| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today 07:55 - Oct 19 with 4872 views | davblue |
Around plans for the future, I wasn’t aware that we were going to
Be buying the land behind the Cobbold, apologies if I’ve missed it.
‘We’ve agreed to buy the land behind the Cobbold Stand to do it but, like everything, it’s about timing. We would lose 4,000 fans for 18 months during the rebuild.‘ [Post edited 19 Oct 2024 21:29]
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 08:30 - Oct 19 with 3883 views | wrightsrightglove |
Hadn’t heard that either. I wonder what land he’s referring to? The extended footprint of the new stand or the entire site? It would be weird to just own the extended footprint seeing as we don’t own the land that any of the other stands or pitch are on.
And there was plans for a swimming pool on the car park wasn’t there? Although I’d much rather they sold the land to the club seeing as the council will never have the money to build the pool. |  | | |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:05 - Oct 19 with 3687 views | davblue |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 08:30 - Oct 19 by wrightsrightglove |
Hadn’t heard that either. I wonder what land he’s referring to? The extended footprint of the new stand or the entire site? It would be weird to just own the extended footprint seeing as we don’t own the land that any of the other stands or pitch are on.
And there was plans for a swimming pool on the car park wasn’t there? Although I’d much rather they sold the land to the club seeing as the council will never have the money to build the pool. |
No details in the article but without me knowing anything about who owns all of that land (council I’m sure) if it’s the car park and the buildings it’s going to be a hefty purchase. | | | |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:13 - Oct 19 with 3635 views | C_HealyIsAPleasure |
He also claims in that piece that we were regularly getting sellouts of 30k in League One (attendances were good clearly but we never hit 30k and even the 2nd last home game had c2k seats available), that we’ve sold 100k shirts this year (63k last year and most recent reports said we had sold 60k so far this time, so this would be quite a jump) and takes credit for re-engaging and getting Ed Sheeran as our shirt sponsor (something that by all accounts had been lined up before he got here)
So I’ll probably take anything he says with a large pinch of salt until there is a more concrete announcement! |  |
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:18 - Oct 19 with 3564 views | Zx1988 |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:13 - Oct 19 by C_HealyIsAPleasure |
He also claims in that piece that we were regularly getting sellouts of 30k in League One (attendances were good clearly but we never hit 30k and even the 2nd last home game had c2k seats available), that we’ve sold 100k shirts this year (63k last year and most recent reports said we had sold 60k so far this time, so this would be quite a jump) and takes credit for re-engaging and getting Ed Sheeran as our shirt sponsor (something that by all accounts had been lined up before he got here)
So I’ll probably take anything he says with a large pinch of salt until there is a more concrete announcement! |
The Sheeran comment is a real disappointment. I thought it was very widely acknowledged that a specific member of the marketing team (Rosie somebody?) had been responsible for for that, so for him to decide to nick the credit must be a slap in the face for her. | |
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:19 - Oct 19 with 3550 views | Kievthegreat |
At first I assumed he just meant a small piece for building the larger stand on, but I think we don't own any land the stadium is built on. So seems odd to have the stadium 90% leased land and 10% owned.
So maybe we are looking to buy the whole car park? Could put in a big multistorey and leave plenty of space for a new stand and probably some fanzone type facilities. |  | | |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:21 - Oct 19 with 3526 views | Kievthegreat |
Actually the 4,000 is more interesting. Sounds like we'd only lose the top tier in redevelopment perhaps? | | | |
| Original video of Portman Road site development concept here on 09:25 - Oct 19 with 3480 views | unstableblue |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 08:30 - Oct 19 by wrightsrightglove |
Hadn’t heard that either. I wonder what land he’s referring to? The extended footprint of the new stand or the entire site? It would be weird to just own the extended footprint seeing as we don’t own the land that any of the other stands or pitch are on.
And there was plans for a swimming pool on the car park wasn’t there? Although I’d much rather they sold the land to the club seeing as the council will never have the money to build the pool. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx9z7dqlyqyo.amp
I think Portman Road as a road is going.
But the new stand and the ‘plaza’ (which would have an access area for some vehicle I suspect) behind it probably extends past where the statues are - so I assume that is the land he is referring to. So it would come into the ITFC land lease area.
I think the border between the open spaces of the aquatics centre and the back of the Cobbold plaza will blend into one
But I think any work on a new Cobbold is two seasons away - the development order was:
Training ground
Astro and fan zone area behind the West Stand
The Staples site
Cobbold |  |
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:26 - Oct 19 with 3472 views | LankHenners |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:13 - Oct 19 by C_HealyIsAPleasure |
He also claims in that piece that we were regularly getting sellouts of 30k in League One (attendances were good clearly but we never hit 30k and even the 2nd last home game had c2k seats available), that we’ve sold 100k shirts this year (63k last year and most recent reports said we had sold 60k so far this time, so this would be quite a jump) and takes credit for re-engaging and getting Ed Sheeran as our shirt sponsor (something that by all accounts had been lined up before he got here)
So I’ll probably take anything he says with a large pinch of salt until there is a more concrete announcement! |
Yes thought the Sheeran comment was a bit odd as Ashton has previously been clear to distance himself from that collaboration as it was set up before he arrived.
Made me laugh the other day/week when he was talking about how important Cat One is for the academy and the club as a whole when he was very dismissive of the idea when asked about it a couple of years ago at a fans forum. Fair enough people can change their mind on something but strange to act like he's always been supportive of it when he clearly hasn't!
Do we think he's quite enjoying the status being CEO and chairman of a Premier League club? |  |
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:37 - Oct 19 with 3305 views | MVBlue |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 08:30 - Oct 19 by wrightsrightglove |
Hadn’t heard that either. I wonder what land he’s referring to? The extended footprint of the new stand or the entire site? It would be weird to just own the extended footprint seeing as we don’t own the land that any of the other stands or pitch are on.
And there was plans for a swimming pool on the car park wasn’t there? Although I’d much rather they sold the land to the club seeing as the council will never have the money to build the pool. |
whats wrong with Crown Pools? |  |
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:40 - Oct 19 with 3264 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:37 - Oct 19 by MVBlue |
whats wrong with Crown Pools? |
I was thinking the same.
Surely a refurb would be much more sensible that the cost of building new. |  |
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:42 - Oct 19 with 3243 views | EastTownBlue |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:37 - Oct 19 by MVBlue |
whats wrong with Crown Pools? |
Life expired or needs plenty of work done to it. As I remember when it was new that’s a bit depressing. | | | |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:45 - Oct 19 with 3203 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:42 - Oct 19 by EastTownBlue |
Life expired or needs plenty of work done to it. As I remember when it was new that’s a bit depressing. |
Refurb will be a lot cheaper than a new build. | |
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:57 - Oct 19 with 3118 views | Steve_M |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:26 - Oct 19 by LankHenners |
Yes thought the Sheeran comment was a bit odd as Ashton has previously been clear to distance himself from that collaboration as it was set up before he arrived.
Made me laugh the other day/week when he was talking about how important Cat One is for the academy and the club as a whole when he was very dismissive of the idea when asked about it a couple of years ago at a fans forum. Fair enough people can change their mind on something but strange to act like he's always been supportive of it when he clearly hasn't!
Do we think he's quite enjoying the status being CEO and chairman of a Premier League club? |
On your last line, well quite.
He’s done a very good job for the most part but the hagiography from some fans remains very odd. |  |
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 10:01 - Oct 19 with 3077 views | nodge_blue |
Phil - if you read this....I assumed that the land behind the Cobbold may just be the footprint of the expanded stand and have no impact on the swimming pool etc. If we bought all that land it would be way too big for what we need? |  |
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 10:02 - Oct 19 with 3062 views | Guthrum |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:40 - Oct 19 by Marshalls_Mullet |
I was thinking the same.
Surely a refurb would be much more sensible that the cost of building new. |
Except that a new build could incorporate modern energy useage, insulation, facilities, access and so on, whereas that would be harder with the refurb of an existing 1980s building. |  |
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 10:07 - Oct 19 with 2976 views | gtsb1966 |
IF we were to go down this season do you think these plans would still go ahead. Would it be that we would have to go up again at the first time of asking? All hyperthetical I know. |  | | |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 10:16 - Oct 19 with 2892 views | redrickstuhaart |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:26 - Oct 19 by LankHenners |
Yes thought the Sheeran comment was a bit odd as Ashton has previously been clear to distance himself from that collaboration as it was set up before he arrived.
Made me laugh the other day/week when he was talking about how important Cat One is for the academy and the club as a whole when he was very dismissive of the idea when asked about it a couple of years ago at a fans forum. Fair enough people can change their mind on something but strange to act like he's always been supportive of it when he clearly hasn't!
Do we think he's quite enjoying the status being CEO and chairman of a Premier League club? |
Cat 1 comes with PL status. Its pretty much a closed shop outside of that, and not therefore a financial priority until now. | | | |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 10:27 - Oct 19 with 2791 views | OldFart71 |
It's an interesting situation with regards to the Cobbold/ development. Not that I in any way see our situation panning out as before with the development of the North and Churchmans which along with Finidi George and Mateo Sereni lead to administration. We are in a much better position given the backing of Gamechanger, Parachute payments and our current policy of buying players in the majority of cases would be able to sell on whilst also keeping a strong core of players. It will still be a balance as to when to go ahead. Do we wait another season if we were to stay up this ? Would it make that much difference if we stay up this and then build ? It's easy to look back at previous mistakes, but nothing is cast iron with regards to whether we stay in the Prem one season or ten. Injuries, a change of Manager should Kieran be poached by a bigger club. Many factors. The need is obviously there currently. We could probably fill a 40,000 seater currently. Of course there no guarantee that it will be that way in five or ten years time. But what in life is. | | | |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 10:28 - Oct 19 with 2783 views | PhilTWTD |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 10:01 - Oct 19 by nodge_blue |
Phil - if you read this....I assumed that the land behind the Cobbold may just be the footprint of the expanded stand and have no impact on the swimming pool etc. If we bought all that land it would be way too big for what we need? |
Perhaps, although it would presumably encroach on the land beyond the road to some degree. |  | | |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 10:37 - Oct 19 with 2732 views | ElephantintheRoom |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:26 - Oct 19 by LankHenners |
Yes thought the Sheeran comment was a bit odd as Ashton has previously been clear to distance himself from that collaboration as it was set up before he arrived.
Made me laugh the other day/week when he was talking about how important Cat One is for the academy and the club as a whole when he was very dismissive of the idea when asked about it a couple of years ago at a fans forum. Fair enough people can change their mind on something but strange to act like he's always been supportive of it when he clearly hasn't!
Do we think he's quite enjoying the status being CEO and chairman of a Premier League club? |
Academy products can be horse traded between Prem clubs to cheat FFP - so he’s probably got his eyes on that | |
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 10:52 - Oct 19 with 2665 views | NthQldITFC |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:40 - Oct 19 by Marshalls_Mullet |
I was thinking the same.
Surely a refurb would be much more sensible that the cost of building new. |
Unless that new one is a proper 50m pool.
A new 25m pool build would be moronic, imho.
If they want an integrated station - ITFC - leisure area also with potential to link along to the Waterfront, they should ONLY build a 50m pool there and take out all the half-arsed gym space. |  |
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 10:59 - Oct 19 with 2624 views | Dubtractor |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 09:57 - Oct 19 by Steve_M |
On your last line, well quite.
He’s done a very good job for the most part but the hagiography from some fans remains very odd. |
Yep.
I've said a few times before, he's a bit of a salesman, which is obviously quite important for a lot of his role, and he has done a very good job for our club. I do tend to take a lot of what he says with a pinch of salt for that reason though.
In fairness to him, until the last week or two, he has kept a pretty low profile this season which is preferable to me. |  |
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| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 11:05 - Oct 19 with 2595 views | PhilTWTD |
Done a bit of digging, gather the land in question stretches some way over the road behind the current Cobbold Stand into the car park but will not impact IBC's plans for an aquatics centre.
This post has been edited by an administrator | | | |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 11:07 - Oct 19 with 2554 views | PhilTWTD |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 10:28 - Oct 19 by PhilTWTD |
Perhaps, although it would presumably encroach on the land beyond the road to some degree. |
As per the above, this is the situation. The footprint of the ground as a whole will grow with the stand and walkways etc around it. | | | |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 11:27 - Oct 19 with 2401 views | HighgateBlue |
| Interesting comment from Ashton in the Athletic today on 10:59 - Oct 19 by Dubtractor |
Yep.
I've said a few times before, he's a bit of a salesman, which is obviously quite important for a lot of his role, and he has done a very good job for our club. I do tend to take a lot of what he says with a pinch of salt for that reason though.
In fairness to him, until the last week or two, he has kept a pretty low profile this season which is preferable to me. |
I've got no reason to criticise him, but I do agree with the salesman/pinch of salt lines. The error for me was making him Chairman in addition to CEO. I really think that's a bad idea. The role of Chairman can't be performed by a CEO. One might as well just scrap the role of Chairman if one doesn't see it as important. Personally I do see it as important, and thought that O'Leary did a really sound, careful, wise, job. |  | | |
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