It remains the single-most important question of the current Newcastle United era: Do they stay or do they go?
Each member of the St James’ Park faithful will have a different answer, backed up by a different reason, when it comes to either remaining at or departing the iconic city centre scene. However, one constant you will find when surveying those with an opinion on the matter is that United’s formidable atmosphere must not suffer should they decide to seek a modern, state of the art venue elsewhere.
As it stands, the club’s top brass tasked with making the decision to stay or go have not yet decided which way to lean. There are pros and cons to each direction. One factor firmly on the side of extending St James’ Park is the fact that, at its best, when it’s rocking on an evening of high drama, it is unlike any Premier League venue.
It rivals some of the most iconic stadium’s in Europe when it comes to its raucous, deafening atmosphere. Just ask Arsenal. Just ask Paris Saint-Germain.
So, do the club risk losing that special weapon that has got them over the line in big games before?
One fanbase who have experienced a similar feeling at their own club is those who support Monday evening’s opponents – West Ham United. The Hammers opted to leave their beloved Upton Park in 2016 to take the plunge in the Olympic Stadium just up the road in Stratford.
West Ham subsequently increased their capacity from 35,000 to 57,000 but with a running track separating the fans and the pitch, supporters aren’t able to impact the match action as easily these days.
Yet, in the years since the switch, the club’s revenue has skyrocketed and they have lifted a European trophy. However, not everything is as rosey as it may seem on the outside.
“I think the move is still thought of negatively by the vast majority of people who were Upton Park season ticket holders,” journalist and diehard Irons fan Nick Pugh tells Chronicle Live. “But you’ve got to remember that those people now only make up about 50% of the people inside the London Stadium most weeks.
“So for the newbies it’s all they’ve ever known. They have no idea how much s****** it is than Upton Park. And why would they? They have no idea how much it would previously have been frowned upon to not be in your seat by kick off, let alone 10 mins into the first half.
“Or how next to no fans would ever leave a game early unless we were being PROPER thrashed – despite the fact Upton Park was 5,000 times harder to get out of. Whereas now, the ground is 20% empty for the first and last 10 minutes of both halves. No one seems to care as much anymore.
“The atmosphere has definitely suffered as a result. You no longer feel like you are part of something or that you can affect the team, it just feels more like people turn up to be entertained and just toss it off and skulk off home if they are not.”
Across the capital, Arsenal led the way on stadium moves before it was trendy. They ditched Highbury – the scene of three Premier League triumphs – in 2006 for a shiny new north London home. Since then the Gunners have become a force to be reckoned with – even if their trophy cabinet has barely been added to.
Those of a certain generation still have a longing for those Highbury days. Tony Adams storming into challenges, Dennis Bergkamp fascinating with the ball at his feet, Thierry Henry making world class defenders look average. Arsenal are not same team these days, just as football in general is vastly different to that golden era.
Still, the Emirates move has been received kindly, insists one anonymous Arsenal employee who has been with the club decades. Meanwhile, Dave Seager – a season ticket holder and Arsenal podcast host – insists the atmosphere is not as big a concern as revenue, capacity and on-pitch success.
He said: “Many fans, myself included, will still cling to the halcyon Highbury days but the Premier League changed football at the top level and Arsenal are truly competitive again. This is in some part, although commercial deals and TV money are vital, down to increased match day revenue from 22,000 additional fans paying and shopping.
“We despise it and understand it in equal measure. That is us football fans, moaning at the cost and demanding star signings in the same breath. Now the team is performing under a manager that has reunited the fanbase – and we are creating an atmosphere worthy of a great stadium.”
From one past stadium move to one yet to fully arrive yet. Everton and their emotional Goodison Park goodbye is just around the corner. The club’s move to Bramley-Moore Dock, situated on the River Mersey, will see the Toffees increase their matchday home attendance to just shy of 53,000.
Does that mean Everton are about to see the beauty of a ‘Goldilocks’ ground? Not too small, not too big… just right. That is a debate Newcastle must themselves ponder as they decide the amount of extra seats to either stick inside a new-look St James’ Park or provide at a new stadium.
Chronicle Live’s very own Adam Foster was one of the lucky supporters able to take in the first game at Everton’s soon-to-be new home; an under-18 match against Wigan Athletic’s youngsters. He insists despite the limited test crowd in attendance, a ‘fantastic’ noise was generated at the stadium’s maiden event.
On the risk of losing that special Goodison atmosphere at a new, larger stadium, Adam adds: “I think there is always going to be that worry with moving to a new stadium.
“Goodison has had some great nights over the years, and I have been lucky enough to experience it at its best – even for the wrong reasons [surviving relegation] against Palace in 2022 and Bournemouth in 2023. The atmosphere at the last ever Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park showed just how special a place the stadium is, and the atmosphere the fans can generate.
“But, it will be the majority of those fans moving to Bramley-Moore, and coupled with around 10-15,000 extra, as well as the design of the stadium to keep the noise in, I believe it could have an even better atmosphere than Goodison. But time will tell.”
Of course, there are plenty of reasons for leaving St James’ Park in search of something new; revenue being the most convincing. A bigger stadium means more bums on seats, more tickets sold, more merchandise offloaded, more commercial opportunities possible and, crucially, more money to spend on those shiny new signings Dave talks about above.
However, it would be a crying shame to see Newcastle lose the ability to turn matches on their head simply by the stellar atmosphere their fans can create. That would have to factored into any, exciting, new designs. Knowing the club’s owners, it won’t be a detail that is forgotten about.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-uniteds-new-stadium-requirement-31156175
