A shiny new state-of-the-art 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 to fans of the beautiful game.
That’s the verdict of Bohemians 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 proposal 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 (Dalymount Lane), that is really sentimental to Bohs fans that has been there for so long.
“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, with 2,750 accommodated in the Jodi Stand and a new 4-5,000-seater main stand on the far side.
As for the construction of a 2,000-capacity terrace in place of the Des Kelly Stand - and a smaller terrace at the Phibsborough end - Lambert is all in favour of standing sections.
UEFA are also warming to safe standing areas, three decades after they were banned in the wake of the Hillsborough tragedy.
Bohs members are also overwhelmingly in favour of the new proposal, which is expected to get the green light from Dublin City Council 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.
“A lot of things have changed. When we were over in Union there were roughly 18,000 at the game and 15,000 were standing.
“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.”
Should Bohs ever reach the group stages of European competition, Dalymount under Plan B wouldn’t meet UEFA’s criteria.
Not a problem, according to Lambert, who pointed to the success of last year’s Aviva Stadium experiment.
“There are lot of things in the UEFA categorisation that fans will never experience (including VIP, media facilities),” he said. “It’s important that the fan comes first.”
Bohs would likely have to leave Dalymount for a period of the reconstruction, which would be financed mostly by the Large Scale Infrastructure Fund.
In the meantime, there is a plan to construct a temporary 450-seater stand in the Connaught St car park for away fans, so that the 1,400-capacity Des Kelly Stand could accommodate home supporters.
“My personal opinion is that Option B delivers a lot more for football fans,” said Lambert.
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