Newcastle United deliver official St James' Park update - CEO admits it will be 'unpopular'
Newcastle United chief executive officer David Hopkinson has provided a frustrating update on the future of St James’ Park.
Newcastle United chief executive officer David Hopkinson admitted the club are ‘not ready’ to make a decision on the future of St James’ Park.
It comes over a year after Newcastle issued a statement claiming that a clear stadium update would be provided in ‘early 2025’. Now heading into early 2026, the club are no further forward with no decision imminent.
Following the 2021 takeover, Newcastle’s initial preference was to expand St James’ Park the club are now open to building a new stadium on a different site.
Over 28,000 people have signed a petition opposing the rumoured plans for building a new stadium on Leazes Park. The club’s ambition is for Newcastle’s new or upgraded stadium to hold from 60,000 to 70,000 spectators.
An exact number has not been specified amid a slow process. Newcastle have conducted a feasibility study and engaged with Newcastle City Council over the stadium plans.
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Lack of progress
Last November, Newcastle chief operating officer, Brad Miller, said: “We want to make sure it is a very robust process.
“So regardless of the outcome, I want to stand up in front of everybody throughout the process and say, ‘This is why it is a logical decision, with long-term competitiveness in mind.’
“Because as you have heard a lot, it is all about revenue and PSR. We have to work hard to make sure we give as much money as possible to Paul (Mitchell) and the football side in order to remain competitive on the field.
“In terms of next steps, we are coming towards the end of the next stage, the briefing stage. There are a lot of risks and opportunities at St James’.
“We have to take time to dig into those and make sure we’ve got the devil in the detail — in terms of the programme, how long it will take and what it will do for us in terms of revenue.”
But progress has been minimal, with the club’s new CEO providing a update of sorts that he recognised would be unpopular with supporters.
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David Hopkinson provides official St James’ Park update
Speaking at the We Are United supporter event at the St James’ STACK, Hopkinson claimed the club are ‘not ready’ to make a stadium decision.
When asked when a decision can be expected regarding the stadium, Hopkinson said: “I don’t know and we're not going to.
“I'm telling you clearly, to win the title consistently, to be at the top consistently, we've got to build revenues. That means we need world-class facilities where we can generate those revenues.
“St. James Park, where it is as it is today in December of 2025, is incredible. I think there's still big opportunities.
"Whether it's renovated, reimagined, a new stadium, we have not make that decision yet. We're working on it virtually every day.
“I don't know when that will be. It's not today and I don't think it's next week either. But it doesn't mean that we're not working on this furiously.
“But the complexity around finance, project planning, when assembly can do that. This is an unbelievably complex project. It's a project that will be the most ambitious this club has ever taken on.
“That work in order to be ultimately the success we need to be, right now that work needs to be below the water level. And things like announcing ‘this design’, we're not ready for that yet.
“To be ahead of ourselves in a formalisation plan is actually counterproductive to the ultimate realisation of the ambition. I don't think that's going to be a very popular answer. I'm aware of that.