Newcastle's plans to transform St James' Park into 65,000-seater stadium go public

by Olly Hawkins · 11 December 2024, 14:47

Decision time is approaching at Newcastle United when it comes to St James' Park and our plans to either expand on the current site or develop an entirely new stadium on another location.

On that subject, an intriguing piece has emerged today from The Telegraph's Luke Edwards, who reveals the ambitious proposals in place should we remain at the current St James' Park site.

Gallowgate plans revealed

According to a new report this afternoon, Newcastle chiefs hope to build an entirely new, purpose built St James' Park on the current site, featuring a Gallowgate End modelled on Borussia Dortmund’s ‘Yellow Wall'.

Edwards' latest exclusive for The Telegraph reveals that club officials are assessing plans to make the Gallowgate one of the largest stands in Europe in a move that would boost the capacity of St James' Park to around 65,000.

If such an expansion can take place, this would make St James' the second biggest stadium in the Premier League behind Old Trafford.

The new Gallowgate End would also rival the 17,500-seat South Stand at the recently built Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as architects look to replicate the 25,000-seater 'Yellow Wall' at Dortmund's Westfalenstadion.

The Telegraph - who claim to have the scale of Newcastle's Gallowgate End plans - report that the club are 'doing everything in their power to remain on their current site', feeling the ideal solution would be to develop a new and improved St James' Park that offers a multi-sports venue in the heart of the city centre.

Edwards' piece also goes on to say that the Gallowgate End would not only become one of the largest capacity stands in world football, but also include bars, restaurants and 'other multi use spaces' to boost revenue streams for the club.

Borussia Dortmund vai instalar quase dez mil placas solares na cobertura de seu estádio

Newcastle chief reveals 'first choice'

Newcastle United's chief operating officer, Brad Miller, has admitted that the club's "first choice" is to stay, although this is one of two options facing the club's owners before a decision is made in 2025.

“The first choice is to stay. If we stayed at St James’, we have 52,000 seats already. It comes with significantly more money if we transform it and it will look amazing. That’s option one,” Miller said.

“Option two is if we were to move away, and not too far away as we aren’t going to stretch the elastic band to the point of breaking. The second option, we are looking at it seriously as it does have the potential to earn more than twice as much in terms of revenue, compared to a transformation of St James’ Park. And more seats, a lot more seats potentially.

“The brilliant thing about St James’ is it is an iconic location, the atmosphere and the competitive edge it gives the team on the pitch – and it has 52,000 seats already.

“A new stadium doesn’t have that, and we’d have to pay for all those seats again. But a new stadium has the potential to earn a lot more, both on match days, and non-match days.

“It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So, everything we are doing, do we invest and transform St James’ as we see it today on site where we are? Or do we take that bold move and think about moving?”