New seats at last

[tony]

So does anyone actually know when the main stand extension will be open, and whether it will be available to corporates only or the average punter?

(Hint: If your proposed response begins with 'I would assume' or 'I'm guessing that' then you don't actually know.)

[nobadspitfire]

I would assume that someone at the club might have an idea. Before the Torquay game, I heard it would be open for the Guiseley game. Yesterday I was in the club shop& another guy asked one of the lads selling tickets etc when it would be open & for whom, and he was told 'hopefully at the end of the month & for season ticket holders only'. Read into that what you will,  but don't take it as a definite. I would suggest that no one yet knows for sure when it will open & to whom, but when it's all ready, the club will make a press announcement/club statement so the world will all know at the same time. Until then.............all we can do is wait.

[thelake]

think its a question of its open when its open! "officially" it might be season ticket holders only but as there are 600/700 seats would think it would be open to anyone who fancies trying out the new seats?

[spitfire9]

I would imagine the central part of the stand will be corporate seating then the new section the standard season ticket holders. I'm sure that will please a few

[efctommygreen]

Concrete terracing inside the actual structure (no need for new planning approvals ) changing rooms for both teams below, bars as well for home fans below, and as this is to be the new home end for the EFC fans, the teams emerge from this end also.
What l ask you could be better ?

Before getting carried away with the idea of a home end terrace, there has to be a plan as to where the away fans seated allocation will be located. They have to be able to have seats by the rules of the league. If the South stand is the next project, then the away fans will have to be moved or the away fans would be in two different area`s of the ground due to limited seating options. This would occur additional stewards and cost. Where the away fans are located is the best location, and an area where they can`t intimidate the Linesmen.

[steve]

Should imagine one section would be reserved for the exec club/hospitality..

I'm not sure how the terracing below is going to work though, the design of the stairs would suggest a very restricted view?

Probably better off with the design of the current stand which run straight and flat standing in front...

[nobadspitfire]

Terracing below the new seats? I'd be very surprised if that happened. No room. Standing against the barrier below the new seats? Again, unlikely to avoid congestion when people move to/from seats. All will become clear in time.

[bomber]

Would like the Mackoy with the seats remaining at the back & terracing lower half.

[thelake]

I don't read the program but I think I read something in it about ground improvements?

would have thought the next step might be to put seats in on the other side of the blue side, so that whole side is all seater

[blueandwhite]

The new stand is due to open on January 27th when we face Hartlepool

[tony]

Jan 10, 2018 22:00:31 GMT blueandwhite said:

The new stand is due to open on January 27th when we face Hartlepool

There it is, no guesses or assumptions, an actual statement of fact! Thanks blueandwhite !

[tenacres]

www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/15845407.Eastleigh_set_to_unveil_West_Stand_extension_at_the_Silverlake/

AMBITIOUS National League outfit Eastleigh are ready to unveil the next stage of their ground development at the end of the month.

The Spitfires have earmarked their next home game against Hartlepool United on Saturday, January 27, as the official opening of their new West Stand extension.

Costing an estimated £750,000, the extension incorporates a large gymnasium and treatment room for the players and a football management office for team boss Andy Hessenthaler and his staff.

It also houses a directors’ room, a room for the stewards/safety officers, plus toilet facilities for the disabled.

Seat-wise, it adds another 550 to the 350 in the existing main blue stand and the whole structure will now be known as the Drive Personnel Stand, thanks to sponsorship from the Eastleigh-based company which specialises in HGV driving jobs across Hampshire.

Club chairman Stewart Donald said: “Whilst we have the Mackoy Stand (behind the top goal) with plenty of seats always available, I know a number of our fans would much prefer to sit down the side of the pitch.

“Once this has been done, it will allow us to move to the next stage of our ground development.”

All being well, that next stage will be to convert the Mackoy Community Stand to a permanent structure, removing the seating and utilising the space below.


“Ideally we would like to turn the stand into a home terrace with a new fans’ bar and changing rooms for the players, along with classrooms, toilets, refreshment outlets and one or two other facilities,” Donald explained.

“This would mean the players would enter and leave the ground next to our most vocal supporters and I feel this could be of huge benefit, whilst also giving us a much-improved atmosphere with the ability to house a huge vocal support behind the one goal.”

Subject to the relevant planning approval, work on transforming the Mackoy Stand could begin as early as next month with a view to it being ready for the start of next season.


Simultaneously, planning permission will be sought to complete the West Stand and connect the two corners with the north and south ends so the ground will be two-thirds enclosed.

The completed West Stand should include ten or 11 corporate boxes as millionaire businessman Donald works towards his long-term goal of making Eastleigh self-sustainable

[fairoakfan]

Well that all sounds great, after lots of speculation from fans we now know how it’s all headed. The clubhouse end I assume will stay the same with obviously the majority of corporate and just a small terrace , plenty of room now to stand at the mackoy end that will be great for those that wish to stand. East terrace would be the last side to be tackled at a later date , I wouldn’t of thought a huge rush to do that side, as stated before I kind of like that old fashioned terracing on that side , old school for me, when the time comes it will be taken down until then and after the next faze it will be a nice place to come. Let’s see if we can keep the momentum on the field to keep up with events off it.

[michaelefc]

Sounds fantastic to me.

[tenacres]

*puts anorak on*

I make it 552 seats (8 rows of 69)

*takes anorak off again*