Manchester United fans have voted to build a new ground instead of redeveloping Old Trafford, a club survey has revealed.
United decided to put the fate of their home venue in the hands of their supporters as the club weighs up whether to redevelop Old Trafford or build an entirely new stadium.
The results of that survey were revealed on Tuesday, with 52% of voters favouring a new stadium – compared to 31% for redevelopment and 17% were ‘undecided’ (strange that you’d include an option to sit on the fence, isn’t it?).
It seems as though Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS had already decided that a new stadium was to be built and simply wanted a rubber stamp on the project, which is backed by former player and property developer Gary Neville – who sees a golden opportunity to line his pockets.
The project, which could end up costing over £2 billion, is aimed at building the ‘Wembley of the north,’ where the stadium could host a Champions League Final, concerts or boxing events.
Manchester United Old Trafford Survey Result
Results from official #mufc fan consultation on the future of Old Trafford:
New stadium – 52%
Redevelopment of current stadium – 31%
Unsure – 17%Data shows the strongest support for a new-build stadium to be among current season ticket holders, with the desire for a new…
— utdreport (@utdreport) November 5, 2024
Rick McGagh, Director of Fan Engagement at the club, 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.
“This insight is incredibly helpful and allows the project team to understand the differences as well as the commonality in our fanbase.”
The current Old Trafford site is one Manchester United fans have called home since 1910 and it’s easy to understand supporters’ frustrations who would prefer to honour the legacy and tradition of the club by redeveloping.
