Original stadium plans?

[Pinter777]

Overheard somebody saying they wished the original stadium plans had been implanted instead of the stadium we have now? Am I being stuoid and missing something?

[Chris Black come back]

Think we ended up getting the one we got was because the original plan was way too expensive to build.

[Silkscarf]

Early on there was talk of the new stadium being expandable to 20,000 or whatever.

Reality kicked in and, thanks to everyone involved at the time who made it happen, we got the amazing place we have today.

Until we regularly get 11000+ home fans for 23 league games a season it’s plenty big enough.

[Belle_Vue]

I remember a dvd as a season ticket holder than had a fly around the mockup of the original plans

[Bentley Bullet]

Didn't the price of Steel increase, rendering the original design too expensive?

[karldew]

Can’t actually find any images of the first version we were shown. I’m sure it had like pods in the corners for turnstile entry from what I remember?

I know there was an image created, possibly by someone on here?, of the current stadium with a second tier (east?) and it looked brilliant!

[ChrisBx]

I believe this was the original plan.

[Padge_DRFC]

Glad we didn't build it bigger. The emptier a pace gets the worse it is. Look at MK Dons awful on matchday

[DearneValleyRover]

The original plan was to have a smaller version of the City of Manchester Stadium. The then Mayor wanted to use it as a fanfare for the next election by all accounts and held back the start so the price of steel went up and made the original plan unaffordable or so the story goes.

[ForsolongaRover]

Glad we didn't build it bigger. The emptier a pace gets the worse it is. Look at MK Dons awful on matchday

Agreed. I wonder if anyone went to Odsal (where Bradford Rugby League team play) in the 60s. Bradford were a worse team than the Dons back then and it was rather like sitting around an old quarry. It had the effect of giving the visiting team the advantage because it radiated  apathy and the lack of hope that surrounded the home team. I think its capacity was 70k and it was as good as empty with a thousand or so there.

[pigeonhole]

The planned stadium was to have an iconic floating roof which would have looked amazing rising above the shopping centre as you drive in to Doncaster along White Rose Way. It would have been a real architectural statement adding significantly to Doncaster’s skyline. What we got, from the outside, was sympathetic to the buildings already there, fitting in nicely with Porcelanosa and Storage Kings.

Compared to the plans, it was a bit of a disappointment. It’s only now it’s been lived in and is being run by the club, and with the addition of the flags and our memories, that the stadium has any character at all. And who’s to say if the original design would ever have developed any character, or created the atmosphere witnessed at Barrow last year? That’s what I tell myself, anyway. It’s been 18 years, I really should get over it…

[pigeonhole]

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[drfchound]

Can’t actually find any images of the first version we were shown. I’m sure it had like pods in the corners for turnstile entry from what I remember?

I know there was an image created, possibly by someone on here?, of the current stadium with a second tier (east?) and it looked brilliant!

I also remember that image of the “bolt on extension” to the East Stand.  It did look terrific.  Maybe someone can post it again.

[idler]

Glad we didn't build it bigger. The emptier a pace gets the worse it is. Look at MK Dons awful on matchday

Agreed. I wonder if anyone went to Odsal (where Bradford Rugby League team play) in the 60s. Bradford were a worse team than the Dons back then and it was rather like sitting around an old quarry. It had the effect of giving the visiting team the advantage because it radiated  apathy and the lack of hope that surrounded the home team. I think its capacity was 70k and it was as good as empty with a thousand or so there.

Odsal’s highest official attendance is 102,569, RL cup final replay 1954. Some reckon there were actually 120,000 there. The photo taken from above is amazing.

[Pinter777]

Thanks for the replies guys, interesting stuff.

[phil o sophical]

Can’t actually find any images of the first version we were shown. I’m sure it had like pods in the corners for turnstile entry from what I remember?

I know there was an image created, possibly by someone on here?, of the current stadium with a second tier (east?) and it looked brilliant!

I also remember that image of the “bolt on extension” to the East Stand.  It did look terrific.  Maybe someone can post it again.

This might be the one

[dknward2]

Remember having that as my desktop background for a while when we were in the championship thinking if we got in the premier league we are gonna need this

[BobG]

I never did know. Could someone tell me, please, what a 'floating roof' is?! It sounds chimerical!

BobG

[i_ateallthepies]

Bob, I'm not certain myself but suspect it is where the stadium wall immediately beneath the roof is glazed to let in more light.

[foxbat]

Fascinating stuff , these original  designs. Unfortunate that a lot of cost cutting went on.

[RoversDave]

Don't forget the real or imaginary Newts delayed the start for months, then the price of steel shot up, mostly because I think China was buying up the world's production.

[ForsolongaRover]

Bob, I'm not certain myself but suspect it is where the stadium wall immediately beneath the roof is glazed to let in more light.

Is this like there is at The Emirates?

[karldew]

Can’t actually find any images of the first version we were shown. I’m sure it had like pods in the corners for turnstile entry from what I remember?

I know there was an image created, possibly by someone on here?, of the current stadium with a second tier (east?) and it looked brilliant!

I also remember that image of the “bolt on extension” to the East Stand.  It did look terrific.  Maybe someone can post it again.

This might be the one

That’s the one!, dare to dream…

[scawsby steve]

Bob, I'm not certain myself but suspect it is where the stadium wall immediately beneath the roof is glazed to let in more light.

Is this like there is at The Emirates?

Yes, FR, and at the new Spurs stadium.

[phil o sophical]

Don't forget the real or imaginary Newts delayed the start for months, then the price of steel shot up, mostly because I think China was buying up the world's production.

The newts are alive and well and have appeared at a couple of places along the HS2 route

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Don't forget the real or imaginary Newts delayed the start for months, then the price of steel shot up, mostly because I think China was buying up the world's production.

Yes, that's right and with the funding already approved, from the grant £25m?and £5m? from the council,(for the whole development) then the rise  costs meant there were two options.

1. Go back to the council for the extra £5m? for which there was no guarantee it would be approved (I recall there was already some dissent from some councillors about the original funding but i think Winter steered it through)

Or 2, go back to the architects to tone down the design so it came in within the original budget.

As the images above show, it would have been very much like Hulls KC Stadium with 2 tiers on one side, a single tier on the other with space under the  floating' roof to install a second tier if needed in the future. Capacity @18500 with scope to expand to @21000. I think the floating reference just comes from the curved design of the roof.

The footprint of the original design was more oval then the more rectangular design we now have and to reiterate, there were no extra footings or pins as some people refer, to expand the stadium at a later date. I was lucky enough to visit the site twice during construction and was able to ask Mowlems project manager lots of questions. Also being the saddo I was, working close by, allowed me to visit the build nearly every day at lunch time, eating my butties sat on the hill, plus taking lots of photos and videos.

[drfchound]

Just something that happened today in the south stand.
One of the lads was talking to me and commented that the music being played was so loud that the sound was distorted.
He actually shouted so I could hear what he said and he was only a couple of feet away from me.
Please, can it be turned down a bit.

[Filo]

Just something that happened today in the south stand.
One of the lads was talking to me and commented that the music being played was so loud that the sound was distorted.
He actually shouted so I could hear what he said and he was only a couple of feet away from me.
Please, can it be turned down a bit.

There was music being played?

[TonySoprano]

The tannoys don't work at all in the west, which is why they probably turned it up high, in an attempt to let the west stand hear.

Getting ridiculous

[RoversDave]

https://youtu.be/CwiWKZbKl5Q?si=qYLvcyxPkqfi_y-e