Your opinion - The future of the cottage beyond the riverside redevlopment?

[Lighthouse]

While Fuham is the Cottage there is no doubt that to improve and expand we will need a new ground one day. IF we could be shown a ground and plans that is not like other concrete blocks and somehow convinces people it will be worth it then it will happen. The Cottage is so important but one day we will move.

out of interest by when do you think we would leave the cottage? next 10 years? next 20 Years? next 50 years?

Good question. It depends when the owner (whoever it is then) can convince us it is worth it. The more success we may have the more we may want to keep it and that may mean moving on. Sooner rather than later so between 10 and 20 years. When the old sods like me no longer have the deep ties with the ground because we no longer have the financial clout.

[MJG]

While Fuham is the Cottage there is no doubt that to improve and expand we will need a new ground one day. IF we could be shown a ground and plans that is not like other concrete blocks and somehow convinces people it will be worth it then it will happen. The Cottage is so important but one day we will move.

out of interest by when do you think we would leave the cottage? next 10 years? next 20 Years? next 50 years?

If the global warming theories are not complete nonsense, we may not have a choice. Unless we take up water polo.

Once Boris (or whoever) wakes up and realises we need a new barrier we will be fine. Trouble is we will be under a couple of feet of water by the time its built.

[epsomraver]

While Fuham is the Cottage there is no doubt that to improve and expand we will need a new ground one day. IF we could be shown a ground and plans that is not like other concrete blocks and somehow convinces people it will be worth it then it will happen. The Cottage is so important but one day we will move.

out of interest by when do you think we would leave the cottage? next 10 years? next 20 Years? next 50 years?

Back to the same old question , where do we move to? crawley?

[MJG]

While Fuham is the Cottage there is no doubt that to improve and expand we will need a new ground one day. IF we could be shown a ground and plans that is not like other concrete blocks and somehow convinces people it will be worth it then it will happen. The Cottage is so important but one day we will move.

out of interest by when do you think we would leave the cottage? next 10 years? next 20 Years? next 50 years?

Back to the same old question , where do we move to? crawley?

Down the A3/M25 or somewhere close to Epsom maybe

[Adam87]

Thought this would get an interesting debate going.......some stuff I picked up......

To those who wish to stay at the cottage (I assume I am talking to 90%+ here), don't you want to see the club go from strength to strength whilst we have the opportunity, the premiership is becoming increasingly stronger every year and if you look at the clubs we are competing against - Norwich, Southampton, Newcastle, stoke, Sunderland, Aston villa etc...(forget the top 6/7, that is a mini league no one is going to break) then shouldn't we be looking to press home the advantage of improving our ground as soon as possible, or rather than moving from the cottage in 10/20 years time as people have suggested?
I just hope that the club haven't left it to late as we are being caught up with other clubs every year. Yes we are selling out but I agree with posters that say the hardcore set of fans is not big enough, even though the ground is full, we do like most clubs these days have a lot of causal watchers or tourists which you hope will be converted into fans over a period of time.
I wonder if ticket prices would come down if we expanded to 35,000 - and that's a big if......

I also don't think its a good idea for the club to start building a new stand or redevelop the ground any further if we are not going to stay there. Its just a complete waste, so there needs to be a firm grounding made and the fans are the ones to make this choice as they will vote with their feet, but you cannot rule out moving as if we want to maintain our status we need a premier league quality ground, but in typical Fulham style, making it unique and not a concrete bowl as some have feared. Too many grounds these days look the same and are just boring.

[MJG]

Craven Cottage is Fulham Fc

That's it in a nutshell.

[Northern Cottager]

The Cottage will always be a limiting factor on any ambitions to better ourselves. If we are happy to carry on playing there then I think it is both unrealistic and unreasonable to expect managers or owners to turn us into a regular top 8 team. If we are happy with mid-table status, with the occasional foray into the big time or the odd cup run, then we have a chance of fulfilling our hopes.

N'awww that sort of made sense but killed my hopes of winning the League... :(

[General]

Why is everyone so obsessed with a bigger and developed stadium. Our ground I heralded universally as one of the nicest in the world let alone the league and you all keep talking about destroying it and making compromises which will see us have to do an MK dons.

We have a great back room team, an inventive team and are creating great revenue streams through many different sponsorship deals like the most recent brother UK one - has any other club got a technology partner?

We got planning permission to demolish the stadium and build another one entirely in the same spot so why wouldn't we be able to expand like we have.

You don't need a hug stadium to be a successful team. Wigans capacity is useless yet they got into a cup final. We as a club as we are can appeal to top players and staff and management, why do you obsess about creating this whole different entity which is completely unnecessary.

We need tweaks.

[Adam87]

This is always going to be the argument general - how much are you willing to sacrifice tradition and what the clubs stands for against our future being at risk/keeping up with the times.......I don't think moving is a viable option as look at the issues QPR and Chelsea are having to deal with and we would be in competition with them.

The thing is no one really knows what is possible and whats not unless the club actually go through with something and submit applications. I personally want to stay but I am hearing from more and more fans say what is exactly going to happen - I really like the idea of the Putney end being the new home end if they can redevelop it and have one huge stand like the kop at anfield - or as big as possible - have always wanted to see the players come out from under the tunnel at the cottage and the reception they would get would be spine tingling.
I have no idea what can be done to the Stevenage road stand, just know its incredibly complicated.

But I don't think "tweeks" is going to be good for the long run....sorry.

[FFCByTheRiver]

Lets maximise what we have, for now. I like the idea of expansion into the park a bit, and adding a tier to the JH. Could we push it to 35-40k? I don't know. I don't want to move from the cottage for...at least 20 years. By then maybe I could see the need, assuming we've been making steady progress and have exhausted our options at the Cottage.

I disagree with a few of you though. Our fan base has increased over the past 10 years with PL status and as Fulham fans get born into Fulham families. You only need to look on Twitter to see the amount of teenagers etc that are full on Fulham fans these days. Growth is happening and I'd say we have well over 30k 'true' fans these days.

[epsomraver]

Lets maximise what we have, for now. I like the idea of expansion into the park a bit, and adding a tier to the JH. Could we push it to 35-40k? I don't know. I don't want to move from the cottage for...at least 20 years. By then maybe I could see the need, assuming we've been making steady progress and have exhausted our options at the Cottage.

I disagree with a few of you though. Our fan base has increased over the past 10 years with PL status and as Fulham fans get born into Fulham families. You only need to look on Twitter to see the amount of teenagers etc that are full on Fulham fans these days. Growth is happening and I'd say we have well over 30k 'true' fans these days.

Where do you get that figure from of 30k "true fans" we have poor away support of less than 1k  the ground is only sold out at 25.5k now by hundreds of tickets to schools, tourists and the away fans, we could never fill a 30k stadium on our own, that is a fact.

[b+w geezer]

The two ends "have a minimum specified life of 15 years, which in the way of these things probably means at least 30." Source: the project manager at the time (9 years ago), David Kent.

The big difference with any proper redevelopment of the two ends would not be in bulk and capacity so much as facilities. Stadium-related revenue at prem clubs only partly relates to attendance size. Relevant also are seat prices, average food and drink spend, corporate hospitality and non-matchday usage.

Permanent stands have spaces within them for restaurants, lounges, bars, function rooms etc -- all of which are currently absent at the two ends. This will allow for extra revenue on matchdays, but also throughout the week for corporate events, receptions etc. There is unusual potential here since, from all of the Putney End, plus part of the Hammersmith there would be (as from the Riverside) outlooks far superior to what yer average football ground can offer.

It won't so much be about extra capacity then, when the two ends are properly rebuilt, as functionality. The site offers limited potential in the first respect and considerable potential in the second.

[FFCByTheRiver]

Lets maximise what we have, for now. I like the idea of expansion into the park a bit, and adding a tier to the JH. Could we push it to 35-40k? I don't know. I don't want to move from the cottage for...at least 20 years. By then maybe I could see the need, assuming we've been making steady progress and have exhausted our options at the Cottage.

I disagree with a few of you though. Our fan base has increased over the past 10 years with PL status and as Fulham fans get born into Fulham families. You only need to look on Twitter to see the amount of teenagers etc that are full on Fulham fans these days. Growth is happening and I'd say we have well over 30k 'true' fans these days.

Where do you get that figure from of 30k "true fans" we have poor away support of less than 1k  the ground is only sold out at 25.5k now by hundreds of tickets to schools, tourists and the away fans, we could never fill a 30k stadium on our own, that is a fact.

Mainly because I don't subscribe to the old fashioned idea that you have to go to games to be a true fan.

And yes I'm a ST holder :)

[epsomraver]

How can you be a "true fan " if you do not go to games, A fan yes, a follower yes,  but a true fan, that is nonsense. fp.gif

[Lighthouse]

 A supporter goes to the matches while a fan sometimes  is unable or unwilling to. I was a supporter for many years and travelled to many Northern outposts. I am now a fan.

[epsomraver]

But a true Fan Mr Beamer ? one among 30K

[Lighthouse]

But a true Fan Mr Beamer ? one among 30K

Yes fair enough,  I don't know what makes a false fan either. Could we sell out a 30 thousand plus stadium each week? Given the right entertainment and travel ease and right pricing then everything is possible. Same with away games. More people would travel and support the team if we shot at goal a few times a game and not a few times a season.

[FFCByTheRiver]

But a true Fan Mr Beamer ? one among 30K

Yes fair enough,  I don't know what makes a false fan either. Could we sell out a 30 thousand plus stadium each week? Given the right entertainment and travel ease and right pricing then everything is possible. Same with away games. More people would travel and support the team if we shot at goal a few times a game and not a few times a season.

More exciting away performances coupled with greater club initiatives (e.g this free travel for 200 to Sunderland game etc) would probably really boost our away attendances...which in turn may help our performances. Bit of a cycle. It's all about making the first change somewhere.

[JHunter_Fulham4Life]

No, it means to grow the fan base and the club gradually, financially sensibly and sustainably not abruptly and above our means like some others have tried to.

Thank you!!!!