In 2007, then Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett unveiled plans to relocate Liverpool FC to Stanley Park, after over a century playing at Anfield. Thanks to the recession, construction of the new stadium is yet to start, which gives the new owners an opportunity to assess the viability of a move.
Liverpool’s principal owner John W. Henry has previously expressed his admiration for Arsenal, the premier league’s beacon of financial stability, a club that prioritises the cultivating of young talent over the extravagant spending policy of Manchester City. In the late 1990s, Arsenal were in a similar predicament regarding their stadium. Highbury, like Anfield, was lacking the capacity required for a club of Arsenal’s stature. The Arsenal board eventually decided that an expansion of Highbury would be too problematic, and concluded that a change of venue was required to take the club forward. Arsenal eventually vacated Highbury after 96 years in 2006, moving to the newly christened ‘Emirates Stadium’.
However, there still remains a sense of longing for Highbury among the Arsenal faithful. The Emirates may hold 60,000 supporters, almost double that of its predecessor, but while Highbury was regarded as Arsenal’s home; the Emirates is only regarded as Arsenal’s stadium. Highbury held a special place in the supporters’ hearts; they had a genuine love for the old ground that many believe they will never feel for the Emirates. They sang songs about it in the manner that Kopites still do with Anfield (The Fields of Anfield Road); their ‘Highbury Clock’ held the same iconic status as the ‘This is Anfield’ sign. The clock now sits proudly atop the new ‘clock end’, yet many gunners fans regard it as a desperate attempt to inject some of the old Highbury spirit into their artificial home. Would our beloved sign retain its magic, its inspiration, if hung in Stanley Park? Or would it lose its meaning, would it become a relic of a bygone era when the Anfield atmosphere was feared across Europe?
Henry should also note that Liverpool FC was formed because of Anfield. In 1892, local rivals Everton vacated the stadium due to a rent dispute. Anfield’s owner, John Houlding, was left with an empty stadium. So he formed Liverpool FC and Athletic Grounds LTD, which has evolved into the club that we know and love today. To tear it down would not just be to rip out the heart of the club; it would be verging on sacrilege. Since that day in 1892, Anfield has grown with the club that occupies it. For over a century, Liverpool FC has cultivated the stadium, building stands while the teams built a legacy. This has resulted in the formation of a special bond between the stadium and those who fill it, it has given Anfield a soul.
Anfield and Liverpool FC will be forever entwined. Fairclough’s late winner against St. Etienne, to the humbling sight of the Kop draped in scarves after Hillsborough, Anfield has seen it all. The iconic parts of Anfield will be impossible to recreate or relocate. The Kop, named thus to honour the battle of Spion Kop, would have to be demolished. Could another be built, or would it just be a pale imitation? The Hillsborough memorial, could that hold the same impact or reverence when torn from the place where the 96 once stood, where those scarves were drapes in honour? Would the ‘This is Anfield’ sign inspire such fear when removed from the players’ tunnel? Countless other pieces of iconic history, more than Highbury could ever claim to possess, could they all be successfully relocated to Stanley Park, or would it be putting our proud history on life support? Would 20,000 extra spectators really be worth that?
John W. Henry has also spoken of ‘The Liverpool Way’. That would cease to exist without our beloved stadium. FSG must explore all possibilities of expanding Anfield simultaneously with our trophy cabinet, as Liverpool has always done, as is ‘The Liverpool Way’. We shouldn’t go the way of Arsenal, who ignored their history and tore down their spiritual home in favour of their corporate bowl. We should learn from them, and that includes from their mistakes as well as their successes. You can take Liverpool out of Anfield, but you can’t take Anfield out of Liverpool.
The article was written by Jacob Dirnhuber
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Totally agree with that!!!!!
Time to get real and wise up.
Finances dictate and any smart operator can see we need to move.
Build a new stadium.
Sentiment and history is one thing, but I’d like the history to continue. I don’t think that could happen with a re-development because of (a)The attainable size from a re-development.(it should be at least 70,000+ and (b) loss of revenue during re-development.
Arsenal could keep playing to a full Highbury whilst The Emirates was being constructed. That would not be the case with the major building needed to re-development Anfield to at least 60,000+.
Stanley park is the way forward
We should stop living in the past a new stadium is whats needed. No doubt Anfield is a special iconic place but football has moved on and we are still stuck behind times, we need to move with times, people go on about the finances we will need, look at what Arsenal did they sold the naming rights to Emirates and got £100 mill up front for 20 years of rights, yes it may not have been much but they got the cash upfront.
Thats Arsenal where Liverpool known world wide we should get more and more companies etc should be interested, even the previous stupid yanks had this idea but they asked for too much in the region of £250 mill, i think if we can get between £150-£200 mill for naming rights, FSG put £150 mill in ask the council to contribute lets say £70 mill as it helps the local economy and regeneration then we may get somewhere.
Ok my idea may not be as simple as that but its one of many ideas.
Besides moving away may bring back the glory days we once had, even King Kenny said by moving to a new stadium would not mean the history is dead etc it will just make it even more bigger and stronger.
The sooner a decision is made the better where in limbo at the moment and everyone else around us is moving way ahead, get with the times guys we need a new stadium, the money generated from the gate receipts will give us a big kitty every season and the owners know it, we don’t need billionairs throwing cash at us we can generate our own if we allowed to with a new stadium, and with these new rules coming in we will be in a stronger position then the Chavskis, Man S**ty, Spurs etc because our fan base and amount of season ticket holders on our waiting list……YNWA
SORRY FOR GOING ON
History/tradition v future/commerce or rather heart v head, it’s a difficult decision.
A new iconic stadium providing fans with a better match day experience, increased capacity and commercial opportunities (via better corperate/conference facilities) at the heart of the local community. It’s hard to say no.
BUT if Anfield could be redeveloped to the same standard, you’ve got to say yes.
Either way I think that FSG have proved that they will choose the best option for taking LFC forward.
Although every Liverpool fan has a love for Anfield and the history of our great club can be felt within the grounds, I would much rather have a stadium in stanley park which allows Liverpool the basis with which to challenge and compete at the highest level, than stay at Anfield where we cannot progress with the times. It is difficult, but I honestly believe a new stadium is integral for us to grow and progress with the times.
I think a new stadium would be best, if not collapsed anfield
as has previously been said, is to destroy the history of a club, that
not be allowed because it is the only thing that differentiates us from the city or
chelsea, these are clubs money, but no history, liverpool is a monument to the effort and faith, as I said before, anfield must be kept and used as a museum
Ground share with Man U?
In the past Liverpool has failed when buying top players because of players being too expensive by £2 or £3… let’s not repeat the same story again with the choice of stadium. We should have a bigger one to compete. If we need a top class full back , get it. If we need a top midfield get it. Liverpool’s fan has waited a long time…
ANFIELD IS ANFIELD.