Marwan has finally got it the crowd is poor because of the stadium location.The way he is talking we just have to put up with the situation. I thought the council wanted a team in the city,if that is the case and we say we are not paying the rent,are they going to pull the stadium down.Did the council not take out a loan to have the stadium built.we should tell Mayor Stewart the ball back with him.

I still find it strange how the club will complain about lack of public transport options yet not offer any proper alternative apart from one bus from the old willows site. I'm not saying it would have a massive impact on crowds however there should've perhaps been 4 or 5 services from different areas of Salford from when we first moved into the stadium.

Something similar to what Bolton Wanderers offer at their own out of town stadium but on a smaller scale would've been ideal really.

Whilst I think it's pie in the sky to expect another new-build stadium within the city, could the council really withold planning permission just because it would be competition for them? They could certainly refuse to sell land they owned for it.

I don't think the location will be such an issue in the longer term when the road system matures, there are a pub and other things near by, a few thousdand people working at the port next door, and you'll be able walk it from the Chill Factore in 15 minutes (and ultimately get the tram there). I wonder if Peel could be convinced to part with their share considering that they're selling their stake in Mediacity supposedly to part fund the port.

Is it possible that Marwan is saying all of this as a way of getting a better deal out of the stadium company for future negotiations?

It looks that way to me, he's obviously interested in buying the stadium he's said it from day one.

He may have shot himself in the foot though due to signing the new agreement and because everyone knows he's got $3 Billion in the bank (Apparently anyway). He's certainly not shy in letting everyone know he's got a few quid. Therefore the stadium management company might keep ripping the club off for rent so much so that he just ends up buying it at an over the top price. Peel love a good deal.

I don't agree with the claims that the stadium is in a poor location. It's one of the best locations for a stadium in Manchester. It's just the roads not finished yet, when that is done, it will be so much better going to games at the AJ Bell stadium. Until it's finished we are just going to have to bite the bullet I'm afraid. Which is really annoying because we should never have moved there in the first place unless the road was ready.

Peel have sold The Trafford Centre so for the right price they would be willing to sell their share in the stadium also.

The irony could be that in 20 years, the stadium could be surrounded by streets of terraced houses.



And their controlling interest has kind of been fulfilled now. Unless their end game is to have it bulldozed!

It sounds to me like this all comes down to whether the club needs the stadium more than the stadium needs the club. Either way, battle-lines have been drawn.

And now that the council have changed the planning consent so that Peel can start operating Port Salford before the access road is complete there is even less urgency to get the road improvements finished!

Oddly I overheard a couple of guys at the gym last night talking about the old Willows site, not sure which company but they are in the building game as site foremen and they one was saying to the other than work has just started on the 103/113 (not sure which) new homes they are building on the site.

I always thought the Doc could do worse than try and go into partnership for the stadium with Sale, both hold a 50% stake and split profits

Do Peel sell?
Recently, a Peel spokesman met a number of locals at a forum to push for the expansion of the Rochdale/Bury wind farm. After promises of being in it for the long-term and not turning their back on the area, I raised the matter of their selling the Trafford Centre etc.
Peelman's answer was complicated and I should have taken notes: in short, they have a large interest still.

My experience is that peel do not sell. They also are politically astute and would snooker any competing stadium. Wilkinson was trying to do it without Peel but even, before the company failure, you could see Peel were getting into Wilkinson's ribs (the hotel matter was an obvious example).

I fully agree with the Doctor on this. Sadly the cards dealt are poor.

Peel didn't sell the Trafford Centre,they swapped it for about 25 % of a far bigger company that now owns
it. The owner of Peel sits on the new company's board,I think.
MK is a wealthy bloke but I'd guess reports of billions are massively exaggerated .
It suits his purpose to allow the reports to go unchallenged. In any event where would a former college teacher make billions,and it's not by selling training courses!
We wouldn't be where we are without him,and I thank him for that
But we will stay at the AJ Bell,he won't buy it and the only relevant question is whether we can continue to retain his interest and support beyond the next couple of years

Have you considered this?
Peel do not have any sway with the stadium,it is owned by the City of Salford solely!

Interesting comment Bonita - Do you know how he made his loot then? Come on - spill the beans.

Somehow I don't think that's true.

The stadium appears to be owned by THE CITY OF SALFORD COMMUNITY STADIUM LIMITED registered number 07225208

The current directors are:

Mr David Jonathon Glover - also a director of Peel Land and Property Investments Plc and 26 other companies all with the exception of The Pie Factory Limited having "Peel" in their name!

Mr Mark Leslie Reeves - no other directorships

Mr David Anthony Lancaster - also a director of The Lowry Centre Trust, The Salfordian Trust Company Limited and The Landing At Mediacityuk Limited so presumably a Salford City council chappie?

Mr Peter John Hosker - with 171 other directorships again virtually all related to Peel companies

and finally the Company Secretary is given as:

Peel Management Limited and the registered address is:
THE CITY OF SALFORD COMMUNITY STADIUM LIMITED
PEEL DOME
THE TRAFFORD CENTRE
MANCHESTER
ENGLAND
M17 8PL


a little more reseach and investing £1 with companies house tells us that the shareholding is broken down as follows:

Salford Council 5,000,000 £1 ordinary shares
Peel 5,000,000 £1 ordinary shares
Salford Council 1,666,666 £1 Preference shares.

The ordinary shares confer voting rights and can receive dividends but the preference shares have no voting rights, the owner of the prefs can recover their value out of either capital (eg if the stadium were sold) or the Stadium company can buy the preference shares from their owner.

So it would appear that for share capital Peel & The Council each put in £5,000,000 then the council put in a further £1.67 million