I helped Alex Ferguson win Man Utd’s first title at Old Trafford but it makes sense for club to leave Theatre of Dreams
GARY PALLISTER believes that Manchester United should be open to building a new stadium.
The former defender, 58, won four Premier League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson.
In recent years he and other supporters have had to watch United’s steady post-Fergie decline.
Old Trafford’s deterioration has contributed towards the club’s malaise, with United’s historic home now featuring a leaky roof and rusted metal.
Having sealed his 25 per cent partial takeover of the Red Devils, Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to upgrade the Theatre of Dreams by building a new £2bn 90,000-seater “Wembley of the North”.
Ratcliffe’s plan includes lobbying the Government for funding as part of their “Levelling up” pledges – although this has caused a backlash from furious tax-payers.
An alternative route could see United look to upgrade their current South Stand, at an estimated cost of £800million.
But Pallister reckons that they should give a move serious consideration.
Speaking to the Mail, he said: “I hate to say it because I never thought I’d see the day when I would say, ‘Leave Old Trafford’, but the idea of putting a purpose-built, state-of-the-art stadium next door is appealing.
“As fantastic a stadium as it is — and it’s not as bad as some people have made out — to make it the Wembley of the North might be the way forward.
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“It could cost £2billion to build, which is mind-blowing. But as a player and supporter, to go into a brand-new stadium like Tottenham have got, maybe that’s the step we have to take if we want to keep our place at the top table and be spoken about as one of the elite of world football.
“The traditionalists want to stay and I get that. It’s understandable that people talk about the history, but we moved away from the Cliff which was synonymous with the Busby Babes and Law, Best and Charlton.
“You can’t stay in one place for ever. You have to move into the present day at some stage, it’s just a matter of which way you do it.
“Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to be seen to be getting things back on track, and building a 90,000-seat stadium would be a huge statement.”
SunSport understands that Ratcliffe’s ambitious £2bn “Wembley of the North” plan is unlikely to get the green light.
In order to attract Government funding, club chiefs would have to make a convincing case that the project would represent far more than just a new stadium for Man Utd.
They would have to pitch a “very attractive regeneration project” to even gather consideration.
