No extra time here

We have been very lucky with the client here. Two of the board directors, Danny Fiszman and Ken Frior, took a direct interest in this project. If there was a decision to be taken they would make it there are then.

The last month was a little bit hectic. We were doing snagging, desnagging, final commissioning with fire alarms, three or four thousand devices and the PA. Then there were a dozen 40-foot trailers with furniture coming in and the football club was training its staff.

Everybody had one thought: we are going to make it. It was a question of how we could best work together.

At 12 O’clock [on handover day] Danny and I were in the changing rooms. I said “Danny, would you like to come out onto my pitch?” We went out into the middle of the pitch and he said “Rolv, I am delighted. I’ll take it. Well done “. And he doffed his hat and gave me a big bear hug. It was very emotional.

You do something, build something, but to see it operating and working, that’s the biggest kick. There were 55,000 people in the ground for the Bergkamp testimonial [the first time the stadium was used for a game].

You have to treat everybody equally: chainboy, tea lady, project manager, client. Treat them with respect and show appreciation because they are all part of the team. Some contractors have been confrontational. We have not had that here.

We are the main contractors but we are still builders. I do insist that the engineers spend a lot of time out on site to see what is going on and try and understand the problems and help [the subcontractors] before they burn their fingers.

Don’t have confrontation, be pro-active, go out of your way to work together. And be fair. Our industry is not black or white. It is light grey or dark grey. Nobody is perfect.

Here the roof just went up. It fitted. I think the secret is if you can part-analyse and establish early on what is a complex, complicated, critical operation and you put your thoughts to it and you go through a few alternatives you will find a 90% solution, maybe 95%.

My favourite project was the first one I was responsible for back in 1974. It was a crude oil gas platform on the Clyde. I was a young engineer [with Sir Robert McAlpine] and to be given that responsibility was exciting.

In 20 years when I look back at this project, it is the relationships I’ll remember. With the client, the team and the workforce.