A visual idea of a redeveloped Anfield

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More Stories Anfield John W Henry

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  1. Okay, before you bring out the artillery, I ‘borrowed’ these pictures posted in and around June 2008 in another blog. The scope is the give an idea….no more, no less. Let’s say, to try and create a visual of what things could be like.

  2. Could we still play at Anfield while all this work was going on? Or would they be able to get it all finished in-between seasons? Anyone know? YNWA!

  3. Interesting but surely any redevelopment would have to include the main stand given it’s age and (lack of) facilities, for redevelopment to be viable the plans will need to include greater capacity but also improved/increased corporate facilities.

  4. cannot understand why we aren’t moving to Stanley Park. Even groundsharing with Everton are a better idea..

  5. the Main Stand is in urgent need of redevelopment
    I heard an archetect on Merseyside Radio a few months ago saying that we could increase capacity to 60,000 whilst still using the ground.

  6. This is promising and is 3 years old! The way the houses
    have disappeared around Anfield in the last couple of years makes this even more feasible. We could still play there whilst it’s being done, remember when Arsenal they had that Mural of painted fans at The Clock End! Probably would create more atmosphere than The Anny Roaders anyway (Tongue in cheek that!) Anyway I reckon doing that we could still bring the Main Stand into the 20th century, and increase capacity. They would factor lost gate receipts for each stand into the final build cost and see if it is worth it! Cannot even with basic maths be more expensive than a complete rebuild as we would still have to knock the current stadium down anyway. I am genuinely happy to wait a few more months for the decison to be made as I totally trust FSG to get it right like everything else they have so far!

  7. Moving to Stanley Park would facilitate so many things. Stadium capacity will be increased to 60000 and further 10000 whereas the additional 10000 cannot be added to Anfield Road. The new stadium will contain modern structures compared to the existing one. Construction work can be done in parallel with an ongoing season whereas we should be looking to another temporary venue to host our home games. N the KOP is a group of persons, its not something in the stadium, its the fans that create the atmosphere not the stadium. Well about the memories thats the only reason for staying behind at Anfield. But economically speaking this will be not b a great idea. Lets start our new era with a brand new statium.. Think about it guys. Just dont think emotionally..

  8. The main stand needs redevelopment urgently. Full stop. Away with all restricted views as well.Developing 3/4 of the ground and not the main stand does just not make sense at all.It is a 19th century relic.

  9. The main stand defo has to be sorted out, maybe we can put an upper-tier on it?. The Anfield Road end can easily be expanded by diverting the road, these options are all known to FSG. It will not cost too much money at all…..

  10. Varun has some good points BUT it is hard not to be emotionally
    detached when you have been supporting this ground for forty years,i happen to believe in the spiritual link from the beginning of the stadium to the present day,former supporters ashes spread on the KOP end goal,and when you`ve grown up there its hard to let go. YNWA

  11. anfield could easilly be extended on two sides, why demolish when you can extend at a fraction of the cost. we would then need to divert anfield road to be able to extend on three sides (no big deal as i believe we own the land it would move to) certaily worth considering. a place at the top of the seson ticket list will be fee enough for my services mr henry.
    if you wanted to extend your house you would’nt demolish it would you !

  12. God only knows how they will do it, its going to be just as expensive refurbishing the old stadium than making a new one. With the current financial climate i see this being a long lasting project which will take around 5-6 years. I personally wan a new stadium but whatever’s best for the club and its longterm future is the best for us all……YNWA

  13. there is a lot more room than your photo shows, the row of houses on the kremlyn road side are empty and owned by the club, the car park main stand side is much bigger than appears, i believe. my previous suggestions would not be cost prohibitive, it’s all perfectly possible. just spread it over three seasons.

  14. It all seems good in principle, but the only way I can see it happening is in stages. If work is done on one stand at a time with work starting over the summer months then there will only be reduced capacity for a small part of the regular season. This in effect will take 3-4 years to complete and still we probably would not have to corporate facilities of other teams, and they make huge amounts from hiring out their facilities. A new stadium is the best thing for the club to move forwards with anfield redeveloped and kept as a museum and memorial

  15. A couple of flaws:

    1) The Kop cannot be extended due to the main road that runs behind it and the church that is on the opposite side of the road to the Kop.

    2) The remaining properties that you show at the back on the Anfield Road stand are club owned in preparation for the building of a stadium on Stanley Park. The only problem that could be envised with extending the Anfield Road End is the redirection of the road. As it’s not a main road it’s possible it could be closed off and pedestrianised or diverted through Stanley Park. With the Anfield Road End, I’d plump for a new stand the size of the Kop, 12.5k, plus an upper stand of approx 6000, depending how much it would cover the lower stand. The current upper stand is tiny but still holds more than 2,600.

    3) The Main Stand is very outdated. Redeveloped in the 1960’s, it looks & feels its age. The houses at the back of the directors car park are currently owned by the club therefore, providing the club offers alternative housing, as they did when the Centenary Stand was completed in the 1990’s, there won’t be any issues in emptying the houses.

    4) The Centenary Stand is at maximum size already so I won’t recommend it being extended. Anyone whose sat at the back of this stand would agree. You don’t want to be sat further back or any higher as you are so far away from the pitch, and further removed from the atmosphere.

    So in all, the best way of redeveloping Anfield would be:

    1) Redevelop Anfield Road End as per my suggestion above increasing the capacity from 9500 to 16000 to 18000.

    2) Redevelop the Main Stand & Padock area. If a lower stand was built replicating the whole Centenary Stand, almost 12000, then add a short level upper tier approx 20 to 25 rows, this would add around 6000 seats in this area. This would put the new Main Stand area capacity to approx 18000.

    Just these two improvements would cost a lot less than 400m for a new stadium but, more importantly, it would push the capacity of my beloved Anfield above the magical 60000 mark:

    Kop: 12429
    Centenary Stand: 11762
    Anfield Road: circa 18000
    Main Stand: circa 18000

    Would like to hear any other opinions on this. Thank you to Tonio for writing the article.

    Cheers

    Scousesamurai

  16. regarding building on stanley park. there is a lot more involved, for instance there is no way we can build it while any threat of a law suit is in place. the reason being, hicks and gillett base their rediculous and huge claim on the fact that a stadium would be built and sponsored and of course the extra income. remodernising anfield would undermine their silly claims an of couse the land was bought with planning permission before they took over.

  17. I like it. I like it a lot. I do not want Anfield to be knocked down at all, even if Liverpool move out to a new stadium, so this is great.

  18. NESV rebuilt fenway park……which, like Anfield is a cathedral of sport. They did an amazing job with it too.

    They will do the same with Anfield……keep the integrity of such an important place while modernizing it and moving it into this century.

    Fenway park holds significantly less people that 95 percent of stadiums in Major League Baseball, yet the Red Sox revenue is 2nd or 3rd in the sport.

    These people are not stupid, yet successful business people, and they are successful sports people as well. a dangerous combination….only time will tell.

  19. Did not HICKS and GILLETT say something about going underground – to create space – if nothing eise this comment will raise a few eyebrows

  20. “Main Stand will remain as it is”

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

    Of all the stands, that is THE one that HAS to be rebuilt.

  21. Unfortunately people are so attached to Anfield(and i understand why) their judgement will be very clouded.The only way to have a stadium fit for today is to start from stratch and it will be fit for purpose.Otherwise it will be a hotch-pot of old outdated stands and facilites patched together which wont really work.Sentimentality has been a curse at the club for the last 2 decades.time to let go and start looking forward instead of back all the time.Lets just move and take the spirit of Anfield with us

  22. if the new anfield rd end were moved back a few yards and the road re routed, then it would leave room for a huge new stand plus a small exdended area on either side, as for not being able to go back further, if we went back ten extra rows we would still be a great deal nearer than many big grounds around the world. people would take up these seats no problem, there are a dozen or more inovative things we could do, i say again who decreed we must demolish and build and not part demolish and extend ? it is the end result of more seats that matters as for the look, cosmetic symmetry is less costly than rebuilding and can look just as good.

  23. my last word on this subject, a little imagination is needed. existing stands (side), take off the roofs extend behind, refurbish and rebuild all of the interior and amienities, rebuild anfield road stand after diverting the road, re roof the whole ground and you have all boxes ticked for half the cost of a new ground, do it over 3 seasons. 35 years on the building says it can be done no problem.

  24. @Matt. Just in case (probably) you missed my comment before the others came flooding in, I did say i borrowed the pictures from a 2008 blogger. As you said the Mainstand is probably the worst off, so this also means that with this concept, plus the rebuild of the mainstand Anfield could well become a 70,000 capacity venue.

  25. Let’s get one thing straight, NESV did NOT rebuild Fenway. All they did was clean it. The capacity is still under 40,000, smallest in all of baseball, the seats all face straight ahead so you have to crane your neck to see home plate, and the seats were designed for the average size of people in 1912. So if you’re tall, you’re f’d. As sad as it is to say, a new stadium is probably the best financial decision.

  26. Not going to work. Main Stand if retained needs a fortune spent on it – the columns are straight out of the 19th century.

    Got to knock it down and start again OR move to the park

  27. The seat pitch at Anfield is to small. Compare Blackburns seating pitch with Anfield and you will see what I mean.
    People have got taller and fatter since the original Main Stand was built years and years ago, yet it appears that all the seats in Anfield use the same seat pitch.
    Its no use modernising Anfield without increasing the seat pitch. By all means, look at modernising Anfield, but this must include giving fans more space to watch the game and that willinevitably hit the capacity.

  28. Rather fanciful. FSG commissioned a high profile ‘Built Asset Company’ to submit designs for a rebuilt Anfield. They came up with 10 options, neither visually attractive and seriously increasing the ‘corporate’ side. The largest capacity comes in at just over 60,00 with one option actually decreasing capacity to 43,000. There is the possibility of a 4 tier stand in one consideration with one idea having poor sight lines for some ‘General Admission customers’. Season tickets will take an immediate 8% hike.
    Beware, a bigger Anfield won’t necessarily be better!

  29. @Dennis. Clearly the only thing in common here is preserving the legacy. There is NO DOUBT in anyone’s mind that a redevelopment of Anfield would not bring a substantial increase in capacity with it. As many have commented, this is football on a worldwide image scale, Boston Red Sox have a fan base that is only a fraction of what Liverpool have and will have.
    I do think that at times we are not seeing this the right way.

  30. Apoligies here…i meant to say ‘a redevelopment of Anfield WOULD bring a substantial increase in capacity with it’.

  31. I’d love them to redevelop Anfield but this isn’t simply a question of adding a few more seats. To really compete we need to maximise matchday revenues and this mean multiple rows of corporate boxes and a myriad retail/food/drink outlets offering services 12:00 ’til 12:00. The Emirites has set the standard here and it far outstrips The Theatre of Cheats for matchday revenue. This is the future and if can be achieved within Anfield, I’m all in favour. Otherwise, if there are too many compromises, let’s start afresh, do it properly and we’ll take the atmosphere with us.

  32. could we just knock the main stand and anny road down and build the centeenary right the way round with exec boxes all the way round – anyone know what sort of capacity that would make????

  33. didnt know so many liverpool fans could run there team better than woy hodgson now they think there structural engineers and architects ,u all make me laugh its only a game involving a ball get a life

  34. This maybe stating the obvious but there are four sides to a pitch which means it could be developed over four stages over seasons whilst playing at the ground. Each stage could be built to a standout design culminating in a exceptional and internationally recognised structure that would be the envy of people the world over, similar to both cathedrals and the Three Graces. Open your minds to what Liverpool stands for and the historical achievements that have led the world.

  35. @jay..it’s not just a game involving a ball. I believe it was the great Shanks who said, and i quote, “Some people think football is a matter of life and death. … I assure you, it’s much more serious than that.”

  36. After reading all comments below lol, my view is we want to keep the kop at anfield…but the KOP are the people not the STANDS!
    I say to J Henry
    Knock the whole stadium down…Instead of renovating! Unless you renovate everything..Stands, lounges, Ex boxes, etc still cost u roughly the same so might as well knock it all down build up again!
    Then let the cash roll in… And how much will the club be worth then!!!

  37. @jay. If that is the case mate then you should not have been visiting the website and leaving a useless smartass comment like you and Tom the Red did.
    Either say something that makes sense or drown yourself in your boredom!

  38. Hi not bad but develop all round Anfield including main stand go up a level if necessary we need to be looking at a minimum of 70.000 capacity as utd already have 76,000 and i heard they could still do this whilst the reds were playing there still by doing strategic stands and areas one by one so it was feasible to do the other option is if we rebuild do it like they do in the states with the builders giving a 99 year lease back option thereby evading the massive debt a new stadium would create thats worth a look at too and our owners should no plenty about that sort of proposal too I’m surprised it hasn’t been mentioned before obviously it would need a load of suits to get together and nut out a good return for all ?

  39. We need the new stadium that cost £50m to design. We’ll give it plenty of atmosphere.

    If FSG have the long-term ambition, the money, and the will to invest they’ll need to start soon.

    A bit worrying that CP didn’t think they had a stadium in them as it was supposed to be key to Broughton’s finding the right buyer. They’ve bought our club off RBS but haven’t invested any money in it yet. All the right noises so far, though, so fingers crossed.

    Thommo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2Zm2EU3XZs (fwd to 1:16)

    New stadium design: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyC3AgYXOFI&feature=related

    “The Emirates is an ugly generic looking concrete bowl. If Liverpool actually ever build this thing, it will piss on every other stadium in the Premiership. It’s an incredible design.”

    Mr Henry. SHOW ME THE MONEY

  40. Do not want to move to a brand new ground that is souless….

    Its re generate anfield and re build the ground and add to what we have, its all their just needs better capacity!!!!

    Groundshare, er no thanks, thats a joke idea, what next everton playing in one of our kits??? stupid idea, just stupid, and mr Hnery wasnt that keen either.

    The new ground, needs to help them area of anfield and close to it, rebuild and add positivity to the area and make more of what is there, a few nice bars and places to eat, etc etc… 60,000 – 65,000 wuld do the trick,

    stay at our home- ANFIELD,,,,,

  41. My heart says redevelop Anfield, but my head says build a new stadium. There are so many problems with redevelopment. The Main stand is incredibly outdated and the Anfield road end is too small. There’s only so much they can do, both in terms of capacity and 21st century facilities on the limited footprint of the current Anfield site.

    As several people have said, I have concerns about FSG’s ‘redevelopment’ of Fenway Park. I realise the similarities we share, both teams have historic grounds and loyal fans, however effectively the only one way they have substantially increased revenue without drastically changing capacity is to squeeze more money out of the Red Sox supporters who go to each home game. I realise they fully intend to add another 10 or 15,000 seats to Anfield but the Fenway Park model of redevelopment remains a real worry.

    I love Anfield and cant wait to see the plans they come up with but at the same time wonder how much if the anti New Anfield feeling is because it is so closely linked to those clowns Hicks and Gillett and the relatively dark period in our history that they represent? Would people feel better if we took a Fernando T*rres sized hit on the architects fees and started again? The plans, especially the more expensive ‘MK 1 design’ look phenomenal. But somehow to me, they feel tainted- could we cope knowing that while we sat in the new Kop, a smug Tom Hicks was sat with his scale models and giant artists impressions watching his vision come to life.

    Whatever happens- we need to get a move on before we slip further behind our rivals. The new owners have passed the first test, by investing the T*rres money in the team- the next test looks to be a considerably bigger and more significant one.

  42. why not say about 100,000 seated stadium like of barcelona homeground. just 6-80000, I think it is like manu or arsenal not our present liverpool, which has the highest number of worldwide tv supporters. Just want to see 100,000 fans in stadium when broadcasting

  43. I agree with expanding it more than this. Or at least, expanding it in such a way that further expansion can be done. There is no point expanding to a smaller size than Old Trafford. Any high-up/far back seats can be sold at a cheaper rate, which will enable massive crowds and we’ll get the crowd advantage that Man Utd currently enjoy.

    I’m presuming this is cheaper than buying a new stadium, however, Liverpool will have reduced revenue during the period of building work. And with the financial fair play rules, this will reduce the player signing and salary budget for that period.

  44. To suggest leaving the Main stand in its present state is laughable and suggests you have never been near the Main stand and maybe even Anfied.

    The Main stand was built in 1972/73 and while the other three sides of the satuim have since been rebuilt, this area has remained the same. It is old, cold and the facilities are so outdated to non existent. and not up to the Standard required by Liverpool FC.

  45. @ Dunk! As far as I am aware the FIFA fair rules apply only for the purchasing of players and their salaries. Capital expenditure it not part of it.

  46. @Rusty! I did say that I found these pictures on the internet from a June 2008 blog. It was just to give an idea of that can happen and there is no doubt that the first area to need a change an increase capacity IS the main stand.

  47. If NESV is seriously considering expanding Anfield, then they should seriously consider expanding Anfield to accommodate at least 100,000 fans. It could be a staggered development plan. Build the main structure as depicted above. Then, progress with a 5 to 10 year plan to increase the capacity by 10,000 every year. YNWA.

  48. That is a massive car park you have built on stanley park! After the game will all those cars converge on to Anfield Road which will be awash of supporters?

    I could be wrong, but I think those houses behind the main stand are empty (well they look abandoned to me), they might even be owned by the club. If they are, I’m sure they could be demolished and the main stand extended backwards.

    The only problem I have with extending Anfield is the traffic situation. It’s bad enough now, when the full time whistle goes it’s a mad rush to get out first to avoid the masses of traffic that quickly builds up, god knows what it would be like if there was an extra 15,000 – 25,000 people leaving the stadium!

    It’s not just the stadium that has to be developed, the streets & surrounding roads need work to be able to cope with the extra people/traffic, which I think is impossible as it’s a residential area with very little room for redevelopment.

    Have you been to Anfield?

  49. I think you have this wrong. The main stand is the one that needs developing. it is the oldest of all the stands and badly needs upgrading. build a third tier over the top of the main stand with a cantalever design to held support the existing mainstand structure and remove the posts that provide an obstructive view

    there’s your 60000 stadium right away, and cheaper than your option

  50. I like the sound of keeping anfield and extending it. But as someone who is 6ft 5in. I am reduced to being able to fit in the Upper Centenary and Upper Annie Road. I cannot fit in the KOP nor have I ever been able to fit in the Main Stand. So a little bit more room for the taller than average would be a blessing. If they expand the kop more in an upwards directions that would produce a wall of sound which could be more itimidating to the opposition as well as letting me sit comfortably without having my knees in the back of someone head for 90 mins. YNWA!

  51. No offence, but this is the most stupid article, ever. you take a picture from Google Maps and using paint “extend” the stadium? The others have touched on the roads issue, but you’ve also the issue of preparing the ground, making sure it’s suitable for the new weights without reinforcing, the works trucks getting in and out, etc, etc.

    If it was as simple as you make out, they’d have done it long ago.

  52. To Steve C,

    I share your pain! I am 6’5″ too, and the seat spacing on the Kop is awful! I’m forever fidgeting trying to get comfortable as the seat in front digs into my knees, I always like to go on the Kop when possible despite the discomfort.

    My next game is Sparta Prague at home but sitting in the upper centenary, I’ve been on the lower centenary once before but not on the upper, so looking forward to that.

    The worst seat I ever had was about 8 years ago at home against Arsenal, I was sat at the very back of Anfield the Road end, when people infront stood up, I then had to but the lights were then in the way and I couldn’t see a bloody thing, never again!

  53. The houses behind the main stand are owned by the club. Many are derelict.
    You can see that in street view in Google Maps.
    The Annie road needs to be rebuilt too I would say. Take the top tier off and extend from there.
    It could be bigger than the kop.
    Maybe another tier on the Cent stand too.

    Anyone have the original plans for redevelopment that Parry and co didn’t support?
    There were drawings for a redeveloped ground if I remember correctly.

  54. @everyone who has commented!

    Steady on people, it’s not as if this is the proposal that is going to be submitted to planning imminently!

    give the guy a break, all he has done is try to visualise what it may look like!!

    no ones saying that it is the best proposal in the world!

  55. What do people think to this idea. If Anfield Rd could be diverted, or run under the stand, and remove the row of houses nearest to the ground on
    Skerries Rd and Lothair Rd, I can’t see why a 70,000 plus, redevelopment of Anfield could not be achieved.

    Rather than just sticking a bit onto this stand, and bit more here, why not follow a plan over 4 years to completely transform Anfield.

    Three different links to a four year plan.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/59539825@N06/5445550235/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/59539825@N06/5445550657/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/59539825@N06/5445551147/

  56. defenately the main stand has to be demolished make way for a 22,500 massive stand it should cost about 40 to 50 million then the anny road end add 8 to 10 thousand on that cost 25 to 30 million then its the turn off the centenary stand demolish the centenary stand build to the same design as the main stand ..the kop is a bit tricky thoug,.you,de have to build over the road and that means knocking down a few pubs and shops.tho kop would hold 18,000

  57. plan is ridiculous. you’ve just pasted extensions on each end. the centinary stand has been extended with a gap of about 5 metres for 30000 fans to walk through. its a death trap these plans. to get to the finished article you need to demolish much further back and get rid of more buildings.

    unsafe plans

  58. I wish to thank everyone that has commented on this discussion and those that voted the poll. As I said immediately, I found the pictures on the internet and these were meant to stimulate the discussion. This is neither my work or my idea.
    The plan was to raise a discussion and most of the comments were constructive, others were unfortuneately just criticism without substance or alternative.

  59. There’s a lot of work needed before FSG makes any decision. Whatever is decided should be done in conjunction with the Liverpool City Council, with the emphasis on improving the City of Liverpool more than the needs of the club. Things would go a lot easier taking that path. While Anfield has history and the affection of the supporters, the question remains whether expansion of the existing Anfield is possible with desirable results. The history will always be there, but increasing capacity by 30-40 thousand will make it a different place. FSG did well with Fenway Park, but capacity increased only 6,000 and Fenway is in use only 6-7 months a year providing a much larger window for construction. Anfield is in use 10 months a year which doesn’t give much time for major work. John Henry is sympathetic to keeping Anfield. However, he’s not an engineer or architect. FSG needs a professional evaluation of Anfield to determine what is feasible. Until that is done everything is speculative. Incidentally, one of the FSG partners, Larry Lucchino, President of the Red Sox has experience building and renovating stadiums. He was in charge of building ballparks in San Diego and Baltimore and improving Fenway in Boston.

  60. my ideas – anfield rd – add a few more rows onto lower tier up to same amount of rows in centenary lower,add onto upper anfield rd to also have same amount of rows as centenary upper
    centenary – keep how it is
    main stand – replicate centenary with 2 tiers lower and upper same amount of rows almost like twins
    kop – extend a little more

  61. The main stand is the first thing that needs developing, its crap… there’s restricted view and no leg room.

    Redevelopment is a good idea but not if your in charge of it!

  62. NIdge, it would be cheaper to build a new stadium from scratch than build your suggest redevelopment. Whatever is built transit and transportation will have to be addressed with any large new stadium or redevelopment…

  63. Wrong on a few accounts.
    Kop can’t be expanded without being rebuild and for just 3,000 extra seats, financially it would be (about £3.5m revenue) it would make no sense to do it, and most importantly of all, you seem to have destroyed The Albert!!!!

    The Centenary stand can’t be expanded because it will be too close to the houses behind it, you have to have a 45 degree angle from the lowest window to the sky.

    The Main stand can be expanded by about 6-8k by removing the houses down Lothair St as all but about 2 or 3 are empty and those people can freely be relocated to any of the redeveloped houses in the nearby area.

    You got Anny Rd right though, probably to about 15,000, fill in the corner between the Main/Anny rd stands and that’s about another 4k.
    Kop Stand: 12.6
    Centenary: 12.4
    Main Stand:18k
    Anny Rd: 15
    Anny/Main: 4k
    Approx 62k so anywhere between 60k-65k

    1. i think we should move to stanley docks and build a 75k seater just like bayerns for liverpool and everton to share coz the london and manchester clubs are gong to be well a head even if there was anougth room traffic and parking biulding on parks got to get away from resedental areas at least by the docks there is i railway line for a station bill shankley and peter robinson said we should of sheared years ago maybe we may of won a title in the last 20 years

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