With Manchester United on the verge of finally being bought out and actually playing some decent football again, the issue of Old Trafford’s redevelopment is one that’s on many fans’ minds.
Despite being one of the most iconic stadiums in the world, the Theatre of Dreams is actually one of the older, more outdated football arenas in the Premier League, especially given the size of the club which inhabits it.
That being said, United fans have been calling for renovations at Old Trafford for a long time and while the Glazers never looked particularly keen on investing in the stadium, the potential sale of the club could mean a new lease of life is now on the horizon.
Obviously, nobody knows what a hypothetical Old Trafford redesign would look like but YouTuber Bondibot has taken it upon himself to mock up a few options.
As you can see, the 3D animator who specialises in stadium designs and concept art took multiple approaches when it came to visualising how Old Trafford’s redevelopment could unfold; the first and arguably most likely being the expansion of the existing South (Sir Bobby Charlton) Stand.
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Currently the section with the smallest capacity and the only one that doesn’t share the recognisable white railings on the roof, his first option to ‘Expand’ Old Trafford would see the same features duplicated all the way around, including all four corner pillars copying the more geometric design of the existing two on the north side.
Option B, ‘Upgrade’, would see an entirely new facade built around the original Old Trafford, essentially wrapping the old ground in a more modern shell without having to destroy any of the existing fixtures.
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Can’t lie, it gave us big, shiny bedpan vibes — no offence.
The final and perhaps most divisive option posed by Bondibot was a complete ‘Rebuild’: erecting a brand new, redesigned stadium right next to Old Trafford as it is now, before ultimately bulldozing the 113-year-old sporting institution and building a new training facility and wider club complex on the land.
Despite being a marked upgrade from The Cliff which United trained at up until 1999 at the time, another criticism of the club’s lack of evolution over the past decade or so has been their primary training ground at Carrington, which many have noted is also now a little outdated.
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Not only would a new training complex in close proximity to the ground, similar to Man City, make much more sense on the whole, but it would create opportunities for fan spaces, more room for matchday concessions, larger parking facilities and so on — again, not unlike the Etihad Campus.
Each possible Old Trafford redesign has its pros and cons but fans might genuinely have to start considering which one they’d prefer if this takeover goes through. One thing, however, seems certain: a name change just wouldn’t feel right. They rarely do…
While this new venture is focused on youth football, it’s their second in the United States after New York City FC and could help create new pro pathways into the sport at a grassroots level.
Introducing CFG franchise number 13: Man City North Texas FC.
As per an official statement on their website, “Man City North Texas FC delivers youth soccer programs for boys and girls aged 8–19, led by Manchester City coaches and built on the same coaching methodology developed within the Club.
“Every session is designed to help players become better soccer players, technically, tactically, and mentally, through modern, enjoyable training that builds confidence on and off the pitch.”
Basically serving as another academy setup across the pond, North Texas FC will no doubt help not only develop and create opportunities for aspiring young footballers over in the US, but likely serve as yet another feeder programme/outlet for tapping up the latest American talents.
We’ve already seen fairly recently examples such as ex-players Jack Harrison and Zack Steffen coming through the likes of New York and remaining on City’s wider books and either making the move over for a taste of first-team football or being loaned out to other teams.
Even if they ultimately go on to be sold, the aim is to help nurture youngsters and promise three main takeaways: an “authentic Manchester City methodology”, delivered by actual MCFC coaches, and a clear development pathway.
CITYCOACH gives coaches around the world access to the Manchester City methodology – sharing the knowledge, practices, and philosophy that shape how we develop players at every level ⚽️
This most recent ‘youth soccer club’ is just the latest in a long line of fresh Manchester City Football Programs created over the past decade or so, with coaching now being provided to children of all ages across a total of 38 cities in 14 countries.
At present, more than 40,000 kids are estimated to participate in these schemes every year, and thanks to Man City North Texas FC, that number is set to climb even further.
So, if you or someone you know happens to be based in or near the ‘Mean Green’ sporting hub of the ‘Lone Star State’, you can register interest HERE.
Meanwhile, in news closer to home, there are plenty of other big developments happening over at the Etihad Campus. Find out more down below.
The Premier League is keeping its crucial cap on away game ticket prices – for now
Danny Jones
The Premier League has announced it is extending its crucial price cap for away games, as the general cost of match tickets continues to creep up all over the country.
Most season card holders, be they here in Greater Manchester or elsewhere, are likely looking at their annual spending going up simply, so steps like these are key in keeping first division football as affordable as possible.
And that’s just the ongoing cost of living, let alone the clubs that are continuing the trend of charging more each year and, unfortunately, even pricing some supporters out entirely.
With that in mind, the news of England’s top-flight sides voting unanimously to keep the £30 cap intact for at least another two years comes as relief to those who spend most of the year putting their hard-earned cash towards following their team home and away.
BREAKING: The Premier League extend £30 cap on away tickets for another two seasons 🚨 pic.twitter.com/L336aZwmn3
Now confirmed to remain in place until the end of the 2027/28 campaign, travelling fans obviously still spend plenty of money on transport and so on every year, but at least they don’t have to worry about rising general admissions.
At least not for the time being…
Writing in a statement, the Premier League said: “Away fans help create the incredible atmosphere Premier League matches are renowned for. Since the cap’s implementation in 2016, it has contributed to attendance at away games increasing from 82% to 91%.”
They also acknowledged the significant and regular funds that supporters still spend on these trips, with plenty of people online also praising the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), which helped spearhead the campaign over a decade ago.
With so many other obstacles still getting in the way of fans making it to games either at their usual stadium or on an away day – not least of all the constant and increasingly frustrating rescheduling of fixtures – it’s good to see this isn’t an area the Prem are trying to target.
As always, the multi-billion-pound business can always seek out other, newer money spinners, and we’re absolutley certain they will. For instance, there’s at least one happening over in Spain that we’d happily see carried over here.
Following the news, this now means that fans will ultimately have enjoyed 12 back-to-back seasons of the benefit, and long may it continue.
Nevertheless, the biggest barrier for people to watch the beautiful game at its highest level in the UK remains the cost of standard tickets.
The likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Leeds and more have already let matchgoers know that their season ticket prices will be going up, and the likes of Man City have already seen backlash for increasing rates amid the expansion of the Etihad Campus.
Danny Jones -
26th February 2023 
