Everton fans must ‘face the facts’ after new stadium blow – Keith Wyness
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has claimed the club’s new stadium will stand at a capacity of around 53,000 for a “long time”.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – insisted fans must “face the facts” about the constraints at Bramley-Moore Dock.
In an interview with the Everton Fan Advisory Board last month (23 October), the stadium’s architect Dan Meis revealed there wasn’t space to build a bigger facility and it would be “challenging” to expand the capacity.
That is despite The Athletic reporting on 25 October there have been “whispers” The Friedkin Group, which has agreed a takeover deal with owner Farhad Moshiri, might want to increase the size of the state-of-the-art ground.
They claimed there is scope to expand the east side of the £750million, 52,888-seater stadium if there is “genuine demand” for it.
Everton fans must ‘face the facts’ – stadium won’t be expanded for ‘a long time’
Wyness insisted Everton and the fans “have to get on with it” despite the blow.
He told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “This is a story that is getting way ahead of itself.
“We always knew the site was going to be constrained, there was always going to be an issue.
“The fans did want to get towards 60,000 in capacity if possible.
“I know the talks have been going on this week have been about things that may happen in the future, and it will be a very expensive upgrade if that were to happen.
“We’ve got to face the facts that we’ll have 53,000 in capacity for a long time.
“There may be a small amount of seats we’re able to add, but we’re going to have to get on with it.
“We’ve got a beautiful new stadium, so let’s make the best of the new ground as it is and enjoy the big new revenues it will bring.”
In other news, Everton fans are fuming after Sky journalist’s Dele Alli update.
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