I think we need to keep an eye on this, I know it's been talked about several times before...

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/wels ... -ktp6x6sz7

Sorry the link is to The Times (and behind a paywall) but it will probably be in Walesonline tomorrow.

Pretty terrible headline for both sports. Easy to imagine a situation where rugby at RP ceases and the ground gets sold, and it’s not going to be us buying.

For those not able to read the piece, here’s a thread with a summary



Also interesting that David Butress tweeted this earlier

If the Dragons were axed or merged away from RP then I'd like to say that I could see the council buying it and leasing it back to us for 100 years but the backhanders/political points on offer for building housing on the site would be too tempting I fear.

Chepstow'sFine wrote: May 4th, 2022, 8:38 pm If the Dragons were axed or merged away from RP then I'd like to say that I could see the council buying it and leasing it back to us for 100 years but the backhanders/political points on offer for building housing on the site would be too tempting I fear.

Plus all that lovely council tax they be putting towards the councillors remuneration.

Is it really that desirable as a site for anything but a stadium? Road access is shocking, short of knocking down dozens of houses. I can see two regions East and West might make sense, but three?

George Street-Bridge wrote: May 5th, 2022, 6:38 am Is it really that desirable as a site for anything but a stadium? Road access is shocking, short of knocking down dozens of houses. I can see two regions East and West might make sense, but three?

The point George is twofold. Firstly that without Rodney Parade we as a club have no where else to play which is suitable for League football. And secondly that we have no say in the future of Rodney Parade.

If as you say the road access is shocking surely that applies to football crowds as much as anything else. More so in that large crowds congregate at specific times and for very short periods of time. As for the intentions of the WRU, if you are correct and if it were to be only two regions, east and west, unless you are of the view that they will choose Newport for the west region over Cardiff, that would make the likelihood of Rodney Parade being demolished even greater.

For well over 30 years Newport County have failed to address the issue of having a suitable and secure home stadium. Perhaps this is the catalyst we need to force our club to wake up and deal with the problem. I don't know what the answers are. Looking around, towns with far fewer people than Newport seem to have found a way to develop stadia fit for the 21st century. Working together I'm sure we can. If we continue to bury our heads in the sand, sooner or later the threat of homelessness will become a reality.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 5th, 2022, 9:13 am If as you say the road access is shocking surely that applies to football crowds as much as anything else. More so in that large crowds congregate at specific times and for very short periods of time.

I'd argue shocking access 365 days a year is a bigger issue than shocking access on maybe 40-45 match days.

Chepstow'sFine wrote: May 4th, 2022, 8:38 pm If the Dragons were axed or merged away from RP then I'd like to say that I could see the council buying it and leasing it back to us for 100 years but the backhanders/political points on offer for building housing on the site would be too tempting I fear.

Like yourself I am wary of wishful thinking. And your first sentence is undoubtedly a wish we all have. However I wouldn't entirely rule it out, especially if Newport RFC were involved. Rodney Parade is an iconic stadium. A dropped goal in a rugby match played nearly 60 years ago might save us from oblivion. Not probable, not something to build our dreams upon. But not entirely out of the question.

George Street-Bridge wrote: May 5th, 2022, 9:47 am

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 5th, 2022, 9:13 am If as you say the road access is shocking surely that applies to football crowds as much as anything else. More so in that large crowds congregate at specific times and for very short periods of time.

I'd argue shocking access 365 days a year is a bigger issue than shocking access on maybe 40-45 match days.

Yes George. But if Rodney Parade can cope with an influx of 8,000 people at quarter to three on a Saturday afternoon I suspect it's not quite as big a problem as you imagine.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 5th, 2022, 9:55 am

George Street-Bridge wrote: May 5th, 2022, 9:47 am

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 5th, 2022, 9:13 am If as you say the road access is shocking surely that applies to football crowds as much as anything else. More so in that large crowds congregate at specific times and for very short periods of time.

I'd argue shocking access 365 days a year is a bigger issue than shocking access on maybe 40-45 match days.

Yes George. But if Rodney Parade can cope with an influx of 8,000 people at quarter to three on a Saturday afternoon I suspect it's not quite as big a problem as you imagine.

I’m more than happy to consider Stan’s proposal for a stadium development plan, when he puts it forward.

jonescmj1 wrote: May 5th, 2022, 10:17 am

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 5th, 2022, 9:55 am

George Street-Bridge wrote: May 5th, 2022, 9:47 am

Stan A. Einstein wrote: May 5th, 2022, 9:13 am If as you say the road access is shocking surely that applies to football crowds as much as anything else. More so in that large crowds congregate at specific times and for very short periods of time.

I'd argue shocking access 365 days a year is a bigger issue than shocking access on maybe 40-45 match days.

Yes George. But if Rodney Parade can cope with an influx of 8,000 people at quarter to three on a Saturday afternoon I suspect it's not quite as big a problem as you imagine.

I’m more than happy to consider Stan’s proposal for a stadium development plan, when he puts it forward.

Morning Colin,

My plan is really simple.

First step is that we acknowledge the problem.

Second step is that we politely explain to those who wish to bury their heads in the sand, that that is no longer an option.

Third step is that we speak to all the clubs who have developed their own stadiums and ask them how they managed to do it. What worked and as importantly what didn't.

Step four is to engage with the fan base and start to work towards our aim, together.

Step five is we listen to everyone who wants to help.

Step 6. We ignore those who are so narrow minded that they believe nothing can be done.

I don't know what the answers are Colin. I do know that ignoring a very real problem and contenting ourselves by making smart arse comments is not the answer.

Access isn't an issue for football crowds, other than those needing to park. The vast majority walk to the ground and that is made possible by both location and the opening of the footbridge. Car parking on the town side of the river is fairly close. It's an ideal location.... for a stadium.

excessbee wrote: May 5th, 2022, 10:34 am Access isn't an issue for football crowds, other than those needing to park. The vast majority walk to the ground and that is made possible by both location and the opening of the footbridge. Car parking on the town side of the river is fairly close. It's an ideal location.... for a stadium.

I agree.

Access isn't a problem for anyone not just football fans. As for parking I never had a problem and if the Rodney Parade site were to be developed for another purpose the developers would doubtless develop transport infrastructure.

Let's analyse this. This news story may or may not have legs. If it does the problem I have been going on about for years is about to rear up and bite us in the arse.

If however this time it is a false alarm, what about next time? Or the time after that?

So should our response be live in denial, like George Street Bridge? Should our response be simply to imply that nothing can be done, like Colin?

Or should our response be to accept we have a problem? Admit that we at present don't have the answers? And work together as a fans owned club to find those answers?

This is a potentially crucial moment in our history. And it is possible that we face an insurmountable difficulty. But I think that unlikely. What I do think is that times of crisis can be times of opportunity. If we face up to the problem, if we work together, if we refuse to listen to those content with mediocrity then perhaps we can start being in control of our own destiny.

Planning law dictated that when the Cricket pitch was used for the construction of Maindee school, that the council had to construct something suitable at Spytty. Likewise Somerton Park, to build on that, something had to be constructed suitable to our requirements at that time.

The cabbage patch has been available for development for more than 20 years. It was granted detailed consent 20 years ago for student tower blocks, but as it was granted on the basis of an enabling development, IE Rodney Parade had to be upgraded in stages using rent from the flats, and the flats had to be built in stages, as each part of Rodney Parade was upgraded.

Rodney Parade is expensive to demolish, and the land per housing unit is not valuable enough to make redevelopment viable, even without the access and planning constraints. That is why the cabbage patch remains undeveloped after all this time with still nothing planned for the site.

Cardiff Blues have used Rodney Parade while their pitch was being relaid. The proximity of the Blues and the Dragon's to major transport links/city centre parking and other facilities would make it easy to merge the two Regions and share both grounds. Also the WRU have been trying to purchase the Blues, Cardiff Arms Park since the Principality Stadium was constructed in 1999, as one stand is shared, and thus the stadium is still to be completed.
Finally Newport County are still the major user of Rodney Parade, even if the two regions merged and played all their games at Rodney Parade.

Basically to get planning you have to demonstrate a need for planning. The area around Rodney Parade is now saturated in housing, there simply is no requirement for any more, set against the requirements of Newport County to have a suitable stadium.

Although our primary concern of course is for the well being of Newport County AFC, let's have some sympathy for Gwent's rugby supporters. The WRU once again are showing their true colours. All they are interested in is making money. They got rid of Celtic Warriers, thereby disenfranchising rugby supporters from Bridgend and Pontypridd. They have prevented Pontypool from gaining their rightly promotions over the last few seasons. Now they may be closing down the only professional rugby team in Gwent or merging them with their closest rivals. That would be a real body blow for the region's supporters. The WRU don't care a jot about Welsh rugby supporters. As I've said they're just interested in profits.