INEOS decision on what to do with Old Trafford will no doubt be one of the key factors in how their legacy is viewed during their time in Manchester.
Plans are afoot to either re-generate the current ground or build a best-in-class new stadium with a Regeneration Task Force in place to discuss all potential options.
United supporters have been promised they will be consulted throughout the process and a new set of data has been released by the club regarding what the fans want.
As reported by manutd.com, more than 50,000 fans took part in a survey that asked a variety of questions related to United’s home ground.
Season Ticket holders, United Members, and Executive Club members were consulted in September with the number of responses boasting the highest engagement rate of any fan research conducted by the club.
One key question centred around the preference for a new Old Trafford to be built in place of the current, historic ground, with the results proving conclusive.
52 per cent of fans said they would be in favour of a new, state-of-the-art stadium while 31 per cent preferred to stay at Old Trafford while the remaining 17 per cent said they were unsure.
The data showed the strong support for a new stadium among current season ticket holders, with the desire for a new stadium curiously increasing with the age of a season ticket holder.
Younger fans lean more towards redeveloping Old Trafford which may come as a somewhat of a surprise.
The club said, “The results will help the club understand the wishes of fans as feasibility work continues on the options for Old Trafford and that preserving history and heritage, increasing ticket availability, and enhancing the atmosphere were among the priorities expressed by fans in the survey.”
Rick McGagh, Director of Fan Engagement at Manchester United, said the club was “delighted” with the number of supporters who engaged with the survey and reiterated the “importance” of fan input during the decision-making journey.
Further information on the fan consultation process is expected later in the year with the first phase of talks continuing both on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Hundreds of fans are expected at Old Trafford for a number of Town Hall sessions to understand more about the project and ask questions directly to members of the project team, including stadium district architects Foster + Partners.
All feedback will go directly to the Regeneration Task Force who will ultimately make the final decision in the coming months.
Conner Botterill
Conner Botterill has been with The Peoples Person for two years. A keen match-going red with degrees in Sport and Journalism and Philosophy and Psychology, Conner still believes he has a chance of making United’s first team through his 5-a-side career.
