Newcastle United have received a huge boost in their bid to make St James’ Park bigger in the future.
Ever since the change of ownership, demand for tickets has gone through the roof. Every game has been a sellout, while supporters are currently scrambling to get inside Wembley for the upcoming Carabao Cup final. Sadly, plenty will miss out.
It is a similar story at home, with lots of fans struggling to get a ticket to watch Eddie Howe’s side play. There is so much demand that it is very clear that the club would benefit from a bigger stadium.
The owners have stated that leaving St James’ Park is not an option, meaning an extension is the only possibility. That has always looked difficult given the surrounding area…until now.
Newcastle purchase land behind St James’ Park
According to the Daily Mail, the club have purchased the land behind the Gallowgate Stand. The Strawberry Place site is back under Toon ownership, after Mike Ashley sold it four years ago.
The report states that co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi led negotiations, and the deal will now allow the club to explore the option of increasing the capacity of St James’ Park.
That will be Newcastle’s long-term goal, and the Daily Mail add that the newly-acquired land may not even be required for an expansion.
But it is back under club ownership, and the owners already have an immediate plan for how it will be used.
What Newcastle’s immediate plan is
The Daily Mail add that Newcastle’s short-term plan for the Strawberry Place site is to turn it into a fan zone.
The land behind the Gallowgate will be used to enhance the fan experience, which is fairly limited as it stands.
On the walk to the ground at the moment you find the foodbank donation point, a burger van and a busker. However, there is no official Newcastle United presence beyond selling programmes.
The club will now be looking to change that after purchasing this land, and hopefully they will be able to incorporate some of the current pre-match rituals listed above.