Newcastle United could soon announce plans to build a brand new stadium, putting the future of St James’ Park in jeopardy.
By no means will it be a popular decision amongst the fanbase, but many realise it is one that has to be made to ensure the club can reach the next level and become a titan in the footballing world.
Recently, it was revealed that Newcastle United are looking to build a 70,000-seater stadium. The capacity is slightly larger than what was originally touted, but it is believed that Newcastle chiefs were so impressed by the fans at the Carabao Cup celebrations that they decided to add more seats to their plans.
The decision to build a new stadium would mean that something would need to be done to St James’ Park, Newcastle’s home since its birth in 1892. The ground is iconic for its atmosphere, city centre location and iconic architectural design.
A new stadium will likely not have the same features as St James’ Park, but the club will benefit much more from a commercial standpoint.
With PIF in need of a solution for St James’ Park, here are three things the club can do if a new stadium is built.
Turn St James’ Park into green space
The decision to build a stadium in Leazes Park comes with its environmental worries. 28,000 people have signed a petition opposing Newcastle’s new stadium due to the damage it would cause to the area and its wildlife, so the club have a hurdle they immediately need to overcome.
However, an easy option is for Newcastle to build a green space on the grounds of St James’ Park to compensate for what will be lost on the new site.
Because PIF want Newcastle’s new stadium to be in the city centre, PIF is lacking in options for other sites, but they believe Leazes Park is the right location and one that will still attract enough fans to come and watch the team.
Additionally, the promise of green space at St James’ Park could sway those opposing a new stadium to be more open to the idea of it if they knew that the lost land was being replaced.
A stadium for Newcastle United women
At the moment, Becky Langley’s Newcastle United women currently play at Kingston Park, home of Rugby Union side Newcastle Falcons and non-league side Newcastle Independent. The Lasses get good crowds in their thousands, but a problem is that the ground is very far away from Newcastle’s city centre.
Newcastle could do exactly what Everton has done, and make plans to renovate the ground to be more intimate for the women’s team.
Everton recently announced that instead of knocking Goodison Park down, they will repurpose it to move their women’s team out of Walton Hall Park into the much bigger, now former home of the men’s team.
On the decision to move their women into Goodison Park, Everton CEO Angus Kinnear to Everton’s official website: “This decision honours Everton’s rich history while looking firmly to the future. It reflects our commitment to women’s football and ensures that a beloved stadium continues to inspire the next generation of Blues.”
Darren Eales, or whoever succeeds him, could decide to put the Lasses into a reimagined St James’ Park and keep the ground alive.
Turn St James’ Park into a fan zone
Another, more extreme option for St James’ Park would be to completely knock it down and turn it into a fanzone as a minor stop-off before fans walk up to the ground.
Very few Premier League stadiums have fan zones where supporters can sit back and relax before a game. Newcastle currently have the Sela St James’ STACK, which is thought to be a brilliant money-spinner for the club, and a selection of bars around the stadium.
However, PIF could go all in and create a fan zone in a large space that fans could enjoy whenever they like. They could look to what Manchester City have done with the Etihad Campus for example, there is a large space around the ground with shops, bars and food vendors to give fans the chance to soak up the atmosphere.
Additionally, the space could even be big enough for concerts to be held. Newcastle are currently hosting Sam Fender at St James’ Park; they could do big gigs in that open space year-round if they wanted to.
The possibilities are endless, but the final decision they make must benefit all fans.
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