Now it is too late, and we can only tut wisely shake our heads and declare, ‘Oh, such a waste such a lost opportunity’…
(First published on 06th August 2001, by Arab Homer)
Euro 2008 has provided Scottish Football with a headache, and United want in on it!
£7m has been spent on Tannadice in the last seven years, upgrading it to the standard fit as it is as a home for Dundee United, yet, the same people who ploughed their money into Tannadice are now reconsidering – Euro 2008 has handed them the opportunity to move to a plush new stadium with plush new offices, and of course the pre-requited door-side parking space.
They plan to spend £35m on this new stadium – Sunderland’s 40,000 capacity, Stadium of Light was built for £15m, and Middlesborough’s 30,000 capacity Riverside stadium was built £12m. They better have comfy seats!
Given the fact that the two clubs could realistically raise no more than an optimistic £10m, and at a squeeze their bank managers would be reaching for the dagger with, another £5m from their own overdraft, they seem to be relying heavily on government funding to create their own dream castle.
Cynicism aside, of course, it appears that the project is generally frowned on by both sets of supporters, but than again, many of those supporters are easily swayed by the fancy pictures of a new home.
Personally speaking, a new stadium could provide new opportunities if executed in the correct manner, but alas both our boards and the ever-wise local government are not the people I would turn to for advice. So as far as demolishing my favourite place in the world, and building me a new dream are concerned I look on cautiously.
The proposed new stadium would be undoubtedly be very plush, and comfortable given the money want to spend on it, and the idea of playing out the derby in front of 20,000 – 30,000 fans is one that lets the mind wander. A new McDonalds would certainly be built outside, or inside the new stadium, for all the meatheads oot there, but what of our pre-match watering holes; ah’m no walking two miles to the nearest boozer either side of the whistles.
The only reason I would want this bid to succeed is for Scotland to win the right to host Euro 2008, as it is an opportunity that cannot be lost – seven years from now we could all be watching England be slaughtered by Germany in our own back-yard.
