You don't have to convince me how bad the Western terrace is , in fact I would go as far to say it is totally unfit for purpose . Yes I know the club have run out of ground development funding and we are having to 'suck it' at the moment. However I wonder if anyone has considered what the dump is costing the club. There is no doubt about it, away fan numbers are severely reduced by the fact that the club has designated it as the away supporters area. I know supporters could use other areas ,but most away fans like to stand together. IF I supported any other club there is no way I could come to Belle Vue and pay good money to suffer the experience.

So my point is, I know Vastman has done an out line design for an upgrade which would be simplistic, low cost and highly effective. If the club could take out a long term loan to do the work, could the increase in away fan numbers and the extra revenue generated by this cover the costs ?

I mean the club are already paying the loan back to purchase the ground I suspect. Maybe once the new stand is making money then it could become an option to borrow some money to cover developing the west stand. Don’t think it will be much of an option now.

Perhaps the share scheme can generate enough funds to be able to offset any potential loan for further development.

To me, that would make a lot of sense.

Not sure on what the monthly re payment is, I'd heard around £23k a month,not sure how accurate that figure is, but that was from a former employee of the club.

Wasn't the projected costs if the plans for the western terrace around £500k. If both are accurate, you'd be looking at 2-3 seasons away, before it could be done.

Mate of course they have thought about it they are not daft.

But let’s be realistic. We only need the west terrace for four games a year. The rest of the time we can fit the away fans in front of the boxes and in the east stand and charge them accordingly for better facilities.

People are getting totally carried away with one negative that isn’t all that important in truth. If we shut the west terrace for most games we will still comfortably fit the in the remaining 6,500 approx capacity.

You might not like it but until we genuinely challenge 6000+ per game it’s an on issue. For the few games it does it will suffice. It’s not what people want to hear because we all want it now but that’s not the reality.

Funny really. Spent most of my time watching from the western terrace before the north stand became the home end and enjoyed the games from that perspective. It needs doing, but at what expense to other areas of the club? For me the work on the North Stand has shown the way to lift the angles to give a better view of the game.

Was really peed off when we got moved off the western terrace to accommodate the away fans back in Glovers day. Was good to get back, although I do tend to stand there for reserve games.

Lets face it, its not a priority.
Yes, it would be lovely for it to be upgraded now, but lets look after our [iown[/i fans first - and that's what the club - quite rightly - are doing.
When do we get "big numbers" of away fans?
Five or Six teams?
And lets be honest, its just as bad for us at Dirty Leeds or the Inbreds ground across the common.

To be fair, the problem is the dugouts and players/staff stood around them. As soon as they move them back over to the East Stand the view will be a lot better. Not perfect, but better.

Would have to do a comparison to see how many away fans attend other teams grounds in SL.

I don’t think the numbers would be so great in difference but would be an exercise that would need to be undertaken to see if it stacked up financially.

Only anecdotal but I know of quite a few fans who like coming to Trinity because it is different to other grounds, I think that opinion would change if they had to attend every week.

I felt the view on Sunday was awful and I agree it would be good to do something with it but it’s certainly not something that needs to be done imminently, unless it does turn out away fans numbers are significantly lower at Belle Vue than other grounds.

Agreed.

Truth is much as I'd like it sorted, for now the West terrace full re-vamp would be more a vanity project.

However were it to be the difference between a Grade A or B when the IMG proposals are firmed up then it may well become a priority.

The easiest way to sort it short term would be to buy some second hand temporary seating and run it from where the west terrace roof ends (that terrace is ok) and run it up to the turnstiles. You'd lose nothing in capacity but you get proper viewing angles and it would look way better, and it could well be enough to swing a Grade A.

North stand 3,500 approx
East 2,600
West 2,400 approx (mix of seats and standing
South 500 (approx 300 in the seats and 200 in the boxes

Thats 9,000 approx.

Unlikely to top that for now but should be enough to placate IMG.

Yes the end bit under the little stand is the bit that used to be affectionately known as clown corner and is OK . Like you say it's the rest that's a real issue. For the life of me I have never understood what went on back in the day when the West terrace got its makeover. Clown corner got done up at the same time, so why didn't they follow that design the full length. However when the work was done ,the ground was owned and run by Wakefield council. That tells you all you need to know because only they could be so stupid as to refurbish the terrace in such an obviously terrible way.

Anyhow it is what it is, let's hope it doesn't cost us the Grade A which is essential for the clubs future.

Thought the West Terrace little stand was courtesy of Glover.

Me too, along with the North roofing.

You might call it Clown corner, my father stood on that corner for nearly 60 years he passed in 1995 he affectionately called it Waggies corner short for Wagstaff's, I am not a historian but that could have been a shop nearby in the 30s or 40s.

The ground was owned by the council as you say Glover was the tennant he paid for the covering in the North and West terrace, it was probably so short due to the cost and future planned developments. At one point the club was considering bringing over the stand from Wilderspool for those that remember it prior to Wires current ground.

The stand was cut short so not to impact the TV camara. Sky rejected filming from the east stand as I understood it.