Was thinking the same thing today SPF. I've never been involved in building a stadium before but I'm assuming its not the type of thing you can organise in a short time, and according to Collumbine we are "ready to go" if planning permission is granted.

Were these plans to move not in the pipeline when the club went public with their plans to develop our current ground?

Well, the new stadium is either pie-in-the-sky, way off from being a reality, with all the stuff yesterday (in the national press - live) being well premature

or

The article below was released by the Club to create a feel-good factor - set the fans up for what was coming, with the story being utter shite - just spin.

Why would Collumbine choose to do either of those two ???


And this has been bothering me all day too, not being funny, what is Rankine's business interest/living ? Is it property/building ?

Is not the only difference where this is to be built. So not really misinformation. If the planned move does not happen it would have been premature to announce it and end up with egg on their face.

The idea to move may well have been floated around a while ago but who's to say something hasn't happened in the last couple of weeks to move it closer to actually happening.

The article also doesn't explicitly mention anything being built on the current site, I don't think. There's no reason at all why the statement from Sid yesterday and the earlier article can't both be genuine.

I'm only speculating but if the club were negotiating the possibility of doing this deal with Muir, the announcement six weeks ago might have been made to, shall we say, help get a good deal (force the issue). A bit like a player who's in transfer talks having his agent moot plans for him to join another team.

Just speculation though.

But in 6 weeks he's managed to get a supermarket and/or hotel and or a college to commit ?

Again, why the haste to get it public ?

Does anyone know what Rankine does for a living ?

East Fife have been really clever in talking up the value of Bayview and the surrounding ground regarding the development when in fact they had no intention of doing this.Plans for the new stadium and complex must have been completed a long time ago for it to be ready to go to planning.
Think it was common knowledge that once the power station comes down Bayview is in the way of extending the Energy Park.

So the article was indeed spin (and bullshit).

Edit: Just saw your post Kots.

I'm amazed the new stadium story has stayed on the one thread. Usually some numpty feels their point merits a thread all to themselves!

Anyway, I believe rankin is a former bookmaker, but like most wealthy folk, will have investments all over the place. No doubt, he'll get a good return on his investment if this deal goes through...... And if the club get a better stadium out of it, with 0 debt and better prospects for the future, then win-win.

I think we might be jumping the gun in thinking its East Fife that are leading on the wider development of the new site. Im not a planner but the Im guessing the area development plan already has that site in for retail/industrial/commercial development. Given the increase in housing on the other side of the road and the expansion of the DCL its more likely that a supermarket/development company are "anchoring the site" and then looked for potential local partners. This whole area was talked about in previous 5 year plans being developed by Leven Valley Trust/gateway to the East Neuk which would be attractive to a lot of developers especially with land process relatively low at the moment. Without getting too pie in the sky it is not that far from a workable railway line too. The current Bayview site is valuable if the renewable energy park really takes off and extra space is needed either for fabrication or office space.

The club would be daft not to get involved at least in preliminary discussions about this.

From a football point of view I prefer a grass surface adn a non identikit design mixing old school with modern, but as long as were in Levenmouth or at a push Glenrothes I dont care where were playing

The railway line could be a goer if this takes off. Weren't Diageo interested in part funding the line not so long ago?

Re the supermarket - wasn't there word going around a while ago that Aldi wanted to build a new store up by Diageo? This could tie in with the new deal.

It's possible that plans were in place for the redevelopment of the New Bayview site, and it was then "suggested" that the location be changed. The plans for the ground/other pitches/facilities themselves may not have changed that much with the change of site.

I have absolutely no information on this but what I would say to those doubting how a planning application can be done so quickly.... if it is only outline planning that is being applied for ie that the land is in principle suitable for this sort of development, then all that is required is a glorified Ordnance Survey map with areas coloured for the different use (football stadium, retail area, leisure area etc) & the point of accesss & egress for the site.
The full application which would follow the outline application would require full details.
The outline application could be done very very quickly, in fact I might just rattle one off tonight beat the club to it

Another possible reason for the move.

Architect hopes to revive Fife town

Fuckin ell EFFC more grounds than Tiger Woods`s wife......

Hopefully you do! Now that would be an interesting headline "Rovers wanker bursts into flames whilst having an 'I've got a bigger stadium than you moment'

I'd love to see



Stand and watch from the sidelines and/or behind the goal.

3,000 seats (more than enough), but also including 1,000 or so standing (more than enough to host SPL team Cup games. We'd love it, away fans would love it. Kids wouldn't mind coming along instead of being glued to a plastic seat for 90min.

Good atmosphere, even if 25% full (and a great place to watch football. 4 sides, huge seating capacity, terraing covering half the park.

For those of us living in fantasy world (like me) IF we ever needed to expand seats in years to come, then you've got a blank canvas where the terracing would be to build what you want.

EDIT: That's supposed to be terracing at the top and right - NOT a breeze brick wall

Agree. See my crude ms paint pic above! It's great to stand at Stenny but would be good to be able to get standing along the touchline ala Arbroath, Forfar etc. The view is rubbish at Ochilview when you're shooting to the far away goals.

Whatever happened to ashley Grove

Ashley Grove
Apr 3, 2009 - 8:46PM QuoteReply Re: The facts.

Have to agree with TOC's earlier post, Rankine is a speculator , I have mentioned on on previous threads about the power station and the land around of which the club own a slice , let's just wait and see if Rankine sells his shares - Dont think so
Ashley Grove



Jul 4, 2009 - 12:06PM QuoteReply Re: east fife

Dont know if this is a wind up but quite believe that through time this will happen as I pointed out a while ago about the demolition at the site of the power station and the companies who had put in a note of interest , prime site to sell with the land that Eastfife

Tesco's interest in Leven has obviously forced their hand - the club didn't want to say anything but I assume this partly hinges on attracting a big name supermarket to that site.

Hasn`t Tesco bought land from Pfaudler Balfour?

Westie who the fuck are you.A few months ago you came on this site advocating a take over by the trust.Now you have appeared again this time trying to derail this venture.What exactly is your motives and do you have a hidden financial interest in the club.

Got to be a good thing if the club can come out of it debt free. Looking forward to seeing the plans.

I think it's an exciting venture and a positive move by the club and I'm all for it!! I'd be very surprised if they put terracing in tbh, new grounds don't have terracing apart from at Stirling and they don't use it. It would be great but I don't see it happening.
As for certain board members making money out of this then I don't see the problem. They will have invested in the club because the land around the current stadium is worth a lot of money and they will have known they could get a piece of the pie. The club is a business and they will make money out of it this way. As long as we're debt free and owning our stadium then fair enough.

There are plenty of examples in England where new grounds have been built with terracing such as Burton Albion's Pirelli Stadium. Here's a bit of info:

"The stadium is divided into four single-tier stands. The South (Main) stand is the only all-seater stand, boasting a capacity of 2,034, which is segregated to provide seating for both home and away fans, whilst the ground also has three terraced stands, the West Stand (formerly the Bovril end, currently named the Rotala stand for sponsorship purposes), and the North Stand (currently named the nPower Family Stand, although commonly known as the Popside) are the two home terraces, whilst the East (Coors Visitor) stand terrace accommodates the away support".

This is a fab little stadium and one we should look at closely before going ahead with any new development.

Eastie. Like you, in a way, i feel that the present site had space and potential, but would you buy a new house on that site for +- 200k with a view of a massive green shed? and maybe even more engineering works being built the way the area is receiving contracts. Plus football crowds? The land was not really prime for housing, so not much use to East Fife. We made a mistake moving there, even Danskin was overheard saying that. The original 1000 seater opposite would have helped, but too late now. Everyone has learned and we have a second bite of the cherry. A stadium that will be designed with a bit of thought and not a template off the shelf. [i sincerely hope so anyway] If planning is granted and it goes ahead then lets be thankful as no other club gets that second chance. Airdrie got it right, Stirling Albion got it mostly right and clyde got it right. Livi' definately got it right.
I think we can too.
I say give it a chance and dont condemn from the start. If it goes wrong, well, it couldn't go more wrong than the initial move to the docks. We almost went bust after that because of the debt. We got lucky with fergies reserve wages from Spurs, or we might have been no more. This time, no debt and stadium ownership. Get behind it.

To put it another way, we are simply upgrading. Thats what we do now and again. If i got offered a better house and brand new that was worth more than the one i have now. Phone Oliphants.

I just hope that they have a grass playing surface!

Most likely thing to happen is the existing stand at Bayview ( made from precast)being dismantled and rebuilt with a new 1000 capacity stand on the other side.

Don't think New Bayview is all bad. The upstairs bar is pretty good. Where else can you drink a pint and watch the warm up before the game and mix with the players after it? Let's take the positives and learn from the negatives.

Only another 4,000 views to go before this thread beats the Bygone Levenmouth one.

We'll do it - the fans must be heard!

Might as well put my tuppenceworth in then.

Heard (through the grapevine) that there is to be a "Project launch" at Bayview tomorrow at 12pm.

I think that if this is the case then after "hurriedly" having to put out a statement on radio Scotland the other night then SURELY the shareholders of the club should have been notified of this project happening!!!

And since it has now been THREE days since that statement and now we here of a "launch" then it is nothing short of a DISGRACE that the (little?!) people who actually invest in the club should not even be invited to or even told about any launch of a new stadium development.

Since it is now in the public domain a swift letter out on Thursday morning or e-mail or statement on the official site to ALL shareholders should surely have been on the cards.

Sorry but this is just my opinion

The second division club revealed it wants to relocate from New Bayview to a brand new 3000 all-seater ground opposite drinks giant Diageo's site at Windygates.

The major development will include stadium training grounds, a supermarket, an educational facility and a sports centre, while there are also plans for some sort of park and ride set-up at the complex.

Club chairman Sid Collumbine admits the proposals are ambitious but confirms that a land switch deal with developer Muir Homes is in the process of being done, with grants from other sources being sought to meet any outstanding costs.

While the blueprint mooted would be hugely significant for the area if it comes to pass, the relocation plans will no doubt still come as something of a surprise for supporters who last saw their club move grounds just 12 years ago.

"If the club grows the community grows and if the community grows the club grows, so it should be a win-win situation for everyone," Mr Collumbine stressed.

"We feel this is going to be a really exciting thing for the community and there are various different things planned for inside the stands and the complex which will hopefully
generate revenue seven days a week, rather than just once every fortnight.

"It's very ambitious but I'm very excited about the development and I hope businesses will also benefit from the influx of people coming into the area.

"We've been desperate to get things moving and we've spent a lot of time making sure the Ts are crossed and the Is are dotted."

However, a major aspect is that facilities will be open to the community for use throughout the week.

The new stadium, which will have two main stands to hold up to 3000 fans, is expected to cost between £4 million and £4.5 million.

While details have still to be firmed up, the aim is that any cost to East Fife will be negligible due to the land switch agreement — with a finance package attached to the land deal and community grants expected to cover the total cost.

"There should be no cost to East Fife Football Club and I've always said that I will never lead East Fife into debt. We will remain debt-free and the new stadium will be ours," Mr Collumbine added.
He pointed out that the complex should also become a major source of employment in the Levenmouth area, although he was unable to give firm figures on how many jobs could be created.

What will become of the land near Methil docks where New Bayview sits is unknown but, with the infamous power station also due to come down, talks on what should be built in the prime waterfront area are expected to gather pace.

Mr Collumbine said, "As far as we're led to believe the council want that area to build a power centre and this development will benefit Muir because it will be them building the complex."

A planning application could be lodged as early as next week and the club confirmed that work towards the new stadium will begin as soon as possible after permission is granted by Fife Council.

Eugene Clarke, East Fife Supporters' Trust representative on the club's board, said reaction from fans to the news had so far been largely positive.

"In terms of the move I don't think anyone will shed a tear because the current stadium doesn't have the affection that old Bayview had," he said, "while this plan certainly ties in with the trust's aims of the club being more involved in the community.

"We're very keen on the concept and the board's position is that East Fife will not be in debt and will own the stadium."

It is understood the proposal was moved forward after supermarket giant Tesco confirmed plans to move into Leven earlier this month.

2 MAIN STANDS HOLDING 3000!! SOUNDS LIKE THE ORIGINAL PLANS FOR THE PRESENT GROUND. PLEASE SID, NO LEGO LOOKKALIKE. IF MORE FUNDING REQUIRED, ASK US, THE FANS, MAYBE WE CAN HELP, IF WE HAD A TARGET.

The tantrum in the pram thread got 4156 views. This one could overtake it before too long.

Seems like the 3000 seater thing is already set in stone. Let's not make the mistakes of New Bayview EFFC Board, and please let's have some terracing from the off! You know it makes sense. Whilst I would prefer any standing room to be along the side of the pitch, I would settle for something behind the goals (covered) than nothing at all. The cost of this at the start of the project would be much less than adding it later.

The fans MUST be consulted on this!

Surely the board will give us East Fife fans some sort of terracing?My fear is that we will be moving to another souless ground with a plastic pitch when we had a fantastic chance to make a decent ground.Still,2 stands is better than 1 i suppose.

Whats the chances of the council rejecting the plans?If the council are behind the energy plant thats to be built on our existing ground then hopefuly it will pass without any problems.Sid seems confident that this will go ahead,i hope he doesn`t end up with egg on his face.

Am hugely supportive of this exciting news.

One plea - the new ground should reflect the history and tradition of our great club - old Bayview (where we won many of our great matches), famous players and cup wins.

There must be a connection with the heritage of the club.

Edin. Yes, i agree, but extras cost more. I sincerely hope we get it right. This will be our last chance, in most of the present fans lifetimes anyway. Sids champin at the bit and i hope the board keeps the heid and thinks this completely through. Offer Tesco to have the satdium named the tesco stadium if they were to fund what the extra it would take.

Would "WELCOME TO TESCO STADIUM" sound so bad???
No worse than "WELCOME TO 1ST TO FINANCE STADIUM"

Suggest we donate the current stand to a local charity - rrfc!!!

From today's Scotsman...

By ewan murray

Of the adjectives already used to describe East Fife's proposed move from Bayview Stadium, "ambitious" has been the most generally used. Sceptical onlookers may opt for another term, amid fears as to what occurs when land developers and football clubs hook up.
Airdrie and Hamilton fans, who faced years in the wilderness, will testify to that.

East Fife are riled that news of their proposal, which has been discussed at board level for a number of months, has entered the public domain. That it would have
ADVERTISEMENT done so anyway, and possibly within the next week with proposals set to go before planning officials, apparently makes little difference.

If East Fife have their way, and planning issues notwithstanding, they could be on the move within two years to a site a mile away; they only kicked their first ball at Bayview Stadium in 1998.

And this is no straightforward project. The club aim to enter into a "land transfer" agreement with a developer, which would lead to the development of a site – worth less than Bayview Stadium is just now – into a new football ground, with facilities added on both to generate cash and to offer widespread community use. No cash, the club insist, need change hands.

The excess value of East Fife's current ground over the site they plan to move to, they believe, will lead to development coming at the cost of not a penny to the club. A hotel and supermarket complex forms part of the new proposal, with an artificial surface also cited as a key income generator. "It is simply the case that this opportunity is there," said East Fife director Jim Stevenson. "Mainly, there is a commercial aspect to it but there is also the point of the club enhancing their community projects by having the proper facilities available. That is a big driver of this."

Which all sounds very noble. Yet the blunt truth of the football stadium itself is that it will hold 3,000 – an increase on 1,000 from New Bayview, a stadium which has been unpopular with supporters. Given obvious financial restrictions, it is far-fetched to suggest any new home for East Fife will be radically different to their current ground.
"If the plan is as the club say it is, whereby we will continue to operate debt-free and own the stadium, I am fine with it," said Allan Duthie of the East Fife Supporters' Trust, before adding a caveat. "What I would want is a lot of thought put into the design of the new ground. "They would win a lot of hearts by offering adequate standing space for supporters this time around."

The reason for months of secrecy surrounding this project is unclear, if in keeping with other off-field matters at Bayview Stadium.

Stevenson claims the names and shareholdings of those controlling the club "can be looked up on the internet" but is unwilling to provide that information himself. "We have lots of shareholders, they are not anonymous," he added. In 2005, The Scotsman revealed that an eight-year-old girl was the major shareholder of East Fife FC. According to recent documents filed at Companies House, the girl, her mother and club chairman Sid Collumbine control over half of the club's issued shares.
Collumbine has highlighted this as "a good news story for Scottish football." Ironically Dumbarton, a club with which Columbine was previously involved, are the only other Scottish senior club to seriously consider a move from a newly-built home. But that was in 2007 after Neil Rankine, recently part of a consortium which took over Livingston, sold his shareholding. Rankine and Columbine were directors of Dumbarton together in 2005. Other factors in this scenario will prompt intrigue. The imminent demolition of Methil's power station, adjacent to the stadium, forms part of a plan to use the area for the proposed "Energy Park for Scotland site." It is, therefore, prime development land. Access to that power station site and those around it, if used in future for housing or a sizeable commercial development, would be made more tricky by New Bayview's presence. In blunt terms, a vast area, way beyond the existing football ground, is involved here, with whoever has ownership of that land either involved in or keeping a close eye on proceedings.

Stevenson added that he "hoped" the council would look favourably upon the plan to move. "This information wasn't meant to get out but someone has got hold of a document, the media interest has been relentless ever since."

Not least because East Fife hadn't uttered a word of this scheme to their own supporters until the media intervened. Even now, the club's official website carries not a word of information about the significant possibility of moving home. That shift could now be done twice in only 14 years. Quite what Ayr United, who have been trying in vain to make just one stadium move in order to safeguard their own future, make of this is anybody's guess.

Just back from my hols.. nearly fell off the couch when I read all this!! WOW!!

I'm cautiously optimistic.
If we're being offered two 1500 seater stands (a wee spot of terracing behind the goals maybe,)and loads of space for 4g training pitches etc, we should bite their hands off. It's an excellent site, highly visible, accessable to the larger Fife public and not tucked away down an alley in Lower Methil. It's also very accessable to people in the Glenrothes area, and the entire East Neuk will pass by it on their way south.. a proper shot at being a bigger, more representative community club for the east of Fife.

I would have preferred the money to be put into far better facilities inside the main stand, and a wee bit less seats/more terracing. But that's just me. Think 1500 seats and 3/4000 terracing would have been more practical.

Just a bit sceptical about all the other guff. A supermarket?!! FFS...
When we were initially told of the docks plans 14 years ago, we were promised a 3000 seater stadium (two stands with 2000 and 1000 on each side). There was going to be housing and an old folks home on the site, training pitches and all sorts, and most of it clearly never transpired. The council at the time had a hand in the plastic pitch debacle if I remember correctly. The stand we did get was a cheaper version of the one promised, which was supposed to be for "community use". Sid's Bar was initially supposed to be public changing rooms for the plastic pitches! So where did the rest of the money go? We should get behind the club on this 100%, while also remembering to watch them like a bloody hawk, and seek assurances every step of the way.

RE: the article

Some good points (didn't know we left Bayview Stadium in 98 though - thought we were still in it....fnar, fnar).

Uncomfortable reading actually.

Generally I'm reserving judgement until there's an opportunity to put questions to the major shareholders or the board.

The main positive aspect for me is I don't like our current ground and like the idea of a new ground with terracing (though they haven't commented on that either).

The main negative aspect for me is I don't trust Collumbine and the people he represents one bit. All this stuff about developing the current ground a couple of months ago adds to my doubts.

Don't get me wrong, i'd love all this to be as simple as it sounds, but there's 100,000 questions to be answered before i'd personally be convinced of anything.

some sponsorship deal with diageo would be good, maybe on the community side of things

After reading all the hype on this thread , the prospect of the move and the value to which the general community will get from this development is great news , but alas you always have sceptics , conspiracy theories which happen in all aspects of life when things are announced , happen. In lite of this I was trawling previous threads by posters and aformentioned by ashley grove , as we are told there is going to be a shopping centre and a hotel in the deal but where , I wonder if this person had a crystal ball.



Re: The new stand Aug 29, 2009 12:02pm

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ashley Grove
Does anybody know if this project is going ahead the reason why I am asking is that I heard this morning at work that Tesco and Travelodge have made enquiries about land at methil docks , now this could be the site of the powerstation as I believe the asbestos has been stripped out and awaiting prices for contractors to demolish the building . The only access at the moment is over that bridge at the swimming pool or at the back of eastfife . Now before any one asks my source it is not Zak It was just a discussion at tea break from colleagues from different departments about different issues and the one about the land at the docks popped up as he new I was from Methil , Now to set the cats amongst the pidgeons