New Ground

[ronin]

Tonights Echo reports that a meeting took place between Jeff King and members of the council about plans for a new ground at Waterside. No details were given but it`s good to hear that things are going on in the background to sort out our new home.

[CANV EFM]

it will happen.. within 3 years only colchester will stand in our way of being the no.1 club in essex

[FleetFanatic]

Tonights Essex Pikey News reports that a meeting took place between The Gypsy Kings and members of the council about plans for a new caravan site at Waterside. No details were given but it`s good to hear that things are going on in the background to sort out a new home for the tea leaves.

 

 

Seriously - good luck tomorrow.....

 

.....as for the 2nd round - I'd like home vs Weston Super Mare.

[Dan Sampford]

watched use on match of de day. Good pen

[ronin]

In todays Non-League Paper there`s an interview with Jeff about the Southend game but of more interest is a few coments about our new ground. Jeff speaks about the council doing a lot to help us find a site and states that his preferred site is Waterside but he also says it will definitely be in the borough of Castle Point! It seems that while he is 90% certain the ground will be on Canvey it is not a done deal. I don`t like the idea of CIFC not playing football on Canvey, let`s hope we can sort out a location on the island soon and start building.

[YELLOW]

It would be unthinkable for us NOT to be playing on the Island!!

[itsgottobethisyear]

Might have to change our name to 'CastlePoint' to attract more people to the club after all it did Thurrock a lot of good I'm sure there crowds are up by at least 5 people this season.

[Phil Old Boy]

If there is a new ground then I just hope it hasn't got plans for an athletics track around the pitch. Wonder what the deal is if something for Waterside goes through.

[Ryan.c]

So there's a possibilty of Canvey moving to Benfleet! CANFLEET... my fecking [****!!****]!!!

[FleetFanatic]

Ah! I remember the railway signs:

 

'BENFLEET - alight here for Canvey Island'

[ronin]

More news in tonights echo, looks like plans are moving along http://www.thisisessex.co.uk/essex/sport/SPORT2.htmlwell

 

[CANV EFM]

as long as it aint got a running track and has terraces behind the goal, pref covered, then water side is good for me.. i can walk it from the station instead of queuing for a cab or my usual trick of getting on the wrong fking bus!.. lets hope the bar is a bit bigger, dont fancy boozing in the 1066!

[Merv]

Jeff was interviewed on BBC Essex this morning and he sounded very excited over the prospects of a new stadium being built on the island, preferably at Waterside Farm. It seems that the council has discussed the possibility of the club relocating to a site off Northwick Road but Jeff feels that Waterside is a much better bet. He has a good point because there is acres of space available, there is no problem in upsetting local residents, access is very easy from road and rail and there would be no need for a change of use; the whole site is already dedicated to sport/recreation.

 

With the advantage of space, a Waterside development means that not only can the club build a stadium suitable for Conference football, there is the option of expansion to satisfy league status. I'm not sure if the new stadium will be capable of satisfying Premiership requirements, but perhaps we will have to cross that bridge when we come to it.

 

For a long time now the club has courted both officials and elected members of Castle Point Council, not to mention club president Bob Spink MP. Their support for the club, from the terrace or from the floor of the council chamber, could come in very handy over the next few months.

 

According to the artist's impression in tonight's Echo there is no running track around the pitch, although it is a tad disappointing to see that there is no cover over the terraces behind the goals. Still, you can't have it all. As long as the bar sells Stella on draught I shall be a regular.

[Yellow Bungle]

Does anyone out there no what the Conference requirements are? I've asked them but they won't tell me!

[ronin]

Not sure if it`s got the answers for your question but this site is very good for conference details http://www.confguide.com/

 

 

[Merv]

One day I sat and did every conceiveable search I could to try and find the ground requirements for the Conference League. I had no joy. The link that ronin gives won't tell you, I've looked.

 

If anyone has found a good link, it would be interesting to have it posted here. Perhaps if someone from the club has details perhaps they could let us know, or (much better idea), create a page on the canveyislandfc website with drawings, plans and tables of what the requirements are. Some news on the new ground wouldn't go amiss, anyway. After all, we were promised all the news, as it happens, updated daily, when the site was set up.

[Yellow Bungle]

I've managed to get hold of the Conference Criteria for Membership but it's 24 pages long so I can't really post it here. I've tried to attach the main bits but it maybe too big.

 

 

1. STADIUM CAPACITY

 

The Stadium must have a minimum operational capacity of 4,000 as certified by the local Safety Authority and, where appropriate, confirmed by The Football Licensing Authority. There must also be the potential to achieve a capacity of 5,000 in the future.

 

A copy of the existing Safety Certificate, Licence or Letter of Authority stating the ground capacity whether full or temporary must be available. If temporary, details must be given of the safety work to be completed to obtain full certificate. The Safety Certificate must indicate in full the detailed capacities for each area within the ground and confirmation that the capacities have been assessed using the latest criteria in the “Guide of Safety at Sports Ground” (The Green Guide) fourth edition.

 

The Football Conference reserves the right to verify or obtain an independent verification of the ground capacity. The name of the club Safety Officer must be advised. The nominated Safety Officer must have previous experience of crowd control methods and be able to satisfy the Inspection Committee that he/she has supervised crowd management and that they have confirmed that they will be available for each home fixture. If the nominated Safety Officer is not available, a suitable deputy must be nominated and he/she must have comparable experience.

 

It must be possible for spectators to view the match, either standing or seated, for the full length of all 4 sides of the playing area. However, at the discretion of the Conference Board of Directors any other configuration for spectators to view the match may be considered. Any approved configuration must meet the minimum capacity requirements.

 

 

2. BOUNDARY WALL

 

The boundary wall must be of sound construction of pre﷓cast concrete, brick, breeze block or metal cladding with steel or concrete posts or in certain locations galvanised steel paling fencing may be acceptable, secure on all sides and sufficient to deter climbers. Minimum height 2.2 metres as measured from outside the ground. Lapped timber, latch panel wood fences and wire mesh fences with wooden post supports are not accepted, unless in exceptional circumstances approved by the Board of Directors. Hedges, shrubs and/or trees, which form the boundaries, will not be accepted.

 

 

3. MAIN STAND

 

There must be a main stand constructed of timber/steel/brick/concrete or any combination of these materials. Stands with open type flooring are not acceptable. The Main Stand must contain a minimum of 500 seats (Football League Minimum 1,000, plus a further 1,000 within two years of membership).

 

The Main Stand must provide acceptable viewing for all spectators. A minimum of 5 risers in the

recommended dimensions as specified in the Green Guide must be in place to provide suitable viewing

ALL seating areas must conform to the specifications of the Green Guide.

 

If the existing Main Stand does not meet the minimum of 500 seats, then any deficit in the number of seats cannot be made up by the construction of additional seating in any other part of the ground away from the existing stand. All seating must be calculated under the Green Guide requirements and seats which have restricted viewing and/or do not comply must be excluded from the final calculation of number of seats in the Main Stand.

 

The Main Stand must contain the Directors seating and The Director’s Room and all the necessary associated facilities. The Director’s Room may be sited adjacent to the main stand subject to the Ground Grading Inspection Committee’s approval.

 

The players and officials dressing rooms do not necessarily have to be located in the Main Stand.

 

 

4. TERRACING

All terracing must conform to the requirements of the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds, with crush barriers if/or as required by or found acceptable by the Safety Authority. All terracing must be in a sound condition. Terracing that is crumbling, has grass/weeds growing or has broken or loose concrete will not be accepted. Under such circumstances, clubs will not qualify for admission to the Conference.

 

Any level surfaces within the ground must be hard standing, tarmac, concrete, concrete paving or other approved materials. Packed ash, loose gravel chippings or other similar materials are not acceptable.

 

Spectator standing areas behind both goals and on the main standing viewing side of the ground must be terraced. The Conference Inspection Committee will make recommendations as dictated by the space available and local regulations allow.

 

The retention of existing crush barriers and/or the installation of new crush barriers

incumbent with achieving the required minimum ground capacity remains the

prerogative of the local Safety Authority.

 

Provided it is in good condition, and acceptable to the Local Safety Authority, existing

Terracing MAY be acceptable. All new terracing must be constructed to meet the

requirements of the Green Guide.

 

Grass banking, areas of grass or other forms of soft spectators standing areas, (e.g. ash, pebbles, gravel etc.) will not be accepted anywhere in the ground.

 

5. SEATING

The minimum number of seats in the Main Stand to be 500 including Directors seats. All seating must be

Calculated in accordance with the Green Guide requirements and seats which have restricted viewing and/or

Do not comply must be excluded from the final calculation of the number of seats in the Main Stand.

 

There must be the potential to increase the minimum number of seats under cover to 1,000, including those in the Main Stand, or 10% of the total ground capacity whichever is the greater. This is to meet the criteria for promotion to the Football League.

 

In the main stand, all 500 seats or a minimum of 500 seats must be of the individual tip up type with backrests. Alternatively, other than the Directors Box the seats can be of the plastic moulded type complete with back rests or other types of seats provided they have back rests. All seating must be under cover.

 

6. DIRECTORS BOX

The directors box must enjoy a prime position in the MAIN STAND, and clearly signed

from the main seating.

 

They should be individual seats of the tip up type with backrests.

 

Home and Away Directors seats to be clearly marked.

 

Home ﷓ minimum number of seats 24

Away ﷓ minimum number of seats 16

 

 

7. SEGREGATION MEASURES

It must be possible to have a segregated standing area for visiting supporters, bounded by secure fencing on both sides, with a suitable sterile zone, as approved by the Local Safety Authority.

 

Any segregated area must have exclusive entrances/exits/toilet and catering facilities.

 

The local police and the local Safety Authority must approve the segregation measures, as a whole.

 

The Club must demonstrate that they have a match day Safety Officer, with suitable experience

and qualifications available to provide working plans for safety and match segregation in the event

of a near capacity and normal weekly attendance levels, together with full evacuation and emergency

procedures documentation.

 

[Merv]

That's brilliant Yellow Bungle (no relation to Dr Zbungle?). Thanks very much.

[Yellow Bungle]

Anyone heard anything new?

[Alan W (GNFC)]

On the segregation issue, its seems the rules are flexible as we only use tape across the terracing to divide fans - certainly not "secure fencing " !!