QuartzGooner wrote:
The East and West Stands were listed structures but I always wondered why we did not build more on the Clock End, guess there were structural reasons?
the club agreed with Residents not to after the first redevelopment.
they should of just quoted the Taylor report and lobbied the council for their support, but 'someone' had a vision.
The West Facade i understand was to be kept, with a new 3 tier cantilevered stand with the top tier going over the top and out behind it - which is EXACTLY what separately LIverpool and Everton are doing. and what united did.
the bottom line was that many at the club wanted that, but weren't prepared to take on the council by bluffing about leaving Islington (as the mousers did with L6 or wherever) when wenger wanted a wider playing surface - which is fucking ironic given how narrow his teams are
i called the club a few times, spoke to the firm doing the assessment etc. as i was hoping to form a group with a few like mindeds to block it, but after many arguments in the street and on the predecessor to here i realized it was a no hoper - the promise of an extra 12,000 ST's won out.
little did we know we'd lose our finals tickets, atmosphere and soul along with our Home, though i did suspect.
and btw - as Grade 2 listed there was no reason the Facades couldn't be dissembled and rebuilt elsewhere completely but again 'someone' had a vision

our last resort was to try to get sponsorship for a Grade 1 listing but that due to the time would have involved a very very expensive legal injunction and National Heritage wouldn't back us.