Top class result for IT premier leaguers

Bolton Wanderers may have ended the 97-98 season being relegated from the Premiership in the very last game of the season, but at least their fans will continue to watch matches in comfort. Their new #35 million pound Reebok stadium is the most expensive ever to be built in Britain, seating 25,000 fans.

The stadium also houses a multi-functional business centre, incorporating 40,000 square feet of exhibition space, conference suites and hospitality facilities. The project manager for John Walsh, says that "stadium is an understatement for a facility of this size and complexity" and described it as "equipped with every kind of information technology imaginable".

He takes special pride in the IT installations which were completed using BT as the prim contractor and Unisys Global Infrastructure Services to carry out the work. Alcatel provided the cable used to link over 250 outlets inside the stadium in a contract worth #35,000.

Walsh says that the challenge was to provide a "state-of-the-art communications system" which would meet the future needs of trade exhibitors and conference organisers.

"Given the unpredictable nature of their needs," he said, "We had to provide a totally future-proof infrastructure cabling network across the entire site. We also needed to include vision links and sound circuits for the equipment of broadcasters covering sporting events. We required a 'Rolls Royce' job".

Walsh says that his own 'premier league' of IT contractors did a top class job on the stadium, "I was very impressed with their performance, their flexibility and the way they managed to tweak everything to get it just right. It has been an excellent partnership."