The Madstad and increasing capacity

[Tilehurst Road]

Reading is the 3rd biggest Urban area in Southern England, with just Bristol and London ahead of it.

Ipswich isn't bigger than Reading.

Burnley? Please tell me you're joking Jay!

[TVPRoyal]

UK Towns with Populations over 100,000

Town Population Status
1 London 7,172,091 City
2 Birmingham 970,892 City
3 Glasgow 629,501 City
4 Liverpool 469,017 City
5 Leeds 443,247 City
6 Sheffield 439,866 City
7 Edinburgh 430,082 City
8 Bristol 420,556 City
9 Manchester 394,269 City
10 Leicester 330,574 City
11 Coventry 303,475 City
12 Hull 301,416 City
13 Bradford 293,717 City
14 Cardiff 292,150 City
15 Belfast 276,459 City
16 Stoke 259,252 City
17 Wolverhampton 251,462 City
18 Nottingham 249,584 City
19 Plymouth 243,795 City
20 Southampton 234,224 City
21 Reading 232,662 Town

[Jay]

Reading is the 3rd biggest Urban area in Southern England, with just Bristol and London ahead of it.

Ipswich isn't bigger than Reading.

Burnley? Please tell me you're joking Jay!

I mearly claimed that we aren't the biggest town in the UK and that other towns may argue that fact - I named two that may argue it.

[Chicken Balti Pie]

Southampton City Centre ring any bells ?

Not sure about Plymouth though ? According TVP it is a city ?

Try again Jay

[Jay]

Plymouth may have been given city status, and before us two, we'll be the only town left in the Uk at this rate.

[Tilehurst Road]

Plymouth may have been given city status, and before us two, we'll be the only town left in the Uk at this rate.

[Jay]

Plymouth may have been given city status, and before us two, we'll be the only town left in the Uk at this rate.

It's late and I haven't had my usual fix of JB tonight. Leave me alone.

[Tilehurst Road]

Plymouth may have been given city status, and before us two, we'll be the only town left in the Uk at this rate.

It's late and I haven't had my usual fix of JB tonight. Leave me alone.

[Jay]

There you go again, assuming things..... You're far to intelligent to be ol' d cup.

[floyd__streete]

you may be surprise Reading is the bigges town in the uk

You sure? Ipswich, Burnley to name two towns that may argue that.

Good grief, Jay - you still averaging nearly 120 with 3 darts by the way?

[Jay]

you may be surprise Reading is the bigges town in the uk

You sure? Ipswich, Burnley to name two towns that may argue that.

Good grief, Jay - you still averaging nearly 120 with 3 darts by the way?

Yes, yes I am and I'll find the link for you, not easy to get used to mind.

[Royal With Cheese]

You sure? Ipswich, Burnley to name two towns that may argue that.

HAHA

Burnley's smaller than Wokingham!

Offical 2001 cencus stats:

Wokingham 150,257
Burnley 89,542

Ipswich is quite a big town though it's population over the last 20 years has actually been falling!

However, Reading's urban sprawl has increased it's size over disproportionately over the last 30 years.

[Rob-Royal]

Something I picked up on a few days ago from the O/S (and I'm sure many others on here did likewise) was this increasing the ground capacity gradually over 3 close seasons to 40k by doing a stand at a time (west stand exc of course) dependant on us staying up next season.

It's got me thinking that there's so much development going on in & around the town that all this has to be in relation to what we may see happen at The Mad. The Madman last year bought up Kirtons Farm didn't he? If the new development proposals go through for Kennet Valley Park then guess where this hotel will be smack back in the middle of?

I'm extremely optimistic for the future, not just for our club but also the area as well - we're seeing so many examples of the local infrastructure being upgraded or expanded that having a ground of 40k is not just pie in the sky....

What's also a possibility (albeit slim) is that if we do have a 40k capacity ground that should England be successful in bidding for the 2018 WC then we have a chance of being a WC venue based on the fact that the majority of the stadia would be based in the north hence off setting that trend and spreading the venues more geographically......

Just maybe........

[RG30]

No chance with the World Cup but just think it was the MadStad that started the whole regeneration of that particular area and now 8 years it, the area is blossoming and still has many more constructions to go.

[Rob-Royal]

No chance with the World Cup but just think it was the MadStad that started the whole regeneration of that particular area and now 8 years it, the area is blossoming and still has many more constructions to go.

Curious - no chance because England won't be awarded it or assuming Mad Stad is 40k capacity stadium being rejected as venue?

[RG30]

Because of the current stadia ahead of us;

Wembley
Emirates
Old Trafford
City Of Manchester Stadium
New Liverpool Stadium (60,000)
St James Park
Stadium of Light
Villa Park

2018 is the next time we'll have the WC in Europe with England strongly rumoured to be putting in a bid but by then I would anticipate Chelsea to have moved and there will be a 90,000 all seater Olympic Stadium struggling for use for the majority of the year unless Spurs/West Ham can do a deal.

[bobby1413]

You sure? Ipswich, Burnley to name two towns that may argue that.

HAHA

Burnley's smaller than Wokingham!

Offical 2001 cencus stats:

Wokingham 150,257
Burnley 89,542

Ipswich is quite a big town though it's population over the last 20 years has actually been falling!

However, Reading's urban sprawl has increased it's size over disproportionately over the last 30 years.

Reading is the biggest town in the UK. The census only counts it's unitary borough of course, meaning the figure of about 140'000 is reported. When i nfact it's closer to 250'000 people or more as the town continues to expand.

Rob-Royal I was thinking the exact same thing the other day. It's amazing what Reading is going through at the minute:

- Expansion of RFC, premiership, maybe stadium expansion
- Kennet island
- station road development
- new green park station
- expansion of reading central
- also new buildings seem to be going up everywhere at the minute
- crossrail

[Rob-Royal]

Because of the current stadia ahead of us;

Wembley
Emirates
Old Trafford
City Of Manchester Stadium
New Liverpool Stadium (60,000)
St James Park
Stadium of Light
Villa Park

2018 is the next time we'll have the WC in Europe with England strongly rumoured to be putting in a bid but by then I would anticipate Chelsea to have moved and there will be a 90,000 all seater Olympic Stadium struggling for use for the majority of the year unless Spurs/West Ham can do a deal.

You've listed 8 stadiums - at a WC you have 12. You've also got to consider that the WC commitee would unlikey award London more than 2 stadiums. So with Wembley & Emirates/a n other that's likely going to be it. Also, you need smaller grounds of around 40k at a WC to accomodate less attractive group games.

If England get the WC in 2018 (and we'll know by 2012) then by then the Mad could be a 40k ground which the FA could submit as a candidate venue based primarily on the fact of our location. By 2012 the facilities in and around the ground could well be a factor as well.....all if's & but's I know but not beyond being impossible and I certainly wouldn't dismiss it totally.....

[Harold]

Because of the current stadia ahead of us;

Wembley
Emirates
Old Trafford
City Of Manchester Stadium
New Liverpool Stadium (60,000)
St James Park
Stadium of Light
Villa Park

2018 is the next time we'll have the WC in Europe with England strongly rumoured to be putting in a bid but by then I would anticipate Chelsea to have moved and there will be a 90,000 all seater Olympic Stadium struggling for use for the majority of the year unless Spurs/West Ham can do a deal.

Stamford Bridge also.

[Rob-Royal]

You sure? Ipswich, Burnley to name two towns that may argue that.

HAHA

Burnley's smaller than Wokingham!

Offical 2001 cencus stats:

Wokingham 150,257
Burnley 89,542

Ipswich is quite a big town though it's population over the last 20 years has actually been falling!

However, Reading's urban sprawl has increased it's size over disproportionately over the last 30 years.

Reading is the biggest town in the UK. The census only counts it's unitary borough of course, meaning the figure of about 140'000 is reported. When i nfact it's closer to 250'000 people or more as the town continues to expand.

Rob-Royal I was thinking the exact same thing the other day. It's amazing what Reading is going through at the minute:

- Expansion of RFC, premiership, maybe stadium expansion
- Kennet island
- station road development
- new green park station
- expansion of reading central
- also new buildings seem to be going up everywhere at the minute
- crossrail

Absolutely - these are very exciting times for the area and the future looks very promising for housing, employment, expansion/growth and better transport links in & around the town. It's got to have a positive knock on affect to the club.....