FFS to big the place up more than run it down as there are a lot of people I believe all trying to pull in the right direction to get the club to where it should and could be. Remember folks any new ground could be light years away and moaning about stuff for the next few years is so bloody negative to all concerned.
Fan numbers will improve I'm sure and as I've said to many others we have still yet to play the so called bigger away followers so yes fan engagement will snowball with a successful side and it is total b*llocks that we haven't got more than a 6.5k fan base. If we ever got another (West) stand seating aka copy of the East stand we would with success and giving away followings at least 2.5k have easily at the middle to back end of this season many 10 to 12k crowds plus. And even without a stand this season crowds could still reach a few 10 k's. Then if the championship beckoned then 10 to 14k plus crowds would probably be the norm for a few seasons given the big championship clubs visiting.That's if of course a temporary stand was in place and was big enough and that plans for a permanent stand was fully supported to follow.Titillation to the ground would not work if somebody/whoever purchased the gaff...proper classic football stadium remedial work only.
I'm not a kassam disciple by any means- I'm a person who believes that the ground if bought is actually in a position with the real world in terms of the populus of the area. If you can't build in the city centre then B/Leys is ok for me. Real people to build another young generation to support the club in the future years moving forward. Once the building of new homes engulf the other side of the road the ground would become hedged in giving the ground a not so out in the sticks feel. At this point I must also state I'm not a Leezer disciple either. Moving would/could probably dismantle things again. Also reallocating to another out of city location could see the club lurch sideways in terms of support again as the building of any entertainment around the ground would still be regarded as somewhat plastic again. However, with the overground train line (Cowley) being properly mooted at the moment transportation from the city centre to matches could be more than a one trick pony. Home and away fans could use the city centre spending £££s and then take the train to the game and before people smell trouble I and lots of others took the train to the Ricoh with Coventry fans from Coventry station without too much fuss...so it could/would work especially with stewardship from the police and others.
Obviously if the gang at the top pulled out the large rabbit and moved and it was just what the doctor ordered then great I'll wait (although I'm getting older and impatient to get at the tramps in the next division) and support whatever...but for me the infastructure and ground is already here with potential, potential for the right team (management) and at the moment we have the right team on the pitch with the right manager and to me the right area as well.
Feel free to slaughter me.
Coyy's.
Oh I forgot to mention Wycombe's sort of ground. Forgotten already.
