Wimbledon Stadium: Some Important News

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

This is a very ignorant article - the loss of the Dog Track is dismissed in a line yet, this is a community facility that's been in this location for 85 years... The football club at their adjacent ground never got within even close of the crowds who've attended Dog Racing, Speedway & Stock Car Racing at the Stadium.

Even when Wimbledon FC were one of the best clubs in the country (because forget the mythology of them being the biggest underdogs ever to win the FA Cup; that's errant nonsense, they finished 7th. in the top division that year; 6th. the season before) they still attacted woeful crowds. Within south London they are a tiny footnote unable to compete with the likes of Crystal Palace, Millwall & Charlton and a move to a bigger ground is smoke & mirrors for them.

To call the Stadium a "hodgepodge of tumbledown stands" is a very inaccurate description: though run down the stadium retains the co-ordinated and complete look it's always had...

Disappointing that such poor journalism finds its way into the best paper in the country for sports coverage..

[Triple.H.]

The piece on Talksport was at approx 2:20pm in the Hawksbee and Jacobs show if they have listen again on their website.

[500cc]

The basis of the AFC plan has existed for over a year. The numbers may have altered a little and the community issues introduced, but this option has looked the fore runner for the last year. The Greyhound option has gandered some great publicity in recent months and improved its chances.

 

Truth is the stadium is an eyesore, in fact so is the whole plot. It isn't a nice place to go into, and sticking everyone on the back (now front) straight makes it a poor overall spectacle. But whilst not their doing, as the main tennants the greyhounds will be linked to the decline.

 

For years the old football ground was also an eyesore. In terms of the limitations of building so many flats, I think they've done an excellent job. If you ever are in the area walk into the middle, for someone who doesn't particularly enjoy that style of housing, I think it feels very relaxing and comfortable.

 

In contrast the stadium really isn't good. Whilst its a real shame that housing must be included, either option will transform what is currently quite a rundown area. I'm in little doubt the the feel good factor is with the AFC but there is a BUT. When it comes to football there will be heavy objections. Whilst residential dwellings around the plot are virtually non-existent, almost immediately on exiting the plot you will residential areas. And supporters will head to multiple stations. Turn right out of the current main exit, upto the old football ground then you have left for Haydon's Road, straight on for Wimbledon and right for Wimbledon Park. Or left out of the exit, then left for a trek to Wandsworth Common (or shorter to Earlsfield) or right for another longish walk to Tooting Bec. In other words the hit on local residents is quite wide.

 

Re-attendances with a modern 21st century ground I'd expect them to raise their numbers substantially. The original Wimbledon never had a ground of Football League standard, but despite the earlier claims their support was pretty good. More than doubled once they left Plough Lane and it was realised Selhurst Park was now home. Not sure getting a season's average to 18,000+ when never even reaching an 8,000 average during their football league career in Plough Lane is a failure. A big factor re their low current averages is the limitations of the current ground. It's just not conducive to giving a large number of supporters a good view. At least Plough Lane had a big terrace.

 

Personally I'd love the sporting elements of the two projects to combine. The space exists to join two stadiums back to back. The greyhounds only want one real side of seating anyway. Dogs, Stockcars and Speedway in one. Football in the other. But financially it won't work without the housing.

 

There needs to be a winner as letting the stadium fall into further disrepair is surely a non-option. I suspect football will win, because of the respect AFC have built up since 2002. They are a community club in action not words.

 

Edit: Minor correction to say the plot is also an eyesore.

Edited September 27, 2013 by 500cc

[500cc]

Seems AFC Wimbledon have a plan to develop Plough Lane for a football stadium in a joint deal with Galliard Homes (yes them again) and build an 111,000 stadium and 600 homes according to this report on the BBC Sport website

 

 

That looks like Wembley could be losing its status then !!!

 

Can you not use such a large type face in future please?

 

I've suffered similar with copying text on to this site. Can go very small

[25yearfan]

Combining all 4 sports there would be the best outcome but would there be room for the lucrative housing?

Maybe a stadium featuring dogs, greyhounds and stock cars thats a bit bigger than the new Crayford track could be possible beside a bigger football ground?

And yes I've been to the new Crayford and I've always maintained that dinky little stadium could accomdate a tiny Plymouth like speedway track!

 

I don't get all this WImbledon stadiums now poor talk. Yes its needs some TLC (we all know the reasons why that hasn't happened!) but it would still be better than most other speedway stadiums in the UK!

 

I fear that football will win the day unfortunately cause they could guarantee 4000+ crowds and would get more if they climbed up the Divisions. Speedway if they reopened in at least the Premier League with a good track would at best average 1500-2000 for a start but this would drop after the honeymoon period had gone!

 

Hopefully the fact that Wimbledons the only place with a London postcode that still stages greyhounds and stock cars (and could stage speedway) will be given serious consideration.

[arthur cross]

And yes I've been to the new Crayford and I've always maintained that dinky little stadium could accomdate a tiny Plymouth like speedway track!

 

You're absolutely right to maintain that view ... Crayford dog-track is 334-metres ... I've seen Mildenhall listed as 325-dogs & 250-speedway (although I've often wondered if the speedway track's a bit shorter than that official figure judging by the gaps between dogs and speedway measurements at other shared stadiums) ... Plymouth speedway-track is 216-metres.

 

Probably, you wouldn't be able to transfer Plymouth directly into Crayford because I suspect you'd have to slightly tighten Plymouth's bends and lengthen their straights for the correct fit ... but Crayford should be able to accommodate a speedway track of around 220-to-230-metres.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

Problem at Crayford though is that the floodlights for the track are located on the centre green. So couldn't simply dig out a track inside the greyhound circuit would involve considerable reordering of stadium lighting with very little scope for an alternative location..

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

Er, now if any of the Stock car racing fraternity dare to criticise us for not mentioning them in future plans/campaigns. let's remember how THEY acted when the Speedway club was thrown out in 2005.. That was the time for fraternity and we gone none of that - only revelling in our misfortune.

Personally I'd be happy for a new stadium to include Spedeworth's events too, along with Speedway because I accept that organisation's long association with Plough Lane but trust me they didn't give a fig about us in 2005...

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

Feelings are pretty raw even 8 years on - but, as you yourself say, they didn't make any attempt to stick up for us in the dispute with the GRA; and I believe it was they more than the stadium authorities who had the shale lifted and thrown out into the car park the day after our last meeting - so they could hurriedly re-tarmac the track... All in all I'd call that revelling, though I accept it might have been more about allowig the GRA to divide and conquer because they feared for their own position if they'd taken a stand.

[salty]

Thought this was interesting from Monday's RP.

The Football Club's missed planning deadline?

http://www.racingpost.com/news/greyhounds/wimbledon-diane-mclean-mclean-queries-council-attitude-over-planning/1539075/top/

[Sir Sidney]

Looks like the Council is using a standard response, just tweaked a bit - I've had a similar response. In the response to me it includes the line 'Your support for the retention of a greyhound stadium and speedway racing is noted.'

[500cc]

An interesting comment on the stock car Oval Racing Forums website re the Merton Council letter:

 

 

Re: wimbledon

 

by smash hit » Tue Oct 15, 2013 7:17 pm

Reading that it says THE SITE is to be used for SPORTS it doesn't say anything about housing. So greyhound and stock car track could be retained.

 

Not quite as promising as it may read. Merton have designated it must include provision for Sport. Whilst that means an application could be submitted for sport in its entirety (e.g. two back to back stadiums), financially that will never happen. There is little doubt that housing will form part of any application submitted. What Merton (currently) won't support is an application with no sporting content.

[michaelcroucher]

I hope this helps and I don’t mean to upset anyone. The chances of Speedway returning soon wil not happen why? You ask well the AFC have put planning application into the Merton council to have a football club there in about 4-5 year’s time. In the meantime Merton council have spoken to local residents about what they would like to see at the ground. Most of them have said that they don’t need anymore homes in the area and they would like to see sport there especially a football club. A person who I work with is involved with AFC and they have missed the deadline for next year but they are planning for the ground to be ready for with 5 years. If and this IF speedway does return to Wimbledon it will not be for at least for 5 years. I also have someone else at work who’s mum races greyhounds at Wimbledon and thy have been told that greyhounds might not last there much longer as they are not making money. So I hope speedway does return to Wimbledon but it wont be soon. And before anyone asks im not related to the # Name Removed # who use to have run speedway at Wimbledon.

[arthur cross]

I also have someone else at work who’s mum races greyhounds at Wimbledon and thy have been told that greyhounds might not last there much longer as they are not making money.

 

Have a good read through the previous pages on this thread and you'll see it isn't just a simple case of the greyhounds "not making money" ... they are comfortably making enough money to cover the basic costs of running the greyhound meetings but the profits from those meetings aren't enough to cover any upkeep of the mothballed main grandstand or make a good enough dent in the owners' multi-million pound debt to the Irish banks from whom they borrowed heavily about a decade ago.

 

That's why Nama (the Irish banks' debt-collecting agency) is increasingly having the dominant say about what happens next at both Wimbledon and Oxford because that agency appears fed up waiting for those multi-millions to be returned.

[Blazeaway]

Why was Dave Crouchers name removed? He did used to assist with the running of speedway at Wimbledon.

[cityrebel]

Why was Dave Crouchers name removed? He did used to assist with the running of speedway at Wimbledon.

dave was part of the promotion during the dons CL era. he is still going to speedway, i saw him on the isle of wight last week.

[michaelcroucher]

With lots of pages on this already I will admit that I haven’t read all the pages. I do know about that the GRA at Wimbledon only makes enough money to break even on a night but they don’t get enough money to pay back the money they borrowed. I also know that they have until March to get things sorted otherwise Merton Council will start looking at other plans to have other sport at Wimbledon. AFC have been in talks to the GRA for about 2 years now but they cannot give their plans to the council until March. I hope at some point that speedway does return to Wimbledon but I don’t think it will be anytime soon which is a shame as I grow up around Wimbledon Speedway.

 

The reason the name was taken out that I don’t have control over this and I did put his name down put the powers of this forum must of taken it out.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

Not an expert on greyhound racing by any means, but I can tell you that the crowds at Romford (which along with Plough Lane and Crayford is one of only three remaining tracks in Greater London) are absolutely enormous - well they are on Friday & Saturday nights.

Incredibly there are weekly meetings on FOUR evenings: the two just mentioned plus Mondays & Wednesdays. Amazing - you name another sport which is staged at the same stadium FOUR evenings (and indeed two lunchtimes too...) every week?!

[cityrebel]

Not an expert on greyhound racing by any means, but I can tell you that the crowds at Romford (which along with Plough Lane and Crayford is one of only three remaining tracks in Greater London) are absolutely enormous - well they are on Friday & Saturday nights.

Incredibly there are weekly meetings on FOUR evenings: the two just mentioned plus Mondays & Wednesdays. Amazing - you name another sport which is staged at the same stadium FOUR evenings (and indeed two lunchtimes too...) every week?!

derek, romford have benefited from the demise of all of the local competition, especially walthamstow. imagine if all those nearby venues like west ham, dagenham, harringay, hackney and clapton were still running, their crowds would be a lot lower. it's a bit like lakeside really, most of the hammers crowd is made up of fans of defunct london/south east clubs, me included!

[Ray Stadia]

Not an expert on greyhound racing by any means, but I can tell you that the crowds at Romford (which along with Plough Lane and Crayford is one of only three remaining tracks in Greater London) are absolutely enormous - well they are on Friday & Saturday nights.

Incredibly there are weekly meetings on FOUR evenings: the two just mentioned plus Mondays & Wednesdays. Amazing - you name another sport which is staged at the same stadium FOUR evenings (and indeed two lunchtimes too...) every week?!

If from the above post you are saying Romford is successful and Wimbledon isn't, as a dog venue, why should that be? Is it because 'Essex man' is more of a dog fan than 'South West London man'? Or is the Romford venue, better run/promoted and offers more palatial surroundings?