07 Jul 2013 13:06:38
A while back I stated that Southampton were looking to build a new Stadium, rather than extend. Today I can confirm that Southampton FC have bid for 20 acres of the Ford factory site. Apparently they have placed a bid for one third of the Ford site, in conjunction with a Leisure group to build a new football stadium, a leisure center, and several mini 5-a-side pitches.

No decision will be made on future use of the site until the factory has completely shut down.

1.) 07 Jul 2013
Are stadium isn't old and I can't see us moving again to be honest but interesting if true thanks for sharing

clarkey saint

2.) 07 Jul 2013
It'll never happen. How many stadiums do we want. Extending St Mary's is the obvious answer.

3.) 07 Jul 2013
But the factory is still to produce the sports model transit as the other factories in turkey and wales do not want to produce it and if this is true then the site is not big enough to be able to do this as well building a mega sports complex on the site!

4.) 07 Jul 2013
This was discussed on the local Politics show on the BBC this morning, so it's a matter of public record. From what I've heard all production on the site is due to stop at the end of the month.

I was previously aware that Nicola had been looking at alternative sites for a new stadium, as an alternative to expanding St Mary's.

5.) 07 Jul 2013
Can't see building a new football stadium and leisure complex next to the airport is the greatest idea

6.) 07 Jul 2013
Need a larger 'site' to store all this unfounded rumours floating around!

7.) 07 Jul 2013
Surely the obvious option is to expand st Mary's? Look what happened last time we built a new stadium, we were relegated twice, went into administration, it was a depressing place to visit, half empty and nearly destroyed us.

8.) 07 Jul 2013
NC stated a while ago tht SMS might not be able to extend due to travel for extra fans through all the surrounding businesses. He also said that moving to a new site was a real option. FACT

9.) 07 Jul 2013
In my opinion moving away from st Mary's wouldn't be all that bad because a new stadium takes a minimum of 5 years of so, by then we would hopefully be an established premier league side with European football on the cards, we sell out pretty much every match as it is at st Mary's so we need some kin of expansion or new stadium

10.) 07 Jul 2013
As a Steward For Southampton and Hearing Directly From a high Superior of Southampton Football Club I Can Happily Say That Any News of a possible New Stadium is Completely FALSE!

Within The Next 2 years & Based on Our Status in The EPL Saints Will Look into Upgrading St Mary's Stadium With an Upper Tier Across The Kingsland Stand Which Will Look to Expand our Capacity From 32,000 To Around 40-45,000.

11.) 07 Jul 2013
St Marys may still be 'new' but it was always a compromise on what they really wanted, one with easy rail, motorway and air links. It was built under an old regime - the new one do want a new stadium and complex to build the club, we cannot be a top 4 team at the current site due to all its limitations. Expanding won't help the infrastructure.

12.) 07 Jul 2013
Sounds a lot more logical than building a new one.

13.) 07 Jul 2013
Cheers saintsteward. Shame you had to say it really. It's not been a secret. Was even in the season ticket video a while back.

Club even produced pictures of the idea.

Jannersaint

14.) 07 Jul 2013
I don't think expanding the stadium will help the already bad traffic or our status in the pl. if we act too early we will end up like Wigan with a ground we can't fill and a bad team. If we make a new stadium it will take 5 or so years we will need constant financial backing and a very decent pl team (both of which we have at the moment), also we need to fill our stadium every game through those 5 years to make it worth our while.

15.) 07 Jul 2013
My understanding was the expansion of St. Marys was subject to the Council making serious improvements to the access in and around the area.
I don't think NC will sit and wait for them to come to the decision he wants and I am certain he will have other possibilities up his sleeve. It was certainly rumoured a couple of years ago that this may require a new stadium. Let's face it, the Council are skint, so is a major development of the transport links around St. Marys very likely?

Saint Martin

16.) 07 Jul 2013
Just repeat part of an old post I put on here a while ago. Cortese stated that in a major interview with Radio Solent about 2 years ago that his intention was to build a new stadium with corporate facilities, hotel etc. part of a major complex. St Marys was not and never will be the place to be due to traffic, transport and policing difficulties. He said it, and even though the stadium has been built to put another tier on this will only be a short term project. The 7 million potential cost of this would be relative peanuts in the whole scheme of things. This is not just made up bulls. t look it up and you will hear the man himself saying exactly this.

17.) 07 Jul 2013
I'm sorry Saint Martin but the last statement you made isn't exactly true. The Council in Southampton is a lot more well off than they let on. Southampton has not been hurt badly by the budget cuts as it naturally runs surplus' on it's annual budget due to plenty of high earners in the area.

Therefore they have the funds to invest in infrastructure and due to the new investment in infrastructure schemes soon to be brought in by George Osbourne improvements in the city's transport system are not only plausible but to be encouraged. Potentially millions could be spent on re-developing the docks and road network around Southampton to improve our position to trade internationally as well.

Sorry to go on such a rant but statements like that have been winding me up in my line of work for a long time. (From the context it shouldn't be too hard to work out what I do but I won't confirm it incase I've said anything I shouldn't. )

18.) 07 Jul 2013
I think in a few years the possibility of a different stadium will unfold

for now its worth considering that a large part of the fords factory is a listed building. its a big space but i'm not sure it would work

19.) 07 Jul 2013
Two thirds of that land belongs to southampton airport if this has an inkling of truth to it, it would cost the Liebherr family a fare few £'s to make this happen and to be honest and I expect they would be very reluctant to do so as it would be some what cheaper to expand st marys and also st marys lies right at heart of southampton city so why move from the best location in town!

20.) 07 Jul 2013
Sorry SaintsSteward, I forgot that Nicola consults everything he's doing with his staff. Saints are obviously bidding for the land because they don't wan't to build a new stadium, and Nicola has previously been joking when he was asked about expansion at St Marys, and he said that they might move to another site.

Seriously? Mate, the bid is a matter of public record. Next time your having a direct chat with this high superior from the club, perhaps you'd like to ask him what Saints are doing bidding for 20 of the 60 Acres available, and specifying that they want the land to build a football stadium, if they don't want to build a stadium there?

21.) 07 Jul 2013
The best place for our stadium always had been the sports fields opposite the airport and train station we failed to get planning for all those years back. That really would be an ideal place for transport links.

Jannersaint

22.) 08 Jul 2013
Surely the move to the Ford site wouldn't be permanent? We would only be in Transit :-)

23.) 08 Jul 2013
Well, I note from our local "politician" GO is going to help solve the infrastructure in and around Southampton!

Sorry, I am in my 60s and will not be around to see it. Just look at the delay in permission to dredge the Solent (as an example) to allow for increase in trade!

Whenever the public sector are involved in solving these problems they end up taking decades and costing double what they should. I just don't think NC will allow himself to be controlled by such events and will be looking at other options.

Saint Martin

24.) 08 Jul 2013
The Ford Southampton site is 44 acres, surrounded by a cemetery on one side, a housing estate and a motorway on others.
It would take some creative architecture to fit everything you mentioned on there. Let's face it, it would be quite cosy.
Besides, production may stop at the end of July but Ford are planning to use the site for vehicle maintenance and 150 people have already their employement confirmed for that purpose.
So I suggest that this is just a load of BS.

25.) 08 Jul 2013
To the above poster, how can it be a load of BS when it was discussed on the local politics show on the BBC?

Personally I have no idea of the size of the site, other than it's significantly bigger than our current site, but it was reported at a size of 60 acres.

I'm sure that in the coming months more will be made clear. However, all I was doing was reporting the fact that the future usage of the ford site was discussed on local television by the presenter and local politicians.

26.) 08 Jul 2013
Whether the site is 44 acres or 60 acres that is still a heck of a size for a maintenance depot!

I agree St Christopher, it is a possibility for Saints that has been reported, and may or may not happen.

Are we not posting on a "rumour" site?

Saint Martin

27.) 09 Jul 2013
I Can only Share what I Hear From inside St Mary's,
No Mention of any New Stadium since I've Been there (3yrs) And to be honest Weather it's Public Knowledge or Not I Only express what I Get Told!
But Hey Let's See How This Unfolds!