PDA

View Full Version : Where would we be now if we had moved to Straiton 10 years ago?



Hibbyradge
14-10-2013, 01:09 PM
Many will view this as heresy, but it might make for interesting discussion.

Had we moved ground, much of our debt would have been repaid from the sale of Easter Road and the surrounding area.

We would not have had the expense of building a new East Stand (TQM would be pleased!).

We may have been able to keep some of the cash we received for the Golden Generation.

Would we have lost fans? I don't know about that. Lots of clubs relocate and actually seem to benefit from the better facilities and the resultant financial restructuring.

Cardiff have coped admirably with a change of Stadium and a complete change of colour in the last few years, so I think we'd have become accustomed to the new ground fairly quickly.

Maybe JC would have been able to sign Barry Robson and Steven Naismith. :dunno:

Thoughts?

Spike Mandela
14-10-2013, 01:13 PM
We would be in Straiton:cb

Do I win a prize?

Leith Green
14-10-2013, 01:36 PM
Dunno about where it would leave Hibs , but it would have ripped the local community to shreds.. Leith and the surrounding areas lochend and meadowbank etc..

rcarter1
14-10-2013, 01:39 PM
It is certainly a long way from Leith, so might have taken a toll in that regard, but then perhaps we would have become the Borders 'Big Team' :greengrin

Dashing Bob S
14-10-2013, 01:44 PM
Scenario 1 : a successful club in a modern stadium, attracting new supporters, a higher revenue stream and success. (Stoke, Boltonish)

Scenario 2 : out of town, sight and mind, in a horrible cheapo dump, cut off from our fan base and going down the swanney. (Coventry, Leicester.)

Or somewhere between the two.


Glad we swerved it myself.

Ozyhibby
14-10-2013, 01:46 PM
Like it where we are.

Deansy
14-10-2013, 01:47 PM
Many will view this as heresy, but it might make for interesting discussion.

Had we moved ground, much of our debt would have been repaid from the sale of Easter Road and the surrounding area.

We would not have had the expense of building a new East Stand (TQM would be pleased!).

We may have been able to keep some of the cash we received for the Golden Generation.

Would we have lost fans? I don't know about that. Lots of clubs relocate and actually seem to benefit from the better facilities and the resultant financial restructuring.

Cardiff have coped admirably with a change of Stadium and a complete change of colour in the last few years, so I think we'd have become accustomed to the new ground fairly quickly.

Maybe JC would have been able to sign Barry Robson and Steven Naismith. :dunno:

Thoughts?

Rather than selling them, we might've been able to hold onto them for longer than we did - imagine the team we would've had !!

The Sea-gull
14-10-2013, 01:47 PM
Where would we, Hearts and the Edinburgh public be if we had sold our grounds and built a stadium in conjunction with the council? Take the alleged Yamish leanings of CEC out of the equation for now, would both clubs maybe be a bit better off financially and the city benefitting from having a really good sports facility?

IMHO, largely gone are the days when the bulk of each team's support toddles down the road or hops on the number 1 bus for a few stops to go and watch their team, taking a quick pint on route. A lot of folk live in the suburbs or surrounding Edinburgh towns which have expanded rapidly in the last 20 years. They bring their cars and park up to watch the game. They would still do the same wherever the ground was in and around Edinburgh.

Plus, public transport has greatly improved during this time too. An area well served by public transport and in-stadium bars would still probably bring in people and allow them to have a match day experience. It might even enhance it.

If you couldn'tget a long to watch your team due to mobility issues, work or finance etc then that is a different story but if you wouldn't go to games just coz of the area of town they play in then you really have to ask yourself how much of a fan you actually are.

I suspect there would be houses/flats where Easter Road is and a supermarket at Tynecastle. Still might get the latter.

dangermouse
14-10-2013, 01:47 PM
Scenario 1 : a successful club in a modern stadium, attracting new supporters, a higher revenue stream and success. (Stoke, Boltonish)

Scenario 2 : out of town, sight and mind, in a horrible cheapo dump, cut off from our fan base and going down the swanney. (Coventry, Leicester.)

Or somewhere between the two.


Glad we swerved it myself.

There's no place like home and that ain't Straiton. :agree:

happiehibbie
14-10-2013, 01:50 PM
In fairness after the HOH campaign i would have watch Hibs at Inverlieth rather than lose us all together I know we stayed at ER which is great but I would ave no Issue moving if we get a better team on the park

Hal Jordan
14-10-2013, 01:52 PM
...at the bottom of a big sink hole due to the subsidence from the old shale mines...

weonlywon6-2
14-10-2013, 01:55 PM
It would have been a terrible move.Hibs are a community team not a team sitting on the outskirts of town.

LancashireHibby
14-10-2013, 01:59 PM
Scenario 1 : a successful club in a modern stadium, attracting new supporters, a higher revenue stream and success. (Stoke, Boltonish)

Scenario 2 : out of town, sight and mind, in a horrible cheapo dump, cut off from our fan base and going down the swanney. (Coventry, Leicester.)

Or somewhere between the two.


Glad we swerved it myself.
As a Bolton fan who has gone through such a move, it was a great move on paper but the spirit of the club has never been the same. To me, ER is a huge part of Hibs and what sets us apart from other clubs.

Bishop Hibee
14-10-2013, 02:07 PM
STF would have been a lot happier.

I'm delighted we stayed at ER. I don't think our crowds would be any better for a move to Straiton.

With the benefit of hindsight, it would have been ideal if we'd sold ER having bought land at the docks when it was available and built a stadium debt free in Leith.

Some of the propaganda spouted by Cromb and his cronnies was ridiculous. I still have magazines sent by the club saying their was no alternative to Straiton. Rubbish that did nothing to make the fans trust that board or their successors.

Hibiza
14-10-2013, 02:24 PM
straiton

joe breezy
14-10-2013, 02:37 PM
I doubt I'd go and see Hibs much at all I'm afraid...

Time's at a premium when I'm back in Edinburgh so going to see out of town football is not so feasible

joe breezy
14-10-2013, 02:40 PM
Many will view this as heresy, but it might make for interesting discussion.

Had we moved ground, much of our debt would have been repaid from the sale of Easter Road and the surrounding area.

We would not have had the expense of building a new East Stand (TQM would be pleased!).

We may have been able to keep some of the cash we received for the Golden Generation.

Would we have lost fans? I don't know about that. Lots of clubs relocate and actually seem to benefit from the better facilities and the resultant financial restructuring.

Cardiff have coped admirably with a change of Stadium and a complete change of colour in the last few years, so I think we'd have become accustomed to the new ground fairly quickly.

Maybe JC would have been able to sign Barry Robson and Steven Naismith. :dunno:

Thoughts?

Cardiff's new stadium is about 100 yards from the old one and it's only worked due to the large amounts of money pumped in on players.

Ninian Park was still a better atmosphere

Hibbyradge
14-10-2013, 03:23 PM
I'm delighted we stayed at Easter Road too, but we've had to pay a price for doing so.

Fair enough.

The problem is that a lot of fans forget this and seem to want to have their cake along with someone else's and be able to eat them both and then come back for more!

GreenCastle
14-10-2013, 03:31 PM
I love the club being in the city - always great viewing from places like Arthur Seat.

I think the crowds would have really gone down if we have been out of town and not doing well. Even through some terrible football recently a hardcore has stayed and supported.

The questions we should be asking...how long will Hibs be at Easter Road...probably most of our lives...

How long with the yams be at Tynie...probably not much longer...

What's going to happen to Meadowbank next and where will the yams play as that Main Stand won't last another few years...

jgl07
14-10-2013, 04:19 PM
No current Premiership clubs in Scotland have moved to a completely new stadium apart from Inverness, St Mirren and St Johnstone. Arguably all three have prospered from their move. The same cannot be said of Clyde, Aidrieonians, and Hamilton. However in those cases the damage was done in the years while they were 'homeless' waiting for the new ground to be completed running down their respective fan bases.

Some clubs seem to benefit initially from the new ground with promotion (Falkirk, Livingston/Meadowbank, Hamilton and Dumbarton) without necessarily maintaining the progress. East Fife and Stirling have made little headway after moving to 'legoland' type stadia.

In England it is somewhat different with Arsenal, Manchester City, Stoke, all showing marked increase in support. The best progress after moving has come from the Welsh Clubs Cardiff and Swansea and also Hull. Sunderland and Middlesbrough progressed strongly after moving but failed to maintain that. Southampton ended up in administration (although I blame 'Arry Redknap) after moving to a new ground but have recovered well. Leicester have marked time and Coventry gone to the dogs.

Liverpool and Everton have stayed put and paid the price with depressed income and crowds although Newcastle did successfully rebuild insitu. Tottenham and West Ham were both keen to move despite relative success. Bolton and Wigan both progressed dramatically after gaining a new stadium. Bolton would never have had the run over the past fifteen years by staying at Burnden Park, especially with half the land behind one goal sold to a supermarket!

Islington Hibs
14-10-2013, 06:33 PM
It would have ripped the soul out of the club and a slow but gradual decline would probably have resulted, unless we had been spectacularly successful on the park. Thank God we did not move!

LancashireHibby
14-10-2013, 06:39 PM
Bolton would never have had the run over the past fifteen years by staying at Burnden Park, especially with half the land behind one goal sold to a supermarket!
We twice won promotion to the Premier League while still playing at Burnden. Just saying like. In fact we were hours away from administration in year three at the Reebok, around the time it turned out that Burnden could have been completely rebuilt for £15m-£20m rather than spending £40m to move five miles out of town.

SaulGoodman
14-10-2013, 06:45 PM
Frankie & Benny's?

J-C
14-10-2013, 07:09 PM
I think we missed a trick by not doing a deal with the council and move to Meadowbank.

The stadium there was and is in disrepair, we could've sold ER and built a new stadium at Meadowbank, it already had 5's pitches, a gym etc, just the stadium was in a mess, only problem would've been the running track.

hibIBZ
14-10-2013, 07:16 PM
If it made us a better team with more success on the pitch, then yes i would of been all for it. How many hibs fans actually live within walking distance these days?
im happy we are still at easter road, but would not be against moving if it meant a better team

clerriehibs
14-10-2013, 07:16 PM
Hibs would be playing crap football in front of 4 or 5000 disgruntled fans who'd had no chance of a pint beforehand and no prospect of meeting up with mates in the pub afterwards.

Football isn't just a 90 minute game. It's a social occasion. Straiton would have stripped the day to just a game of football.

And 'your' seat would be shared with a yam week about.

judas
14-10-2013, 08:01 PM
Scenario 1 : a successful club in a modern stadium, attracting new supporters, a higher revenue stream and success. (Stoke, Boltonish)

Scenario 2 : out of town, sight and mind, in a horrible cheapo dump, cut off from our fan base and going down the swanney. (Coventry, Leicester.)

Or somewhere between the two.


Glad we swerved it myself.

Leicester. Really?

NAE NOOKIE
14-10-2013, 10:06 PM
It is certainly a long way from Leith, so might have taken a toll in that regard, but then perhaps we would have become the Borders 'Big Team' :greengrin

Hi ...... We are the Borders big team. I fill a whole car just about every home game, bloody cheek :grr:

Miguel
15-10-2013, 12:00 AM
Easter Road is home, end of. Opposed Straiton at the time and would still do so now. Let's THEM move out to some souless stadium with no tradition. Will suit them just fine!

jacomo
15-10-2013, 12:26 AM
I think we missed a trick by not doing a deal with the council and move to Meadowbank.

The stadium there was and is in disrepair, we could've sold ER and built a new stadium at Meadowbank, it already had 5's pitches, a gym etc, just the stadium was in a mess, only problem would've been the running track.

Don't remember such a deal ever being on the cards?

Football stadiums with running tracks are rubbish.

IWasThere2016
15-10-2013, 01:13 AM
I was convinced the Board were totally intent on the move - such was their 'propoganda' re this. I'm glad we're still at ER - despite the East 'investment' :wink:

NadeAteMyLunch!
15-10-2013, 06:36 AM
'Sunshine on Straiton'? Naaaah, not for me! Leith is home. Can't imagine being anywhere else

Hibby Kay-Yay
15-10-2013, 07:55 AM
We could have minimised the damage to the local community by selling to the rugby team. Then we could get to work in a new community to continue the good work (albeit not award winning) and still have a satalite community office in Leith.

lapsedhibee
15-10-2013, 07:57 AM
No current Premiership clubs in Scotland have moved to a completely new stadium apart from Inverness, St Mirren and St Johnstone. Arguably all three have prospered from their move. The same cannot be said of Clyde, Aidrieonians, and Hamilton. However in those cases the damage was done in the years while they were 'homeless' waiting for the new ground to be completed running down their respective fan bases.

Some clubs seem to benefit initially from the new ground with promotion (Falkirk, Livingston/Meadowbank, Hamilton and Dumbarton) without necessarily maintaining the progress. East Fife and Stirling have made little headway after moving to 'legoland' type stadia.

In England it is somewhat different with Arsenal, Manchester City, Stoke, all showing marked increase in support. The best progress after moving has come from the Welsh Clubs Cardiff and Swansea and also Hull. Sunderland and Middlesbrough progressed strongly after moving but failed to maintain that. Southampton ended up in administration (although I blame 'Arry Redknap) after moving to a new ground but have recovered well. Leicester have marked time and Coventry gone to the dogs.

Arsenal and Manchester City haven't really increased their support because they've moved location, though. Arsenal expanded capacity and Manchester spent squillions on their team. Don't think they belong in the context of this discussion, as neither of these considerations would have applied to us.

dangermouse
15-10-2013, 08:13 AM
I think we missed a trick by not doing a deal with the council and move to Meadowbank.

The stadium there was and is in disrepair, we could've sold ER and built a new stadium at Meadowbank, it already had 5's pitches, a gym etc, just the stadium was in a mess, only problem would've been the running track.

If Hibs are away or not playing and Edinburgh City are playing at home I tend to go and watch them. Meadowbank is a dreadful venue for football. The running track is a pain but the pitch is like Zourabi's head, you never know which way the ball will bounce when it hits it.

--------
15-10-2013, 08:51 AM
'Sunshine on Straiton'? Naaaah, not for me! Leith is home. Can't imagine being anywhere else


Hate to say so, but as far as I'm aware ER isn't in Leith. Just south of the old boundary, I think. But I know what you mean, and agree with you 100%.

I'm glad we stayed put - even apparently successful moves like Arsenal to the Emirates don't really sit well with me (not that it's any of my business, really). Just seems odd - Arsenal belong at Highbury, Sunderland at Roker, Hearts down the Swanny.

When a club's been in a particular place for over 100 years, that place has become part of the club's identity. And looking down from the Queen's Park on the east of the city with the new stadium in the heart of it ...

(Just as long as you don't go any nearer where you can hear everyone moaning and squabbling with one another and see the terrible football. :wink: )

Keith_M
15-10-2013, 10:24 AM
Hate to say so, but as far as I'm aware ER isn't in Leith. Just south of the old boundary, I think.


This comes up quite a lot. The fact is that, under the current (relatively modern) boundaries, roughly half of the stadium is in Leith. Going by the original boundaries (http://www.grantonhistory.org/maps/boundaries/leith_boundary_map.htm), when Leith was a separate town, the stadium was completely within Leith (1920, before amalgamation).

J-C
15-10-2013, 10:56 AM
If Hibs are away or not playing and Edinburgh City are playing at home I tend to go and watch them. Meadowbank is a dreadful venue for football. The running track is a pain but the pitch is like Zourabi's head, you never know which way the ball will bounce when it hits it.

I didn't mean to play there as is, I meant to do a complete overhaul with the council, a new stadium + pitch, we'd have the extra training facilities (gym etc) and Edinburgh City wouldn't have been a problem as they wouldn't have been there. It's a stones throw from ER and on a big main road, my only concern would've been the running track but all that is not an issue now.

Keith_M
15-10-2013, 11:36 AM
I didn't mean to play there as is, I meant to do a complete overhaul with the council, a new stadium + pitch, we'd have the extra training facilities (gym etc) and Edinburgh City wouldn't have been a problem as they wouldn't have been there. It's a stones throw from ER and on a big main road, my only concern would've been the running track but all that is not an issue now.


How would that have worked from a financial point of view?

Building the stadium in Straiton would have worked by selling the land that ER stands on and using the proceeds to build a new stadium on land donated by Farmer. In your plan, surely the money gained from selling ER would have been swallowed up by buying the land at Meadowbank, leaving nothing for building a new stadium.


I can't see how that would have been any different to just building a new stadium at ER, where Hibs had to start from scratch anyway

:confused:

--------
15-10-2013, 12:18 PM
This comes up quite a lot. The fact is that, under the current (relatively modern) boundaries, roughly half of the stadium is in Leith. Going by the original boundaries (http://www.grantonhistory.org/maps/boundaries/leith_boundary_map.htm), when Leith was a separate town, the stadium was completely within Leith (1920, before amalgamation).


Thank you. I was always told that the stadium was just outside the old boundaries. Glad to have the mistake corrected.

Hibs are the Leith team - end of. Thanks again. :thumbsup:

southsider
15-10-2013, 01:08 PM
The whole 'Straiton' thing was just an excercise to open up green belt land and once that was breeched with the new stadium then was no longer any point stopping new developements. Now i just wonder under whose ownership companies buying lands there were ? That land could be bought very cheeply but once building concent was given.....BINGO !

Keith_M
15-10-2013, 01:17 PM
Thank you. I was always told that the stadium was just outside the old boundaries. Glad to have the mistake corrected.

Hibs are the Leith team - end of. Thanks again. :thumbsup:


No problem Doddie.

Now do as I did and bookmark the link :wink:

jgl07
15-10-2013, 01:34 PM
Arsenal and Manchester City haven't really increased their support because they've moved location, though. Arsenal expanded capacity and Manchester spent squillions on their team. Don't think they belong in the context of this discussion, as neither of these considerations would have applied to us.

City increased their average crowds from 31,000 to 47,000 when moving to Eastlands. And that was five years before they were taken over. The takeover and the big spending would not have happened had the team remained at Maine Road with its restricted capacity of little over 30,000. The move was instrumental in transforming a yo-yo team to one of Europe's strongest teams.

There were two attempts to move Hibs to Straiton. The first go was around 1993 and was foiled because the authorities wouldn't play ball. Edinburgh District refused to give a years extension for an all-seater stadium. That meant spending money on Easter Road for one season. Also the planning permission given for Straiton fell short of what the promoters wanted. They needed planning permission for commercial development (in the green belt) to pay for the stadium through planning gain.

The second attempt ten years ago was really bizarre given that Hibs had by then developed three sides of the ground at a cost in excess of 12 million. I think that the whole thing was a PR excercise to pursuade the support to accept some cost cutting in order to be able to stay at Easter Road. I do not believe that there was ever any real chance that Hibs would move from Easter Road after that level of investment.

There was no logic in moving for Hibs. There is/was plenty of space at Easter Road to build new stands. That is not the case for other clubs including Arsenal and Manchester City. Hearts (if they survive) and Aberdeen do not have the space to modernize their existing grounds.

J-C
15-10-2013, 02:14 PM
How would that have worked from a financial point of view?

Building the stadium in Straiton would have worked by selling the land that ER stands on and using the proceeds to build a new stadium on land donated by Farmer. In your plan, surely the money gained from selling ER would have been swallowed up by buying the land at Meadowbank, leaving nothing for building a new stadium.


I can't see how that would have been any different to just building a new stadium at ER, where Hibs had to start from scratch anyway

:confused:


Not buying Meadowbank, working with the council as a partner, they were desperate for a new stadium but couldn't afford it, I'm not saying how it may have worked, just that it may have been an option. It was just a thought that ran through my head that's all.

Keith_M
15-10-2013, 02:24 PM
Not buying Meadowbank, working with the council as a partner, they were desperate for a new stadium but couldn't afford it, I'm not saying how it may have worked, just that it may have been an option. It was just a thought that ran through my head that's all.


Fair enough :thumbsup:

Posh Swanny
15-10-2013, 02:34 PM
We'd come third five times every ten years rather than two times. :flag:

jgl07
15-10-2013, 02:42 PM
Not buying Meadowbank, working with the council as a partner, they were desperate for a new stadium but couldn't afford it, I'm not saying how it may have worked, just that it may have been an option. It was just a thought that ran through my head that's all.

But that would never have been a starter as the City Council wanted a small capacity stadium with a running track. They already have an ageing one at Meadowbank.

The Council wanted to sell Meadowbank for housing to raise cash and build a cheapo small athletics stadium at Sighthill on council owned land to replace it. It has not happened because of the collapse of the housing market in 2008. When land prices recover I suspect that the plan will go ahead.

It was however proposed that Hibs might move to Meadowbank around 1990 when it appeared that Easter Road would be sold. The council agreed to make some improvements to accommodate Hibs at Meadowbank if it was needed.

J-C
15-10-2013, 06:40 PM
But that would never have been a starter as the City Council wanted a small capacity stadium with a running track. They already have an ageing one at Meadowbank.

The Council wanted to sell Meadowbank for housing to raise cash and build a cheapo small athletics stadium at Sighthill on council owned land to replace it. It has not happened because of the collapse of the housing market in 2008. When land prices recover I suspect that the plan will go ahead.

It was however proposed that Hibs might move to Meadowbank around 1990 when it appeared that Easter Road would be sold. The council agreed to make some improvements to accommodate Hibs at Meadowbank if it was needed.

Maybe that's where I heard heard about it

mca
15-10-2013, 07:49 PM
But that would never have been a starter as the City Council wanted a small capacity stadium with a running track. They already have an ageing one at Meadowbank.

The Council wanted to sell Meadowbank for housing to raise cash and build a cheapo small athletics stadium at Sighthill on council owned land to replace it. It has not happened because of the collapse of the housing market in 2008. When land prices recover I suspect that the plan will go ahead.

It was however proposed that Hibs might move to Meadowbank around 1990 when it appeared that Easter Road would be sold. The council agreed to make some improvements to accommodate Hibs at Meadowbank if it was needed.


Maybe that's where I heard heard about it


Aye.. i can Remember my old man Telling me One Morning - That Hibs Might be Moving to meadowbank - and he then pointed to a bit in the newspaper and i remember reading something about the council being happy to let hibs play at meadowbank.. :agree:

Miguel
15-10-2013, 10:37 PM
Neither Straiton, or Meadowbank would have worked unless we were homeless.
But I remain convinced that the council had, and probably has, a Plan B for Hearts if Tynecastle goes.

jgl07
15-10-2013, 11:04 PM
Aye.. i can Remember my old man Telling me One Morning - That Hibs Might be Moving to meadowbank - and he then pointed to a bit in the newspaper and i remember reading something about the council being happy to let hibs play at meadowbank.. :agree:

I heard it from a guy I worked with at the time. He was something of an insider as an ex-professional footballer who trained with Hibs regularly. He was a drinking pal of Andy Goram (well one of them anyway). He told me that Hibs would be evicted from Easter Road and would be playing at Meadowbank next season.

The council, who had done next to nothing to protect Hibs, probably felt obliged to offer Meadowbank in case Hibs were made homeless. This was reported extensively in the Scotsman and the Evening News at the time.

basehibby
15-10-2013, 11:47 PM
I was absolutely delighted when the move to Straiton fell through. Had we moved, there may have been some sort of financial boost but it would have had to have been a bloody good one - enough to keep 10,000 + bums well and truly on seats for a couple of years at least and get them into the habit of enjoying their new home.

However, I was never convinced such a dividend from a ground move to Straiton would have been big enough or long enough sustained to really bring the fans along for the ride permanently. Once we hit a sticky patch on the pitch, fans would have disappeared like snow off a dyke - finding the delights of meatballs at Ikea of little succour compared to the prospect of beers with mates in Leith or up the town when looking for distraction or disection of a string of poor results.

We now have a beautiful stadium to be proud of in a place we collectively love and can readily enjoy. If? no WHEN we eventually get a strong and entertaining side on the pitch there will be nothing more we could ask for as we will be in Hibee Heaven (a place which is most definately NOT Straiton).

lapsedhibee
16-10-2013, 08:50 AM
City increased their average crowds from 31,000 to 47,000 when moving to Eastlands. And that was five years before they were taken over. The takeover and the big spending would not have happened had the team remained at Maine Road with its restricted capacity of little over 30,000. The move was instrumental in transforming a yo-yo team to one of Europe's strongest teams.

Yes, was agreeing both Arsenal and City moved for commercial reasons, to expand capacity. Don't think Ozil would have appeared at Arsenal this season without the move/expansion.



There was no logic in moving for Hibs.
And this is why I didn't think their moves had any relevance to Hibs. (And we've got plenty mittelfielders already.)

Keith_M
16-10-2013, 02:11 PM
I'm not saying this would have happened to Hibs, as there were additional factors at play, but the first club that crossed my mind when reading this thread was Darlington.

They moved to the Darlington Arena in 2003, a 25,000 capacity, out of town stadium. They played there for a few years in front of pitifully small crowds. That wasn't entirely unexpected, though, as they never had a large support in the first place. The weird part was that the capacity was restricted to 10,000 unless special permission was applied for in a particular game. That was because the stadium was built with insufficient access.

Moving to that stadium crippled the club and they are now no more. There's a new club called Darlington 1883, playing in Bishop Auckland with a stadium capacity of about 2,000. Incidentally, the guy with all the big ideas, George Reynolds, was done for Tax Evasion and additional charges of Money Laundering were kept 'on file'. In fact, he's been a bit of a gangster all his life and when he was arrested, police found half a million quid in the boot of his car.


I actually think him and Romanov are distant relatives :greengrin

LancashireHibby
16-10-2013, 02:47 PM
I'm not saying this would have happened to Hibs, as there were additional factors at play, but the first club that crossed my mind when reading this thread was Darlington.

They moved to the Darlington Arena in 2003, a 25,000 capacity, out of town stadium. They played there for a few years in front of pitifully small crowds. That wasn't entirely unexpected, though, as they never had a large support in the first place. The weird part was that the capacity was restricted to 10,000 unless special permission was applied for in a particular game. That was because the stadium was built with insufficient access.

Moving to that stadium crippled the club and they are now no more. There's a new club called Darlington 1883, playing in Bishop Auckland with a stadium capacity of about 2,000. Incidentally, the guy with all the big ideas, George Reynolds, was done for Tax Evasion and additional charges of Money Laundering were kept 'on file'. In fact, he's been a bit of a gangster all his life and when he was arrested, police found half a million quid in the boot of his car.


I actually think him and Romanov are distant relatives :greengrin
Didn't he do time for fraud before he bought Darlington as well, so it wasn't as if they didn't have any warning?!

jgl07
16-10-2013, 04:03 PM
Didn't he do time for fraud before he bought Darlington as well, so it wasn't as if they didn't have any warning?!

He was done for safe-cracking, handling explosives, burglary and theft and did four years jail in 1964.

LancashireHibby
16-10-2013, 05:48 PM
He was done for safe-cracking, handling explosives, burglary and theft and did four years jail in 1964.
Had no idea it was such a lengthy list!

Hibernia Na Eir
17-10-2013, 06:30 AM
in answer to the op question

erm, Straiton?

Leithenhibby
17-10-2013, 07:28 AM
Hate to say so, but as far as I'm aware ER isn't in Leith. Just south of the old boundary, I think. But I know what you mean, and agree with you 100%.

I'm glad we stayed put - even apparently successful moves like Arsenal to the Emirates don't really sit well with me (not that it's any of my business, really). Just seems odd - Arsenal belong at Highbury, Sunderland at Roker, Hearts down the Swanny.

When a club's been in a particular place for over 100 years, that place has become part of the club's identity. And looking down from the Queen's Park on the east of the city with the new stadium in the heart of it ...

(Just as long as you don't go any nearer where you can hear everyone moaning and squabbling with one another and see the terrible football. :wink: )



Sorted that for you! :wink:

http://www.grantonhistory.org/maps/boundaries/leith_boundary_map.htm

Keith_M
17-10-2013, 07:56 AM
Sorted that for you! :wink:

http://www.grantonhistory.org/maps/boundaries/leith_boundary_map.htm


Ahem, you're a bit late with your info.......

:wink:



This comes up quite a lot. The fact is that, under the current (relatively modern) boundaries, roughly half of the stadium is in Leith. Going by the original boundaries (http://www.grantonhistory.org/maps/boundaries/leith_boundary_map.htm), when Leith was a separate town, the stadium was completely within Leith (1920, before amalgamation).

Leithenhibby
17-10-2013, 09:41 AM
Ahem, you're a bit late with your info.......

:wink:

I do try and please most though :wink: :na na:

Leithenhibby
17-10-2013, 09:45 AM
No problem Doddie.

Now do as I did and bookmark the link :wink:


:aok: Like being back at school... :greengrin