That wasn't the reason given though. The reason given was that without the 1m gap, the wind could blow the stadium down. The gap allows the wind to blow straight through rather than be met with resistance in encountering a solid structure. Saints had to re-apply for planning permission for the North Stand once this problem had been identified. It's the structure of the roof that means the stadium has to flex. Nothing to do with the grass growing.

Quote ="The Chair Maker"Check out this pic showing what Leicester citys stadium is like at the rear www.flickr.com/photos/ryanhubbard/3077344768/ Wonder if Saints will do something like this and put big sponsors adverts between the posts'" If the current build is pretty much what the 3 stands will look like then it'll look really weird in comparison to the South Stand. It looks unfinished, so at the moment I'm a bit disappointed about this. That finish at Leicester looks a bit strange seeing the skeleton of the ground. Still, I suppose we should be grateful to be moving to a new ground and hopefully when it's complete in late October it'll look OK.

Quote ="The Chair Maker"Check out this pic showing what Leicester citys stadium is like at the rear www.flickr.com/photos/ryanhubbard/3077344768/ Wonder if Saints will do something like this and put big sponsors adverts between the posts'" If the current build is pretty much what the 3 stands will look like then it'll look really weird in comparison to the South Stand. It looks unfinished, so at the moment I'm a bit disappointed about this. That finish at Leicester looks a bit strange seeing the skeleton of the ground. Still, I suppose we should be grateful to be moving to a new ground and hopefully when it's complete in late October it'll look OK.

The claims that it's how they intended it are wrong. On both the glossy 'artists impression' shots and the internal fly arounds they had up the whole ground was enclosed.

I thought that would add to the atmosphere as the sound would bounce around. But now with both ends effectively making it a super expensive wind tunnel it's going to be incredibly hard to make the noise from the end stands heard and it's also going to be bloody freezing as an arctic blizzard will be blowing through the ground until the few weeks in July when it's nice.

If it's a bit more money they need, get it advertised. "Help finish the ground properly" bucket-tastic. Local businesses would help, supporters would help, Tesco would help no doubt. The new ground name sponsor would help no doubt.

I wonder if these Wigan workers at the ground will be as clever at looking for a new job? viewtopic.php?f=28&t=504960&start=105

I wonder if these Wigan workers at the ground will be as clever at looking for a new job? viewtopic.php?f=28&t=504960&start=105

Quote ="roader"I wonder if these Wigan workers at the ground will be as clever at looking for a new job? viewtopic.php?f=28&t=504960&start=105'" Yeah, cos they're really going to get sacked for that.

Quote ="roader"I wonder if these Wigan workers at the ground will be as clever at looking for a new job? viewtopic.php?f=28&t=504960&start=105'" Yeah, cos they're really going to get sacked for that.

We don't know what they have done and no matter how trivial I wouldn't want our brand new multi million pound stadium being defaced with anything remotely connected with them.

Hey there! long time reader - first time poster! just wanted to say a big thank you to all those good folk who have taken the time and effort to post pics on here. always good to see the stadium progressing so nicely ( enclosed or not! ). really looking forward to the first match, as no doubt you all are to!! anyway thats my first post done! feel free to mark it out of 10. COYS!!

What happened you to trying to tell me how beautiful your new stadium looked

bored today so decided to look on Saints website how many tickets we have sold or are still reserved till end of renewal period.
Now its a pity that in the terraces and unreserved seats there isnt a countdown counter saying 200 spaces remaining, then 150 spaces remaining as more tickets get sold. As a result you dont know what the sales are like in these areas.

I have therefore been limited to looking at reserved seating. From this i have made the following approximate calculations.

The North stand reserved seating has a capacity of 2745, only 275 spaces remain onsold leaving currently a potential 2470 season ticket holder in blocks C through to G

The South stand reserved sections are showing 720 sales in total for blocks CDEGHI

This gives us 3190 potential ordinary season ticket holders so far in the North and South stand reserved seating.
This does not include West stand terrace season ticket holders, nor North stand unreserved seating or South stand family seating ticket holders. Nor for that matter the corporate season ticket holders.
I therefore think its not unreasonable to think that we are likely to have at present between 5000 and 6000 season ticket holders pledged for the new stadium.

This weekends pics

The wall of red continues to grow













you can see the internal walls and doorways through the glass windows



East stand showing the completed blockwork. Externally this stand is pretty much complete now, just need turnstyles and exit doors fitting.



East stand turnstyle block



Side on view of the East stand



The corner of the East and North stands showing completed blockwork and the gap were gates will be fitted.
Note the man moving the pitch, and the concreted pitch side concourse.

CM I don't no what you think.We have people moaning about it.I think it looks fabulous.Put seats in it and finish the car parks and it will look 10 times better than the cardboard box style warrington stadium

Part 2

Moving onto the North stand the blockwork here looks close to completion Only the North Western side of the stand has any scaffolding left up





Turnstyle entrance for the North Stand



Peering into the North stand, you can see through a vomitory were they have concreted from the internal concourse to the pitch side concourse. There looks to be a slope downwards from the pitch side, to the back of the stand.



Disabled toilet can also be seen through the scaffolding




looking up to the north stand roof, Neon lighting tubes can be seen in line with the Vomitories and walkways to them. The green shimmer is the roof reflecting the grass.



Moving onto the west stand we can see the completed blockwork. Note the unusual yellow reflection from the roof.



This pitch shot of the man mowing gives an indication of whats causing the yellow reflection. In the background in front of the West Terrace you can see wooden molds for the concrete concourse. The reflected yellow will be the plastic groundsheet on which the concrete is poured



Huge air con pipes were stacked up outside the Tesco main gate



A shot of Tesco's and the path built for the new footbridge



The view from the footpath to the piling rig



Finally two more shots of the main south stand

Some people like to do nothing but moan. The same people slagging the new stadium off now are probably the same doubting Thomas's who were saying it would never get built.

My only real criticism of the stands other than the South stand is the lack of colour, when compared to that stand. However whats to stop the East and West stands getting a lick of paint put on them before stadium opening day, to brighten them up.

With the backs of the stands being open to the air, this will make for a beer garden like feel on a warm summers day, rather than being stuck inside a dark concrete box.

On cold and wet days, the high 4 meter wall, combined with the large overhang of the roofline, will keep the concourses dry and sheltered from the worst of the weather to a greater extent than that afforded the pitch side terracing.

the problem is that north east and west corners of the stadium have very little roof over-hang, cladding the north stand will cure the problem for those seated in the north east and west corners of that stand, the adjacent corners in the east and west stand wont be so lucky if the wind is blowing the wrong way.

apart from that the stadium is fantastic.

I wouldn't worry about the Wigan 'souvenirs', you can leave some in Wigan Athletics stadium to get them back.

We all know that there were Saints momento's buried under the JJB pitch back when it was built so it's horses for courses.

I didn't realise there were any Polish wigan fans, learn something new every day

Laughable if those stands are being left open like that.

The HJ will no longer be lego next season, saints stadium won't even be that.

hidden among the thousand of bin bags.

Good post tbh.

In terms of the colour, there is no branding on the ground at all yet, so you may get colour with Saints logos and sponsors names on there. Also, the main stand having more colour than the other parts of the ground is no bad thing, it gives the main entrance a grand feel about it.

In terms of the stands being open, I think you have the right attitude. The simple fact is that we just need to wait and see how it looks when it is finished, but as you say, it could be really pleasant in summer, as well as having enough protection from the elements in bad weather.

Whatever. How is Wigan's stadium coming along? I hear you are looking to move out of your rented one soon?

The fact the stand is left open won't be much of an issue I've decided. It's just a bit of daylight around the standing areas when it's light and it'll be dark for half the season anyway. I don't see what the big deal is provided the wind isn't funnelling through the stadium when it's cold, but we'll have to wait and see on that. At least i'll be in the North Stand so will be able to get my pie and pint in the warmth rather than freezing to death.

Don't switch the debate around. You know I'm right, it looks terrible appart from the main stand.

We play in one of the top two facilities in the league. Not looking to move out. We pay A LOT less to play in that stadium than your running costs will be and we play in the better facility. I know we don't own it, but we pay peanuts for a class facility and it won't be a problem when the tics get relegated, the stadium issue will no longer exist.

You know it looks terrible, but you want to make something good of it. I would be the same. You know that it is not what quite you wanted and you are disapointed, not exactly the end of the world though.

Looks terrible because the ends don't have cladding up to the roof?

It looks fine.

Saints stadium looks better than Wigan Warriors stadium


I think it'll be one of the premier places to watch rugby when it's finished. (Saints that is)

=#FF0000Saddened! wrote:Sounds horrific. If they've run out of money to clad the outside (Not a massive expense) then how are they going to finish the internals? Or are they not going to bother with that as well? And what about the seats? Are we actually going to have seats?


I think you are just putting on a brave face. Lets be honest it will look unfinished. It will just be a few supporting peices of metal with a brick wall. Hardly the 'smaller version of wembley' some of your fans dreamed of.

It will look pretty poor. Good stadium though.