The £3.5 million stadium development at Exeter City’s St James Park, which has seen the building of two new stands and improved facilities, is nearing completion.
Despite extremely bad weather at the start of the year, developers have finished the work on schedule and handed the new stand back to the club. A list of outstanding works, including the hand rails to the entrance staircases, will be completed in the next two weeks and the internal fit out has begun.
Due to stadium safety regulations there will be a phased opening of the stand. The internal works are due to be completed for the Forest Green Rovers match on October 27, when half of the stand will be in use. Fans will have the opportunity to tour the new stand following this match.
The club has announced today that the stand will be officially named the Stagecoach Adam Stansfield Stand in honour of the striker who died from cancer eight years ago.
Julian Tagg, chairman of Exeter City FC, said: "We are very grateful to Stagecoach who have stood by us through the redevelopment of the stadium and continue to do so with their ongoing sponsorship.
"We know many people wanted to see the stand named in memory of Adam and we are grateful to Stagecoach for working with us to enable this. It is wonderful to be able to honour Adam’s memory in this way and demonstrates the regard in which he is held by the club."
He added that fans were looking forward to trying out the new stand. "We are anticipating high demand and would urge people to buy their tickets when they go on sale to be guaranteed a seat."
The phased opening of the stand will see 50 per cent of it available for the game against Forest Green Rovers on October 27. These seats will be open to season ticket holders and a limited number of tickets will also be available. They will be on sale from October 15 and will be advance sales only.
The away end stand is due to be handed over by the contractors next week. Following checks, an announcement of the opening will be made in due course.
The club will be inviting fans to vote on the name of the new away end stand – follow our social media or website updates for information on this.