Gary Neville believes Manchester United should consider making Old Trafford the home of all its teams, to bring fans closer to the club.
While Neville, who is part of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force, doesn’t stress what exactly he would suggest but he believes the women’s team should be playing on the same site as Old Trafford.
Neville references a ‘very’ prominent ex-England international who said the women’s game is homeless. Manchester United Women play the majority of their home games at Leigh Sports Village.
“It’s something the club definitely have to consider, having a stadium where the women’s team can play and call home,” Neville explained (via Manchester Evening News) when asked if having a second women’s team stadium on the same campus could help grow football among women and girls in Greater Manchester.
Neville added: “I spoke to a very prominent ex-England international about three months ago who said the women’s game is homeless. That’s not just at Manchester United, it’s across the country.
“There are some clubs that have a women’s stadium, but a lot haven’t. I think Manchester United will need to look at a solution for that and should look at a solution for that in the next five to ten years.”
Marc Skinner’s side got their 2024/25 campaign off to a flying start beating West Ham 3-0 at Old Trafford. But, just 12,000 tickets were sold and the club did not announce the attendance, as per The Athletic.
Perhaps it would make more sense to have a stadium for the women and youth team. I have travelled to Leigh for a youth game from Old Trafford and it’s not the best compute with heavy traffic.
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I think Gary’s assertion that United bring the women’s team closer to Old Trafford, is an excellent basis for arguing to keep the current Old Trafford stadium, in place and refurbished, at a reduced capacity. I would argue that it would be great not only for the women, but for the reserves and academy as well.
I am wholly in the tank of those who want to do both, build a new 100,000+ stadium and keep the current stadium at a reduced capacity!! Even if it might cost £ three billion £!! Heck!! To my mind, The Greedy Glazers, alone, have devoured our club (mind, body, and soul), and eaten up more than £ three billion £ over the past 20 years!! They have looted us for two decades!! I would implore them to give something significant back, if they wish, or care, to reduce the animosity against them!!
Putting in that much more over the next 20, even 30 years would be a great investment (especially given the fact that the current Old Trafford is 114 years old!!)!! Not only will a reduced capacity Old Trafford boost the reserves, academy and women’s football, it will give them a near world class stadium of their own to call home!! Think of the boost In pride and confidence in, and for, Manchester United’s players, supporters, and fans!!
Furthermore, the old stadium will still have the Old Trafford mystique about it that will create great opportunities to generate rental income!! This income will come from renting out this reduced capacity stadium to those who would want to hold their events there (football, rugby, galic football, track, field, olympic events, concerts ………. etc, etc, etc), but don’t need a 100,000+ stadium for those events!! The marketing could bill these events as being held at “HISTORIC OLD TRAFFORD!!”
Of course, also, the Old Trafford hierarchy could then consider, without offending many of the fans and supporters, selling the naming rights to one of the two stadiums at Old Trafford (which one TBD, should it happen). This alone should, even could, pay for the annual up keep, if nothing more!
I would encourage, and say to, the hierarchy; think Jerry Jones and his Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas!! If INEOS really wants to put their money where their mouth is and return our club, The Religion, back to its destined glory as a legendary, near mythical, real institution; they should either go really big or go home (figuratively speaking of course)!! Manchester United deserves nothing less than that!!