Dorking Wandering
The Dorking Wanderers FC Fans Forum
There is an email being widely circulated to all supporters regarding the need to improve the stadium over the coming years to meet the EFL ground grading standards:
"Whilst the club is enjoying a successful season in the National League South and making positive progress off the pitch at Meadowbank, we also must ensure that we have the required planning and resources to qualify and compete for promotion to the English Football League, should we find ourselves in the National League at the end of the current season.
When the club was last in the National League (seasons 22/23 and 23/24) we completed the ‘Application for Membership to the EFL’, but did not meet the criteria for promotion to the EFL. As a result, had we qualified for the play-offs then we would not have been able to compete due to not passing the application process.
To ensure that the club can compete in the play-offs and qualify for promotion to the EFL, we need to comply with the following, including planning approval where applicable:
Cover for at least 200 away spectators, including 100 seated.
Ground control room including CCTV.
Bigger home and away dugouts to include 14 seats each.
LED increase to 500 LUX (currently 250).
Changing rooms that are twice the size of the current facilities.
Address standard of the current playing surface.
Enhanced accommodation of disabled supporters.
Evidence ability to increase capacity in season one of promotion to achieve 2002 seats.
From recent interviews, Marc is very impressed with how Bromley FC have managed to gradually upgrade their stadium and club standing over a sustained period of 5+ years, so that when promotion came they were more or less ready with just some final stadium adjustments (pitch changed to grass and a small 100 seat away stand)
Bromley are now currently developing the ‘long side’ (cricket field side) of their ground with a large covered stand that will be a mix of seats and terracing.
The good news is that if Dorking are promoted back to the National League then nothing needs spending on the ground (although a tv gantry would be desirable)
Wierdly, I don’t think Sutton United ever completed their EFL required upgrades, despite playing in League 2 for 3 full seasons. But they did build a whole new away end, very similar to the home end at Meadowbank (part covered terrace, part seats)
I think the ‘dugouts’ side of the ground is pretty key for increasing the overall capacity as the flat standing there isn't adding much – there is space there for a full length covered terrace which surely no local resident could object to and it is completely screened by the acoustic barrier. Metal wheeled steps in sections, like they have inside the running track at Chelmsford would mean there is still emergency access to the gas pipe that runs along there. The dugouts themselves could move to the Stonegate Stand side of the pitch where the seats are raised up already?
And if there is a need for larger dressing rooms then low rise buildings (portacabins even) could go in behind ‘The Bank’?
Don’t know about a police control room, but perhaps make a bigger window on the second floor above the dressing rooms, which I think is toilets and storeroom for The Lounge?
As for away seats, either extend the Stonegate Stand by another section of seats towards the away end, or put some sort of raised prefab metal stand on top of the very shallow away end terrace? Marine FC just procured a nice little one of those to sit atop a terrace as an example.
What are your thoughts about how Meadowbank could be upgraded to a higher standard over the next couple of years?
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
We have got to get the operating lease first and it has gone very quiet on that front (hopefully the silence is positive rather than negative).
The next step would be to get rid of the SFA and that will give us more space.
Presumably we are still talking about millions rather than hundreds of thousands.
Apparently the SFA has funding to replace the playing area at the end of this season (and if we DO get the operating licence we also get those funds). But whether it will pay for a hybrid pitch or just like-for-like I don't know.
Operating licence is very close - and Surrey FA are unlikely to get in the way of ground improvements but yes, we need them gone.
Best bet (and most costly) imo would be to do some of the big stuff at the same time - i.e. demolish the entire main stand side, rebuild with a 2k+ seater grandstand, changing rooms underneath, control box integrated, that sort of thing. But that's a lot of work and we'd need to demonstrate we have the planning and funding in place relatively quickly.
The potential however is enormous (money and planning permitting) but with the vast space behind the bank and the space on the dugout side as David pointed out, I'd say a 6-8k capacity ground is achievable long term.
I think a replacement 3G pitch (when the current one 'expires' its FIFA pro licence) is the only logical solution in terms of the pitch.
It would provide the income stream to pay back those 10% Meadowbank Bonds (assuming some have been taken out) and hopefully a bit more income too.
Just have to hope any new 3G pitch is more like Horsham's and less like our current mountain of rubber.
Whilst replacing the whole Stonegate Stand side with a fully integrated stand would be the ultimate dream, the club would have to groundshare somewhere for a period whilst it was constructed you would think (unless such a build could be done in phased sections?)
6K - 8K overall capacity feels optimistic for the tight nature of the location, in particular the capacity of Mill Lane as the primary access. The Council has already accepted 5k is achievable, which is the EFL entry requirement. Accrington Stanley's 5450 capacity is the sort of ambition that the club should have, and they managed I think 5 years running in League One (until recently).
Incidentally, if the pitch does get replaced in Summer 2025, then presumably that means all pre-season friendlies may have to be away ones, as it's a huge job, especially if the club hopes to carefully take it apart and move it to Westhumble?
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
Would love to know what is holding up the temporary seater stand that was purchased last season that was meant to go next to the dugouts?
@calvertskans MVDC decided it needed to go through planning - either that or we'd have to take it apart after every game which is obviously daft!
I thought it was because Surrey FA demanded a licence fee for it?
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
@dorking-eagle Apparently not, although that may have been the case at some stage. Planning going in soon.
That will be good.
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
I see this as an admirable project but mid to long-term (5-10 years). What is not mentioned, is investment in the team. Last time Dorking were in the National League they struggled, and probably had one of the smaller budgets . If they wish to compete if they get promoted they will have to invest more in the team.
Last year, the smallest budget in League 2 was £2M, and I doubt Dorking would be anywhere near that. Recruitment is also vital to get the best players as cheaply as possible, and sell them for a profit. Average crowds are a minimum of 2,500, and Bromley are averaging 3500, almost double Dorking.
Ground wise it is the pitch that has to be sorted first, an a winning team will hopefully create better crowds. I feel a roof on the away end is also a priority
@crawleysth Whilst team investment is always a consideration, I think Marc feels quite strongly that this current team, when fit, is more than capable of competing in the NL, and some in League 2. I tend to agree, especially if we managed to sign one or two of the current loan players.
Agree on the pitch, and that has to be sorted to pass ground grading, but the roof for me is low priority. There's not many that offer a roof for away fans, and there is still the covered section that holds (I think) around 250. Improving (somehow) the gradient in that away end would be more important imo.
