"If you want some accessible but informative insight into football then I suggest you couldn't do better than the Political Economy of Football website, which is not only intelligible but comes with the added bonus of being written by Addicks fan Wyn Grant." Ben Hayes - Charlton Athletic programme
Football stadiums
Luton’s ground at Kenilworth Road recalls a forgotten football past. To access the away end you go down a passage between terraced houses and climb a set of stairs with back gardens on either side. The ‘executive boxes’ are down one side of the ground, set back just a few yards from the touchline and only a few yards higher than the pitch.
Anfield’s new Main Stand is to be officially opened today. A local friend who is a Liverpool supporter has a seat in the top tier. I hope he doesn’t suffer from vertigo and has a good pair of binoculars! There is an incredible view, not just over the rest of the city, but as far as Snowdonia. It is the largest individual stand in the country.
Nearly 23,000 people have signed a change.org petition calling on Lewisham Council not to use compulsory purchase orders to acquire land around at Millwall’s stadium at the New Den, so that it can be sold to private developers. London mayor Sadiq Khan has been asked to intervene.
It is five years since Plymouth Argyle were rescued from oblivion and the excellent ‘two unfortunates’ blog take a look at the current, rather complex and worrying situation.
The prospective takeover of Torquay United has reached crisis point with bidders Gaming International issuing what the Torquay United Supporters Trust has described as an ultimatum to Torbay Council.
It has now emerged that Swindon-based Gaming International, operating through their subsidiary Riviera International Limited, want to take ownership of Plainmoor and then build a new ground elsewhere. Torbay Council currently own the freehold of Plainmoor. It is quite an extensive site in a built up area of Torquay with development potential.
Worcester City face an uncertain future after a plan to turn the club into a community benefit society was rejected by shareholders. This is something which has helped clubs like FC United and Lewes to attract significant investment.
Everton have abandoned plans to build a new stadium at nearby Walton Hall Park, ostensibly for economic reasons, although the plan attracted strong local opposition.
Together with the City Council they have identified two possible alternative sites. The city’s mayor believes that a new stadium could be up and running in three years which is quite ambitious given the planning involved and the time needed for construction.
The Court of Appeal has ruled against Sisu, the owners of Coventry City, in the latest round of their legal battle with Coventry City council. There could be an appeal to the European Court.
Sisu claimed that a loan made to Arena Coventry Limited, the operators of the Ricoh Arena, was not made on normal commercial terms and represented a breach of European Union state aid rules.
Tottenham Hotspur are close to securing a deal to play all their home matches at Wembley in the 2017-18 season. They are also negotiating with the FA about holding Champions League matches at Wembley next season as they may need to remove 8,000 seats from White Hart Lane to facilitate inittial building work.
Chelsea may have to delay their proposed move to Wembley by 12 months. Spurs have indicated that they are willing to share Wembley with Chelsea for one season, but Chelsea would prefer exclusive use.
Barcelona need to reduce their debts by €100m if the redevelopment of the Camp Nou is to go ahead. The club has debts of around €300m and the redevelopment would cost €360m. Transfer policy could also be affected,