Subscribe
Follow Us
After more than 100 years, Manchester United are leaving the iconic Old Trafford.
The club announced Tuesday they will be moving to a brand new stadium on the same site as the Theater of Dreams, per ESPN. It will seat a whopping 100,000 people, becoming the biggest footballing venue in the UK once completed, surpassing Wembley Stadium in London.
This new project is backed by the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, the most iconic manager in club history.
“Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world's greatest football stadium, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford,” co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said on Tuesday, via ESPN.
“Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport.
“By building next to the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly state-of-the-art stadium that transforms the fan experience only footsteps from our historic home.”
Old Trafford first opened its doors in 1910. It won't close either but nor the women's or youth teams will play at the stadium once the new venue is completed.
Ferguson believes this fresh start is necessary for Manchester United:
“Manchester United should always strive for the best in everything it does, on and off the pitch, and that includes the stadium we play in,” Ferguson said.
“Old Trafford holds so many special memories for me personally, but we must be brave and seize this opportunity to build a new home, fit for the future, where new history can be made.”
It's been a horrid campaign for the Red Devils, who are in 14th place in the Premier League table. This is certainly not the dominant club they once were under Ferguson, but constructing a new stadium is exciting for club supporters. Speaking of fans, they recently protested the ownership due to expensive ticket prices and the lack of results on the pitch. The Glazer Family are the priority owners.
Ratcliffe promised to get United back to superiority both in Europe and in England, but his first year as co-owner hasn't gone to plan. On a more positive note, Ruben Amorim's men beat Tottenham over the weekend and remain in the Europa League knockout stages as well.
