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Olympic Stadium Row And SMS


Jeff Le Taxi

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With Redkrapp today mouthing off about running tracks killing off the atmosphere inside stadia (dig at us?) got me thinking about St Marys, has the running track been used? ...... must be a thought about removing it and adding extra seating, surely cheaper than going upwards! adding revenue and atmosphere for little outlay......any thoughts?

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Do we have a running track? I've never thought of the perimeter of the pitch as a running track.

 

I can't see how we could add extra seating around the pitch perimeter, as it would be all the same level, ie not terraced. It would be very difficult for the people in the current Row A, which would be maybe 4 or 5 rows back in the new layout, to see properly.

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Do we have a running track? I've never thought of the perimeter of the pitch as a running track.

 

I can't see how we could add extra seating around the pitch perimeter, as it would be all the same level, ie not terraced. It would be very difficult for the people in the current Row A, which would be maybe 4 or 5 rows back in the new layout, to see properly.

 

Think he meant dig down, a few clubs have done that. Although I can't be sure that's what he meant as he thinks we have a running track.

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ok cinder track or whatever you like to call it, whatever without being pedantic we ARE a LOT further back from the field of play than we were at The Dell.

 

It was hard for us to get any closer at The Dell. Don't get me wrong, I'd love us to be closer. But I think when the stadium was built, they considered that you need to be further back for European/International games.

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The perimeter around our track is rather large. The only way to add seats would be to dig downwards to continue the stand..... that's impossible though due to St Mary's essentially being at Sea Level.

 

We don't exactly suffer for it though... atmosphere at some of the bigger/more important games is always excellent in my experience.

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Think he meant dig down, a few clubs have done that. Although I can't be sure that's what he meant as he thinks we have a running track.

 

When the stadium was built there was a lot of talk in the papers about Southampton City Councils stipulation that there HAD to be room for a running track within the (multi use) stadium! was looking for a link to prove this but I KNOW and probably most of the less juvenile posters will too.

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When the stadium was built there was a lot of talk in the papers about Southampton City Councils stipulation that there HAD to be room for a running track within the (multi use) stadium! was looking for a link to prove this but I KNOW and probably most of the less juvenile posters will too.

 

Even allowing for the pitch perimeter there simply is not the space inside St Mary's for a full size running track. It may have been part of an original proposal but it certainly isn't there now. Even the shape of the stands doesn't work for it.

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When the stadium was built there was a lot of talk in the papers about Southampton City Councils stipulation that there HAD to be room for a running track within the (multi use) stadium! was looking for a link to prove this but I KNOW and probably most of the less juvenile posters will too.

 

Got to be some weird kind of race for the "track" we have then. I am no athletics expert but not sure I recall too many competitive tracks with right angles in

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When the stadium was built there was a lot of talk in the papers about Southampton City Councils stipulation that there HAD to be room for a running track within the (multi use) stadium! was looking for a link to prove this but I KNOW and probably most of the less juvenile posters will too.

 

Well, that's good enough for me. it's not like JlT has a track record for being totally wrong about things, is it?

 

Chortle.

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When the stadium was built there was a lot of talk in the papers about Southampton City Councils stipulation that there HAD to be room for a running track within the (multi use) stadium! was looking for a link to prove this but I KNOW and probably most of the less juvenile posters will too.

 

I am not juvenile, nor under some strange illusion that a full size running track will fit into SMS.

 

So whatever you might have read, didn't happen. The stadium will not be dug-down to get seats in as that would be stupid. And Micheal Barrymore is not father Christmas.

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When the stadium was built there was a lot of talk in the papers about Southampton City Councils stipulation that there HAD to be room for a running track within the (multi use) stadium! was looking for a link to prove this but I KNOW and probably most of the less juvenile posters will too.

 

You called me Jeff? I with you mate..

 

PS I am looking forward to seeing Coe and Ovett run at St Marys..

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The crowd are set well back from the playing action, as firstly there is a cinder track surrounding the playing surface and secondly the pitch itself must be the largest in the League (although the playing area does not use all of it).

 

footballgroundguide.com

 

The rectagular area required to fit a 400 meter running track with 8 lanes is 167m x 82.5m. The maximum dimensions of a pitch are 120m x 90m. (Minimum dimension is 90m x 50... considering that we have the largest pitch itself though.... I would expect that only Loftus Road is anywhere near this.)

 

It would be tight, but unless there is 25m+ clearence from the front of the Chapel/Northam end to the pitch edge. No, it wouldn't fit. We do not have a running track and I am not a juvenile.

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The rectagular area required to fit a 400 meter running track with 8 lanes is 167m x 82.5m. The maximum dimensions of a pitch are 120m x 90m. (Minimum dimension is 90m x 50... considering that we have the largest pitch itself though.... I would expect that only Loftus Road is anywhere near this.)

 

It would be tight, but unless there is 25m+ clearence from the front of the Chapel/Northam end to the pitch edge. No, it wouldn't fit. We do not have a running track and I am not a juvenile.

 

What he said. I also said similar, without figures, but it's obvious anyway. Well, if you've ever seen a running track.

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The "Surrounding track" is, as I recall a specification required to obtain a specific UEFA Stadium Rating - I think I remember we have a UEFA B rating.

 

The track is required to be the size it is so it can get an Ambulance around it.

 

That UEFA B rating allowed us to stage an England Match.

 

HTH

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The rectagular area required to fit a 400 meter running track with 8 lanes is 167m x 82.5m. The maximum dimensions of a pitch are 120m x 90m. (Minimum dimension is 90m x 50... considering that we have the largest pitch itself though.... I would expect that only Loftus Road is anywhere near this.)

 

It would be tight, but unless there is 25m+ clearence from the front of the Chapel/Northam end to the pitch edge. No, it wouldn't fit. We do not have a running track and I am not a juvenile.

 

167 metres seems a bit long, I've experienced quite a few running tracks and that seems long. The straight part is 80 metres each side and the curved parts are 120 metres each. Now the home straight has to be at least 112 metres long with a bit of a deceleration area at the end but I'm not sure that many of them are at least 55 metres longer than that. Could be but I'm sure I've seen plenty of 6 lane tracks (which are pretty standard) that are fitted into a space less than 167 m long.145/150 ish I'd think.

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167 metres seems a bit long, I've experienced quite a few running tracks and that seems long. The straight part is 80 metres each side and the curved parts are 120 metres each. Now the home straight has to be at least 112 metres long with a bit of a deceleration area at the end but I'm not sure that many of them are at least 55 metres longer than that. Could be but I'm sure I've seen plenty of 6 lane tracks (which are pretty standard) that are fitted into a space less than 167 m long.145/150 ish I'd think.

 

The inside radius of a running track is 36.4 meters. Each lane is about 1.2 meters. Length was taken from IAFF regulations which states an 85 meter straight, but ok, take 80m. Therefore the total length is:

 

80 meters + 2*radius (72.4) + 2* 8 lanes (2*8*1.2) = 162.5m

 

Still way too much to fit inside SMS.

Edited by Colinjb
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The "Surrounding track" is, as I recall a specification required to obtain a specific UEFA Stadium Rating - I think I remember we have a UEFA B rating.

 

The track is required to be the size it is so it can get an Ambulance around it.

 

That UEFA B rating allowed us to stage an England Match.

 

HTH

 

So we can't have running but can have ambulance racing?

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Isnt it due to Uefa reg`s

 

i believe its needed to hold internationals and the 1st few rows have to be vacant if they close and at pitch height.

 

This is solved by having the 1st row 6 feet off the ground.

 

I really dont new stadiums that are like that, it does have an affect on atmosphere when the 1st row is 15m away from the touchline.

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So we can't have running but can have ambulance racing?

 

Well, I suppose it makes some sense, thinking back to those old days at the Dell when the Old St John's boys needed Oxygen just to get the Stretcher onto the pitch.

 

Nice idea though, must look for some F1 style Ambullance pics...

 

Trousers??

 

over to you mate

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Well, I suppose it makes some sense, thinking back to those old days at the Dell when the Old St John's boys needed Oxygen just to get the Stretcher onto the pitch.

 

Nice idea though, must look for some F1 style Ambullance pics...

 

Trousers??

 

over to you mate

 

Christ, give me a chance....

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When the stadium was built there was a lot of talk in the papers about Southampton City Councils stipulation that there HAD to be room for a running track within the (multi use) stadium! was looking for a link to prove this but I KNOW and probably most of the less juvenile posters will too.

 

I think you're getting confused with some of the plans for Stoneham. A running track was mooted there although I can't remember whether it was to surround the pitch or be in an adjacent facility.

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I demand that the Jumping pits are at the Chapel End..

 

The Javelin, Hammer and Discus be thrown to the ruffians in the Northam end.....

 

 

ottery behave yourself...this is a serious subject..:blush:

 

No.

 

The Chapel is already slated for construction of the Tiger Woods Mini-Golf Course.

 

(I've got a meeting set with him to talk about this on 9th Feb just after I give him his Relationship Counselling session)

 

If we have to move that then Trousers won't be able to have a run off for his Monkey Chicken waste

Edited by dubai_phil
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ok cinder track or whatever you like to call it, whatever without being pedantic we ARE a LOT further back from the field of play than we were at The Dell.

 

It's not a running track, it's a stadium designed specifically for football with a small all-purpose area for safety, access and advertising reasons. If you don't know the difference you are some kind of special mental, and it's got nothing to do with pedantry. For a start an Olympic standard running track is going to have at least 8 lanes, if they had that at St Mary's the side stands would be half in the river and half on the railway track. Or to put it another way, if they had the two straights of an 8-lane running track inside the stadium the pitch would be about 20 yards wide.

 

Also, if you think Redknapp slating running tracks around football pitches, which is something pretty much everyone in football hates, is having a pop at us (especially as we don't have a running track) you are probably paranoid and delusional as well.

 

HTH.

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Why is everyone getting so excited over this?

 

The original post wrongly referred to the cinder track (or whatever it is) as a running track.

 

I don't know this jeff bloke but I'm pretty sure that he never meant that usain Bolt and 7 others could do the 100 metres on that little track down the side or the Kingsland.

 

The fact is that SMS is not set up as an athletics stadium. What none of us know (or at least no one has said with any authority) is whether SMS could accomodate a full 8 lane 400m running track. The stadium is very wide so it might be possible.

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