ROVERS UNVEIL NEW STADIUM DESIGNS

Bristol Rovers today announced plans to redevelop the Mammary Ground into a new all-seater stadium.

The state-of-the-art facilities are projected to fulfil the club’s requirements for capacity well into the next century.

The initial stage of the spectacular project will focus on rebuilding the Centenary Stand, with deck chair facilities to seat up to four supporters in comfort.

This will be followed, as demand dictates, by a new Covered End featuring a fully adjustable canopy.

Work on the first phase will begin as soon as funding is found for the imaginative project, with a target of completion in time for the club’s progress into the Rymans League in 2005.

The news followed an announcement by Bristol City Council that it had shelved indefinitely plans for a new park bench nearby which would have catered for the club’s needs well into the future.

The club would have had to share the new bench with two local school teams and a homeless tramp with a long grey beard and Green Flash trainers with the soles hanging off.

But negotiations broke down when the Football League demanded that the tramp be moved on during midweek matches for fear of artificially inflating attendance figures.

Rovers unveiled the breathtaking designs in partnership with Dunceford Dairies, B&Q and leading Filton architects Bodgitt and Scarper Limited.

Club chairman Geoff Dunceford said: “We are disappointed that no suitable site has been found for a new ground.

“There were plans to renovate a giant dump and toxic landfill site, but nearby residents complained turning it into a stadium for the Gas would lower house prices in the area.

“It is important to recognize that the club is absolutely skint and we won’t be able to simply go out and buy the deckchairs overnight.

“But the good thing is that now we are staying at the Mammary Ground we can redevelop piecemeal whenever we save up enough Esso tokens to cash in for a new seat.

“We have recently staged some superb events at the Mammary Ground towards our aim of eventually making the stadium financially self-supporting.

“The regional stages of the national spoon-playing championship attracted five spectators, more than double the usual home attendance.

“We have also been privileged to host a number of larger clubs in cup matches, including Runcorn and Boston.”

The new stands will be equipped with state of the art catering facilities.

The plastic coolbox will come with handle and detachable freezer packs.

Mr Dunceford added: “We are confident a single cool box will provide ample refreshment for the entire crowd, while falling within the club’s rebuilding budget.

“However further coolers could be added at a later date if attendances in the Conference next season exceed projected figures.”