‘I'm sorry’ - Simon Jordan tells ‘traditional’ Newcastle United supporters to fear the worst
Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan believes a new stadium is inevitable for Newcastle United.
Toon chiefs are still discussing St James’ Park plans that will have a transformative impact on the club’s future. As it stands, supporters are torn, with some favouring an upgrade and others hoping for a new venue altogether.
Brad Miller, Newcastle’s Chief Operating Officer, confirmed last year that a call is set to be announced in early 2025. The Magpies have made clear that PSR - and the need to boost revenue - is the key factor behind any decision.
St James' Park is a rarity in English football, sitting at the heart of Newcastle city centre and a vital asset to the local economy. Speaking to talkSPORT, ex-Premier League chief Jordan insisted Newcastle need a state-of-the-art stadium to catapult the club into the elite bracket.
“Of course you do (build a new stadium),” he said. “If you want to be a 21st century super club, it’s a de rigueur to build stadiums. You need the capacities, you need the enabling, you need the commercial opportunities.
“I’m sorry, most traditional fans won’t want to hear about that. The fans are the fans. Build it and they’ll come. Give them something to cheer and they’ll cheer.
“Tottenham fans are enamoured with their stadium, they’re not enamoured with their team. If their team was harnessing the capability of the stadium and turning it out onto the field, you would have a perfect scenario.”
Jordan also suggested Newcastle boast a world-famous atmosphere - as shown against Arsenal in midweek - due to North East culture. He added: "It's a cultural thing, isn't it? Ultimately, clubs in the north have been seeded more into the community. Their communities are often challenged by more things, whether that's the degradation of local industry...
"Or is it just because we in the south are more sophisticated? I don't suspect that's the case. Despite my happiness at Crystal Palace, I often nasal-gazed at owning clubs like Sheffield Wednesday. Newcastle's situation is also seeded in (the fact that) they haven't won anything. We're talking about an environment where the club is so prevalent to the community."