'They have to move': Kieran Maguire lays out difference between leaving and staying at St James' Park

Newcastle United's hierarchy still has yet to make a firm decision on whether to revamp St James' Park or build an all-new stadium - at least they've not communicated this decision to the public.

All signs have, for a while, pointed towards building a new stadium on the land at Leazes Park and redeveloping the land around the current stadium, but until the club makes an announcement, the chance of a revamped St James' Park still remains.

The opposition to the idea of a new stadium has died down somewhat since the idea was first floated, as fans have realised how much more a brand new stadium could bring into the club.

Equally, the fact that the prospective site for the new ground will be right next to the current one, meaning that the club will still dominate the Newcastle skyline, has allowed fans to come to terms with the idea.

Kieran Maguire says Newcastle must move to a new stadium

Football finance expert Kierean Maguire has been speaking to BBC Sport about the two options facing Newcastle, and from his perspective, the decision is obvious.

"If the Newcastle owners want a football club which is regularly competing for one of the Champions League places, they have to move.

"If they want Newcastle to be a regular top-10 club competing in the Europa League and Europa Conference League, tweak St James' Park. That's how significant the decision is."

Spurs' stadium helping them to rake it in

The obvious comparison to make here is just how much revenue Tottenham Hotspur's stadium is bringing into the club. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium brought in £126.5m during the 2024/25 season, according to the club's latest financial accounts, compared to the £51.6m St James' Park generated.

Building a brand new stadium with other uses built in will allow Newcastle United to host a range of different events beyond the club's games. St James' Park has been used for concerts in the past, but it's not really geared up for that, which is why they are so rare. With a new stadium, we could see many more events hosted in the city, which will boost not just the club's revenue, but the region's.

There appear to still be quite a few hurdles the club has to clear before it can announce its decision, and there's still no indication of how much longer we're going to have to wait, but in truth, it's getting boring now. Just give us something.