Manchester United explore options to revamp club including demolishing and rebuilding
Several plans are being proposed to modernise Manchester United’s stadium including the option of knocking down the ground and rebuilding on the existing site.
Other options may include razing and rebuilding Old Trafford’s South Stand or undertaking a complete revamp of the existing structure.
United said it is still in the early stages of Old Trafford’s redevelopment, with a master planner yet to be appointed.
The bulldozing and demolition of Old Trafford would be the most ambitious option by far although it may not be a popular one with fans and would raise the question of where United could play home fixtures in the meantime.
Last month, United’s chief operating officer, Collette Roche, told a fans’ forum that the club had been “assessing the capabilities of globally leading consultants” regarding the modernisation of Old Trafford.
“We are hoping to appoint our preferred partners in the coming weeks; following this, we will be able to formally kick off phase one of the project, which will be focused on establishing the vision and objectives for the masterplan,” she said.
Old Trafford is the largest club football stadium in the UK with a capacity of 73,000 and one of the most iconic in world football with 111 years of glorious history as United’s home ground.
The stadium has gone through multiple phases of development and redevelopment through the decades and Roche said fans would be closely consulted as plans evolve for this next chapter in its evolution.
The plans to demolish have been welcomed by Gary Neville who said it was ‘the right move.’
In an Instagram video post, the former Manchester United right-back turned entrepreneur, said: “I think by the time that they have spent money on Old Trafford, the existing one, then I think you would be better off building a brand new, better, super stadium.
“I do think that Manchester United should always be at the forefront of stadiums, have the best facilities and they have fallen behind.”
