Gillingham chairman Brad Galinson has explained why staying at Priestfield Stadium makes sense for now.
Former owner Paul Scally spent a lot of time looking for a new venue, with areas in Cuxton, Chatham Docks, Mill Hill and as far away as Gravesham explored, in an effort to take the club to the next level. Nothing materialised but Mr Galinson sees no need to move at present.
Rather than looking to move, the Gills are exploring ways of making Priestfield better. Plans have already been submitted to build a new fans’ zone at the back of the Rainham End and discussions are under way to utilise the usually-empty Town End.
Owners Brad and Shannon Galinson were on stage to answer questions at a fans’ forum on Thursday, with several supporters quizzing them on the future of Priestfield Stadium.
Mr Galinson said: “As Americans, we think that the residentially-nestled Priestfield that’s been here 130 years is a pretty special thing.
“Personally, I would rather increase the capacity here if we could and I definitely know Shannon would, because she’s said it many times.
“There’s technology now, there’s materials that are a lot different than 20 years ago, so you can go up.”
The Gills can’t expand outwards and the ground’s lack of parking and access isn’t ideal for a big increase in capacity. Gillingham’s average attendance this season is 6,682.
Mr Galinson hopes to lead the Gills on a journey back up the football pyramid and with it bigger attendances, eventually outgrowing their current venue.
He said: “If there’s no way to get to a capacity that would be sustainable in higher leagues here then you’d have to open up a conversation, or at least flexibility, that you would have to relocate the stadium but that definitely would not be the ideal situation.”
Gillingham are hoping to demolish some old building at the back of the Rainham End to make way for a fans’ zone.
Managing director Joe Comper said: “We have drawings and we’ve started an application.
“We’ve fully costed it and worked with Shepherd Neame. That was one of the reasons we moved to Shepherd Neame because they bought into the idea and are willing to help us deliver it.”
In July, the club announced a partnership with the Kent brewer to provide drinks at Priestfield.
Mr Comper said: “We have done a pre-application and that seems to have gone well. We’ve had a consultation with the local residents.
“I can’t give a time frame how long that takes. We’ve got quotes for demolition. We’re pretty much ready to go on it but obviously we need planning before we knock anything down.
“The idea is to have something that holds 960 (people) that would be able to be used before the game for all supporters. It would become inside the stadium during the game for fans from the Gordon Road and the Rainham End, which I know is really congested at half-time. Those fans would be able to spill out into the fan zone.
“We’re not making any promises, that planning could be declined, but we want to do it and we’re planning to do it.”
Gillingham’s much-ridiculed Town End has stood empty this season – on standby for clubs with a big away following, which doesn’t happen too often in League 2.
Mr Galinson dismissed the idea of putting a roof on the current stand, with a preference to rebuild if needed. The scaffold structure has been in place since the old terrace was demolished 20 years ago and replaced with the ‘temporary’ seating after a lack of funds to build the a planned 3,200-seater covered Brian Moore stand.
Only the bottom half of the scaffold stand is currently usable.
Rebuilding that end is on hold until the attendances reach the current maximum – which could well happen soon on current trends. Home attendances continue to rise.
Mr Galinson said: “There’s limited resources with sort of any business, definitely a football club. We’ll spend our resources in the immediate needs.
“(We haven’t) surpassed the point where we desperately need a stand.
“It probably takes promotion to get the capacity high enough. At that point it would be great to do it.
“It’s a great problem to have, when we literally have no seats to sell. Then it’s quite obvious, ‘let’s build a new stand’ but we’re not there yet.
“We’re getting there. Until it gets there, it’s not the resource that needs to be tackled first.”
With small away crowds, the Town End could be used for home spectators and the club are looking into it.
Mr Comper said: “If it warrants it, we’ll try and make it happen.
“We are going through consultation with the police and the safety advisory group to get permission to put home fans in there, should we get to that stage.”
He added: “If the attendances get that high, great. The dream is we keep wining games, the attendances go up and that warrants us opening it.”
