Newcastle United plans for massive stadium – This Nottingham Forest conflict with clear parallels? | OneFootball

Interesting new developments at Nottingham Forest as they look to develop a far bigger stadium, with what could be clear parallels to the situation at Newcastle United.

Nottingham Forest has very rich owners who want a far bigger stadium, they see it as key to their plans of being able to compete long-term.

Newcastle United of course in the same position, with very rich owners and the need for a far bigger stadium, the new/current NUFC owners making massive strides but a huge gap in finances still to close with the six self-appointed ‘elite’ Premier League clubs.

Both Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United have found themselves in a position where they’ve had to sell players they’d have preferred not to, in order to deal with Premier League PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules).

The underlying long-term financial support is there from the owners for both clubs, short and long-term, so both Newcastle United owners and those at Nottingham Forest are happy to underwrite spending in the short term to try and help close that gap on the pitch. However, the Premier League PSR limits the losses that can be made.

So we are back to why a much bigger stadium is key to both clubs, as creating much bigger revenue streams, is key to having the ability to be able to spend far more money in the future.

In the case of Nottingham Forest, they have been looking to buy the Freehold for the land on which the City Ground sits, something they then see as essential before then moving forward with their plans, including a much expanded City Ground.

On Monday it appeared a breakthrough had been made between council and club.

Statement from Leader of Nottingham City Council – 8 July 2024:

‘I am proud to announce that talks with Nottingham Forest have resulted in principle terms being agreed for the club to buy the land on which the City Ground lies.

I promised decisive action to secure the future of the world-famous City Ground, which has been home to Nottingham Forest for over 125 years, and that is what we have delivered.

Football is staying home, here in Nottingham, and the mist will keep rolling in off the Trent for years to come.

The terms of the deal will be presented to the Council’s Executive Board for a decision on 16 July…’

However, that council statement was swiftly followed by one from the club last night.

Nottingham Forest official statement – 8 July 2024:

‘Club Statement: The City Ground

After today’s comments from the leader of the City Council, the Club wishes to clarify the situation for supporters and stakeholders regarding the freehold for The City Ground.

For absolute clarity, we continue to work on the terms for a conditional deal for the purchase of the freehold. Any decision to purchase the freehold will be entirely conditional on Nottingham Forest first being granted the relevant permissions that will allow us to realise our hugely ambitious plans for a significantly larger stadium capacity, world-class hospitality spaces and associated substantial real estate development in the vicinity of the ground.

Our discussions remain confidential and the Club will update fans when meaningful progress has been achieved.’

Having read into this further, it quickly becomes apparent what the situation is.

The council are desperate for the club to stay where they are, whilst the Nottingham Forest owners want to have the freedom to do what they pretty much want AND want the council’s backing to do so.

This apparently appears to include things such as the club being backed and allowed to make the compulsory purchase of nearby properties/homes which would make it far easier to build a significantly bigger City Ground.

There is clearly a lot going on from both sides with also claims that the club would then use the council’s backing and freedom to do what they want, to build other real estate in the area.

The club of course have the council over a barrel, with the possibility the Nottingham Forest owners could potentially move to a brand new location…

Newcastle United owners and St James’ Park

As Newcastle United fans we all know the issues by now, the complications/issues surrounding possible major expansion of St James’ Park.

We also know that it is now coming up shortly to three years since Mike Ashley left and indeed, around five years since the Saudi Arabia PIF-led consortium began trying to purchase Newcastle United.

For me, claims from Darren Eales and others at the club that only now are they looking at feasibility studies as to how St James’ Park could potentially be expanded, are beyond belief.

Personally, I have zero doubts that long before they even bought the club from Ashley, the Saudi Arabia PIF and Reuben family, will have made it their business to know exactly what could be possible with St James’ Park. This will have been one of the key things they will have looked at when considering whether or not to buy the club, what it would take to build/develop the size and nature of stadium that would help them potentially compete with those generating far more revenues as things stand/stood.

We can only guess at why nothing at all has been said as yet, in terms of what the actual plans are to expand St James’ Park and/or whether a new stadium is planned at a new location.

Like Nottingham Forest, the Newcastle United owners don’t own the Freehold for the land that St James’ Park stands on, though in our case I don’t see the Freemen owning the Freehold as any big real issue. I would anticipate they’d be happy to extend the current Lease on SJP to whatever length needed.

However, we have our own unique issues with the current site, bang in the middle of Newcastle city centre makes St James’ Park tricky to significantly extend further, whilst the listed Leazes Terrace behind the East Stand makes it arguably impossible to create the size of stadium really needed for Newcastle United.

If the East Stand can’t be significantly developed then you can only do so much with the other three sides of St James’ Park, with almost certainly only the Gallowgate End able to be made significantly bigger and at serious cost. Even if that happened, difficult to see the capacity rising to much above 60,000 if at all.

For those with short memories, in 2016/17, despite Mike Ashley still owning the club AND Newcastle United dropping into the Championship. Simply because Rafa Benitez gave us a bit of hope by staying on after relegation, the NUFC fans filled the 52,000+ capacity St James’ Park home match after home match for a second tier 23 home game season. So anybody who doubts that now Newcastle United fans don’t need a stadium capacity way beyond 60,000, is badly mistaken. Never mind the nightmare it is now for fans to get tickets if you aren’t a season ticket holder, how will young people now and in the future ever get to watch their team, unless they have friends and family who can pass their tickets on?

Choices

For me, there has always been three realistic options for the future of Newcastle United’s stadium.

Stay at St James’ Park.

Relocate a few hundred yards up the road at Castle Leazes.

Move to a site outside the city centre.

Personally, I would be perfectly happy with either of the first two, whilst the third is a total no no.

If St James’ Park can tick all the boxes then of course that is the ideal.

However, if it can’t be done, then for the ambitions of both owners and fans (especially those who want to see their team play) the second option it is for me.

I have no insider knowledge but I absolutely believe (and of course hope) that this total silence on what exactly are the plans for a much bigger stadium (either St James’ Park or a new site), is very different to what is going on behind the scenes.

Confidential talks must surely have been going on for some time between the Newcastle United owners, and Newcastle city council, the Freemen, and other interested parties, as to what is possible and how all parties can help make it happen, for the good of everybody.

Back in the 1990s, the Castle Leazes site was put forward by the Hall and Shepherd ownership as the alternative to developing the then 36,000-capacity St James’ Park.

There was opposition to the scheme from some locals and eventually, the owners expanded St James’ Park to its current 52,000 + capacity.

I am not convinced that the opposition from some locals to the Castle Leazes idea was the sole reason why instead the NUFC owners decided to extend St James’ Park.

I am not convinced either that if the club had really pushed it, whether the objections of some locals could have been successful in stopping the Castle Leazes site from going ahead.

Which brings us back to now

My belief is that if the Newcastle United owners wanted to build a brand new stadium on the Castle Leazes site AND had the full backing of the Freemen and Newcastle city council, then I think it would get the go-ahead.

Yes, some local residents would no doubt object, BUT if the scheme had the backing of both council and Freemen for the greater good of the city and region, then that would surely override that.

Plus, the fact is that anybody who lives close to the Castle Leazes site, made the decision to live just up the road from Newcastle United anyway, simply a case of the stadium moving a few hundred yards nearer.

St James’ Park could be put to alternative use for the benefit of the people of the city and region, plus potentially for the benefit of the football club as well. Potentially the women’s team playing at SJP as their permanent home, as well as NUFC Under 21s and so on. SJP could be a regularly used music venue for months during the summer and potentially beyond.

Whilst if Leazes Park was significantly affected, which very likely would be the case if the Castle Leazes site went ahead, then I am sure that the Newcastle United owners would then finance a new configuration to ensure that the same kind of facilities are there for the local community as is currently the case.

General Election

I have also wondered for some time whether part of the hold-up for the announcement of what is happening with St James’ Park or a stadium on a new site, could be linked to the General Election.

As you may have heard, that took place and Labour won a massive majority.

A big part of their manifesto is a plan to build a massive number of new houses, to help deal with the dire current shortage. In order to help make this happen, Labour say they will relax local planning restrictions and/or intervene to help make new housing projects happen, where they feel appropriate.

In general as well, their plans are to grow the economy and encourage businesses to invest and so on, in order to help generate much-needed revenues to fund public services.

It doesn’t take much of a leap of faith to believe that this could/would apply to a massive project such as a huge new Newcastle United stadium at the Castle Leazes site, which would bring so many jobs in the short to medium-term and massive long-term benefits to the city and region. If club, council and Freemen were all backing it, then I see no reason why the Government wouldn’t either.

We see the possibility of a massive potential regeneration in the north-west that could see a huge new football stadium built, where Manchester United could have as their new home.

Both local and national politicians and other interested parties, appear to have already given at least some approval, at least to the basic idea, if not specifics, of such a new stadium in the north west.

For now, as Newcastle United fans, we continue to wait and see.

However, I do think this decision on which way to go when it comes to the Newcastle United stadium of the future, could be absolutely key to whether our club can compete in the years to come.

Hopefully, we hear something very soon and things can get started, as even if something is announced now, with either St James’ Park or a new Castle Leazes site, it would be still years before we would see the finished product.