[choirboy]

I am fully in favour of Andy Holt's plan for the building of a 'New Stand' on the Whinney Hill side of the ground. I have just had another look at the 'video' on the 'Fishy Site' which was posted last year.
Before any further development is likely to be undertaken though I think that Andy and the club should complete the purchase of the ground from the council. I believe that they are working on this now.

After which from my understanding, these would be the salient points;

a) A 'New Stand' will make our club 'visibly' more professional and will bring the ground closer to Football League standards.
b) It will make hardly any difference to the Capacity which will remain just over 5,000.
c) The stand will feature much more suitable and respectful accommodation for those fans requiring wheelchair access. I think that this is very important. This would be easy to access from the new Clayton End car park.
d) The stand would not be 'MASSIVE' at all as it would only be about 10 to 12 rows deep but it should give fans a good spectator experience with the seats built on a steeper slope up to the back.
e) If the stand was to be used for both Home and Away fans then we should satisfy the League requirements for the total required number of seats.
f) The stand will house '21st Century' toilets and catering outlets, like in the Clayton End which are super!
g) As has been said by earlier posters the allocation to Away fans can be on a flexible basis depending on the size of the visiting clubs 'following'.
h) It would be another grand step in Andy Holt's super plan to bring the whole ground up to standard.
j) Andy could then plan to complete the ground by developing the Coppice End with a roof, better toilet and catering facilities and changing rooms and medical rooms for the players.

Finally, IMHO. Regarding the 'static' number of Stanley followers. I appreciate that further ground developments cannot guarantee any increase in numbers from the Accy public. However, without any ground improvements the number of Stanley fans is very unlikely to go up at all! I feel that we need to play to a half empty stadium some of the time in order to be able to have a full stadium when we get a good cup draw against clubs from higher divisions and for when we play Blackburn rovers next season!
Think how many we could have got on to the ground for FA Cup matches like we have had in the past against Newcastle, Fulham, Burnley etc.
Andy has really done well for us so far. Exemplified in the ground improvement done so far and in the business of getting players signed up on two year contracts. Just look at the income from the sales this summer of Pearson, McCarten and Beckles. In previous years these players probably would NOT have signed up for another one year contract and all three would have left the club for NOTHING! EXCELLENT BUSINESS indeed!
Let's put our trust in Andy to run the business side of the club and to make us a more professional outfit and trust in our two Legends John and Jimmy to continue their miracles on the pitch!

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS WITH THE STANLEY
AND WITH ANDY, JOHN AND JIMMY