Newcastle United CEO addresses fans at St James' STACK and gives stadium update
Newcastle United's new CEO, David Hopkinson, addressed around 1000 fans inside St James' STACK on Monday night, covering a range of topics about the club, but of course, the big one was the state of play regarding St James' Park.
Fans were hoping to have had a meaningful update on the plans for the stadium by now. It's not an unreasonable expectation given that over a year ago we were told that we'd have an update in 'early 2025', which was then pushed to 'around the end of the season', and now here we are, over 12 months on and still with no idea what's happening.
Well, don't get too excited as we still have no solid update despite the subject being raised at the fan meeting last night.
David Hopkinson was apologetic but explained the reasons behind the lack of an update, and in all honesty, that's all we really wanted.
No news is still news and that's the lesson we hope David Hopkinson has learned
99% of Newcastle United fans have never been involved in a project of this magnitude, so it's easy for us to think that it's just the case of a few meetings and everyone around the table giving the thumbs up and on we go. In reality, we all know it's far more complicated, and for most of us, it's not the time it's taking as much as it is the lack of communication on the project.
David Hopkinson's admission of 'we're not ready yet' was pretty much all we needed, even if he acknowledged that it wouldn't be a popular answer (quotes via The Chronicle).
"We're not ready to yet. What is clear, to be at the top consistently we need to grow revenues.
"That means we need world-class facilities, where we can generate those revenues.
"SJP today is incredible where we sit in 2025, we need to look at other opportunities, whether renovated or reimagined.
"We are working on it every day. I know there is a lot of pressure.
"We have not made that decision. We are working on it every day.
"I know there is pressure: 'When, when, when'. It won't be today, may not be tomorrow. This is a complex project, a project that will be the most ambitious this club has ever taken on.
"To get ahead of ourselves is counter-productive. I know that won't be a popular answer.
"I am aware of that."
David Hopkinson also acknowledged the lack of a training ground sponsor
Now the right thing to do would be to keep fans in the loop. Even if the update is simply that there is no update. That's all we ask. When things to silent that's when fans start to get worried.
Hopkinson also addressed the lack of a training ground sponsor, and it seems that with Peter Silverstone gone, that's something that is now being looked at.
"We have to get the right deal. We haven't had that yet.
"We have to get our big block sponsorships right. It is a huge opportunity here. We know how to do this, we have a good team, we need to go and get it done."
The momentum is forward. It may be slow, but it's moving. That's all we wanted. Cheers Dave!
