Change of plan for ground development

AN EXTENSION to the Grove Wharf stand is the latest plan being studied by Scunthorpe United for the development of Glanford Park.

Their hopes of a move to a brand new ground have now been scuppered by the current economic climate, and original plans for a £5million construction behind the present home terrace seem to be a non-starter.

But the club is looking at increasing the capacity for away support – and knows it will have to find more capacity for home fans too if the terrace area has to be removed.

The Iron face having to get rid of the terracing and make their ground into an all-seater stadium in a year's time if they stay at Championship level, so the race is on to find a way to extend elsewhere.

"I wrote to the Football League asking them to change the rule to clubs being able to play in the Championship for three consecutive years before having to change to an all-seater stadium," said chairman Steve Wharton.

"Terracing is the cheapest way for fans to watch the game. Seating will make it more expensive and means us having to spend money we can ill afford.

"Replacing the terrace with seating will reduce the capacity that we need to find elsewhere.

"I have now asked for drawings to be made up for 10 extra rows of seats on the middle two thirds of the Grove Wharf Stand, so we can compare it with what we might do at the home end.

"We are only looking at the middle section because one end of the Grove Wharf is too near to our boundary."

For the full story, see Saturday's Scunthorpe Telegraph.