Manchester United fans in favour of leaving Old Trafford / Photo: Darren Staples - AFP
Manchester United fans in favour of leaving Old Trafford
A majority of Manchester United fans favour building a new stadium rather than re-developing Old Trafford, according to a survey released on Tuesday.
Of 50,000 United season ticket holders, club members and executive club members polled, 52% said they preferred the idea of a new facility, while 31% supported the re-development of one of the most recognisable stadiums in world football. Another 17% were undecided.
United's cross-city neighbours Manchester City left their Maine Road stadium in 2003 to move into the new City of Manchester Stadium, but Premier League rivals Liverpool have re-developed their Anfield home.
United released artist's images in September of a potential Old Trafford regeneration project and have indicated that a new stadium could be part of a multi-billion-pound re-development project.
The club's owners are considering options in conjunction with the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force, which includes former United defender Gary Neville and World Athletics president Sebastian Coe among its members.
The Daily Telegraph has reported that a final decision on which option to choose is likely to be taken in the first half of 2025.
The Task Force is understood to have focused its discussions on building a new 100,000-capacity stadium rather than redeveloping Old Trafford.
Rick McGagh, United's director of fan engagement, said: "We know how important our home is to fans and we need to listen to them and gain all their views and insights in order to develop the world-class stadium they deserve.
"We are able to view the results through different lenses to understand if our season ticket holders feel differently about anything than say our official members. And if younger fans have different views to older fans."
Ch.Anderson--EWJ
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