Topic: Another excellent article by McNulty

[laddo]

By Phil McNulty
BBC Sport Online chief football writer  


Liverpool's willingness to ignore the romantic option of renovating Anfield in favour of the reality of a new ground is based on hard economics.

No business - whether it is football or any other industry - can afford to turn away 20,000 committed and willing customers on a fortnightly basis forever.

And while the sentimentalists will mourn the moving of the Kop, the loss of The Paisley and Shankly Gates, and the statue of the great Scot, Liverpool have no option.

Liverpool still have some hard talking ahead, and much persuasion of locals, but it is clear their preference is now to leave Anfield behind.

It will break the heart of chairman and former Kopite David Moores to leave his beloved Anfield, but time and tide wait for no moderninsing football club.

And Liverpool simply cannot sustain the economic disadvantages in ignoring the commonly held view within the club that they could attract 55,000 fans regularly.

Liverpool's former chief executive vice-chairman Peter Robinson was a long-time advocate for ground-sharing with neighbours Everton, but this eminently sensible idea never got off the ground.

The ideal scenario for Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry and his board would be to stay at historic Anfield and build on its rich traditions by increasing its 44,000-plus capacity up towards the 55,000 mark.

But Anfield has been renovated on three sides in recent times and it is difficult to see where Liverpool can go within the confines of the old stadium without undertaking a total rebuilding programme.

Liverpool, like Double winners Arsenal, must move to cash in on the revenues they are currently unable to bank.

Manchester United's ability to build a 67,000-seat Old Trafford - and possibly increase the capacity further - has only brought the dilemma facing Liverpool and Arsenal into sharper focus.

And so it is that Arsenal are leaving behind the cripplingly low capacity of 38,000 Highbury, and Liverpool look ready to leave their spiritual home and move the few hundred yards to Stanley Park.

Stanley Park is the picturesque area of parkland that has provided a natural barrier between Everton and Liverpool.

But Everton themselves are also planning to quit Goodison Park and move to a new 55,000-seater stadium on the banks of the River Mersey at King's Dock.

Liverpool have believed for years that, certainly for weekend matches at Anfield, they could attract well in excess of 60,000.

They will be well aware of the revenue they have been rejecting at a club with a renewed worldwide profile, thanks to the success of Gerard Houllier's rebuilding programme and the winning of silverware at home and abroad.

The romantics will understandably leave Anfield with reluctance, but the realists will embrace the need to move Liverpool on the next level and put themselves even closer to the commercial successes of Manchester United.

Arsenal recognised the problem swiftly - Liverpool are right to follow suit.

[Steve C]

BUT WHY JUST 55000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[laddo]

i think that is what everyone is thinking steve

the original plans were much better - 70k and seats all the way round - 55k and 'open' corners is a lot worse and seemingly pretty pointless.

[Paul]

This 55,000 debate is gonna go on for a long time I feel.

The only people who can really judge the demand for tickets is the club. I can only assume they are going to change the % of ST to game-by-game tickets within the new stadium to get the ST waiting list down as much as possible.

Does anyone actually know how long the ST list is (in years and in 1000's)? I know we are supposed to have around 27,000 ST holders in the current ground (correct me if im wrong) and if they keep the ST to game-by-game % the same that will increase to 33,000 in the new stadium - not enough increase to clear the waiting list completley.

[Steve C]

With 55 thou there wont be anymore ticks on general sale.

THIS MEANS NO PAY ON THE GATE/AREA FOR LOCAL KIDS etc...which was part of the original reason for moving.

Looks like the fucking Reebok Stadium. Fuck off.

Modern football is souless and lacks tradition. This is another nail in the coffin.  

[ttnbd]

I reckon we should organise a RAWK trip around Anfield to do door to door to persuade the the residents to oppose the plans    

[Paul]

With 55 thou there wont be anymore ticks on general sale.

THIS MEANS NO PAY ON THE GATE/AREA FOR LOCAL KIDS etc...which was part of the original reason for moving.

But will the club change its current policy of having a certain % of tickets for general sale? IF they keep the ratio the way it is this will mean more tickets on general sale surley?

I could never see them introducing an area for local kids im afraid. They clearly dont like the idea of letting seats go for half price, otherwise we would have seen special offers at games like Fullham, Blackburn this season to get the stadium filled up.

Looks like the fucking Reebok Stadium. Fuck off.

I agree. The more I see it the more I dont like it. I sincerley hope this is NOT what we would be moving into.

[Steve C]

Right...

STs will be increased to say 34000.

Away fans say 3000 (odd) still.

PTS = 5000, can see them increasing that to 7000.

Leaves 11000 for general sale, so only a small increase really. In CL will be 9000 or so for general sale IF all STs took their seats.

So a slight increase. But not what Rick Parry promised...70 thou was wanted for flexibility over gate prices, kids areas etc.

This may all be shite. Excuse me, im finding it hard to think really.

[Paul]

It may all be shite Steve -  but we have waited so long for a decision on this it would have been nice to get some questions answered by the statement rather than just saying we're moving.

Was there a press conference (or will there be)? Sky Sports News have done a short piece with pics of inside the current stadium and what seems to be an old interview with Rick Parry. If it was their darling child club from down the lancs saying they were moving it would be an hour long repeating report on the bloody channel  

I would like to see the official site do a Q&A service so we can find out what to expect. Is that too much to ask? All this speculation about things like this is starting to hurt my head  

[treble2001]

I hate the new design, I think it's crap.  When I think about a 70 tho (If we were to get 70, or even 65) stadia I think of the possibilities.

-No more 'There's no tickets' shite you get off some people (For games like Boavista etc.)

-Experiment with 'singing areas' and people buying rows, instead of groups being split up.

-Maybe a 19 and under section, a bit like The Boys Pen.  When me dad, uncle grandad and people on here talk about it, it sounds good...bloody dangerous, with no-seating but educating.

-Maybe we could fuck McNasty's off at Anfield (Though I doubt it).

-Maybe now we could (finally) get a statue for Billy Liddell, and more past/present players.  

-With more tickets, maybe cheaper tickets

Rick Parry has said that this is only a starting design, and he will ask the fans for their ideas.  We have the 'power' to make "Anfield" better than the Anfield (Anfield Rd).