Nottingham Forest could now scrap stadium plan – Keith Wyness
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has claimed Nottingham Forest could shelve their stadium expansion plans if the 2024-25 campaign does not go well.
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 – suggested Evangelos Marinakis will “push the button” if his side comfortably avoid a relegation battle.
The BBC reported last month (8 July) that Nottingham City Council has agreed in principle to sell the land around the City Ground to Nottingham Forest after a rent dispute earlier this year.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis had threatened to move the club out of the city to a new 50,000-seater stadium but will reportedly now elect to expand the existing ground to 40,000.
The Midlands club plan to rebuild the Peter Taylor Stand and extend the Bridgford Stand to facilitate the increase.
Forest, led by manager Nuno Espirito Santo, will start their third season back in the Premier League with a home clash against Bournemouth on Saturday (17 August).
‘Terrible’ season could see Nottingham Forest scrap stadium plans, says Wyness
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “I think they’re going to press the button when they see how the season’s going.
“They’ll wait until Christmas, but if they’re sat at the bottom of the table with six points, it’s going to be hard to find the finances and belief to go ahead.
“I don’t think Forest will find themselves in a relegation battle this season.
“That’s why I think it’s important that Marinakis starts to push those buttons if they stay up.
“They’ve had quite a few battles with points deductions, they’ve shown the resilience in adversity – so I hope they can do it.
“But if you’re having a terrible season, with terrible injuries or something else, it’ll be hard to push the buttons.
“They’ve got to have a long-term belief that they will get there.”
In other news, Forest fans rage at “corrupt” Premier League after confirmed news.
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