Percy plunkett wrote:

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

Taunton Iron Cider wrote:
We are within 18 months of being shown the door in any event, so let’s go now whilst we have some time to reorganise.

My deepest regret is that we don't have any time to reorganize. My view is that there are now only two options. The WRU continue to juice us. Squeeze us for every last penny or we return to Spytty and within a few seasons Conference South, or whatever it's called these days.

It's not that I think you're wrong, it's just I think we should have been doing this years ago.

Why would we be back in Connie South.We now are established in EFL,our fan base has increased and,if we produce a product like we have this season then,how would we end up backdown.The ground is a mile further down the road,if it was the top of Twmbarlwm then I could understand fans saying it’s too far away.

Spytty is not suitable for League football. It's not suitable for football full stop. The morgue like atmosphere is bad enough. Where do you suppose opposition fans are going to be accommodated? David Hando has himself stated that 'we could never have achieved League status at Spytty'. Just to be clear I don't have a problem with the location of Spytty, I have a problem with the fact it has a running track.

Spytty has a running track,so what.I went to Swindon and Wembley,I was further from the pitch than ever I was at Spytty.I was one of many who watched on ifollow yesterday dismayed at the state of the pitch.This will happen forever if we stay at RP but it seems,fans put the location and drinking ahead of watching the football.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: Spytty is not suitable for League football. It's not suitable for football full stop. The morgue like atmosphere is bad enough. Where do you suppose opposition fans are going to be accommodated? David Hando has himself stated that 'we could never have achieved League status at Spytty'. Just to be clear I don't have a problem with the location of Spytty, I have a problem with the fact it has a running track.

Well something is going to have to give within the next 2 years.

Spytty as it is, doesn't and can't meet FL standards without another £4m/£6m (?) thrown at it to turn into a football stadium. Newport Council aren't going to throw that much money at it in todays climate plus the athletics will demand a replacement for their sport, add some more millions to that idea.

RP like it not will always be a rugby ground, which is always going to scupper our season by January. Even if the WRU decide to play ball and produce a pitch that can cope with all this abuse, they are going to demand one hell of a rent off us. The chances are they can do without us by selling out for the odd lower level international football games by raping the FAW for those games.

We must be an absolute pain in the arse to the WRU constantly moaning about it, and the repair work that needs doing weekly, never mind chancing posts over and remarking the pitch.

Like I said we are running out of time, because doesn't the FL require assurities of a minimum 2 or 3 year lease to continue

And don't forget Newport harriers use SP as well

New £1m hybrid "fit for purpose" pitch being laid this summer with a 10 year life-span. Agree a new 10 year lease with the WRU. Job done. If need be we should be able to afford a higher rent as our contribution to the new pitch (£333k over 10 years = £33.3k pa) compared to our current contribution (£250k over 3 years = £83.3k pa).

faerun exile wrote:New £1m hybrid "fit for purpose" pitch being laid this summer with a 10 year life-span. Agree a new 10 year lease with the WRU. Job done. If need be we should be able to afford a higher rent as our contribution to the new pitch (£333k over 10 years = £33.3k pa) compared to our current contribution (£250k over 3 years = £83.3k pa).

May I remind you of the EFL’s current requirements, I’m sure written with us in mind.
Firstly they will not permit any ground sharing with more than one rugby team.
Secondly we are to have primacy of fixtures.

The WRU may reluctantly agree to the second but never the first.

As for sports stadiums and Councils, you may be interested to know that South Somerset Council have just purchased Yeovil’s ground from the previous owners and granted the club a 30 year lease.
They are saying it is important to the town to maintain elite sports, shame that Newport Council couldn’t adopt such a proactive view.
If my memory serves me correct, Swansea did something similar with the Liberty but in that instance only charged a peppercorn rent.

Taunton Iron Cider wrote:

faerun exile wrote:New £1m hybrid "fit for purpose" pitch being laid this summer with a 10 year life-span. Agree a new 10 year lease with the WRU. Job done. If need be we should be able to afford a higher rent as our contribution to the new pitch (£333k over 10 years = £33.3k pa) compared to our current contribution (£250k over 3 years = £83.3k pa).

May I remind you of the EFL’s current requirements, I’m sure written with us in mind.
Firstly they will not permit any ground sharing with more than one rugby team.
Secondly we are to have primacy of fixtures.

The WRU may reluctantly agree to the second but never the first.

As for sports stadiums and Councils, you may be interested to know that South Somerset Council have just purchased Yeovil’s ground from the previous owners and granted the club a 30 year lease.
They are saying it is important to the town to maintain elite sports, shame that Newport Council couldn’t adopt such a proactive view.
If my memory serves me correct, Swansea did something similar with the Liberty but in that instance only charged a peppercorn rent.

It's not an easy situation for Newport County. Either for supporters or directors. And it may be that there is no solution. But burying our head in the sand and hoping that something will turn up, whilst understandable is in my view wrong.

Back in the summer there was a discussion group of those of us who believed it important that we faced up to the stadium issue. I left because as soon as the club became involved I thought that rather than be about stadium development it would morph into another fund raising vehicle. I say that not to discredit those who raise funds but rather to point out that when a long term goal begins to take on short term considerations the long term aspiration dies.

I think as I said above there are only two options now. A relatively swift demise returning to Spytty or a slow death being squeezed at Rodney Parade. Do I want the swift end of a venomous bite from the Fer De Lance or would I prefer the slow crushing of the Anaconda?

Tricky.

Sorry but that pitch is a disgrace and I'd go as far as say it will cost us promotion. We can't keep playing on a pitch used as much as that is used and play decent football .unfortunately I haven't got the answer only to say something needs to happen for us to progress. So come on the powers to be, council ,
board, business people of gwent and beyond start talking.

I'm sure the drainage that compacted over spytty still hasn't been renewed neither has the stand over the far side appropriately named the shed which was condemned before we left has been repaired, apart from the lack of seats, corporate boxes, safety certificates, bars, atmosphere and the inclusion of a fking running track I'm sure it's a brilliant place for us to go

daftasfxxx wrote:I'm sure the drainage that compacted over spytty still hasn't been renewed neither has the stand over the far side appropriately named the shed which was condemned before we left has been repaired, apart from the lack of seats, corporate boxes, safety certificates, bars, atmosphere and the inclusion of a fking running track I'm sure it's a brilliant place for us to go

Trouble is mate we need a plan B and there ain't many other options

UPTHEPORT wrote:

daftasfxxx wrote:I'm sure the drainage that compacted over spytty still hasn't been renewed neither has the stand over the far side appropriately named the shed which was condemned before we left has been repaired, apart from the lack of seats, corporate boxes, safety certificates, bars, atmosphere and the inclusion of a fking running track I'm sure it's a brilliant place for us to go

Trouble is mate we need a plan B and there ain't many other options

There was a plan 'A' ?

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

UPTHEPORT wrote:

daftasfxxx wrote:I'm sure the drainage that compacted over spytty still hasn't been renewed neither has the stand over the far side appropriately named the shed which was condemned before we left has been repaired, apart from the lack of seats, corporate boxes, safety certificates, bars, atmosphere and the inclusion of a fking running track I'm sure it's a brilliant place for us to go

Trouble is mate we need a plan B and there ain't many other options

There was a plan 'A' ?

Yes leasing RP

faerun exile wrote:New £1m hybrid "fit for purpose" pitch being laid this summer with a 10 year life-span. Agree a new 10 year lease with the WRU. Job done. If need be we should be able to afford a higher rent as our contribution to the new pitch (£333k over 10 years = £33.3k pa) compared to our current contribution (£250k over 3 years = £83.3k pa).

If we had our own stadium, what would be the costs of employing and equipping our own ground staff?

If we have to leave RP for whatever reason the key is not to find another stadium in Newport. A stadium already exists, Spytty Park. The key is to find an alternative venue for the Harriers because Spytty Park us clearly not fit for purpose as a football stadium in its current configuration. The shed is condemned so without the running track the pitch would be relaid closer to the existing stand with a new shed built on the other side. Small stand such as at FGR behind one goal and terracing behind the other and you have a perfectly viable league 1 or 2 stadium.

I firmly believe the answer lies in coming to some agreement to relocate the Harriers.