Sunday's NOTW re Stadium expansion ...

[Marvin]

By Neil Ashton
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MANCHESTER CITY have risked infuriating rivals United by pinching the World Cup semi-final from Old Trafford in 2018.

City chief executive Garry Cook outlined his amazing proposal while he schmoozed FIFA delegates during their 2018 visit.

Despite denials from City officials last year, the club are planning to increase stadium capacity to 75,000.

They have already commissioned the world's leading architect Rafael Vinoly - who is behind the regeneration project at Battersea Power Station in London - to design their new super-stadium.

City are committed to the regeneration project at Eastlands and have already started work on nearly 70 acres of land around the site - and they plan to make an official announcement about their World Cup plans in November.

Cook made his move during a dinner with FIFA delegates at Manchester Town Hall.

He outlined his plans for the stadium redevelopment project and is convinced City can see off the threat of United's rival bid.

England's 2018 World Cup team are aware of City's stadium proposals and have responded positively to the idea.

If England win right to host the World Cup, FIFA will nominate the semi-final venues in 2013 - giving City plenty of time to bring their stadium up to scratch.

The City chief has also curried favour with England's 2018 bid team by promising his full support for the project.

England's 2018 team have been impressed with City's vision and will let them fight it out with United for the semi-final.

United are convinced FIFA will nominate their 76,000 capacity cathedral as one of the semi-final stadiums if England host the World Cup.

United hosted the Champions League final in 2003, but it is under threat as the city's iconic stadium from neighbours City.

The city council have already agreed to push the metro link out to Eastlands, but this is just the start of a regeneration project that could take five years to complete.

There's no actual evidence there, no quotes... All the writer has done is look at fblokes posts on the Vegas thread and gone with a story.

That was my suspicion as well, but all in all it does seem very likely that the ground will be expanded / rebuilt. UEFA's turnover rules, and the investment in all aspects of MCFC suggest that the ground capacity will be reviewed.

 

[Benarbia's Fat Dad]

I despair at times... I really do.

IT"S NOT ALL ABOUT OUT-DOING MANCHESTER EFFING UNITED!

Some people really are more obsessed about that lot than they are about their own club...

The 'Project' is about becomming the dominant force in European football and setting a new marker for success and excellence throughout the world.

Unfortunately the scum are one of the most recognisable names in football and so whether you like it or not, they are the target to be overtaken.

I think the club deliberately have them in mind when looking at stadium plans, match day experience, marketing, the lot, not just because we hate them but because they are a benchmark

 

[Damocles]

Hate to be "that guy", but how are we going to put 75,000 fans in our stadium when we have trouble at times filling 47,000?

 

[Balti]

''MANCHESTER CITY have risked infuriating rivals United''


How very dare we?! PMSL

 

[Soulboy]

Hate to be "that guy", but how are we going to put 75,000 fans in our stadium when we have trouble at times filling 47,000?

I expect the Rags thought this in 1990 when Martin Edwards said that a 44,000 capacity stadium was more than enough for the clubs' ambitions.

But a few trophies later and they've never stopped increasing the capacity.

I remember before the trophies rolled in, Old Trafford was getting routine crowds of 35,000.

But then the club invested millions in players... and the rest is history?

Can we not do the same?

 

[ello_jo]

The only thing I don't like about that article is that Garry cooke has something to do with our proposals!

 

[andypandy]

I was told by the guy conducting the City Tour that the stadium can only be incresed to around 60,000 max, which would involve continuing the third tier behind each goal

Apparently the problem is due to how the stadium was constructed in the first place and in particular the spiral entrances / exits. I was told that these spiral exists cannot be increased, and were specifcally designed to allow fans to exit the stadium in a specific time to do with ground safety regulations.

In short we cannot just add another tier all around.

Just passing on what I was told, but the tour I did was a few years back so maybe things / regulations etc have changed since

 

[Skashion]

I was told by the guy conducting the City Tour that the stadium can only be incresed to around 60,000 max, which would involve continuing the third tier behind each goal

Apparently the problem is due to how the stadium was constructed in the first place and in particular the spiral entrances / exits. I was told that these spiral exists cannot be increased, and were specifcally designed to allow fans to exit the stadium in a specific time to do with ground safety regulations.

In short we cannot just add another tier all around.

Just passing on what I was told, but the tour I did was a few years back so maybe things / regulations etc have changed since

I was also told 60-65,000 on the tour but the person didn't say owt about safety regulations. You probably had a more knowledgeable guide from the sounds of things.

 

[cleavers]

To increase our income by about 200% we'd need to increase our match day revenue by about 1200%. Shit.

With respect your reply is "shit". If you think that we don't need to increase revenue then I think you need to wake up, if you then say that my figure of 200% is wrong and that you think its much less, then the argument in favour of an increase in prices is even greater, I'll let you work out why.

We "need to increase our income by about 200%" is a rough guide to cover our expected outgoings by 2013. This will be done by a combination of ticket prices, sponsorship, and qualification for group (and beyond) stage Champions League. I was assuming people had heard of sponsorship, and champions league qualification, but I guess some haven't.

This (funnily enough) will also help increase "match day revenue", but to suggest it would need to be by 1200% to increase income by 200%, is laughable.

 

[ballymunblue]

i am sure when scum had 29k at the swamp in 92/93 they would have thought a 76k stadium was crazy

year-----------division------venue----team---attendance----average for season

1992-93*------Prem-------swamp--- Aston V----29,736 ---------- 35,573