So what are the Newcastle United owners going to do?
I am referring to the ongoing debate surrounding St James’ Park and a potential brand new stadium.
I was sparked off with this when reading an excellent contribution from Jamie Smith on The Mag on Friday, that article entitled ‘St James’ Park dilemma – The vision of the Newcastle United owners for the future?’
I agreed with a lot of what Jamie said, with regards to the difficulties of where a brand new much bigger stadium could be sited, if that was indeed going to prove to be the way the club went, rather than extending the current stadium.
However, I think the biggest misdirection from the Newcastle United owners, is when they claim that they are only now looking at feasibility studies on the possibilities of significantly expanding St James’ Park or what the alternatives could be, in terms of sites where they could potentially build a brand new stadium.
If you believe this from the Newcastle United owners, then you will quite literally, believe anything.
I believe with 100 per cent certainty, that before they even got the keys from Mike Ashley in October 2021, the Newcastle United owners will have made up a plan of exactly what they were going to do with the club, with St James’ Park key to that. The Reuben family have built massive wealth (the richest family in the UK) on the back of property development, major construction projects and so on. Newcastle Upon Tyne is a city where they have countless business interests going back many years and the north east as a whole.
So with all their expertise in construction and development of property / sites, their contacts, their local knowledge over many many years. You honestly believe that the Reubens agreed to become part owners of Newcastle United without first checking out absolutely everything they could do so in advance. With arguably at the very top of that list having been St James’ Park and what could and couldn’t be done with it. Then if developing St James’ Park was not feasible, the Reubens then of course at the same time identifying alternative sites for a brand new stadium.
So you are supposed to believe that the Newcastle United owners did nothing like the above when they were exploring the possibility of buying Newcastle United, then some four or five years later, for the first time more than a couple of years after getting control of NUFC, for the first time they do a feasibility study.
As for the Saudi Arabia PIF. Yes they might be investing absolute fortunes around the world and domestically in numerous projects, however, do you really think they don’t do their homework before committing to any deal?
Nobody doubts that they got involved for any other reason than for Newcastle United to become a major force in world football, on and off the pitch. A massive modern stadium is absolutely key to that.
The idea that they didn’t check out St James’ Park and the stadium implications before buying, is beyond ludicrous.
It would be the equivalent of say buying a house built in the 1800s and not bothering to get a survey done first.
As I said earlier, the Saudi Arabia PIF and the Reubens will have absolutely laid down a plan in advance of buying Newcastle United and they are now carrying out that plan, coming up to two and a half years now after taking control.
In his article, Jamie Smith mentioned the recent survey that the Newcastle United owners asked season ticket holders and members to fill in, supposedly so they could find out what Newcastle fans would like to happen with St James’ Park and a possible new stadium. I found it incredible when so many fans were saying how great it was that those in charge of the club are wanting us to tell them what we want to happen regarding a NUFC stadium.
What I saw and surely many others did too, was that this was so obviously the club wanting to know how much you would be prepared to pay for tickets in the future, how interested you are in hospitality level packages, how much you currently spend on a matchday in bars and restaurants etc in the city centre and so on.
I think absolutely beyond any doubt that the Newcastle United owners know exactly what they are going to do, which is of course a new stadium on a new site and they are gauging what kind of prices they can charge, what they should offer, how many seats in the new stadium it will be possible to sell as hospitality ones and so on.
As for where the new stadium will be and how it will be built, massive moves will have been going on in the background and plans in place of how they are going to do it.
The big thing that we as Newcastle United fans want to know, is when this will happen and where the new stadium is going to be.
The Newcastle United owners though, quite obviously not wanting to share that until some unknown time.
With their overall plan, I think we as fans are currently in the middle of a very much planned period of years of ‘operation ramp demand up to crazy levels’ when it comes to trying to get tickets for matches.
Simple demand and supply principles, get people to sky high desperation levels to get elusive tickets and only then announce the new stadium plan and if you want a season ticket, this is how much it will be when the new stadium is completed in three years time or whatever. Sign up here now and start paying if you want a season ticket, or miss out forever.
I honestly don’t think season ticket holders have the faintest idea how sh.. and depressing the membership thing is now.
My only benefit of being a member in this situation is that I absolutely understand how the majority of fans are feeling. As members outnumber ST holders at least three or four to one, possibly more. Never mind all those others who have neither season tickets or memberships but who would also go to games if they could get tickets.
The demand for tickets is crazy, even when we are mid-table.
I think it is twenty ballots so far for home matches and only three times have I been successful, only once in the last thirteen and none at all in ballots drawn in December 2023 onwards.
These 2024 ballots have included Luton, Bournemouth, Wolves, West Ham and now Everton on Tuesday night. Some of the least attractive matches and Newcastle not doing great on the pitch with injuries a massive problem, yet still no chance of a ticket.
Anybody who thinks we couldn’t fill an 80,000 new stadium, say at Castle Leazes, is deluded.
St James’ Park was full every week under Ashley in the Championship 2016/17 season! Just because Rafa signed a contract.
As I say, for sure the Newcastle United owners have already decided what they are doing and I absolutely think the council have been working with them in the background. Which don’t get me wrong, is all great, I just want Newcastle United to be a massive success on and off the pitch and have the platform to be successful for generations to come AND I want my kids, my grandchildren and so on, to be able to see it in the flesh. Nothing beats going to the matches and for future generations to have a decent chance of going to games, we need a massive new stadium.
I think that with the greater good and benefits a super duper new stadium would bring the city and region, will see any objectors overruled, whether it ends up building on Leazes Park and/or Castle Leazes.
As for the couple of hundred people that live around the Castle Leazes site, every single one of them bought their house, decided to live there, knowing St James’ Park was 400 yards down the road.
The freemen and council will be squared off with greater good and absolute fear of losing Newcastle United from the city centre and extra benefits given to the city and local people, including whatever use will be made of the current St James’ Park.
The plans are in place for the new massive stadium, it is just the Newcastle United owners aren’t quite ready to share them with us yet.
