New Stand: Ongoing work (updated)

[JALBO]

Just now, kila said:

 

I think it'll be called the Dave Mackay stand and we'll play a friendly with Tottenham in the summer to officially open it/name it

 

Would rather it had a meaningful name than the rights being sold and it being another giant ad in the ground

 

Me too, kila.

 

 

[luckydug]

10 minutes ago, Hearts_fan said:

 

I agree with this. 

 

What I don't agree with is the idea prevalent on here that we are as big as we ever will be.

 

To say that we will never, ever have a need for a greater capacity is a statement that smacks of an inferiority complex.

 

I'd be really interested to know how many different people have been to support Hearts at Tynecastle in the past 10 years, say. Impossible to answer, but it's obvious that the answer is not 16,000. It's probably a lot more than 32,000. My point is that we are not a fixed number of fans whose quantity is calculated by averaging the home attendance figures. 

 

I've heard some people say things like "aye, but when we have a period of bad form these fans will stop coming." That's such a negative way of looking at it. I understand why some look at it that way, it's an aspect of human nature and we all look at things differently. 

I just prefer to look into the future imagining HMFC with a greatly increased turnover due to higher attendances, able to invest significantly more in better quality of players. It's a snowball situation, more fans means better players means more demand. 

 

I get that there are limits to what can be done at Tynecastle, but the past three years have shown that with the right people and the right types of investment, miracles can happen.

Five years ago who would have thought that 27000 football fans in Edinburgh would have STs for the football.

Who would have thought that the average attendance for a match in Edinburgh would be 16/17k.

While I agree we should enjoy what we now have for the time being it is a mistake to think football in Edinburgh can't expand even further.

 

[Thomaso]

13 hours ago, Hearts_fan said:

 

But there it is again, the ugly head of fatalism: "Hearts are so shit that anyone who hasn't been indoctrinated from birth is going to turn and walk away forever at the first 0-0 draw at home to St Mirren."

 

Personally, I have more faith in the broad appeal of Heart of Midlothian FC, and happen to be of the opinion that other people – that is people other than those who, like me, were indoctrinated in Hearts in childhood – can fall in love with the Club too, and that doing so is a fate that can befall adults as well as children.

 

We haven't been put off by midweek 0-0 draws with St Mirren (or at least I haven't) and that's because I (perhaps we) found a home at Tynecastle. Others can too.

 

Like Queen Ann

[Thomaso]

14 minutes ago, kila said:

 

I think it'll be called the Dave Mackay stand and we'll play a friendly with Tottenham in the summer to officially open it/name it

 

Would rather it had a meaningful name than the rights being sold and it being another giant ad in the ground

 

That would be everybody's preference - but money talks.

[Placid Casual]

I have just taken a walk past the new stand. It looks fantastic. Thinking about how far we have come, I actually felt quite emotional (which is not like me at all!).

[OBE]

4 minutes ago, Thomaso said:

 

That would be everybody's preference - but money talks.

 

Dave White & MacKay then!

[Buffalo Bill]

If we ever get to the stage whereby we're selling out home games week in week out for a consistent period of time then we should look at possible capacity-increase options.

 

I would love to keep opposition numbers down to a minimum.

 

 

[Enzo Chiefo]

12 hours ago, Hearts_fan said:

 

Absolutely. It stands to reason (no pun intended) that a better stand is going to be more appealing to paying fans. 

Exactly. You only have to look at teams like Middlesbrough who had huge increases in attendances through providing better stands and facilities. Unfortunately that meant having to move from Ayresome Park but the point remains that better facilities will create a greater fan base, regardless of results.

Edited November 13, 2017 by Enzo Chiefo

[Mikey1874]

New stadium ground share 

 

Hibs and Hearts sustaining success over a long period is the missing link though 

[thehibsareintheirbeds]

First visit in a few weeks and some progress. Red and maroon colour scheme growing on me, badge/ lettering perfect and plaza going be  great. Cant wait to get back and see it all from my seat in the wheatfield.

 

[Cade]

Let's earn some cash first before dreaming of a 30,000 seat stadium.

 

With 3,500 or so additional seats, that's an increase of 20% over our current 17500. Add the extra income from the vastly upgraded corporate  and hospitality facilities and we'll be in a far better financial position.

 

Investment into the playing squad is a must, if we desire to compete for cups and for European places. that in itself generates more income.

 

After a few years, if the additional income and better quality on the pitch actually come to fruition, THEN we can consider expanding the capacity of the stadium.

[Beats]

17 minutes ago, Buffalo Bill said:

If we ever get to the stage whereby we're selling out home games week in week out for a consistent period of time then we should look at possible capacity-increase options.

 

I would love to keep opposition numbers down to a minimum.

 

 

Need to get the team on the park sorted then!

 

 

[i8hibsh]

5 minutes ago, Cade said:

Let's START WINNING GAMES first before dreaming of a 30,000 seat stadium.

 

With 3,500 or so additional seats, that's an increase of 20% over our current 17500. Add the extra income from the vastly upgraded corporate  and hospitality facilities and we'll be in a far better financial position.

 

Investment into the playing squad is a must, if we desire to compete for cups and for European places. that in itself generates more income.

 

After a few years, if the additional income and better quality on the pitch actually come to fruition, THEN we can consider expanding the capacity of the stadium.

 

FTFY

[Bad Religion]

4 minutes ago, Beats said:

Need to get the team on the park sorted then!

 

 

 

Good post m8!

[Neon]

I would like to believe we have been pretty much on a shoe string playing budget since AB came in, maybe Football first has historical data to which we could compare.

 

Just curious, by tomorrow is fine FF :P, Be interesting with the increased revenue to see what we can achieve, I get we are giving youth a chance but need a core of solid professionals.

 

Interesting times ahead and also curious what will happen to future funds from FoH after AB is paid off.

 

I vote for a week long Christmas party slush fund, live bands at Tynie, beer tents and Fireworks.

[Hearts_fan]

42 minutes ago, Thomaso said:

 

Like Queen Ann

 

A prime example.

[Francis Albert]

4 minutes ago, neonjambo said:

I would like to believe we have been pretty much on a shoe string playing budget since AB came in, maybe Football first has historical data to which we could compare.

 

Just curious, by tomorrow is fine FF :P, Be interesting with the increased revenue to see what we can achieve, I get we are giving youth a chance but need a core of solid professionals.

 

Interesting times ahead and also curious what will happen to future funds from FoH after AB is paid off.

 

I vote for a week long Christmas party slush fund, live bands at Tynie, beer tents and Fireworks.

If it is a shoestring (and given we get four or five times bums on seat than half our rivals I can't see why it should have been)  it has still permitted us to spend a lot of money on a barrel load of dud players. I don't have much faith that a million or two more will be well spent.

[Thomaso]

10 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

If it is a shoestring (and given we get four or five times bums on seat than half our rivals I can't see why it should have been)  it has still permitted us to spend a lot of money on a barrel load of dud players. I don't have much faith that a million or two more will be well spent.

 

Agree with you there FA!

 

The fans have continued to put their hands in their pockets with FoH contributions and buying ST.  Revenue has been way over what Budge planned for when she took over the Club.

 

As you say we have had more money than most in the SPL to spend, however Levein's transfer dealings have been nothing short of disasterous - a fact the even Ann Budge cannot ignore.

Edited November 13, 2017 by Thomaso

[Neon]

Believe it was reported at the time we were the fourth biggest budget after we came up and we secured Europe and ended up fourth so pretty much in line with what was to be expected.

 

I think some people are still assuming we are spending huge amounts of cash - when the reality is some of the new recruits are on very little and even last year we had a player who was signed on as an amatuer.

 

I would imagine playing budget was cut even further to be in line with us building the new stand.

[A_A wehatethehibs]

A 20+% jump in home capacity is more than enough to cover growth needs over at least the next decade or two.

 

Beyond that, to 30k plus, we’d ultimately need to move to a new stadium. I think most hearts fans are now at peace with the eventual prospect of that happening. If properly planned and consulted (unlike pie mans plan to sell tynecastle and worry about where we’d move to later, the last few games dreadful atmosphere at murrayfield it really hits home just how devastating that would have been) the Hearts support would back such a move, even if it meant a whole season at murrayfield like spurs at Wembley. Let’s worry about that when the time comes. 

 

 

[Bozi]

15 hours ago, Hearts_fan said:

 

But there it is again, the ugly head of fatalism: "Hearts are so shit that anyone who hasn't been indoctrinated from birth is going to turn and walk away forever at the first 0-0 draw at home to St Mirren."

 

Personally, I have more faith in the broad appeal of Heart of Midlothian FC, and happen to be of the opinion that other people – that is people other than those who, like me, were indoctrinated in Hearts in childhood – can fall in love with the Club too, and that doing so is a fate that can befall adults as well as children.

 

We haven't been put off by midweek 0-0 draws with St Mirren (or at least I haven't) and that's because I (perhaps we) found a home at Tynecastle. Others can too.

I heard a guy walking up wardlaw Street saying he would not be going back your Tynecastle after Falkirk beat us in the Championship season....I kid you not

 

 

Hooe the arsehole never came back 

[i8hibsh]

I am 100% satisfied with a 20k stadium. Love Tynie and never want to move. When we start winning again and beating Hibs (which we will) it will be electric.

[Hearts_fan]

7 minutes ago, Bozi said:

I heard a guy walking up wardlaw Street saying he would not be going back your Tynecastle after Falkirk beat us in the Championship season....I kid you not

 

 

Hooe the arsehole never came back 

 

Aye, the less drama queens the better!

 

3 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

I am 100% satisfied with a 20k stadium. Love Tynie and never want to move. When we start winning again and beating Hibs (which we will) it will be electric.

 

Love it too. Outstanding from Budge et al making the redevelopment happen. A packed, big-game 20K is going to be monuMENTAL.

[Ray Gin]

1 hour ago, Cade said:

Let's earn some cash first before dreaming of a 30,000 seat stadium.

 

With 3,500 or so additional seats, that's an increase of 20% over our current 17500. Add the extra income from the vastly upgraded corporate  and hospitality facilities and we'll be in a far better financial position.

 

Investment into the playing squad is a must, if we desire to compete for cups and for European places. that in itself generates more income.

 

After a few years, if the additional income and better quality on the pitch actually come to fruition, THEN we can consider expanding the capacity of the stadium.

We don't have 3500 extra seats.

[Footballfirst]

One from this morning.

 

[Unknown user]

6 minutes ago, Ray Gin said:

We don't have 3500 extra seats.

We won't be far short. We didn't start with 17500 either, but the 20% extra he mentions is close enough for the point he's making 

Edited November 13, 2017 by Smithee

[jimbrown76]

When are we getting inspected for the Safety Certificate?

[Simmo]

1 hour ago, Thomaso said:

 

Agree with you there FA!

 

The fans have continued to put their hands in their pockets with FoH contributions and buying ST.  Revenue has been way over what Budge planned for when she took over the Club.

 

As you say we have had more money than most in the SPL to spend, however Levein's transfer dealings have been nothing short of disasterous - a fact the even Ann Budge cannot ignore.

Your Contract works must be close to finishing so now you're back on the Levein-bashing train !!!!!  So Berra, Lafferty, McLaughlin, Hughes and Smith were disasterous signings. 

[mitch41]

5 minutes ago, Simmo said:

Your Contract works must be close to finishing so now you're back on the Levein-bashing train !!!!!  So Berra, Lafferty, McLaughlin, Hughes and Smith were disasterous signings. 

You know for every one ordinary player signed there's been 2 or 3 disasterous signing. Too many players just not good enough for the SPL with some on 2 to 3 year contracts which kills our finances. Since we havecome up from the championship we have wasted hundreds of thousands of pounds.

[mitch41]

11 minutes ago, jimbrown76 said:

When are we getting inspected for the Safety Certificate?

Dito and when is the inspector coming ?

[Thomaso]

1 hour ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

A 20+% jump in home capacity is more than enough to cover growth needs over at least the next decade or two.

 

Beyond that, to 30k plus, we’d ultimately need to move to a new stadium. I think most hearts fans are now at peace with the eventual prospect of that happening. If properly planned and consulted (unlike pie mans plan to sell tynecastle and worry about where we’d move to later, the last few games dreadful atmosphere at murrayfield it really hits home just how devastating that would have been) the Hearts support would back such a move, even if it meant a whole season at murrayfield like spurs at Wembley. Let’s worry about that when the time comes. 

 

 

 

Not me!

[Footballfirst]

1 hour ago, neonjambo said:

I would like to believe we have been pretty much on a shoe string playing budget since AB came in, maybe Football first has historical data to which we could compare.

 

Just curious, by tomorrow is fine FF :P, Be interesting with the increased revenue to see what we can achieve, I get we are giving youth a chance but need a core of solid professionals.

 

The club hasn't disclosed separate figures for the "football department".  I think we will have to wait for the publication of the 2016/17 accounts to build a better picture.

 

The turnover / wage costs / ratio for the first two seasons of AB's tenure are as follows:

2014/15  £7.018m  /  £3.798m  /  54%

2015/16  £9.967m  /  £5.520m  /  55%

 

At the last AGM, the forecast figures for 2016/17  were £10.4m   /  £5.8m  /   56% (all estimates), although AB has given an indication that the actual turnover was around £11m

 

The increase in wage costs is pretty meaningless without a breakdown as Catering was brought back in house midway through the 2014/15 season and the Retail side in February 2016, which increased wage costs.

 

AB gave the following info in the accounts last year:

Staff costs rose by £1.7m during the year. The business has continued to increase both the player and non­ player base, with average full-time employee numbers increasing from 122 to 144 during the year. Bringing the retail business in-house from February 2016 contributed to this increase. In addition, 105 part-time employees work within the hospitality area, an increase of 19 over the prior year. The business is proud to be a Living  Wage employer and implemented the increased Living Wage in November 2015.

 

It is probably a good question to ask at the AGM, "what was the football department's budget for each of the three seasons past and what is it for the current season?"  You mightn't get a straight answer though.

 

My gut feel, supported by some snippets of information and rumours I've heard, is that every £1 is a prisoner at the moment, so I wouldn't be surprised if the football budget is being squeezed because of the new stand costs.  e.g. I'm aware that the club made overtures towards bringing HYDC "in house" a few months ago, together with its existing funds and fundraising capacity, but my understanding is that the offer was turned down as the club couldn't guarantee that the funds would be ring-fenced for youth/academy projects.

 

 

Edited November 13, 2017 by Footballfirst

[Thomaso]

15 minutes ago, Simmo said:

Your Contract works must be close to finishing so now you're back on the Levein-bashing train !!!!!  So Berra, Lafferty, McLaughlin, Hughes and Smith were disasterous signings. 

 

Hughes????   Who does he play for then..........

[Mister Dee]

3 minutes ago, Thomaso said:

 

Not me!

 

Or me! 

[sac]

We won't be the first or last club to have wasted money on pish players. 

[i8hibsh]

1 minute ago, sac said:

We won't be the first or last club to have wasted money on pish players. 

 

Without any doubt.  However we have brought in almost 50 in 3 years.  I think we are all quite entitled to ask questions and be concerned.

Edited November 13, 2017 by i8hibsh

[Thomaso]

8 minutes ago, mitch41 said:

You know for every one ordinary player signed there's been 2 or 3 disasterous signing. Too many players just not good enough for the SPL with some on 2 to 3 year contracts which kills our finances. Since we havecome up from the championship we have wasted hundreds of thousands of pounds.

 

 

Get off that "Levein bashing train" mitch!! 

[sac]

2 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

 

Without any doubt.  However we have brought in almost 50 in 3 years.  I think we are all quite entitled to ask questions and be concerned.

 

Who scouted those 50 players? I'm not a Levein basher & I'd be very surprised if he were responsible for them all.

[Lucille's Thirsty]

2 hours ago, Buffalo Bill said:

If we ever get to the stage whereby we're selling out home games week in week out for a consistent period of time then we should look at possible capacity-increase options.

 

I would love to keep opposition numbers down to a minimum.

 

 

 

This season we ain’t pulling up trees BB.

 

Old Firm and the vermin will get all the roseburn as segregation will mean loss of seats.

 

There has to be a way we can find a solution to segregation but not leave empty seats like put a barrier with stewards in between. 

 

A bit like the Emirates.

 

[i8hibsh]

5 minutes ago, sac said:

 

Who scouted those 50 players? I'm not a Levein basher & I'd be very surprised if he were responsible for them all.

 

No idea, it is just one huge cluster****. Heads should be rolling but the only thing rolling is the money in to these duds bank accounts.

 

 

[Jamboelite]

On the week where the new stand is due to open can we get more photos and vicious rumours of no safety certificate etc... on the go please

 

We all know the team is pish at the minute.

[XB52]

34 minutes ago, Thomaso said:

 

Not me!

or me. I can't see us leaving Tynecastle in my lifetime

[A_A wehatethehibs]

4 minutes ago, Thomaso said:

 

Not me!

 

For me, ultimately there is a constrained site at tynecastle which we have now fully maximised. Maybe there is scope behind the wheatfield but probably not enough to take us over 25k. You have to be philosophical about that reality, and enjoy this superb completion of Tynecastle, cherish each game there all the more. We can agree on 1 thing what a feeling it will be to be back this week! The new main stand is a best in class facility in Scotland today, no doubt about that. 

[Just joe]

Looking good onward and upward ?

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

3 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

 

For me, ultimately there is a constrained site at tynecastle which we have now fully maximised. Maybe there is scope behind the wheatfield but probably not enough to take us over 25k. You have to be philosophical about that reality, and enjoy this superb completion of Tynecastle, cherish each game there all the more. We can agree on 1 thing what a feeling it will be to be back this week! The new main stand is a best in class facility in Scotland today, no doubt about that. 

There's no scope behind wheat field because it's right next to a building 

[wavydavy]

29 minutes ago, sac said:

 

Who scouted those 50 players? I'm not a Levein basher & I'd be very surprised if he were responsible for them all.

 

What do you mean by "if he were responsible for them all". He is the Director of Football and ultimately approves all players who sign for this club and their contracts.

 

Others may have requested certain players or a certain type of player but the buck stops with the DOF.

 

Anyway this thread is supposed to be about the New Main Stand.

 

[kingantti1874]

13 minutes ago, Selkirkhmfc1874 said:

There's no scope behind wheat field because it's right next to a building 

 

There actually is.. Architect suggested there's enough room to redevelop if finances and demand ever allowed for it.. 

 

Don't think it's some thing we need concern ourselves with in the next decade or so

[dallan]

7 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

 

There actually is.. Architect suggested there's enough room to redevelop if finances and demand ever allowed for it.. 

 

Don't think it's some thing we need concern ourselves with in the next decade or so

Probable need a few years to get over this Kickback 'Opinionfest' before I'm ready for another stadium development....

[Thomaso]

23 minutes ago, Selkirkhmfc1874 said:

There's no scope behind wheat field because it's right next to a building 

 

That building may not be there in the future.  However, right now let's enjoy what we're about to receive!

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

10 minutes ago, Thomaso said:

 

That building may not be there in the future.  However, right now let's enjoy what we're about to receive!

Exactly Thomaso, what we got right now is magnificent considering its only few years ago we had the pie man telling us Tynecastle wasn't fit for purpose and wanted to move us away to pay for his mismanagement