SJP set to seat 60,000
By A.K. Dholakia On Wed 4 Apr 2007 |
£300m of Newcastle’s money will be invested in an expansion of St. James’ Park that will boost the ground’s capacity up to at least 60,000 in a move that will keep Newcastle Utd’s average attendance, at least, amongst the elite of the league during a time where bigger and better stadiums are being erected left, right and centre. This will take place in a three-stage plan that will include a major conference room [possibly to accomodate large trophy signings], a hotel [perhaps to permanently house the media contingent in Newcastle’s soap opera life] and luxury apartments.
What do you think about this move? Could the money have been better invested? Are you pleased our capacity will rise? What effect, if any, will this have on the atmosphere inside SJP?
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I think its the best idea to come out of Newcastle utd for years. The new income will help Guarantee more money spent on players and overall improve the club. Newcastle FC have always had the fan base to fill any stadium size. This ensures that when the team on the pitch finally lives up to the potential of the club (to be a strong European presence) they will have the finances and stadium to match.
Sent in on: April 17th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
whats the point when we have so many disgruntled fans at the moment.
we should be looking over our shoulders at whats happening down the road.
quinn & co are doing it in a professional manner & dare i say it only a matter of time before they upstage us.
Sent in on: April 9th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
It makes good reading but that’s all. The timing stinks. According to papers this has been ongoing for one and half years, so was ongoing when they appointed the chinless wonder to be manager-so why appoint him in the first place???? if you’re wanting bums on seats and even MORE bums on seats, Roeder’s the last person you’d have a manager.
Typical of the top dogs trying to run this club-totally fucking clueless-and that includes the gormless one.
AND the ‘Dolly Potters’ are up in arms about it once again. Wonder if the council will take any notice of them this time??? this gang of merry objectors are saying the stadium’s a blot on the landscape! and bloody leazes park aint like?? bloody nerve.
Sent in on: April 8th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
60,000 minimum guys! it might even be higher, say 65,000. impressive or what!
Sent in on: April 8th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
I am amazed we have sorted the finance out for this. Bearing in mind our latest financials, I mean.
Sent in on: April 6th, 2007 at 9:28 am
The story is untrue, an attempt to deflect attention away from the problems of boardroom discord, managerial incompetence, a weak squad, supporter revolt, and we haven’t mentioned the players yet. This is a club ripping itself to shreds.
So instil a feel good factor with a big lie leading up to season ticket renewal, safe in the knowledge that any one of a dozen London based government agencies will block the attempt!
Sent in on: April 6th, 2007 at 12:07 am
God, Im tired with the messed up priorities of this club. ‘Aye, that Charles kid was canny good last season like, we need a left back desperately…actually nah fuck it, lets buy Duff’…Fair enough if the money is coming from elsewhere and will expand the club, but by christ there are more pressing things at hand. A scouting system to speak of would be nice…oh aye and a few players…you know, the very fundamental thing that football teams are made up of.
Sent in on: April 5th, 2007 at 8:50 am
The atmosphere will never be as in the time when only 36′000 could get in to the SJP. Everybody was happy to get a ticket and created an incredible atmosphere. It was a cloesd stadium. Now a lot more calm fans are in a open stadium. That is not good for the atmosphere.
All the planned suroundings are o.k. hotel, conference rooms are good for business. Let’s do it.
Sent in on: April 5th, 2007 at 8:11 am
It must be season ticket time again
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
We could always fill the extra 8000 seats with a 2 seats, parent and child, for 20 quid scenario that the mackems do around the schools. At least we would have close to a 60,000 crowd cheering the team on !!
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
When I heard t on the radio I thought I heard wrong until somebdy sked me what I thought. STUPID IDEA! We can’t sell out as it is. I was expecting about 45k per game next season so the decision to expand baffled me. If I’m correct, the raise in season ticket prices this season contributed towards this outdated plan. We will sell out for a few games and when the novelty wears off we will have to dig deep into our pockets once again because of the dip in attendance, which will also push even more people away. This will ruin our support. Hotels yes, stadium no. It seems mediocre - just like everything else now at the club. I say get a safe-standing area!
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Couldn’t give a shyte anymore, until Fat Fred goes and takes Dot Cotton Roeder with him they won’t get another penny of my money, no season ticket for me anymore, gonna spend me money on something enjoyable instead of lining the pockets of those overpaid wankers so they can drive round in their flash cars. enough is enough. bring on the revolution and the mass walkout protest on easter monday…
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
nothing wrong with improving sjp, as long as we sort team, coaching, and managment out as well, need change in summer everywhere, roeder nice bloke heart in right place but not good enough took us as far as he can, wish we could do something with east stand as well..
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
On paper in makes perfect sense. We get outside investment which allows us to basically add another 8000 seats for nowt. 8000 seats (if filled) are worth about £4mill a season, it also means the club can borrow against future revenues from those seats, which hopefully means some much needed investment in the club…!
It also raises the profile of the club, and creates media interest / exposure etc. which makes Newcastle Utd more attractive to sponsors. (Therefore hopefully more money.)
Fat Freddy maybe be shite at picking the managers, but he is a cannie business man…
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
If fat fred has 300million to spend newcastle are as rich as chelsea, newcastle also have a bigger stadium than chelsea, so why do they have glen roeder as the manager and not someone of the same abilities as mourinho?, why do they have a squad full of sick notes?, because of this they are a million miles away from competing with chelsea yet financially they’re closer to them then most other clubs involved in european football,(which newcastle are not) to me this all leads to one very obvious fact, they have an utter idiot of a man in charge.
So Fuck off sheperd, you are driving our beloved club into the ground.
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
The money is not coming from nufc it will be from the buisnesses that want the hotels etc that will be making the investment so i can not see the problem as it’s win win for us better profile and facilities that could generate more money for the club with little or no outlay.
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
This smells like a planning scam. Mention ground improvements and enthusiasm goes up, but once the moneymaking phases 1 & 2 are finished the huge cost of either diverting the Metro or building over it will scupper the increased capacity phase. I hope i’m wrong but as long as there’s a Hall involved you can bet there’s more exploitation at the bottom of it.
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 11:43 am
I am delighted were upgrading the stadium and doing these things, as it should benefit newcastle in the long run.
The only major issue i have with it is that is not the right time, we need drastic investment in the squad and backroom staff a major overhaul if we are to avoid relegation this and next season.
The fact is these improvements, are great but they arent going to be used if we end up doing a leeds, within the next couple of seasons, gosh what goes through freddy’s mind apart from stealing the clubs money i just dont no.
Newcastle need 3-5 miracles to be honest.
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 11:29 am
A football team that isn’t totally mediocre would have a better effect on atmosphere.
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 11:21 am
c’mon you daft c*nts, surely one must invest to the future to keep up with rest, were you complaining when the last expansions were about to happen
club has to get the revenue somewhere if you doomday cvnts boo and stay away from the game
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 11:21 am
An extra 8,000 empty seats or bigger away allocation? either way it’ll look great in the championship when colchester come to town as that’s where we are heading if we don’t manage 6 more points.
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 11:14 am
what is the point of increasing the capacity of a stadium which will struggle to fill i mean who wants to watch the garbage we have seen lately.
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 11:06 am
Fat Fred has some crazy priorities…!
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 10:53 am
Why only 60,000 capacity? Why not be the biggest stadium in the country, not second or third. We have the most fanatical supporters in the world so why not capitalise on this while it is still there. So be the best and have the best team, that’s the only way to win trophy.. and don’t be a chicken by joining the Scottish League.
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 10:29 am
It should be the least of our worries right now. Everything about our club, from the stadium, to the fan base and training facilities tells me champions league hopefuls. Everything about our coaching set up tells me mid table championship. Roeder and co arent good enough and we should be concentrating on getting these morons out of our club.
Sent in on: April 4th, 2007 at 10:29 am