I sent an email to Saints over the weekend with some positive and negative feedback re. the stadium experience and received this response today.

[iHi Philip,

Hope you are well.

The match was a great benefit to the club and fans as it shows us what we need to do ahead of the Salford game.

The fans now know where they need to go for a beer etc and we know things need fixing.

We will be looking at the PA - it's difficult to know how it will function with a full crowd - but we know now.

The West Stand will be cladded first, followed by the East Stand. This should prevent the wind ripping around the ground. We will then assess if any further work is needed.

I am glad on the whole you had an enjoyable experience.

Mike Appleton
Media Manager[/i

Spoke to Eamonn today, was at Saints for something unrelated and bumped into him.

Basically, He absolutely agreed about the problems with the cladding and water issues but a few things he mentioned should answer some questions.

a ) I pointed out we are all proud of the achievement, mainly due him, and that we are reporting issues as we want the stadium to be the best in the league, nay country, and that he understand fans comments on the issues related to the stadium, and is thankful for them.
b ) The club are waiting for reports about the problems from both the broken roof and the Widnes game to be prepared over the next week or so BEFORE cladding is installed. It will be done though once the paperwork is completed. This also negates a possible press release or club statement on the construction work done and needing to be done.
c ) We need to be patient, as H&S and the above reports take time to put together and get agreed etc.
d ) A possible reduction of capacity for the Salford game to 17,000.
e ) The list of problems will be looked into by staff at the club.


The conversation was in no way a meeting and lasted no more than 5 minutes, Eamonn was HAPPY to talk about the C word, I didn't have a list of issues or time to go through them with him, and I would think that still needs to be coordinated.

oh also, whilst I think on, there will (for the salford game initially) be no movement between stands, it was apparant that people bought South Stand tickets only to stand in the west stand (bizarre as its cheaper to buy in the west) this won't be allowed for the Salford game.

Eamonn seemed pretty sad with this as he envisaged movement possible between stands to allow for people to meet up at half time, walk around freely etc.

I read this post on redvee and may have knee jerked with my post. You could interpret Eamonn's response re the no movement between the stands to mean just that and that you can still walk round the concourse but not enter another stand/terrace. What was your take on his response? Again I'll say the simple solution is stewards checking tickets. Whilst it may be a ball ache at first people will soon get the message that they can't migrate between stands. I feel the concourse must remain open as it is this feature that distinguishes LP from the rest. If we can't control this then god help us.

My take on it is simply for the Salford game you will not be able to enter the stands you do not have a ticket for, for THATS GAME ONLY for now, whilst they sort out the whole situation. I'm sure you can understand the need to do it short term for H&S reasons?

This may JUST be between the south and west stands, but might include the others, it wasn't discussed further than my own position in the south.

As I say, Eamonn in no way stated that he wanted the concourse to not be open, just that he is taking is cautiously to start. I think it's the best way.

Are there bars/food outlets and toilets under all the stands? If so then there is no need for spectators to go into other areas for which they have not paid.

Yes there are these facilities that serve each area. I agree there's no need to go in a stand or terrace that you don't have a ticket for but the attraction of the concourse is that you can meet up with others if you so choose not with the intention of gaining access to other stands. It shouldn't be that difficult to police. In fact thinking about it the reserved seating areas shouldn't need governing that much as if anybody does take up a seat in these areas that they don't have a ticket for then they will be moved when the rightful seat holder arrives. So the terracing would be the main areas that need tickets checking on entry.
Hopefully you'll appreciate it when your team come into town.
I think there's a potential loss of revenue if they don't allow freedom of movement around the concourse as people may choose to have their pre match refreshments in venues outside the ground if they cant mingle with mates from other areas. Half time might be another decision not to go down to the bars as well if you can't meet up with others from other areas.

How it works at Wigan is that the South Stand bar is open pre and post match. This is accessed from outside the ground. Then friends who sit in different areas of the ground meet up and gave a drink, walk outside the bar to their own designated areas (stands), where they can also have drink if they want (we normally only leave the bar around ten minutes to kick off and go to our seats, no problem. We can then meet after the game in the South Stand bar, or go home.

The way Saints are doing it is going to require stewarding at all times pre and during the match to check tickets. I'm sure there are health and safety implications particularly in the standing areas.

I have a feeling they will be strict on inter stand movement for the games with near sellouts, but later in the season when we are playing the likes of London and there are only 11k in the stadium, then i think things will be more relaxed.

Makes sense really as they can then ensure the bars in the east stand get utilised to reduce queues in the North and South East.

Certainly for the Salford match and any matches with attendances were the attendances look around the 15k or above then i would prevent movement were possible.

Otherwise i can see a situation were the West stand sells out, then canny Saints fans then buy tickets in the East away end, however once arriving in the ground, they would then walk around from the East stand and take up their spec in the West stand. Thereby overpopulating the West stand.

The sad reality is that a few idiots are likely to ruin things for the majority.
Fans who cant now get tickets for the Salford match, should thank their fellow supporters for ensuring the stadium doesnt get its full safety certificate, because they decided it would be ok to sit or stand were they felt like, rather than what their ticket said.

It's a real shame. I guess this is the downside of having standing areas. If all the stands were seated, this wouldn't have happened. What a pity some thoughtless people have ruined the whole experience for everyone else.

I just wonder how many did change to the West terrace as I assume the capacity must have been set lower than what it could really hold.

Yes it was but the problem was that so many scrunched in at one end. If they'd spread out across the whole stand then I don't think anyone would have noticed.

exactly, there was plenty room for the amount of people, but the herding mentallity took over