Manchester United plan to revamp Old Trafford in the coming years (Picture: Getty)
The architect tasked with redeveloping Old Trafford says it will have ‘fans, not corporates’ at its heart.
The Red Devils have appointed Populous and Legends International to make major upgrades to the Theater of Dreams, with an all-together new stadium not entirely ruled out.
However, boosting the stadium’s capacity through a modern redesign remains the most likely option and the club hope to completely revamp the corporate boxes around Old Trafford to come up to speed with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.
Populous and Legends International oversaw the build of Tottenham’s stunning new stadium and Fulham’s impressive new Riverside stand.
The South Stand – United’s smallest stand – is likely to be increased (Picture: Getty)
Though those jobs have been widely applauded, there are fears that United’s revamp could focus more on improvements for the highest-paying supporters in corporate boxes, rather than the majority of fans in the stands.
But Christopher Lee, the MD of the company, says supporters will be at the heart of the redevelopment.
‘It’s a massive privilege and I’m honored personally and as a practice to be involved with such a great club and looking at what the future holds for Old Trafford,’ Lee told the i.
‘It’s one of the four mythical stages in the world. Along with the Maracanas of this world—well Old Trafford is right up there. To be able to look at a future and a transformation of one of the greatest stadiums in the world into a cutting edge, state-of-the-art stadium that will keep the fans and club for the next decades to come is a massive privilege and a huge weight of responsibility too.
‘In many ways the fans are as much our clients as the ownership. They’re the ones we have to keep happy. Almost the greatest thing that happened in my career was the opening night at Spurs and I was sat next to a guy who’d been going for 50 years and said ‘It’s like coming home, isn’t it?’
‘For me I thought ‘Wow, that’s what I want to create’. I want people to feel it’s their home and something special.
‘When you consider iconic stadiums like Old Trafford, being able to redevelop them and continue that legacy is a huge, huge honour.’
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