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By LUKE POWER and CHRIS WHEELER Published: 20: 49 AEDT, 11 March 2025 | Updated: 21: 59 AEDT, 11 March 2025 10 View comments Re-live Mail Sport's live blog as Manchester United unveiled their plans for 'most iconic stadium in the world'. Well, that's all for now on this live blog, but make sure to stay across our coverage on the website, on our social media channels, and in print. Apparently you'll be able to see the new stadium from the Peak District - I'm more inclined to say that's a downside rather than a plus. See you soon. It's all well and good presenting a bold vision, but there are still several gaps in this grandiose plan. You might be wondering how on earth they're going to knock down Old Trafford and build this new amphitheatre in the space of. .. five years? Some potholes survive longer than that. Well, the powers that be have attempted to explain how they're going to do it. 'Normally a stadium would take 10 years to build. We halved that time, five years, ' architect Norman Foster said. 'How do we do that? By prefabrication, by using the network of Manchester Ship Canal, bringing it back to a new life. 'Shipping in components, 160 of them, Meccano-like. And then we rebuild the Old Trafford station, and that becomes the pivot, the processional way to the stadium, welcoming and at the heart of a new sports-led neighbourhood. 'It's walkable, it's well-served by public transport. It's endowed by nature. It learns from the past, it creates streets. It's a mix-use mini-city. ' Sir Jim Ratcliffe added: 'We can build a stadium much more quickly (than the conventional 10-year timeframe). 'There are yards that build structures and are then shipped to locations around the world. The thing that allows us to do that is the Manchester Ship Canal. That halves the time. ' As our very own Mike Keegan has reported, the development could get underway this year. Yes, the future is here. Manchester United can only expand the current Old Trafford capacity to 87, 000, so the feeling is that, for the long-term prospects of the club, it is better to go for the ambitious 100, 000 new build. 'It starts with the idea of making something so intense that it brings you close to the pitch. Acoustically, it cultivates the roar, ' says architect Norman Foster. It will apparently be visible from 40 kilometres away as it is 200 metres high. Probably depends on your vantage point, that. Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham insists this will have a bigger and more lasting impact than the London Olympics. ‘Our common goal on the taskforce has been to try to unlock the full power of the club for the benefit of its supporters and for Greater Manchester as a whole – creating thousands of new homes and jobs. If we get this right, the regeneration impact could be bigger and better than London 2012, ' he said. ‘Manchester United could, and indeed should, have the best football stadium in the world. To me, that means a stadium that is true to the traditions of the club, affordable to all, with nobody priced out, and a stadium that sets new standards in the game globally. ‘I believe this vision can be realised, and if so, the benefits for Greater Manchester, the north west and the country will be huge. ’ Thanks to those of you who have written in so far, both across this live blog and Mike Keegan's detailed news story. The reviews so far? Mixed. 'Looks like a giant circus tavern, ' one commenter says. 'That’s such an appropriate design. Looks just like the circus that Manchester United have been reduced to, ' another says. 'It looks awful, ' one comments. Others were more positive. 'Looks amazing whether you like United or not. This is scarily good, ' one chimes in. Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada has confirmed one crucial detail - this project hasn't actually got all its needed financial backing yet. Around £2billion is needed. 'We can't speculate too much about the funding, ' he said. 'It's a very attractive investment opportunity so we're confident we'll attract funding. ' Lord Sebastian Coe has his fingers in a lot of pies. Today, he's speaking as chair of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force. He said: 'We've got people who are steeped in urban planning who have held us all to a high set of standards. 'The one thing that is often overlooked, the most important people you are responsible to - yes, the fan base, but also the community that you're putting that in: neighbourhoods, people, networks. 'We did a lot of work with the fans but we also went out of our way to understand what local communitis were saying. We surveyed over 1, 200 people. ' Manchester United's plans are being unveiled at the headquarters of architects Foster + Partners who have been appointed to design the stadium district. Ratcliffe, the club’s co-owner and billionaire chief of Ineos, said: ‘Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest football stadium, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford. ‘Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport. By building next to the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly state-of-the-art stadium that transforms the fan experience only footsteps from our historic home. ‘Just as important is the opportunity for a new stadium to be the catalyst for social and economic renewal of the Old Trafford area, creating jobs and investment not just during the construction phase but on a lasting basis when the stadium district is complete. 'The Government has identified infrastructure investment as a strategic priority, particularly in the north of England, and we are proud to be supporting that mission with this project of national, as well as local, significance. ’ Let's take a gander at some of the other concept images. As we can see, United plan to regenerate the surrounding area across a five-year project. This isn't just a football project, it's one for a 365-day-a-year operation. 'The largest public space in the world. It's a mini city, a global destination, ' architect Norman Foster calls it. Hearing Gary Neville recite contemporary poetry wasn't on my bucket list this morning, but here we go. 'Where workers once grafted, a new landmark will rise. A new theatre for dreams to come alive. ' Neville narrates a video produced by the club, attempting to bind together the club and city's history with its bold new vision. Sir Alex Ferguson, who led the club through an era of unprecedented success, believes United have to grasp the opportunity to create ‘new history’. 'Manchester United should always strive for the best in everything it does, on and off the pitch, and that includes the stadium we play in, ’ said Ferguson, whose statue stands outside the stand named after him. ‘Old Trafford holds so many special memories for me personally, but we must be brave and seize this opportunity to build a new home, fit for the future, where new history can be made. ’ Alright, we've had a first peek at the ground, and more images will come throughout the morning. I want to see your reaction in the comments section - what do you make of it? How will you feel seeing the original Old Trafford go? Is this a step forward, or a major risk which smears the identity of an English institution? United’s new home will be built next to the existing stadium as the centrepiece of a regenerated Old Trafford area which the club say could boost the UK economy by £7. 3bn-a-year, create 92, 000 jobs, 17, 000 homes and attract an additional 1. 8million visitors annually. By Luke Power It's all very futuristic, isn't it? I'm almost surprised it's meant to be built on Planet Earth. By Luke Power We can confirm that Manchester United plan to knock down the current Old trafford stadium in order to make way for a new one. Designs for the new 100, 000-seater venue, which is expected to cost in excess of £2billion, will be revealed on this live blog shortly. By Luke Power Speaking on The Overlap, Sir Jim Ratcliffe bigged up the new stadium project, saying: 'I won’t say much more, but Norman Foster, who also is a Mancunian, and is the world’s greatest architect in my view, really has created the most iconic stadium. ' By Luke Power Sir Jim Ratcliffe has had a lot of bad PR during his time at Manchester United. Today, for better or for worse, could shift the narrative. How will Man United fans respond to his stadium plans? What will club grandees and legends make of it? Today is a potentially legacy-defining day. By Luke Power Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of Manchester United's imminent reveal of their stadium plans. In just a few minutes, we will be able to see how one of world football's biggest clubs plan to step into a new era - and how long it will take. Looks like a giant circus tavern.
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