The future of St James’ Park is dividing Newcastle United fans, and Alan Shearer has delivered his view.
The club is still considering what to do with St James’ Park, with Toon officials hoping to get more supporters through the door given the rising desire to watch Newcastle United.
Since the ownership change and the entrance of Eddie Howe, it is nearly impossible to purchase a ticket to a home game unless you are a season ticket holder, due to the high demand.
That has prompted proposals that the club enlarge St James’ Park and boost its capacity, although this is easier said than done.
St James’ Park is surrounded by historic structures, making it extremely impossible to raise the East Stand and Gallowgate End to the same height as the Leazes and Milburn.
As a result, a relocation away from St James’ Park to a new stadium has been proposed, which has divided fans. The majority of fans want to stay at St James’ Park, and the club shares this sentiment.
Building a new stadium would be a tough issue, and Alan Shearer has revealed what the club must do if it decides to leave St James’ Park.
Alan Shearer raises a concern over a new St James’ Park
On the newest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast, Shearer discussed the Newcastle owners’ possibility of building a new stadium and highlighted one of his concerns.
“I think one of the best things about St James’ Park is its position, that it is so close to the city centre,” he added.
“If they are going to extend it fine, but if they were going to build a new one I think it has to be pretty much next door or really close because I think that’s why we generate such a good atmosphere and it’s so iconic so if it is going to be a new stadium then it has to be pretty much next door to where it is.”
Newcastle owners have a tough decision to make about St James’ Park
I agree with Shearer. Newcastle currently has something exceptional. St James’ Park is located in the middle of the city. Its landmark setting sets it apart, and we should not sacrifice it for a few extra seats.
The atmosphere at Newcastle games is currently the subject of heated controversy. Fans are anxious that the ground is not always loud enough, despite being thunderous on evenings like the one against Paris Saint-Germain in October.
While not every game can be like that, some of this season’s smaller matches have been extremely quiet. I’m curious if this is due to the team’s success last season, with certain fans suddenly expecting to win specific games.
Personally, I believe there will be even more concerns with the atmosphere if the club develops a sparkling new state-of-the-art stadium capable of seating 70,000 or more people. But that’s a topic for another day.
In an ideal world, Newcastle officials find a means to expand St James’ Park. However, if it is not practicable and increasing capacity is required, they must find a way to create a new ground as close to the existing one as possible.
