GROUND BREAKER
Man Utd stadium U-turn with Old Trafford to now be DEMOLISHED if plan to build £2bn Wembley of the North goes ahead
A former player has downplayed the sentimentality around Old Trafford
MANCHESTER UNITED could reportedly demolish Old Trafford if they plan to built the "Wembley of the North".
The Red Devils had planned to scale down the 114-year-old stadium to 30,000 to preserve its tradition.
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This move would have kept the historic ground open and in use for the Women's and academy teams.
The have claimed that the plan would be too costly and "unlikely to work".
As a result, Old Trafford could be fully demolished should the club decide against redeveloping it.
This would pave the way for Man United to construct a new £2billion 100,000-capacity stadium.
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The report claims that the club will set up a heritage focus group to advise on which historical elements of the ground which should be kept.
Old Trafford has multiple nods to the past such as the Munich clock and tunnel that commemorates the 1958 air disaster.
There are also statues of club legends such as Sir Matt Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson, Jimmy Murphy, and the trio of Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best, and Denis Law.
Former Man United star Gary Neville believes that the ground has already been evolving and that moving the stadium is not a big deal.
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He told The Athletic: "None of the stands that were there when I first went in 1979 are there in the same form.
"Most of the stands have been built between 1993 and 2005.
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MANCHESTER UNITED plan to build a new stadium rather than redevelop Old Trafford.
The decision was made after a number of fact-finding missions to other stadiums including the Bernabeu and Nou Camp.
The cost of the project is expected to be a staggering £2billion.
A capacity of 100,000 is expected.
It is felt that a club of United’s standing should have a new state-of-the-art facility.
The new stadium will be built on land adjacent to the Red Devils' current home.
United are looking to not only build a stadium but regenerate the area of Trafford where the ground will stand.
They plan to KEEP Old Trafford rather than demolish it, and use it as a second venue.
They will scale it down to a 30,000-seater that can then be used for the women’s team and academy matches.
That would mean the history remains with statues and the Munich clock and memorial plaque all most likely staying in their current positions.
The club consulted with 30,000 fans about what to do and believe there is roughly a 50-50 split on staying or moving.
Old Trafford has been United’s home since 1910.
The target is for completion by 2030.
"We’d not be keeping anything that is 100 years old. What is it that we’d be saving?
"Yes, we must keep the statues, the Munich clock or tunnel. They must be a part of whatever Old Trafford becomes.
"I get that the location of the pitch is important to some fans but I was at Tottenham vs Arsenal on Sunday.
"I don’t think any Tottenham fans went there thinking about the location of the pitch and that it’s different to the one Glenn Hoddle played on."
It is believed that Man United will appoint architects Foster and Partners to be the planners behind the redevelopment of the ground and the surrounding club-owned land.
They will be tasked with including the historical elements into the new stadium to maintain tradition.
The club are set to email season-ticket holders with a survey to gather their opinions on the matter.
The report has also added that a 15,000-seater ground would be a better plan for the women's team.
This would be assumed if Man United follows Sir Jim Ratcliffe's idea that a new stadium is the best option.
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The co-owner is aiming to have the final decision made by the end of the year and completed by 2030.
Ratcliffe has admitted that public funding may only be available should it be used to regenerate the area rather than build an entirely new stadium.
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