'Word underway' - David Hopkinson confirms biggest Newcastle United infrastructure upgrade since 1998
Newcastle United have confirmed £30million in investment into the club’s infrastructure.
Newcastle United ‘will not stand still’ after a £30million investment into new facilities was confirmed.
Those were the words of CEO David Hopkinson after the club confirmed investment to improve and expand on the club’s existing infrastructure at St James’ Park, Darsley Park, academy and Cochrane Park.
The club also doubled down on its long-term ambitions regarding the training ground while a decision on the stadium is still yet to be made officially.
Newcastle United ‘cannot stand still’
On the investment, which represents the biggest club infrastructure spend since the expansion of St James’ Park from 1998, Newcastle CEO Hopkinson said: “This investment is happening because progress at this club cannot and will not stand still.
“Sustained growth isn't about any one moment or any one decision. It's about consistently moving forward, raising standards and building momentum every single year. Whatever longer term decisions we make, one thing never changes and that's our ambition.
“That's why we're investing and that's why we keep pushing forward. The bigger questions about this stadium and our training ground will be answered in their own time.
“What matters today is the work already underway. Because everyone who walks through these gates deserves a club that keeps moving forward.”
NUFC training ground
Newcastle’s training ground will be rebranded as The KNOX over the summer and will have a new look for the start of the 2026/27 season with work ongoing on the site to double the building’s previous footprint.
Sporting director Ross Wilson also confirmed that the club’s long-term intention to relocate to a new, state-of-the-art training ground.
Wilson said: “Across the first team training centre here, our academy and Cochrane Park, we're making significant investment to improve the facilities that we have here already.
“The purpose of that is we really want to invest right across our pathway, from our men's first team, through our academy, everything that we're doing there, and into our women's programme as well, as we continue raising the bar as much as we possibly can, across everything that we're doing here at Newcastle United.
“This summer sees the training centre where we sat now in the first team area here, renamed as the Knox. Our first team will return to renewed and refreshed areas across medical, across performance, dressing room facilities, which will be a massive upgrade for them.
“We do, as everybody knows, have a bigger vision to move to another site. In the future, that is part of our vision. We're all very committed to that.
“Whilst we wait to get there, we must continue making strides forward as much as we possibly can. The progress can't stop. The investments that we're making across our sites and across our pathway are really important to achieving that across this summer.”
St James’ Park
Newcastle will also be doing a complete rebuild of the St James’ Park pitch for the first time in over two decades, while also improving the corporate facilities and infrastructure at the stadium.
The Magpies have already confirmed that new floodlights and new LED screens at St James’ Park. Chief operations officer Brad Miller also confirmed a ‘brand new’ safe standing area in level seven for home supporters in addition to the existing safe standing section in the away end.