Topic: Anfield Road Redevelopment

[jed the red]

Went to Anfield yesterday....   and got a seat near the ARE and Main stand join...  it really does need sorting out.

My first time in the Main since it has been done out. I was in the top part of what would have been the old stand. Much more leg room than the Kop or seemed to be anyway... I didnt need to get up and go for a walk.

Cant believe they do not have draught beer, no wonder people leave seats early at half time or get back late. I ordered 3 pints, and then had to wait for each can to be poured... seriously!! I was amazed. Also didnt understand why all the food outlets closed before the game ended. Could have murdered a pizza and a pint after the game. Surely if they want to help traffic then they want to try and get people to hang around for a bit longer....  although is this down to laws/licensing regulations?

Not far from where I sit that mate, there usually is draught ale and at least once this season the bar was open at the end, can’t remember the reason but there was definitely at least an hour extra after the final whistle.

[rob1966]

How do you expect to get a pint if they don’t pour it? I’m utterly confused by that comment.

I think he was referring to the fact its not on draught so they open a can and pour it into a plastic glass rather than give you the can (I can see why, removes the chances of the cans being used as missiles)

I was in the Lower Anny with my two kids yesterday. It was their first time in Anfield and they wanted to get in early so we were in at 2. The 9 yr old then decided he was hungry and wanted a hotdog and the 7 yr old chocolates, so I got them. Half time, the 7 yr old wanted a hotdog, queued for 10 minutes and they had ran out. I never buy inside the ground, so is it usual that they run out of food? Needs addressing if so.

[RedSince86]

Maybe this is a solution for attracting a naming rights partner.

If the Annie gets done then the club should have a annual pre season tournament at Anfield named after the naming rights sponsor,like The Emirates Cup at Arsenal,Audi is one of the big commercial partners at Bayern and they have the Audi cup every summer at the Allianz.

[Macred]

I think he was referring to the fact its not on draught so they open a can and pour it into a plastic glass rather than give you the can (I can see why, removes the chances of the cans being used as missiles)

I was in the Lower Anny with my two kids yesterday. It was their first time in Anfield and they wanted to get in early so we were in at 2. The 9 yr old then decided he was hungry and wanted a hotdog and the 7 yr old chocolates, so I got them. Half time, the 7 yr old wanted a hotdog, queued for 10 minutes and they had ran out. I never buy inside the ground, so is it usual that they run out of food? Needs addressing if so.

Correct. In Germany and I think they are doing it at Tottenham they have  prepaid card for things so no time wasted with change and they have multiple pumps so they can pour more than one beer at a time and so serve more people and make more money. I get that it is a 'safety' thing with the pouring the cans into plastic cups.

When I was in the Kop I got the last cheese slice and then they were turning people away having run out of food - not yesterday - but on another occasion but that suggests to me that they have still to learn. A trip to Frankfurt might be a good idea to see how they do it.

Still, it was a good day out and good result for the charity.

[sminp]

I think he was referring to the fact its not on draught so they open a can and pour it into a plastic glass rather than give you the can (I can see why, removes the chances of the cans being used as missiles)

I was in the Lower Anny with my two kids yesterday. It was their first time in Anfield and they wanted to get in early so we were in at 2. The 9 yr old then decided he was hungry and wanted a hotdog and the 7 yr old chocolates, so I got them. Half time, the 7 yr old wanted a hotdog, queued for 10 minutes and they had ran out. I never buy inside the ground, so is it usual that they run out of food? Needs addressing if so.

Ah ok. That’s standard for all grounds I think, at least the ones I’ve been to they have only let you have the plastic cups. They all stop you taking them out into the stands too. I was at the Etihad on Friday for the Argentina- Italy game and they had the same issues highlighted with food except they’d actually ran out when I got into the ground 15mins before the game.

[Alf]

Went to Anfield yesterday....   and got a seat near the ARE and Main stand join...  it really does need sorting out.

My first time in the Main since it has been done out. I was in the top part of what would have been the old stand. Much more leg room than the Kop or seemed to be anyway... I didnt need to get up and go for a walk.

Cant believe they do not have draught beer, no wonder people leave seats early at half time or get back late. I ordered 3 pints, and then had to wait for each can to be poured... seriously!! I was amazed. Also didnt understand why all the food outlets closed before the game ended. Could have murdered a pizza and a pint after the game. Surely if they want to help traffic then they want to try and get people to hang around for a bit longer....  although is this down to laws/licensing regulations?

The draught beer was disgusting when I had a pint before the West Brom game. Had to have it replaced twice. Spent 20 minutes queuing for a bevy in the fast lane last Saturday in 205 only to be told they had no lager.

[LiamG]

You'd  think with all the money they are spending on the ground they'd improve the beer/food outlets

[poopscoop]

Old Trafford is at 75,000, they lost some seats last year due to making changes for disabled facilities. The recent talk is that an expanded Anfield Road end would bring our capacity up to around 62,000, so 13,000 difference would be about right.

The obvious expansion area at Old Trafford is the Main Stand to bring it into line with the other three double tier stands they have. It wouldn't be straight-forward though, not only would they have to bridge the train line immediately behind the stand but the row of houses on the other side would most likely need to be bought over and knocked down.

They were in the papers a couple of months ago saying they'd ruled it out for the foreseeable future as the costs were prohibitive.

[poopscoop]

Because if you refer to it as white heart lane, no one will sponsor it...

The moment you refer to it as white heart lane whilst waiting for naming rights, the rights are gone, because the name will always then be whiteheart lane in peoples heads.

Just like I still refer to the city of Manchester stadium and have no idea what city’s ground is called..

To be fair its easy to confuse having had quite a few names in its short life - City of Manchester, Eastlands, Easyjet - or whatever it is.   

[Macred]

One thing they did have in the main stand was an app you could get on your phone (called Seat Serve) so you can get food delivered to your seat.  If the wi-fi worked it might even have worked. Dont know if that is a new thing but not seen it before.

[jed the red]

One thing they did have in the main stand was an app you could get on your phone (called Seat Serve) so you can get food delivered to your seat.  If the wi-fi worked it might even have worked. Dont know if that is a new thing but not seen it before.

Saw this at the last home game, and thought it was a fucking stupid idea. I then had a rethink when I realised it might stop the wankers who travel half way across the world to see us play, yet can’t go 90 minutes without a fucking hot dog, from coming back in ten minutes into the second half!!!!

[BrandoLFC]

One thing they did have in the main stand was an app you could get on your phone (called Seat Serve) so you can get food delivered to your seat.  If the wi-fi worked it might even have worked. Dont know if that is a new thing but not seen it before.

This has been in use at a lot, most?, US stadiums in the high end sections as a way to justify the exorbitant cost of the seat.  Normally even though you paid double, triple, or whatever more than the person in the top row paid for their ticket you still used the same concessions and had to sit in the same line.  So now as a way to keep you wanting to pay for those seats they bring the food/drink to you and you don't miss any of the action. 

[Anfield89]

One thing they did have in the main stand was an app you could get on your phone (called Seat Serve) so you can get food delivered to your seat.  If the wi-fi worked it might even have worked. Dont know if that is a new thing but not seen it before.

It’s fucking wank is what it is. Food delivered to your seat! It’s football not a 4 hour nfl game.

[CraigDS]

Change is bad.

Christ some of you can moan.

[Anfield89]

Change is bad.

Christ some of you can moan.

Your right yeh why not have staff walking up and down the steps in case anyone wants some nuts or a drink.

Kop, City Champions league quarter. Fucked if u think your ordering food to your seat and expect it to actually get there.

[Timbo's Goals]

What I fail to understand is the absence of flat screen TV's and a personal manicuring and hair grooming service. I simply don't fucking get it.

 

[paulrazor]

What I fail to understand is the absence of flat screen TV's and a personal manicuring and hair grooming service. I simply don't fucking get it.

 

[Anfield89]

What I fail to understand is the absence of flat screen TV's and a personal manicuring and hair grooming service. I simply don't fucking get it.

 

Don’t forget a creche. Someone suggested one be put in the new main stand when the main was being built.  Change is good..

[CraigDS]

It's not that all change is good. I don't think anyone is suggesting that at all.

However getting mad about something which I doubt all that many people will use, will no doubt not be even be noticed by the vast majority of fans and may make getting a pint at half time a little easier for others seems a little ridiculous.

[paulrazor]

Don’t forget a creche. Someone suggested one be put in the new main stand when I was being built.  Change is good..

when you were being built? are you a robot? thats another excellent idea

HALF TIME BEVERAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY ROBOCOP

[Anfield89]

when you were being built? are you a robot? thats another excellent idea

HALF TIME BEVERAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY ROBOCOP

Haha oops been up since 5.

[paulrazor]

Haha oops been up since 5.

haha done mind my sarcastic bullshit mate

done it millions of times.

[only6times]

Groundshare.

[Anfield89]

Groundshare.

 

[conman]

Don’t forget a creche. Someone suggested one be put in the new main stand when the main was being built.  Change is good..

Toddlers Pen --> Boys pen  --> The Kop --> Annie Road

[owens_2k]

I was in main stand upper for the game against swansea on boxing day. They had those draft pints which fill up from the bottom. Place was chokka but got served in seconds.

[Son of Spion]

What I fail to understand is the absence of flat screen TV's and a personal manicuring and hair grooming service. I simply don't fucking get it.

 

All we had in the 70s were those lads with trays of confectionery who walked around the touchline. You'd lash your money down from the middle of the Kop and they'd hurl a Mars Bar or packet of Wrigleys back up. Amazingly, they never missed. Threw like guided missiles. That was as luxurious as it got back then. 😁

[gazzam1963]

I was in main stand upper for the game against swansea on boxing day. They had those draft pints which fill up from the bottom. Place was chokka but got served in seconds.

They have them in the lower too and the fellas with the back packs on pulling them .

[gazzam1963]

All we had in the 70s were those lads with trays of confectionery who walked around the touchline. You'd lash your money down from the middle of the Kop and they'd hurl a Mars Bar or packet of Wrigleys back up. Amazingly, they never missed. Threw like guided missiles. That was as luxurious as it got back then. 😁

That was a mate of mines job , used to get a fiver for that and watch the match too ...Jammy get .

[elbow]

What I fail to understand is the absence of flat screen TV's and a personal manicuring and hair grooming service. I simply don't fucking get it.

 

I can give you a neck massage and a pedicure, you can also borrow my Ipad if you like mate. I'm good like that. 

[kopite321]

Article in today's Liverpool Echo talking about the need to expand Anfield. 

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-legends-clash-underlines-anfield-14463630

[poopscoop]

Hypothetical questions but worth asking I think.
If the redeveloped Lower Anny Road was designated a safe standing block, would it offer any increase in capacity on its existing footprint?
Without drifting too far into the safe standing thread - would it be appropriate for the AR to be the pilot or would Reds prefer any reintroduction to be at the Kop End?
Finally, from the sketchy information so far released is the Anny Road development ambitious enough?

[Macred]

Hypothetical questions but worth asking I think.
If the redeveloped Lower Anny Road was designated a safe standing block, would it offer any increase in capacity on its existing footprint?
Without drifting too far into the safe standing thread - would it be appropriate for the AR to be the pilot or would Reds prefer any reintroduction to be at the Kop End?
Finally, from the sketchy information so far released is the Anny Road development ambitious enough?

First question: It depends on what any regulations would allow i.e. if standing replaced seats on a 1 to 1 basis then clearly no. I think I have read that 1.8 to 1 is possible but again this depends on what is considered safe. If there was an increase then that would likely mean that more exits would need to be created so you lose some space for that - so that again comes down to regs and what is allowed currently and would that change when regs on safe standing were made.

Found this on an article about Celtic "There have been no concerns regarding safety, with a one-supporter-to-one space ratio, compared to the Bundesliga’s 1.5-to-1.

Read more at: https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/celtic/how-safe-standing-transformed-the-match-day-experience-at-celtic-1-4491603"

Happy for the lower ARE to be a pilot IMO and then look at the Kop in future.

The outline plan for the ARE shown in the original application looks quite impressive, especially when its scale is imposed over the old stand. It is also twice the height of the kop and that was adding only 4,800 more seats. If they are increasing capacity by 6,000 or more (which would take us to 60,000) then  great, 61,000 is now being given as the target and earlier in the year it was suggested that 62,000 might be possible. IMO the original plans in terns of how they looked size wise were ambitious (but not in terms of capacity but there are physical limits to what you can do at one end) but the newer suggested 7 or 8,000 increase is a great statement on ambition (and can only I presume mean an even larger size stand than that shown in the outline plans).

[Danny Boy]

First question: It depends on what any regulations would allow i.e. if standing replaced seats on a 1 to 1 basis then clearly no. I think I have read that 1.8 to 1 is possible but again this depends on what is considered safe. If there was an increase then that would likely mean that more exits would need to be created so you lose some space for that - so that again comes down to regs and what is allowed currently and would that change when regs on safe standing were made.

Happy for the lower ARE to be a pilot IMO and then look at the Kop in future.

The outline plan for the ARE shown in the original application looks quite impressive, especially when its scale is imposed over the old stand. It is also twice the height of the kop and that was adding only 4,800 more seats. If they are increasing capacity by 6,000 or more (which would take us to 60,000) then  great, 61,000 is now being given as the target and earlier in the year it was suggested that 62,000 might be possible. IMO the original plans in terns of how they looked size wise were ambitious (but not in terms of capacity but there are physical limits to what you can do at one end) but the newer suggested 7 or 8,000 increase is a great statement on ambition (and can only I presume mean an even larger size stand than that shown in the outline plans).

Presumably the fact that half the lower ARE is for away fans precludes it from being safe-standing? Especially for cup games when we give the whole lower away.

[Anfield89]

Presumably the fact that half the lower ARE is for away fans precludes it from being safe-standing? Especially for cup games when we give the whole lower away.

Why? It’s where every ground needs it the most.

[Danny Boy]

Why? It’s where every ground needs it the most.

Because I don't think that safe-standing, if and when it is introduced, will be rolled out to away ends. Spurs' new stadium has part future-proofed for SS but it's for home fans only. Not everyone will want to safe-stand.

[Anfield89]

Because I don't think that safe-standing, if and when it is introduced, will be rolled out to away ends. Spurs' new stadium has part future-proofed for SS but it's for home fans only. Not everyone will want to safe-stand.

True I doubt it will be either at first but it should be the first priority if your talking about safety and not just the fact people want to stand because they want a better atmosphere.

Away fans are the ones that stand the most and in the current situation are most likely to end up 3 rows down.

[Macred]

Because I don't think that safe-standing, if and when it is introduced, will be rolled out to away ends. Spurs' new stadium has part future-proofed for SS but it's for home fans only. Not everyone will want to safe-stand.

But away fans probably stand up more than anyone else. So you can either have them standing in an unsafe way or standing in an area that is designed to make it as safe as possible. There is then an issue about away fans that do want to sit but that can not be to hard to work around

[Kop Kenny]

Having stood on the ARE and then graduating to the Kop at the age of 9 and also learning the hard way to always stand with a barrier at your back by nearly being crushed to the point of passing out once on the Kop I'm not in favour of standing at all. In light of what happened at Hillsborough and the Taylor report I never want to see us return to any kind of standing ever again. Quite simplly it isn't safe and never will be in the sort of volumes on stadium terraces. Celtic are trialing it here in Glasgow but only small scale and it still doesn't look safe.

The argument that people are standing up anyway in defiance of stewards or rules is easily dealt with, identify the culprits and give them a warning about their conduct, if they chose to ignore it then ban them. It really is that simple as for "safe standing" sorry no, no, never again, not ever!

[CraigDS]

Having stood on the ARE and then graduating to the Kop at the age of 9 and also learning the hard way to always stand with a barrier at your back by nearly being crushed to the point of passing out once on the Kop I'm not in favour of standing at all. In light of what happened at Hillsborough and the Taylor report I never want to see us return to any kind of standing ever again. Quite simplly it isn't safe and never will be in the sort of volumes on stadium terraces. Celtic are trialing it here in Glasgow but only small scale and it still doesn't look safe.

The argument that people are standing up anyway in defiance of stewards or rules is easily dealt with, identify the culprits and give them a warning about their conduct, if they chose to ignore it then ban them. It really is that simple as for "safe standing" sorry no, no, never again, not ever!

Have you even looked at it properly? As describing it as a terrace would suggest you haven't. Given there are barriers every 2 rows of people there is no chance of a crush situation.