St. Mirren and Paisley national stadium

[djchapsticks]

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/11943563.plans-for-200m-national-sports-stadium-unveiled/

Interesting piece of history I wasn't aware of.

In 1990, Hampden was about to be tendered for redevelopment and there was a proposal to build Scotland's new, 65,000 seater national stadium in Paisley on what I believe later became the Phoenix Industrial Estate. This seemed to be a genuine idea and one that even had the backing of the engineering firm, Robert McAlpine. It was massively ahead of it's time as well, proposing ideas such as a roof and retractable pitch - ideas that wouldn't actually come into proper top class stadium usage until the Millennium Stadium in 1999 and Japan and Korea World cup of 2002.

In typically excessive 1990s Scottish fitba fashion, one of the proposals in among this was a 25,000 seater secondary stadium that was a proposed potential home for St. Mirren.

I appreciate that in the early 90s, there'd have been zero appetite for leaving Love Street as the potential consequences of that mismanagement wouldn't be truly realised for another 15 years but it's definitely interesting to think what would have become of SMFC, Paisley and Renfrewshire (pre-pedestrianisation) and indeed Scottish football if the plans had come to fruition.

Any buds remember this? Was it discussed at all amongst the support back in the days when the only form of social media was two tin cans and a length of string?

[Eric Arthur Blair]

It was all pie-in-the-sky which was never going to materialise.

There is an artists impression somewhere as it appeared in the PDE at the time, the 25k stadium was an all-covered, all seated single tiered effort similar to the current St Mary's or King Power stadia.

[Paisleyporridge]

I’ll get shot down for saying this but I doubt St .mirren could get anywhere near filling a 20k stadium. I’d love be believe that if we provided the product then the crowds would come. But I suspect a Scottish football is too parochial- every town has itks team. That’s not to say I don’t think that there isn’t room for a third major west of Scotland club- a bigot free zone. But my feeling is it would have to be something new and unburdened by historic affiliations.

[melmac]

A completely crazy idea, a stadium with good transport links, next to a motorway and the airport. Bonkers.

[djchapsticks]

4 hours ago, Paisleyporridge said:

I’ll get shot down for saying this but I doubt St .mirren could get anywhere near filling a 20k stadium. I’d love be believe that if we provided the product then the crowds would come. But I suspect a Scottish football is too parochial- every town has itks team. That’s not to say I don’t think that there isn’t room for a third major west of Scotland club- a bigot free zone. But my feeling is it would have to be something new and unburdened by historic affiliations.

You won't get shot down for it but remember we are talking a time when Kilmarnock, who were only in the Premier league team for a couple of years, started redeveloping Rugby Park into the 21k seater White elephant it became. 

Scottish football went mental with moneyin the early and mid 90s. 

[Iamhammer]

Remember this well, the original idea included Celtic not developing parkhead and using the 65000 capacity stadium instead.

[Paisleyporridge]

2 hours ago, djchapsticks said:

You won't get shot down for it but remember we are talking a time when Kilmarnock, who were only in the Premier league team for a couple of years, started redeveloping Rugby Park into the 21k seater White elephant it became. 

Scottish football went mental with moneyin the early and mid 90s. 

Thanks DJ. Kilmarnock are a great case in point. 

[jaybee]

8 hours ago, Paisleyporridge said:

I’ll get shot down for saying this but I doubt St .mirren could get anywhere near filling a 20k stadium. I’d love be believe that if we provided the product then the crowds would come. But I suspect a Scottish football is too parochial- every town has itks team. That’s not to say I don’t think that there isn’t room for a third major west of Scotland club- a bigot free zone. But my feeling is it would have to be something new and unburdened by historic affiliations.

Bang!!!! I shot the sheriff.  

[Paisleyporridge]

12 minutes ago, jaybee said:

Bang!!!! I shot the sheriff.  

[rabuddies]

Was it not to be built behind the Phoenix development?  You know, the bit that's got severe drainage problems, floods every time there is a light shower.  The only winners in the end were the consultants who got about £1.5M for the feasibility studies in Linwood and Strathclyde Park.

[HSS]

47 minutes ago, rabuddies said:

  The only winners in the end were the consultants who got about £1.5M for the feasibility studies in Linwood 

They should have had the cash withheld for doing their study in the wrong Town.

[JM1]

Everything about that article is hilarious [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[Lord Pityme]

Anyone remember when it was proposed in the late 70's to move to a 20,000 capacity stadium at Seedhill, and we thought it might not be big enough..! Lol

[elvis]

Anyone remember about the sports hub that was going to be built around the surrounding areas of the ground. How I laughed when I read that one. 

[Callum Gilhooley]

2 hours ago, elvis said:

Anyone remember about the sports hub that was going to be built around the surrounding areas of the ground. How I laughed when I read that one. 

Wonder where they got the idea from ? 

 

[ALBIONSAINT]

20 hours ago, Eric Arthur Blair said:

It was all pie-in-the-sky which was never going to materialise.

There is an artists impression somewhere as it appeared in the PDE at the time, the 25k stadium was an all-covered, all seated single tiered effort similar to the current St Mary's or King Power stadia.

Wait another 25 years and someone will post a thread about the proposed rail link from the airport, athletics village at the racecourse, etc etc etc. 

[Guest TPAFKATS]

I remember the story although my memory has changed it to being built at the racecourse.

[antrin]

 

4 hours ago, Callum Gilhooley said:

Wonder where they got the idea from ? 

41 minutes ago, TPAFKATS said:

I remember the story although my memory has changed it to being built at the racecourse.

Probably it all comes from the genuine plans of Sir David Murray to build a Hover Pitch at Ibrox with HMRC's our his millions.  Be a dawdle to float that down to the racecourse when required.