NEWCASTLE are putting in the groundwork to build the third biggest football stadium in England, reports suggest.
The Magpies’ Saudi owners have made no secret about their desire to make the club a true powerhouse not only in England but also on the continent.
And one of the key ways they want to achieve that is through the controversial construction of a new home ground.
Naturally, a new home fit for the European elite would see the club leaving their legendary St James’ Park stadium.
It sits in the heart of a true one-club city, but despite its rich history, electric atmosphere and iconic reputation, it has sat in place since the 1800s.
With that comes problems, not just with its capacity, but also with the stadium’s condition as a whole.
The potential move would see the club’s new home located at the neighbouring Leazes Park.
According to the Daily Mail, a video of how a new stadium on the site might look was shown to owners, with club executives proposing a capacity of around 65,000.
At that size, the stadium would be bigger than the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the London Stadium, Anfield and the Emirates, the respective homes of Spurs, West Ham, Liverpool and Arsenal.
Indeed, only Old Trafford, which currently holds 74,000, would be larger in the Premier League – though this is not to mention the 100,000 capacity plans Manchester United have revealed for their own new ground.
It would also have a stadium stack 35 metres higher than the one currently at St James’ Park.
But before making any official announcement, club bosses have been talking to various parties about the project.
Considerations over a deal include the leasing of the park and maintaining and improving the atmosphere of their current ground.
Newcastle are said to have been in contact with a company monitoring stadium atmospheres this season to ensure they get the right acoustics behind any new stadium right.
Construction company Laing O’Rourke, who worked on the new stadium of Everton, have been spoken to about the project.
Staff also want to make sure the new ground can keep the nickname “Cathedral on the Hill”, which St James’ Park has become known as due to it standing above the city centre and being visible on the approach from every direction.
The new stadium could cost anywhere between £2billon and £3bn.
Newcastle celebrated their first trophy for 56 years by winning the League Cup this season, beating Liverpool 2-1 in the final.
Eddie Howe’s side host Everton at home on the final day and can secure a spot in next season’s Champions League.
They currently sit fourth in the table on 66 points, level with Chelsea and Aston Villa but having a superior goal difference.
Seventh-place Nottingham Forest are a point behind on 65 points, so anything but a Toon win could spell disaster for their spot in Europe’s premier football competition.
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