New stadium update...

[Shaggy]

Just got back from Manchester (had to drive). We met in Wetherspoons on Oxford Street which is one of the favourite drinking dens of the AFL people (the Paramount next door is another). By the time I'd dropped the wife and daughter and their friends off at the MEN for the 'High School Musical on Ice' bollocks it was gone half six so there were only a few of the lads left.

Anyway... the two directors who did the presentation in NY (I know their names but I won't name them here for obvious reasons) were back today and are very confident that they've got the job as they used a specialist firm to do an expensive and hugely impressive "walk through" presentation (not a Powerpoint presentation as somebody had previously claimed) and apparently it went down really well.

HKS did the morning presentation followed by lunch with G, H & P then AFL did the afternoon presentation followed by an evening meal and a few drinks. Going on second gave them a big advantage as did being able to relax with a few Buds in the evening. AFL's design comes in around £290m inclusive of fit-out (£10m under budget) so HKS have had to radically compromise to get anywhere near as their original plans came in at around £400m plus fit-out.

My mate says the walk-through presentation is amazing and he'll get me a DVD next week (it's too sensitive right now) and we won't be disappointed with the new design which is nothing like the original AFL "Parrybowl".

Whether we go with the AFL or the HKS revised design it sounds like we're getting a great 70,000 seater modern stadium which will be unique and yet won't break the bank so we can still afford to buy some decent players. I'm sure all the usual 'doom & gloom' merchants will carry on moaning like **** but I feel far more positive this evening than I have done for a long time...

That's all for now - sorry there's nothing really new to report but, hey, let's be happy...




Oh, and I had to break my January booze abstention and have a pint of Guinness. The ****ing sacrifices I make for this site...

Fantastic news Iain old chap. Very encouraging. I had real fears about AFL after the last, insipid design, and this news goes some way to assuaging those fears.

Assuaging, huh...nice word for a Friday night.

[sonsofthedesert]

Thanks for the info mate, good to end a week with something positive.

[Slinky Skills]

Sounds good dude, nice one!

[Oberon]

Oh, and I had to break my January booze abstention and have a pint of Guinness. The ****ing sacrifices I make for this site...

Your sacrifices are much appreciated as is your info

[Dhav]

Fantastic news Iain old chap. Very encouraging. I had real fears about AFL after the last, insipid design, and this news goes some way to assuaging those fears.

Assuaging, huh...nice word for a Friday night.

I had fears about them too, but thank god for HKS coming in because clearly they've risen the bar and it sounds like AFL have risen to the challenge

[Venton]

Cheers for the info mate. Sounds good.

[Jan-Erik]

Just got back from Manchester (had to drive). We met in Wetherspoons on Oxford Street which is one of the favourite drinking dens of the AFL people (the Paramount next door is another). By the time I'd dropped the wife and daughter and their friends off at the MEN for the 'High School Musical on Ice' bollocks it was gone half six so there were only a few of the lads left.

Anyway... the two directors who did the presentation in NY (I know their names but I won't name them here for obvious reasons) were back today and are very confident that they've got the job as they used a specialist firm to do an expensive and hugely impressive "walk through" presentation (not a Powerpoint presentation as somebody had previously claimed) and apparently it went down really well.

HKS did the morning presentation followed by lunch with G, H & P then AFL did the afternoon presentation followed by an evening meal and a few drinks. Going on second gave them a big advantage as did being able to relax with a few Buds in the evening. AFL's design comes in around £290m inclusive of fit-out (£10m under budget) so HKS have had to radically compromise to get anywhere near as their original plans came in at around £400m plus fit-out.

My mate says the walk-through presentation is amazing and he'll get me a DVD next week (it's too sensitive right now) and we won't be disappointed with the new design which is nothing like the original AFL "Parrybowl".

Whether we go with the AFL or the HKS revised design it sounds like we're getting a great 70,000 seater modern stadium which will be unique and yet won't break the bank so we can still afford to buy some decent players. I'm sure all the usual 'doom & gloom' merchants will carry on moaning like **** but I feel far more positive this evening than I have done for a long time...

That's all for now - sorry there's nothing really new to report but, hey, let's be happy...




Oh, and I had to break my January booze abstention and have a pint of Guinness. The ****ing sacrifices I make for this site...

Thanks mate

[ronan]

Oh, and I had to break my January booze abstention and have a pint of Guinness. The ****ing sacrifices I make for this site... [/QUOTE]

cheers iain hope the nasty pint didnt taste too bad
you botherin goin for few after villa or straight home?

[desertscouser]

Just got back from Manchester (had to drive). We met in Wetherspoons on Oxford Street which is one of the favourite drinking dens of the AFL people (the Paramount next door is another). By the time I'd dropped the wife and daughter and their friends off at the MEN for the 'High School Musical on Ice' bollocks it was gone half six so there were only a few of the lads left.

Anyway... the two directors who did the presentation in NY (I know their names but I won't name them here for obvious reasons) were back today and are very confident that they've got the job as they used a specialist firm to do an expensive and hugely impressive "walk through" presentation (not a Powerpoint presentation as somebody had previously claimed) and apparently it went down really well.

HKS did the morning presentation followed by lunch with G, H & P then AFL did the afternoon presentation followed by an evening meal and a few drinks. Going on second gave them a big advantage as did being able to relax with a few Buds in the evening. AFL's design comes in around £290m inclusive of fit-out (£10m under budget) so HKS have had to radically compromise to get anywhere near as their original plans came in at around £400m plus fit-out.

My mate says the walk-through presentation is amazing and he'll get me a DVD next week (it's too sensitive right now) and we won't be disappointed with the new design which is nothing like the original AFL "Parrybowl".

Whether we go with the AFL or the HKS revised design it sounds like we're getting a great 70,000 seater modern stadium which will be unique and yet won't break the bank so we can still afford to buy some decent players. I'm sure all the usual 'doom & gloom' merchants will carry on moaning like **** but I feel far more positive this evening than I have done for a long time...

That's all for now - sorry there's nothing really new to report but, hey, let's be happy...




Oh, and I had to break my January booze abstention and have a pint of Guinness. The ****ing sacrifices I make for this site...

Cheers Iain

It's been a very positive week all round. Seems like these Yanks aren't too bad after all as many of us have been saying/hoping. Where are all the doom merchants now?? I'm sure they'll find something to whinge about.

[Dhav]

Cheers Iain

It's been a very positive week all round. Seems like these Yanks aren't too bad after all as many of us have been saying/hoping. Where are all the doom merchants now?? I'm sure they'll find something to whinge about.

It's looking more positive, I agree mate, but they've delivered nothing yet. Let's see how they now get on with re-financing the existing loan, securing finance for the stadium and to what extent they back Rafa.

[Kaip]

Cheers Iain

It's been a very positive week all round. Seems like these Yanks aren't too bad after all as many of us have been saying/hoping. Where are all the doom merchants now?? I'm sure they'll find something to whinge about.

they are getting ready for tomorrows game

[desertscouser]

It's looking more positive, I agree mate, but they've delivered nothing yet. Let's see how they now get on with re-financing the existing loan, securing finance for the stadium and to what extent they back Rafa.

My gut's telling me they'll deliver. I just can't imagine they're as unprofessional as people make them out to be. I may be wrong of course but I'm going with my gut feeling. One thing's for sure though, the press's agenda against Rafa will continue regardless.

[desertscouser]

they are getting ready for tomorrows game

If we lose, watch us get linked with Fat Sam by Bascombe and the Mail

[Dhav]

My gut's telling me they'll deliver. I just can't imagine they're as unprofessional as people make them out to be. I may be wrong of course but I'm going with my gut feeling. One thing's for sure though, the press's agenda against Rafa will continue regardless.

Hope you're right mate. I'm encouraged by recent developments but still remain to be fully convinced by them and will continue to strike a note of caution.

The press and their obvious anti-Rafa agenda is pissing me off no end. Rafa's paying the price for not being media-friendly and not having the media running scared of him a la Ferguson. I really hope our fans do not get taken in by it, and that the yanks don't rise to the bait.

[thekop]

Just got back from Manchester (had to drive). We met in Wetherspoons on Oxford Street which is one of the favourite drinking dens of the AFL people (the Paramount next door is another). By the time I'd dropped the wife and daughter and their friends off at the MEN for the 'High School Musical on Ice' bollocks it was gone half six so there were only a few of the lads left.

Anyway... the two directors who did the presentation in NY (I know their names but I won't name them here for obvious reasons) were back today and are very confident that they've got the job as they used a specialist firm to do an expensive and hugely impressive "walk through" presentation (not a Powerpoint presentation as somebody had previously claimed) and apparently it went down really well.

HKS did the morning presentation followed by lunch with G, H & P then AFL did the afternoon presentation followed by an evening meal and a few drinks. Going on second gave them a big advantage as did being able to relax with a few Buds in the evening. AFL's design comes in around £290m inclusive of fit-out (£10m under budget) so HKS have had to radically compromise to get anywhere near as their original plans came in at around £400m plus fit-out.

My mate says the walk-through presentation is amazing and he'll get me a DVD next week (it's too sensitive right now) and we won't be disappointed with the new design which is nothing like the original AFL "Parrybowl".

Whether we go with the AFL or the HKS revised design it sounds like we're getting a great 70,000 seater modern stadium which will be unique and yet won't break the bank so we can still afford to buy some decent players. I'm sure all the usual 'doom & gloom' merchants will carry on moaning like **** but I feel far more positive this evening than I have done for a long time...

That's all for now - sorry there's nothing really new to report but, hey, let's be happy... 9




Oh, and I had to break my January booze abstention and have a pint of Guinness. The ****ing sacrifices I make for this site...

Cheers for the update rs4 bud

Glad to hear its 70,000 seater whatever the design