I’m i no way an expert on stadium designs but if the issue around not being able to increase the SKD and Kop stands because of roads and housing behind them,wouldn’t it make sense to dig down within the exsisting footprint and go below ground level like say the Nou Camp?
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ARE will remain open during the building works, I’m guessing the only times it’s not is off-season (the report states 2 summers needed to complete) hence 2023 target date.
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That is incredible isn’t it
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Problem with that is that the MS and the Annie Road will be at ground level and the SKD and the Kop would be below ground level… not sure if that would work but might be wrong
Wonky Stadium
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I have read that only a small portion of the stand will be blocked/unusable during the construction period.
I supose they could add an extra few rows of seating to the fronts of the MS and ARE to even it out and increase the capacity a little more. I know it would be a massive pain in the arse and not being able to carry on as normal,like now where they build behind the exsiting stands and keep the ground open but surely it has to be an option other than to have to re-route roads and buy up house’s,which would probably cost more in time and money.
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The consequence of adding seats in front of the existing stands would mean that the pitch gets smaller, in fact so small that you can’t play football on it anymore… 
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True i supose,i did think of that but there always seems to be some amazing ways of building things or working around an iusse like that,that i’m not aware of atm,like maybe changing the angles of all 4 front tiers of each stand,like i said,i’m no expert just thinking out loud.
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Are the light red lines the outlines of present stand?
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The Hospitality Suites don’t have any viewing access?
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Maybe the first 2 rows in front of the hospitality lounge will have padded seats or something
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Good to see the size difference though. Looks as if the first 4-5 rows of the new upper tier will be at the current level of the last row of the present upper tier
If I’ve understood your suggestion correctly, I think that the distance, from the edge of playing area to the first row of seats around the ground, is insufficient to create enough additional capacity to make it economically viable.
And, if subsoil conditions are anything like those of the adjacent Stanley Park, you only need to go down a few feet before you hit bedrock!
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- Yes thats the existing ARE
- They are pre-game and for half time where you can eat/have a drink. They usually either link to boxes along that row or premium seats at that level.
See this link
from above.
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It’s already not big enough to host a European Final game.
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The link isn’t opening, no biggie 
I would say the Kop with it’s road behind it and the more space cleared over the road does lend itself to potential expansion than say the KD stand, you could potentially route the road under the stand but yeah cost would have to be worth it.
To be honest the season the main stand opened you could get tickets on the resales almost all the time, got Derby tickets as well as City that year and could have had Spurs but couldn’t go and resold that after buying it.
Was almost impossible in our title season but we will have seasons like that. Success of the club effectively at the end of the day dictates whether you can get tickets.
I may try next season but I expect resells to be short supply due to the last few years. Maybe international travel restrictions may somewhat help.
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Once the ARE is done I think that will be it. When FSG bought the club one of the conditions was that they would build a 60K stadium so they will have fulfilled their end of the bargain at that point, albeit 12 years later. There are too many difficulties associated with expanding the SKD or Kop and the economic case probably won’t stack up. Maybe we might see the return of safe standing in the Kop at some point.
60K is about right anyway. As @Mattyhurst says when the Main Stand first opened it was relatively easy to get tickets provided you didn’t mind where you sat. Became increasingly more difficult from 18/19 onwards. Immediately pre-lockdown other than pure chance the only way you could pick up seats was to devote hours and hours to refreshing the ticket site, pay through the nose on ticket resale sites or go corporate. Hard to assess exactly what the real demand is because there is so much season ticket and membership card abuse going on. To be fair, the club have belatedly attempted to do something about it. Any further expansion of the ground has to go hand in hand with reform of the ticketing system otherwise you’re just creating more opportunities for the touts rather than the genuine fan.
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Isn’t the only purchase needed to get the land behind the Kop the church and a pub? You demolish those and you have the room to re-route the A road.
As Matty says half of the land behind the Kop is currently derelict.
Only? Two of the most sacrosanct places to many in any community.
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I’d hope like they did with the albert and relocate it within the foot print.
I don’t believe in religion so couldn’t comment on the church, but surely if there is a devine they wouldn’t mind if moved… Considering Fowler is God I think he’d approve.
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