The Political Economy of Football V2

This evening two of the north’s greatest football clubs meet when Leeds play Newcastle United.  Both represent regional capitals (Manchester is not capital of the whole north).   Even the Everton supporting prime minister had to come to the north-east for the Great North Run. It will be a curious walk to Elland Road for Newcastle United fans on Monday evening. The caged tunnel down which away supporters were funnelled has gone. The Norman Hunter Suite that sat next to the entrance to the visiting section has been demolished. Instead, amid what will probably feel more claustrophobic for the 2,960 supporters from Tyneside, will be the white walls of a building site, housing the cranes, diggers and machinery that have already started the transformation of one of English football’s most atmospheric grounds. That main stand development, which could be finished by 2028 and will increase the capacity of Elland Road to 48,000, is the most visual display of ambitio...

Newcastle United’s owners are open to selling a minority stake in the club in order to help fund significant infrastructure projects, including a potential replacement for St James’ Park and a purpose-built training ground. People familiar with the matter have told  The Athletic  that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) retain a long-term commitment to Newcastle, the club they bought from Mike Ashley for £305million in 2021.  Nevertheless, they are willing to dilute their current 85 per cent shareholding and have been approached by possible investors. The British Reuben family own the other 15 per cent of Newcastle. David Hopkinson, Newcastle’s chief executive, has been pushing to end the sense of stasis regarding the club’s stadium plans and training facilities, both of which have become a source of frustration. St James’ is routinely sold-out but is in need of refurbishment, while Eddie Howe’s first-team squad continue to train in an environment which is mor...

Representatives of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund will fly into the North East next week for a crunch “off-site” meeting about Newcastle United. In previous years these meetings have taken place in the grandiose surroundings of Alnwick Castle, as captured by Amazon’s fly-on-the-wall series,  We Are Newcastle United .   It is not known where the meeting will take place this time but the chief executive, Darren Eales, is expected to be there, as is the sporting director, Paul Mitchell, and Jacobo Solis, recently appointed to the club’s board of directors. There are two potential plans left on the table. One is to stay on the present site and expand the Gallowgate End to a capacity of 60,000 (it cannot go bigger because of restrictions to the East Stand). The other is to build a new stadium, a giant bowl structure, beyond the Leazes End, in Leazes Park, with a capacity of 70,000. The Times understands that senior figures have already been walked around the potential ...

Newcastle fans are celebrating their win over Spurs yesterday who were more of a threat than they have been in some recent games. It is getting close to 100 years since Newcastle United were champions of England, in 1927, and 2025 could be the year the club decide to leave St James’ Park. They still have the not inconsiderable wealth of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the headlock of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules to break free from and a resurgent team with the Champions League in their sights once more. These are complicated times. January could be a third successive transfer window with no significant signing, but that could allow them in the summer to once again flex the financial might that had supporters celebrating outside St James’ Park in October 2021 when the takeover was completed. However it all plays out, the next six months are pivotal for the club. If there is to be a first big push to land the Premier League crown since t...