Odemwingie wrote:
Said from the start that saints and yourselves should have some kind of terrace down the side to create the same feel even in a new home.
I think the amount of standing area in the stadium would affect chances of holding internationals at the ground and Saints wanted to be able to hold internationals. Originally our stadium was going to be all-seater but the fans protested and so a standing area was placed behind the sticks (and, strangely enough, the away fans get to stand behind the sticks too - bonus!).
Although I hated the idea of going to Widnes this season, not to mention leaving Knowsley Road, it's actually served a purpose. We've been forced into adjusting to a seated stadium and being without the Pop Side (as we called the standing side where the die hards would meet, and start the songs/chants off). The noisy fans have largely gathered in the East Stand, which will be the West Stand in our new stadium (the home standing area, behind the sticks). Some are also in the North Stand (the plebs fully seated stand, as opposed to the South Stand which is the toffs stand!).
You won't have the benefit of being weaned from your old stadium into your new and so it will be hard for you to adjust, especially those fans who have spent decades standing in the Shed. However, it won't take you too many home games to realise just what a dire place your old ground was and just how much of a difference it makes to have decent facilities. Widnes isn't the greatest stadium in the world but for us it is a major step up (we have toilet facilities, for instance!). To imagine going into a shiny new stadium with even better facilities is fantastic and we can't wait. Many of us have now moved on from Knowsley Road (which has now been demolished, with houses growing out of the site) and can only see the future in our new place.
It's tough to make the change regardless of how much people know it is needed, but you'll get there, and you'll make the new place feel like home over time.
