PLAN B IS THE WAY TO BOH SAYS LAMBERT
Finn Harps v Bohemians Finn Park 8pm
BY MARK MCCADDEN
A SHINY new all-seater stadium, shared by Bohemians and Shelbourne, might have looked the part in Phibsborough.
But the alternative as laid out in Dublin City Council’s proposed scaled-back redevelopment of Dalymount Park will offer so much more insists Bohs chief operating officer Daniel Lambert.
Not only would Plan B offer terracing for around 3,000 supporters but there would be an emotional dividend to the decision to scrap the original proposal due to a number of issues including inflated construction costs.
“On sharing the ground, it was a compromise on both sides,” said Lambert, addressing the plan that has a completion date of January 2026.
“You sometimes heard that Shels are coming to Dalymount but Bohs were also losing half of Dalymount. It wasn’t like there was a winner and a loser, it was a compromise position.
“Even take basic stuff, like the sign over Dalymount as you walk down, that is really sentimental to Bohs fans. Where would that have went? Does it stay in the ground?
“And that’s just a basic question. Then you get into the actual operation of a home stand and you could imagine the sticker wars that would take place in there. It would have been a difficult thing to do. For a long period of time, both us and Shels felt it was the right option.
But, from our point of view, to not have to share a ground with somebody makes it way better for identity and sense of place and people coming to a ground that is theirs, even though it is the council’s.”
He explained how costs had skyrocketed from the €32m estimate in 2019 to €46m now, due to inflation, and how
Shelbourne’s decision to remain at Tolka
Park also dealt a blow to what was originally destined to be a Euro 2020 legacy project.
So what would have been a 6,000-seater stadium could now become a 10,000 capacity ground.
Bohs members are also overwhelmingly in favour of the new proposal, which is expected to get the DCC green light in September.
“We had the AGM last night and there was a really good reaction to this,” said Lambert.
“What it means is we are going to look at a Plan B alongside the original one.”
He added: “UEFA are reintroducing standing in a lot of leagues. The SPL and Premier League are looking at it. At Dalymount at the moment, a quarter of our fans, maybe more, stand.
“The idea of a large terrace, I think, is music to the ears of football fans. It will create an atmosphere that will be really special.”