Ever since PiF’s takeover of Newcastle United in 2021, the issue of what to do with the club’s St James’ Park stadium has been a key talking point.
The Magpies’ 52,000-seat stadium is one of the most iconic venues in English football and was ranked as one of the very best in the world by FourFourTwo last year. However, in order to modernise and maximise revenue streams, the club know they must either redevelop the ground, or build an entirely new stadium.
This debate has been complicated by the city-centre location of St James’ Park and the limited space that the club would have to work within, which has led to a lengthy process that may finally now be making progress.
Newcastle set to recommend £1.2billion new stadium plan
According to a report by Luke Edwards in the Telegraph, the club are believed to be in favour of building a new stadium adjacent to St James’ Park, to the south east, rather than rebuilding their existing ground where they have played since 1892.
The report adds that the club’s board are set to recommend a £1.2billion plan to Newcastle’s Saudi Arabian owners, which would see a 70,000-capacity ground built using an overlapping footprint, meaning it would be built on some of the land that St James’ Park currently occupies and partly on Leazes Park, a protected green space.
No decision has been made yet, however, with the other option to expand the Gallowgate End, which would cost between £600million and £800million and give St James’ Park a new capacity of more than 60,000.
The final proposals will be presented to both supporters and PIF, with the latter having the final say on how to proceed.
Former Newcastle forward Louis Saha believes that a new stadium is key in ensuring the Magpies are able to consistently challenge at the top of the Premier League.
“The kind of revenue that a new stadium would bring would definitely put Newcastle in the bracket of challengers,” he told spaceportsweden.com. “With the difficulty of PSR rules, that is the kind of mathematics and the type of business that you need to do as a club.
“Newcastle is a massive club,” he adds. “I actually think that they are a club that can challenge for the title, but a new stadium and the revenues that go with that would supercharge that challenge.
"They need a bit of improvement in the squad, but I don't think that they are far off. They are close. If they can get their numbers right in terms of revenue, then there is absolutely no reason why Newcastle can’t take the next step.”
FourFourTwo's Deputy Editor, Matt Ketchell, who has been a Newcastle United season ticket holder since 2000 says: "I'm torn about a move away from St. James' Park. The more football modernises, the harder it is for clubs to be 'unique'.
"St. James' Park is like no other. Its city centre location means there are a staggering 174 pubs within a one mile radius of the pitch. The next closest to that is Wolves with 50.
Right now, if you asked ten Newcastle fans if they would like to stay, or move, I think 6 or 7 would say 'stay'. But the more time goes on, that opinion will shift, I believe.
FourFourTwo Deputy Editor, Matt Ketchell
"Right now, if you asked ten Newcastle fans if they would like to stay, or move, I think 6 or 7 would say 'stay'. But the more time goes on, that opinion will shift, I believe.
"Newcastle have failed to add a first-team player to their squad in three windows. The club is hampered by PSR and endured two painful sales in the summer in a desperate last-minute bid to avoid a points deduction.
"It was recently revealed that they are the 15th richest club in the world according to Deloitte's annual Football Money League, but their commercial revenue is dwarfed by most of the top 20.
"Luke Edwards' report indicates that a potential new stadium wouldn't be ready until as late as 2031, potentially. Between now and then, I think supporters' opinions will shift and the necessity of having a bigger, world-class stadium will overtake the nostalgia. Having the new stadium as close to the existing ground as possible is key".
