Football’s Changing Homes – as at August 2004

Work is now well under way after years of wrangling over a new 60,000-seater stadium for Arsenal at Ashburton Grove. Following problems with planning permission and worries over financing for the £400m project, the builders are now on site and the foundations in place. Arsenal are confident that the stadium will be open in time for the start of the 2006-2007 season when they will complete the move from their historic home at Highbury. As part of the relocation, Highbury will be turned into flats, with the pitch converted into a garden for the residents. Manchester United, the club Arsenal are trying to compete with financially, have started work on raising the Old Trafford capacity from 67,500 to 75,000 by filling in the corners of the massive north stand at a cost of £45m.

After two seasons sharing Loftus Road with QPR, Fulham return to a refurbished Craven Cottage for the new season. The club have spent £8m, bringing it up to Premiership requirements, with a capacity of 22,000. Seating has been installed on the enclosure terraces in front of the Stevenage Road stand and at both ends of the ground. In order for all the new seating to be under cover, a new roof has been built at the Putney end and the existing roof at the Hammersmith end extended. The original floodlights have been replaced and ‘pods’ of executive boxes built in three corners.

Charlton Athletic have unveiled plans to turn The Valley, current capacity 26,875, into a 40,000 – plus stadium in a staggered development. A new upper tier on the east stand would increase the capacity to just over 30,000. Redevelopment of the Jimmy Seed stand, including the south-east and south-west corners, would raise it to more than 37,000. A third tier on the south stand would complete the transformation.

Premiership newcomers Norwich City, who unveiled a new 8,000 seater south stand last season, are to further boost the capacity of Carrow Road to 26,000 because of the demand for tickets. A full corner in-fill will be built between the new stand and the Norwich and Peterborough stand.

John Sillett, manager of the 1987 F.A. Cup-winning team, drove in the first stake at what will be the centre point of the pitch as work finally began on a new 32,000-seater stadium for Coventry City. The Arena project, which has been plagued with problems, is on the site of a former gasworks near the M6 and includes hotel, conference and music venue facilities. It was saved when Coventry City Council put in £21m. Scheduled opening date is August 2005.

Liberal Democrats, biggest party on the local council, have assured Cardiff City that plans for a new £100m. stadium opposite Ninian Park will receive their backing. There were concerns that if Labour lost control in the June elections, it could be shelved.

Wimbledon, now known as Milton Keynes Dons, moved to the National Hockey Stadium early last season after 12 years of sharing Selhurst Park with Crystal Palace. Their first game at the new venue was a 2-2 draw against Burnley on September 27, watched by a crowd of 5,639. The club, now out of administration, hope eventually to build a permanent new home on the outskirts of Milton Keynes with a capacity of up to 30,000.

Swindon Town announced plans to move from the County Ground into an out-of-town, 22,000-seater stadium, incorporating a sports village and costing upwards of £20m.

Shrewsbury Town, back in the Football League after winning the Conference Play-off Final, plan a new 10,000 capacity ground on the outskirts of the town for the 2005-06 season, with Gay Meadow being sold for luxury housing overlooking the river.

Cambridge United have received planning permission, subject to some conditions, to redevelop their Abbey Stadium, including a new all-seater stand to replace the Newmarket Road end terrace, together with hotel and commercial facilities.

The west stand and north terrace at Brisbane Road were demolished during the close season as Leyton Orient moved towards a modern, 10,500 capacity ground incorporating residential development.

In Scotland, Inverness Caledonian Thistle will play their Premier League home matches 100 miles away at Aberdeen’s Pittodrie ground because they do not have enough seating. The Division One champions were initially refused permission by the SPL to move up, but a second ballot of clubs gave approval.

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