'Hypotheticals': Newcastle United respond to St James' Park survey backlash

Newcastle United sent out a survey to match-going fans to find out opinions on the future of St James' Park.

The club have been vocal in their desire to expand the stadium, or build a new one elsewhere, and increase United's revenue in order to have more money available to invest into the team in line with Financial Fair Play requirements. However it seems some of the questions posed have left a sour taste in the mouths of some supporters.

Questions were posed on whether fans would rather see St James' Park undergo an expansion, or if they'd prefer to see a brand new state-of-the-art stadium built.

'I get the nostalgia for St James',' wrote one fan. 'But if we want to compete with the big boys we need a big boy stadium in my opinion. Other clubs are going to be surpassing us (A few already have. Cue the hatred in the comments but some of you are stuck in the past, times change.'

The comment has generated a large amount of debate, with another fan arguing the opposite- which appears to be the more popular opinion.

'St James' Park is an iconic stadium in the heart of Newcastle and the city centre, you can see it from wherever you look, it’s in a great location,' wrote another. 'We do not need a new state of the art stadium to ‘compete with the big boys’ and ruin all that history associated with it.'

But that wasn't all. The club also posed supporters with questions surrounding 'premium' experience, asking opinions on hiking ticket prices, increasing hospitality capacity and improved seating. Many on social media believe the focus on the higher-end match day experience will be to the detriment of regular fans.

One fan took to X to voice their frustration: 'Genuinely don't know where to begin with this stadium survey @NUFC have sent out. It's actually nothing short of insulting to fans, Geordies and Newcastle as a whole. Completely out of touch.'

'We want expansion but not at the cost of regular match goers in favour of premium and corporate,' commented another supporter. While another focused on the roots of the city as a whole: 'Nothing in the stadium survey for the working class fan. Nothing about improving the atmosphere. Never forget your roots.'

But, this morning, the club has attempted to quell any fears that it intends to implement any of the options posed to supporters.

Taking to social media, Lee Marshall, head of media and communications at Newcastle United, said: "Lots of feedback on the stadium survey, which is really the point. Important to stress it is about hypotheticals. If you do or don’t like aspects, please reflect it in your responses. It’s about asking and understanding, then striking the right balances as we grow together."