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Post by banksy1art on Jan 7, 2023 17:49:47 GMT
I went to have a walk around the ground earlier to have a nosey in the club shop and at the Statues as I’ve never really had a proper look , well I tried. First off I tried to walk through the tunnel behind the harvester which brings you out by Ricardo’s but it was double gated. then I tried to get in next to the Gordon banks statue, but again it was gated, as was the one that takes you to the south stand corner. Then when I found the only entrance there was a steward guarding it, no idea what he was there for but it’s a bit over the top isn’t it. What are they so scared of? No other club does it, so why do we. Am I not allowed to walk around my dreaded second home..
I’ve also noticed that the club has no interest in painting the ugly grey walls behind the south stand, making it look more like a prison
Can someone from the supporters council ask the club about it?
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jan 7, 2023 17:53:58 GMT
The Banks statue is open isn’t it?
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Post by supersimonstainrod on Jan 7, 2023 18:01:45 GMT
The Banks statue is open isn’t it? Think he means the walkway entrance near to the statue? |
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Post by Laughing Gravy on Jan 7, 2023 18:08:33 GMT
I went to have a walk around the ground earlier to have a nosey in the club shop and at the Statues as I’ve never really had a proper look , well I tried. First off I tried to walk through the tunnel behind the harvester which brings you out by Ricardo’s but it was double gated. then I tried to get in next to the Gordon banks statue, but again it was gated, as was the one that takes you to the south stand corner. Then when I found the only entrance there was a steward guarding it, no idea what he was there for but it’s a bit over the top isn’t it. What are they so scared of? No other club does it, so why do we. Am I not allowed to walk around my dreaded second home.. I’ve also noticed that the club has no interest in painting the ugly grey walls behind the south stand, making it look more like a prison Can someone from the supporters council ask the club about it? How many other clubs' grounds have you walked round on none match days? |
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Post by wagsastokie on Jan 7, 2023 18:09:21 GMT
Probably to stop the home fans fucking off home at half time
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Post by musik on Jan 7, 2023 18:12:56 GMT
They want your money for a tour? 👀
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Post by felonious on Jan 7, 2023 18:20:27 GMT
I went to have a walk around the ground earlier to have a nosey in the club shop and at the Statues as I’ve never really had a proper look , well I tried. First off I tried to walk through the tunnel behind the harvester which brings you out by Ricardo’s but it was double gated. then I tried to get in next to the Gordon banks statue, but again it was gated, as was the one that takes you to the south stand corner. Then when I found the only entrance there was a steward guarding it, no idea what he was there for but it’s a bit over the top isn’t it. What are they so scared of? No other club does it, so why do we. Am I not allowed to walk around my dreaded second home.. I’ve also noticed that the club has no interest in painting the ugly grey walls behind the south stand, making it look more like a prison Can someone from the supporters council ask the club about it? How many other clubs' grounds have you walked round on none match days? On Saturday morning my running group run from Fenton Manor along the canal and up to the ground, back down to the canal again and up to Hanford, back on the river path. Up until a few years ago you could run around the ground to do the return. Now like this morning it's past the Banks statue and around the roundabout for the return. The underpass was always gated. |
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Post by Scouse on Jan 7, 2023 18:20:35 GMT
I guess the boring answer is that the land the ground is built on is private rather than public land owned by the club , with no right of way other than that granted by the club at its discretion .. there’s a few signs around the place to that effect ( one from the bridge up to the west car park) .. closing private routes reinforces that message , both practically & legally , whilst helping to reduce security issues / costs , insurance costs , for damage or 3rd party , trespass and the risk of break ins , vandalism etc.
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Post by Davef on Jan 7, 2023 18:23:58 GMT
There's nothing stopping you walking into the stadium site via the main roundabout. You can easily get to the club store and ticket office and around the back of the Boothen End to see the statues.
I regularly used to do this when I was on furlough and went to the stadium to collect tickets. In fact I used to park my car in Stoke and walk along the canal and over the footbridge. The West Gate was locked but you could still walk up the path which brought you out at the south end of the main car park.
Another pointless thread finding the flimsiest excuses to criticise the club and the stadium.
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Post by lordb on Jan 7, 2023 18:26:34 GMT
I went to have a walk around the ground earlier to have a nosey in the club shop and at the Statues as I’ve never really had a proper look , well I tried. First off I tried to walk through the tunnel behind the harvester which brings you out by Ricardo’s but it was double gated. then I tried to get in next to the Gordon banks statue, but again it was gated, as was the one that takes you to the south stand corner. Then when I found the only entrance there was a steward guarding it, no idea what he was there for but it’s a bit over the top isn’t it. What are they so scared of? No other club does it, so why do we. Am I not allowed to walk around my dreaded second home.. I’ve also noticed that the club has no interest in painting the ugly grey walls behind the south stand, making it look more like a prison Can someone from the supporters council ask the club about it? How many other clubs' grounds have you walked round on none match days? I walked all around Stamford Bridge once, sat in the directors box, went in the dressing room, all whilst wearing a Stoke City tie |
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Post by somersetstokie on Jan 7, 2023 18:33:01 GMT
I walked round most of Vale Park recently, and without hindrance or hardship. To be fair there was hardly a soul around to be seen anywhere.
And that was on a Matchday!
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Post by dirtclod on Jan 7, 2023 18:39:14 GMT
I walked round most of Vale Park recently, and without hindrance or hardship. To be fair there was hardly a soul around to be seen anywhere. And that was on a Matchday! They screwed up and scheduled the match on the same day as the banner flyover. |
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Post by wagsastokie on Jan 7, 2023 19:03:19 GMT
I walked round most of Vale Park recently, and without hindrance or hardship. To be fair there was hardly a soul around to be seen anywhere. And that was on a Matchday! Walked round vale park unhindered Were you dressed as a bar of soap |
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Post by dirtclod on Jan 7, 2023 19:12:54 GMT
Here's my Google Earth yankee-wanderings talking:
A zoomed in Street view while walking around any football stadium you locate anywhere in the world, whether it be a small village or the Stadium Azteca is very revealing. Seems most of the video-passes are taken on non-match days. You'll see delivery trucks, passerby going to/from work, people on bikes, moms pushing strollers, etc. But my point is, gives you an excellent idea of the layout of the joint. If you're lucky, you might catch a dog taking a crap outside the Wembley of the North. It resembles a recently-closed plumbing-supply warehouse, so does the "Fabulous Molineaux."
Haven't seen one large stadium you could walk into, except for smaller clubs and the retail club-store/tour entrances of the larger ones.
Many of them look pretty foreboding with everything buttoned up. But you can look at the parking, the pubs in the area, basically be a nosy bastard to the extreme.
Makes sense to me - you can't just leave stuff open, people can't handle it.
Oh and those looking to increase their library of pubs/restaurants/attractions in any given location? You can literally take a look at them from the pavement and give you more places to ask locals about.
And I highly recommend a walk down the streets of Barcelona, Rome, Lisbon, Rio, the highway going up the coast in Italy and [50 more locations that wouldn't fit here]
Sorry, but it gives me a good look at places like Albania or wherever my finger "lands on the globe" that I haven't seen before. This summer I literally walked out of my front door as the "Google Street View" camera car passed. They'll blur out my face, but am just waiting for the view to be in whatever the next round of imaging-updates they do.
Update: No nooses spotted on the lamp posts of Hartlepool. Looks like a place for a "hearty breeze" off that water - stay warm!
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Post by BraveSirRobin on Jan 7, 2023 19:28:45 GMT
I went to have a walk around the ground earlier to have a nosey in the club shop and at the Statues as I’ve never really had a proper look , well I tried. First off I tried to walk through the tunnel behind the harvester which brings you out by Ricardo’s but it was double gated. then I tried to get in next to the Gordon banks statue, but again it was gated, as was the one that takes you to the south stand corner. Then when I found the only entrance there was a steward guarding it, no idea what he was there for but it’s a bit over the top isn’t it. What are they so scared of? No other club does it, so why do we. Am I not allowed to walk around my dreaded second home.. I’ve also noticed that the club has no interest in painting the ugly grey walls behind the south stand, making it look more like a prison Can someone from the supporters council ask the club about it? Did you speak to the steward? Did you walk by him to go towards the club shop? If not, why not? |
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Post by dave1 on Jan 7, 2023 20:07:01 GMT
I've always wondered why they have the Steward that stands at the entrance by the roundabout? What purpose does he serve???
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Post by dave1 on Jan 7, 2023 20:08:43 GMT
I've always wondered why they have the Steward that stands at the entrance by the roundabout? What purpose does he serve??? Sorry not sure if I am referring to the same Steward. I am talking about the one who stops to ask where you are going if going the club shop, ticket office etc... |
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Post by callas12 on Jan 7, 2023 20:18:30 GMT
I think that steward is generally security aswell. Not sure if he was there pre covid but during it I believe it was to prevent people taking the wrong turning for the south car park covid testing area.
I know other companies have access to the main car park such as Amazon delivery vans and obviously the motorbike training facility in the away end car park so it's likely just to monitor and direct purposes. I'd have thought Stoke would have provided some kind of hut or shed for him to sit in during bad weather or down time.
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Post by dirtclod on Jan 7, 2023 20:28:23 GMT
Nice to have a human on the ground when possible.
The way you kind of "coil" into the ground from the surrounding streets, it's easy to see where a newcomer might miss the sign for the Receiving Dock, things like that.
Edit: If he's interested in extra work, wonder if the Oatcake would consider hiring him for "our man in the bush at Clayton Woods" position?
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Post by iglugluk on Jan 7, 2023 20:40:19 GMT
..it's not really, it just feels like that during home games
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Post by somersetstokie on Jan 7, 2023 21:33:52 GMT
I've always wondered why they have the Steward that stands at the entrance by the roundabout? What purpose does he serve??? Sorry not sure if I am referring to the same Steward. I am talking about the one who stops to ask where you are going if going the club shop, ticket office etc... Didn't he first arrive here as a Leeds United spy during the time of Marcelo Bielsa? |
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Post by chigstoke on Jan 7, 2023 23:01:21 GMT
I've always wondered why they have the Steward that stands at the entrance by the roundabout? What purpose does he serve??? Sorry not sure if I am referring to the same Steward. I am talking about the one who stops to ask where you are going if going the club shop, ticket office etc...  |
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Post by kjpt140v on Jan 7, 2023 23:42:36 GMT
I went to have a walk around the ground earlier to have a nosey in the club shop and at the Statues as I’ve never really had a proper look , well I tried. First off I tried to walk through the tunnel behind the harvester which brings you out by Ricardo’s but it was double gated. then I tried to get in next to the Gordon banks statue, but again it was gated, as was the one that takes you to the south stand corner. Then when I found the only entrance there was a steward guarding it, no idea what he was there for but it’s a bit over the top isn’t it. What are they so scared of? No other club does it, so why do we. Am I not allowed to walk around my dreaded second home.. I’ve also noticed that the club has no interest in painting the ugly grey walls behind the south stand, making it look more like a prison Can someone from the supporters council ask the club about it? How do you know no other club does it? |
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Post by danceswithclams on Jan 8, 2023 8:38:54 GMT
I've always wondered why they have the Steward that stands at the entrance by the roundabout? What purpose does he serve??? That guy doesn't actually work for the club - it's just Steve who likes to know where people are going (and enjoys being outdoors). He's not hurting anyone so just leave him be. |
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Post by scfcrmagic on Jan 9, 2023 0:39:56 GMT
The Banks statue is open isn’t it? The Banks statue is always “open” as it sits on land belonging to the wonderful and generous Stoke city council. This was due to a bit of an upset by a ceo whose name I shall not mention wanting it sited anywhere out of the way and preferably not on Stoke City land if he had anything to do with it ..so a very nice man from Stoke on Trent city council put a motion forward for it to be owned and sited where it is now, as that land belongs to the council as does the statue. I’m glad the statue is there as I get to wave to it and shout hello dad every time I drive past , I go up and put the Christmas hat on every year as I promised dad I would, And I sit and play 60’s music parked up on the pavement window down on Father’s Day and other special days. Dad liked his music … |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jan 9, 2023 0:51:12 GMT
The Banks statue is open isn’t it? The Banks statue is always “open” as it sits on land belonging to the wonderful and generous Stoke city council. This was due to a bit of an upset by a ceo whose name I shall not mention wanting it sited anywhere out of the way and preferably not on Stoke City land if he had anything to do with it ..so a very nice man from Stoke on Trent city council put a motion forward for it to be owned and sited where it is now, as that land belongs to the council as does the statue. I’m glad the statue is there as I get to wave to it and shout hello dad every time I drive past , I go up and put the Christmas hat on every year as I promised dad I would, And I sit and play 60’s music parked up on the pavement window down on Father’s Day and other special days. Dad liked his music … Oh wow that’s fucking ridiculous. What a vile little man. Haha I saw the hat when we went past to go to Trentham and it made me smile so thank you!! I think it’s a good spot for it though so unintentionally it seems because people just driving by will see it. And it’s just a great statue of a great man. |
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Post by scfcrmagic on Jan 9, 2023 1:06:59 GMT
The Banks statue is always “open” as it sits on land belonging to the wonderful and generous Stoke city council. This was due to a bit of an upset by a ceo whose name I shall not mention wanting it sited anywhere out of the way and preferably not on Stoke City land if he had anything to do with it ..so a very nice man from Stoke on Trent city council put a motion forward for it to be owned and sited where it is now, as that land belongs to the council as does the statue. I’m glad the statue is there as I get to wave to it and shout hello dad every time I drive past , I go up and put the Christmas hat on every year as I promised dad I would, And I sit and play 60’s music parked up on the pavement window down on Father’s Day and other special days. Dad liked his music … Oh wow that’s fucking ridiculous. What a vile little man. Haha I saw the hat when we went past to go to Trentham and it made me smile so thank you!! I think it’s a good spot for it though so unintentionally it seems because people just driving by will see it. And it’s just a great statue of a great man. Thank you….and it is designed so people can stand up on it and put you arm around dad for a picture ….so really it’s in the right place . |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jan 9, 2023 1:13:06 GMT
Oh wow that’s fucking ridiculous. What a vile little man. Haha I saw the hat when we went past to go to Trentham and it made me smile so thank you!! I think it’s a good spot for it though so unintentionally it seems because people just driving by will see it. And it’s just a great statue of a great man. Thank you….and it is designed so people can stand up on it and put you arm around dad for a picture ….so really it’s in the right place . Definitely! Even for away fans, if they didn’t know about it they would drive past and see it and can explore. It’s open and visible and allows everyone to enjoy it. Because as well as what it means to you, us fans etc, it’s a cracking piece of art even if you aren’t a football fan. |
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Post by felonious on Jan 9, 2023 6:51:22 GMT
Oh wow that’s fucking ridiculous. What a vile little man. Haha I saw the hat when we went past to go to Trentham and it made me smile so thank you!! I think it’s a good spot for it though so unintentionally it seems because people just driving by will see it. And it’s just a great statue of a great man. Thank you….and it is designed so people can stand up on it and put you arm around dad for a picture ….so really it’s in the right place . Well it did put a smile on my face on Saturday as I ran up the hill past it and saw the hat  .... also a few years back when the statue resided in the foyer at Madeley High School I took some overseas fans to have that very same photo taken..... I was also asked to drive past his house slowly with 4 blokes in the car and knowing he was away ( he'd sent a very nice letter to one of them explaining he was away for the match and couldn't meet them) I said this is going to look like a burglary  |
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Post by theonlooker on Jan 9, 2023 7:03:28 GMT
The fences were installed during COVID to stop people encroaching on what was at the time a secure area for the players, staff and officials.
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