Sports

St James’ Park: Could Newcastle expand ground after season ticket 1 hour sellout?

Published

9 months ago

July 8, 2022

After 1000 new season tickets sold out in around an hour last week, talk of expansions to St James’ Park has started.

Newcastle’s website saw huge demand, with 30,000 people attempted to purchase the tickets online. Days later, fans queued outside the stadium for tickets to this summer’s home friendlies, as well as thousands more online.

People outside of our place just don't get it.#nufc fans queueing for pre season friendly tickets. Tens of thousands online in a queue.

Mental.

Imagine if and when we are good… 🤪 pic.twitter.com/xbPjPfKky5

— Ginger Pirlo 🇧🇷 (@TheGingerPirlo_) July 5, 2022

Under new ownership, Newcastle United are looking to grow. This has been shown by the club submitting plans to North Tyneside Council to develop their Benton training ground. With the currently 52,000 seater stadium regularly selling out, it would make financial sense for the club to create space for more supporters at Saint James’ Park.

In February, co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi told The Athletic that they don’t plan to move away from St James’ Park, but will look to increase capacity to 60-65,000 seats.

Developments to the stadium will not come without difficulties, however.

Saint James’ Park is in some ways a victim of its own success. The central location of the stadium which makes it special also makes expansion difficult. Leazes Terrace, the row of Georgian houses which lie metres from the East Stand, are Grade 1 listed buildings. This offers them extra legal protection and will hinder any expansions to the East of the stadium. On the other hand, new developments, both recently completed and currently under construction, surround much of the rest of the ground and may also be obstacles.

One solution to these could be a change of location entirely. The Chronicle offered the Town Moor and the site of the Utilita Arena as potential locations.

These sites would come with problems of their own. A proposal to move the stadium to nearby Leazes Park in the 90s was prevented due to opposition to building on the park, with connections to the Town Moor.

More importantly, to abandon St James’ Park would be a huge move for the club, and one that supporters would not take lightly. Newcastle United have been playing at St James’ Park since 1892. The stadium is synonymous with the club’s identity. The new owners will likely want to maintain connections to the club’s history, as has been evidenced by the move of Alan Shearer’s controversial statue onto the Stadium’s concourse. When, in 2012, Cardiff City’s Malaysian owners changed the logo from a Blue Bird to a Red Dragon fans were scandalised, and Newcastle’s owners will look to avoid similar mistakes. The outrage caused by Mike Ashley’s renaming of SJP as the Sports Direct Arena is an indicator of fans’ protective feelings towards their stadium’s identity.

The plans are not without precedent. In 2007, Newcastle United drew up plans to expand the stadium to 60,000 seats. These fell through when Mike Ashley took over the club soon after. With Ashley gone, fans will hope that the club can find ways to grow again, on and off the pitch.

Related Topics:Football newcastle Newcastle united nufc sport St. James Park'

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Featured

Newcastle United to Reveal New Shirt Sponsor?

Published

1 week ago

March 13, 2023

Chris Tubman

footballinsider247 are reporting that the main shirt sponsor slot for Newcastle United is expected to be filled by airline SAUDI, who sponsored Newcastle’s mid-season tour of their owners’ homeland in December.

They state ‘This site revealed in February that there is frustration at St James’ Park that they have inherited a kit deal with Castore worth just £5m per year with no break clause and several seasons left to run.’

Newcastle’s recently appointed CEO Darren Eales has already previously expressed that the club at looking at all commercial opportunities and fans on Twitter were keen to mock up their expectation for the new shirts, see below and let us know your thoughts and also see our below video on how NUFC can increase commercial avenues..

Eddie Howe’s team are currently in a strong position to achieve a European slot which would increase revenue into the club allowing more spend whilst staying within Financial Fair Play which is something Howe has spoken about on several occasions as they look to stay within. If the club do reach a European slot it should help significantly with recruitment in the summer by making it a more attractive proposition to any incoming targets.

What do you think of the kits – let us know on our facebook page and join in on the conversation.

You can also download our FREE app – https://linktr.ee/northeastupdates

Credit: NUFC kit concept – twitter

Featured

Amazon filming Newcastle United for “All or Nothing” style documentary

Published

1 month ago

February 8, 2023

Lewis Thompson

Amazon Prime are currently filming behind-the-scenes footage at Newcastle United for a new documentary.

The docu-series will provide an insight into the club and its efforts to secure a top-four finish and a piece of silverware in the 2022-23 season.

Reports today revealed that camera crews have been filming a four-part documentary for their All or Nothing series. Sky Sports’ Keith Downie confirmed that the series will cover the club and the new owners as they attempt to qualify for the Champions League and win a trophy.

The All or Nothing series has previously documented other Premier League Clubs including Manchester City, Arsenal, and Spurs as well as the Brazilian national team, Juventus, and the All Blacks of rugby.

Something I mentioned last night on @tfNUFC: Camera crews have been filming behind-the-scenes at Newcastle United for a four-part documentary to be shown on Amazon.
The series will chart the club & its owners as they attempt to win a trophy & qualify for The Champ League #NUFC

— Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) February 8, 2023

Newcastle face Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final on February 26 at Wembley.

🗓️ 26.02.23@ManUtd 🆚 @NUFC #EFL | #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/V23zWPDoxP

— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) February 1, 2023

The Magpies have featured three times in Europe’s most prestigious competition.

Most recently in the 2003-04 season as they reached the third qualifying round, eventually losing on penalties to Serbian side FK Partizan.

The season before the Toon finished third in the 2002-03 Champions League group stages, winning twice against Bayer Leverkusen and drawing with Inter Milan 2-2 at the San Siro. The lineup that night; Given, Solano, O’Brien, Dyer, Shearer (C), Bellamy, Speed, Griffin, Hughes, Dabizas and Viana.

The series is expected to air later this year and will be available on Amazon Prime.

Based on previous seasons, you can expect exclusive access to training sessions, team meetings and match days, giving fans an in-depth look at what goes on behind the scenes on a day-to-day basis at Newcastle United.

It is set to be an incredible storyline and one that should provide fans with some real insight into what it takes to compete at the top level of professional football.

What do you think Newcastle fans?

Does this excite you or do you stand more with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp who once said the cameras could be intrusive to the dressing room when he turned down the offer from Amazon In 2018?

Join the conversation on our Facebook page…

Sports

Newcastle target rejects Everton move following £45m bid.

Published

2 months ago

January 30, 2023

Lewis Thompson

Everton have made a £40million bid with £5m in add-ons to sign Connor Gallagher from Chelsea.

This comes after Newcastle completed the signing of Anthony Gordon, the club’s second most expensive transfer behind Alexander Isak.

Everton received an initial fee of £40m plus add-ons that could increase the deal to £45m.

EXCL: Everton have submitted a bid to sign Conor Gallagher from Chelsea. It’s £40m proposal plus £5m add ons. 🚨🔵 #EFC

Chelsea will make a decision soon as there are also other clubs interested in Gallagher — and player has to decide his future too. pic.twitter.com/xZeuGqaR01

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 30, 2023

The Toffees currently sit 19th in the Premier League and are looking to reinvest the money from the Gordon deal to sign much-needed players under newly appointed manager Sean Dyche.

But, multiple sources have reported today that Gallagher is not actively pushing for a move and has no intention of going to Goodison Park. However, with Chelsea having met the record-breaking €120m release clause for World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez, Gallagher may be forced to leave the club if the transfer is complete.

🚨| Conor Gallagher is not interested in a move to Everton 🔵 pic.twitter.com/0CYzXjBoBd

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) January 30, 2023

This leaves Newcastle an option as the player would prefer a move to a top-six club.

This morning, Eddie Howe said, “We’ll see what we can do to try & bring a player in. There’s no guarantees. In terms of permanent signings, it will be very difficult. We’ll look at a potential loan. But it’s got to be the right player & not one for the sake of it”.

Due to financial fair play, the only way Newcastle could sign the player is through a loan, with an obligation to buy the player for at least £45m, the same price they paid for Anthony Gordon.

Gallagher has been playing regular Premier League football over the last two seasons. Since returning to his parent club Chelsea, the 22-year-old has been linked with a move away to numerous Premier League clubs.

Last season he was named Crystal Palace’s Player of the Season by their fans. He also won the Player of the Month award twice, Goal of the Month once, and was awarded the Young Player of Year at the 2022 London Football Awards.

In the same season, he made 36 appearances scoring eight goals and registering three assists that earned Palace a 12th-place finish, one point behind Newcastle.