Matthew Le God

If not now... then when? Long term infrastructure projects shouldn't be based on fluctuations between leagues. What exactly do you want them to tell you regarding their plans this season that it would be worthwhile them disclosing publically?

Basing it on having a squad packed full of players that will stand out in the Championship.

Do you not think season ticket holders were expecting a relegation scrap this season? Sure not as poor as it has been, but still they purchased those tickets knowing we'd lose a lot of games! If we do go down, we'll be in the top 3 for favourites to go back up. We'll be winning regularly. So why wouldn't that bring the 29k+ average like we had last season?

It is possible to both act for this season and have longer term infrastructure plans that you are actively working on. It does not need to be one or the other... it can be both! Hopefully it is both, as they have messed this season up so far!

You did not grasp it because you said... "I would hazard a guess most other fans would prefer to hear more talk of what is being done to improve the return of 5 points so far this season rather than some PR exercise concerning stadium expansion" Which shows you think stadium expansion wouldn't benefit on field performance. Sure it wouldn't this season, but it would in the future. If you keep putting it off there is never a benefit and we'll fall behind the many clubs that are looking to increase revenue with long term infrastructure projects.

1) Talking to the council is an action requited for it to happen! 2) Based on what? 3) Based on what? Plus to dismiss as merely discussion is daft, discussions with the council is a required action to get things to happen! 4) We averaged 29k+ in the Championship. A lit of those empty seats were in the away end when clubs didn't fill it. Why would it be any different next season if relegated? 5) You keep failing to grasp that increasing revenue is a plan to make the team better. Higher turnover allows for more transfer/wage spending under new rules, so it is not a PR exercise, it is a credible plan to improve the squad and performance on the pitch.

Still avoiding!

1) That the owner, CEO and chairman have all spoken publicly about a desire to expand capacity. 2) That they have been planning for it for a long time. 3) That they are in active discussions with the city council about a wider development that includes expansion of the stadium 4) That selling out season tickets was a trigger mentioned by the board and it has happened this season. Plus selling out every home game in a terrible season is a positive sign the stadium is too small. As doing better will have more demand and we already sell out whilst 20th. 5) That increasing revenue with expanded capacity helps the club spend more under new financial rules Do you agree or disagree with those 5 points?

You are avoiding the questions... again I've not claimed insider knowledge, so not sure why you are trying to pin that on me! It is not tenuous to think it might happen when the club, city council, CEO, chairman and owner have been in talks and the latter three have publically stated a desire to expand the stadium capacity.

If you responded to all the counters and questions you've missed/avoided would be a good start.

Another potential factor is if we see a significant development around the stadium and along the riverside, plus an increase in capacity it potentially changes the perception of the club to supporters, the media, future owners, current and future players, potential sponsors etc and sets in place a snowball effect. No longer would it be a 32k identikit stadium in the middle of an industrial estate.

Selling out season tickets like we have now, but didn't back then might be a factor in @Lighthouse point.

I might if you directly responded to the points and questions I've asked rather than manoeuvring around them or outright avoiding them!

That is the issue you aren't getting. The purpose of expanding is to allow under the rules for more spending so we can do well. Plus we have sold out every game this season despite not doing well. That shows current capacity is too small.

Yet again... you ignored all the points I made and questions I asked. The post above is bizarre. Your logic appears to be that them not previously expanding the stadium means they won't in the future! That is daft. Plus in any case they have spent quite a lot of money on stadiums projects up to this point.

How have you come to that conclusion? Are they in talks about it for a laugh?

Rather than just laughing @saintant try addressing the points and questions in my previous two posts that you avoided

The owners have already invested a lot of money in the club as the accounts on Companies House show. Infrastructure spending is not included in financhial rules so it allows them to spend big. It ultimately makes sense financially for the reasons I mentioned regarding the change in financhial rules switching to % of turnover. Increasing the turnover increases the amount we can spend under the rules on transfers and wages, so if spent well increases our chances of doing better in the PL.

We have sold out every game whilst being terrible this season. That shows thd stadium is too small. A decent Sainrs side would sell more tickets than the current terrible one. Even in the Championship last season we averaged 29k+, with a lot of those empty seats being in the away end when Championship opponents didn't sell the away end. Expanding the stadium allows for an increase in revenue which allows Saints to better compete under new financial regulations that restrict spending to a % of turnover. How you've determined 'a probable long wait to get back to the Premier League' under the owners I'd also unclear. Given they've already had one promotion, will have full parachute money and a squad of top Championship players if relegated this season.

There isn't a high enough quality of player in the Championship for that to be a major issue. It I'd an issue this season as Martin is using it vs a significantly higher level of opponent in the PL.

Just a reminder here that the PSR are scrapped. The new system is aligned with the squad cost-to-revenue ratio contained within UEFA's Financial Sustainability Regulations (FSR). Those regulations will eventually limit clubs to only spend 70 per cent of revenue on transfer fees, player wages and so on. That is why increasing turnover through infrastructure investment and increasing commercial revenue is important.

Every little helps

My point was they won't move because for players like Armstrong, Brereton Díaz, Archer and many others of our players we are the best club they can play for. They won't be coveted by PL clubs and if we use them in the Championship they will be stand out players at that level.

Yes, it does. Our squad is packed full of top Championship players. That is a problem this season. But if relegated, we'll have a squad instantly ready to be a top club in the lower league. Even without those you listed the remaining players have already shown themselves to be more than capable of that level.

A club where the player will see the benefit in moving to. For example Armstrong, Brereton Díaz and Archer are all capable of scoring for fun in the Championship and won't be of interest to PL clubs. Or do you disagree on that? Edited just now