Trivial questions about EP (non-Gannon)

You are Rob Clare and you are building a Cheadle End replica at Woodley - and I claim my £5. 

Now it all fits. 

The amusing cartoons were great, I remember it used to show things like I O County when we won a corner and various other simple chants. I can't remember exactly when they stopped using them now you've mentioned it.

I recall a while ago someone saying the extra iron work was to stop someone being able to drive into the ticket office. Equally I could've made that up in a random dream as it seems a bit ridiculous as well...........

What's the restricted view in the Cheadle End though? I've sat in various parts of it over the years and never had any issue with the view at all.

Agreed. Steve Bellis once told me, (does that make me ITK?) not long after it had been built that the next part of the plan was a nearly identical version at the Railway End but with a real upper tier, followed by the same on the pop side and eventually main stand. The corners would be filled in but the corners at the CE left open. Supposedly there was at least preliminary drawings made looking into how the pop side could be built backwards on raised legs. 

It could and I'm reasonably certain is an apocryphal tale. 

There were definitely long term plans for what you describe, because I've seen them. When the Cheadle End planning permission was going through, I went to look at the plans at the council, and they did relate to all four sides, as I recall (certainly three anyway - CE, Pop and Railway). As well as the plans, there was even a model of the Cheadle End, about two feet high, on display. I don't know whether it was to save money, or what, but they'd also had further plans drawn up for the rest of the ground - I assume this is what SB talked to you about. I don't remember legs on the Pop Side, but if you look at the ground from above you can see that the stand would either have to be slightly odd shaped or maybe be on legs at the reservoir end of it, if it was to go the full width, due to one of the reservoirs being in the way.

Interestingly, the stand for which they got planning permission wasn't the one that ended up built. The design on the plan was quite different - the roof wasn't supported by the current red "goalposts" but seemed to have pillars, albeit smallish ones, towards the back. I remember talking to David Jolley as the Cheadle End went up, and I mentioned the plans had changed and he came over all defensive - "no they haven't!" I went on to say that I approved of the change, because there would now be no posts in the way, and he mellowed a bit. I did wonder at the time whether they'd had any grief for building something slightly different to the plans, though.

One final point that's worth remembering is that when the Pop Side was seated in 93-94, they didn't just bolt seats on, but reprofiled the stand, meaning what's there now wouldn't have to be replaced if a second tier went on. This would, I was lead to believe at the time, mean that a new second tier would cost a lot less than the second tier of a completely new stand, because foundations, etc, are already in place, as is what would effectively become the bottom tier. Worth noting whenever you hear cost-based arguments for flitting.

Ah that does fit in with what Mr Bellis said that day. I seem to remember a hotel being mentioned as well. It seems strange that the vision for all that could change so quickly. I know Elwood starting to withdraw after the Maine Road fiasco started things off but why would that have been the end of his plans with EP, especially after redeveloping the CE. With the team where they were at the time a modernised EP would have brought more people in, like the Reebok did and facilities like a hotel would surely have helped funds. It seems the vision was given up on quite quickly at around the time the demise started.

They're not weird. They're load-bearing dots.