Why I'm All For White Rock

Jack Army Website - 18 October 2003

As I've been in favour of this name for over three years, and have made no secret of the fact, I feel obligated to put my head above the parapet and attempt to provide a favourable appraisal of its choice.

To me its selection is almost as much a rejection of the alternatives as being a positive decision in favour of the name White Rock.

Let's consider some of the alternatives:

The New Vetch - I cannot possibly take to this. I don't want to leave the Vetch - there can never be another Vetch. But - as we have no alternative to making a new start, let's make it a new start with a new name.

Morfa - time to move on from that name - it conjures up thoughts of a 12 year + delay in seeing our dream come to fruition, and should be consigned to history for what it was - a bog standard, mediocre athletics stadium.

Peoples Stadium - sounds like something from a Communist/National Socialist republic - most frequently used for mass executions of dissidents.

Phoenix Stadium - a word that usually applies to business organisations that have risen from the ashes and invariably go bust again.

Swansea Stadium - OK, but lacks any imagination whatsoever.

Named after a player - whatever we think as football fans, it isn't going to happen.

It isn't exclusively a football stadium. I have no problems with stands and function rooms being named after our heroes, but personally I've never been in favour of stadiums being named after individuals.

Now consider WHITE ROCK

Arrived at almost by default - it doesn't have the history and associated stigmas that any of the above have.

It most certainly has a history - the area (albeit the Eastern side, where the retail development will be) was the site of the White Rock copper smelting works, and there was a White Rock Ferry operating on this stretch of the river. There were at one time upwards of nine copperworks in the Lower Swansea Valley, which made Swansea the centre of the world's copper smelting industry in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (producing 90% of the entire UK output), and it is a fact that Swansea was one of the most important industrial areas in Britain, and one of the places in which the Industrial Revolution was born.

Moving on from the history, other reasons to warrant it.

The name has a Swansea connotation - with the "white" in it

White Rock - sounds like a fortress - a perfect follow on from the perception of the Vetch.

White Rock - does not need the word "stadium" attached to it. The word does not feature at Anfield, Old Trafford, Highbury, Hillsborough. Why is there a need to tag on Field, Park or Stadium ?

White Rock is easily substituted for Vetch Field in the Swansea City song.

A big plus - UNIQUE to us.

For those who say that White Rock does not sound like a football stadium :
1) In 1912 did the Vetch Field sound like a football stadium ? No, it sounded like what it was - a climbing form of vegetation.
2) White Rock will not be (much as I am disappointed) purely a football stadium. It will host other sports and activities (although I do not think as many rugby games as we fear), and will be a total community stadium.

Out of interest, the other Copper works names that I have been able to identify in the area are Landore, Llangyfelach, Hafod, Morfa, Fforest, Middle Bank and Upper Bank.

Final point - this could all be academic, as the Council are likely to sell the name to the highest bidder, but it's up to us to put enough pressure on to incorporate OUR preferred name, whatever that may be, into any ongoing commercial title.

Now it's time to duck back down below the parapet !!

White Rock Not A Great Hit With Fans

Jack Army Website - 14 October 2003

A current poll on this web-site shows (as near as damn it) a 50/50 split over whether the fans like the working name or not.

Last week, announcing the choice, Council leader Lawrence Bailey claimed the name was being promoted by a large number of fans.

However, initial reactions to the naming are stating otherwise with fans suggesting that maybe the stadium should reflect more it's relevance to the City with many claiming that they were not aware of the relevance between White Rock and that area of the city.

The name has come from the colour of the rocks which line the River Tawe along that stretch of the River. The name stretched back as far as the 18th century when there was a White Rock copper smelting works set up in 1737 by Coster Bros & Joseph Percival on land previously occupied by an old flour mill.

Commenting on the change, Ugo Vallerio from FOSCFA commented "White Rock is better than Morfa and fine for the moment. But it is pretty naff and I hope that's not going to be the final name. It will need to be changed. I wouldn't like the council to have the final say - it should be put to the public so the supporters can decide. I know it has an historical link but they may as well call it the Landore Steel Works Stadium. I don't know why it just can't be called the Swansea Stadium."

Ugo's views are echoed by many on the internet with fans calling for the council to allow them to decide the name of the stadium from a short list of potential names. Although commercial rights are undoubtedly going to be involved somewhere surely it could also have a name that has been chosen by those that are going to use it the most often?

Keith Haynes from the Midlands, Avon and Gloucester Swans commented "If you keep saying the name White Rock there is no doubt that it will grow on you. A few of us over this side of the bridge discussed this over a few beers last weekend and we have decided that maybe a more appropriate name would be 'Dave' "

Umm, right Keith!

There are fans that are for this name of the stadium and claim that at least it keeps a link with the area and the history of the new stadium site.

The name came as something of a surprise to me when I first heard it and although I have no massive reservations against the name, I can see why it has not proved the success that maybe the council would have liked.

This is a stadium that will not only carry the Swans into the 21st century but the city as a whole. With both sporting sides playing their matches there and the promise of pop concerts and other events being attracted to the city through it then there is certainly an argument that maybe the stadium should carry the name of Swansea loud and proud to the rest of the country.

I certainly agree that the supporters of both clubs (Football and Rugby) should have a say in the naming of the new stadium although I do appreciate that there will be some commercialism involved in there somewhere (money talks usually)

I would be interested in Councillor Bailey's comments about the large number of fans promoting the name already as it was certainly something that I had not heard 'en masse' before last week's announcement.

Whichever way you look at it, it has generated some great discussion amongst the support and although some of the names have been unworkable I am now trying to imagine 20,000 people heading to watch an FA Cup tie at the Stadium Dave!

WHITE ROCK STADIUM PROJECT STARTS TO ROLL

South Wales Evening Post - Saturday October 11 2003

WHITE Rock Stadium is the name for Swansea's £25 million new home for football and rugby.

The council have unveiled the working title as contractors moved in this week to start on it's foundations.

It will be the new home to the city's football club and the new Neath Swansea Ospreys will also play some of their games there.

Unveling the name, council leader Lawrence Bailey said White Rock would link the high-class facilities with its area and local heritage and also put distance between its future and the old Morfa Athletics Stadium.

"People in and around Swansea already know that the new development is not just a stadium," he said

"It's an expression of a revitalised city that is building up a track record of achievement.

"A lot of pundits and self-appointed experts were confidently predicting that this day would never come.

"Well, today they are having to eat their words.

"White Rock is a working title but one which is already being promoted by a large number of fans."

The name comes from the White Rock area near Landore where the stadium is to be located, which was the hub of the industrial revolution in Swansea.

Councillor Bailey said the possibility was still open for a company of individual to invest in re-naming all or part of the stadium as construction continued.

"This is going to be a landmark people's stadium where families will want to come to watch their favourite team or their favourite pop group and soak up the unique atmosphere in comfort and safety," he added

As well as being a sporting venue, White Rock will also be a venue for pop concerts and other major cultural events.

Swans' boss Brian Flynn said the family appeal of the stadium could lead to broader support for football in Swansea, encouraging young people to come to watch their Nationwide League team and play the sport themselves.

"The Vetch is a lovely, traditional but tired old football ground," he said

"For the club to move forward it's important for us to move physically into our new home with it's exceptional facilities," he added "A new stadium could lead to new support for the club."

Ospreys coach Lyn Jones agreed saying White Rock would play a vital part in developing rugby in the region by attracting a new audience and encouraging more youngsters to take up the sport, which would be good for the future of rugby in South West Wales.

"This is a fantastic project which is very much needed," he said

"It's an exciting time and we're looking forward to it being completed within a couple of years.
Hopefully, it will help broaden the appeal of rugby games to families as well as continuing to welcome the existing fan base."