August 3
Parry: We must never lose touch with our fans 

LFC Official Website

Chief Executive Rick Parry (picture) today reiterated that Liverpool must never lose touch with its supporters. 

As discussions continue over the club’s proposal to build a 70,000 super-stadium just yards away from their current Anfield home, Parry has spoken of the need for the Reds to compete with the giants of European football while maintaining a close relationship with the fans. 

He says: "The crucial thing at a time when the rate of change is increasing is never to forget the basics. The one thing you can be certain of is that the key to remaining strong and being able to compete on the European stage is success on the pitch. 

"It’s all too easy sometimes to lose that focus. At the end of the day if you are not successful on the pitch you can forget big stadiums and forget merchandising because that’s where it all flows from. From Liverpool’s point of view, we must never, ever lose touch with our roots and with our bed-rock of support." 

Parry is also confident that success on the pitch would result in the Reds being able to fill a new 70,000 seater stadium for every game. 

He says: "We can fill it if we are successful on the pitch and if the ticket prices are right. I think we have to plan for success, there is no point in planning for failure. We can’t guarantee success, but if we don’t plan for it then we pretty much guarantee that we won’t succeed. 

"What the new stadium allows us to do is broaden the price range for tickets. I firmly believe we should keep our base prices reasonable, as we absolutely don’t want to lose our bed-rock support. But at the top end there is scope to do more in terms of hospitality. We can increase the capacity of the hospitality without the average fan feeling excluded." 

Parry also insists that any new stadium for Liverpool would be, without doubt, the best in the country - and he also revealed he would be looking at American influences in a bid to deliver the highest standards possible. "It’s not being done on the cheap," he says. "We want sight-lines and comfort to meet the highest possible standards. No pillars, lots of leg room and more width to the seats. 

"This is not going to be a multi-purpose, multi-rock stadium. It’s going to be a football stadium. Atmosphere is important. Proximity of the supporters to the pitch is important. People can rest assured that those elements can be preserved. 

"We are not going to copy anything. This is going to be our design and right for Liverpool. But where the Americans are clever is in getting their mix of seating right. They have five or six tiers of seat prices as opposed to a very flat structure here. 

"They are good on the family side and they are extremely good on food and refreshments. You don’t have to queue for 20 minutes to get a stale pie. There is so much scope to do more in a purpose designed stadium." 

July 4
Robinson: Join forces for super stadium

By Chris Bascombe/Liverpool Daily Post & Echo

Liverpool and Everton should share a multi-million pound new stadium. That's the view of the the man who sat at the helm of Liverpool Football Club for 35 years. 

Peter Robinson stood down as Liverpool’s executive vice-chairman last week, but throughout his three decades at Anfield he’s advocated a ground share between the two Merseyside giants.

Mr Robinson is repeating his strong views on the subject as both clubs consider alternatives to their traditional homes of Anfield and Goodison Park. The best solution for the clubs and fans, Mr Robinson believes, is for the clubs to get together and build a single stadium serving both.

"I have consistently held the view that Liverpool should move to a new stadium and persuade Everton to share it with them," Mr Robinson told the ECHO. "There would be opposition but the possibility of the city having the biggest stadium in England has always been an attractive one to me.

"It is an idea which has worked extremely well on the continent. The fans of AC Milan and Inter or Juventus and Torino are as fanatical in support of their team as Liverpool and Everton, but they have shared a stadium very successfully.

"I understand supporters have an emotional feeling attached to their own stadium, but if a shared arena was built both clubs would see the advantages and the supporters would grow to love it.

"The traditions of both would also be protected. I have no doubt Everton and Liverpool would retain their own identity, just as the clubs have in Italy. From a purely practical point of view it makes more sense to build a stadium which can be used 50 times a year rather than 25.

"The city council is also currently having to find two acceptable sites for new stadiums when, clearly, one site for both clubs would be an easier solution."

Mr Robinson’s views are sure to re-ignite the debate surrounding a possible ground share. Everton continue to publicly dismiss the idea, despite the obvious economic advantage of sharing a 70,000 all-seater site with Liverpool, rather than a 55,000 capacity under discussion at the King’s Dock.

Liverpool have never publicly ruled out a possible ground share but are currently investigating an ambitious move of 200 yards from Anfield to Stanley Park.

Mr Robinson added: "The present plan has its advantages because it’s so close to Anfield, but there are enormous infrastructure factors which still have to be considered, especially with regards car parking and rail links. If both clubs believe it is necessary to move, there has never been a better time for them to ask the council to find a suitable site to build a ground which they can share. It is a far more viable option.

"There is definitely a change of mood within Liverpool City Council. They are far more willing to assist the clubs in this matter than they were in the past. I think they realise the benefits, particularly economically, which the clubs bring to the region."

The last time a ground share was seriously considered was in the early 90s following the Taylor Report. A site in Knowsley was proposed but Everton rejected the idea and Liverpool could not afford to pursue it alone.

"It was an excellent site which would have provided perfect car parking facilities and rail links. However there was some opposition because of the impact it would have had on the neighbouring Kirkby Golf Course," recalls Mr Robinson.

June 23
Parry on new ground plans 

LFC Official Website

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry last night spoke about the need for the Reds to continue to expand – and about the idea to build a new stadium. 

Parry spent the evening addressing local residents as well as council leaders at a specially convened meeting in Liverpool to explain the thinking behind the club’s proposal to build a new £100 million super stadium on the car park in nearby Stanley Park. 

"I see a minimum time scale of three years to build a stadium of this size and stature. It would take a year to plan and design and two years to build. We have to be sensitive to things like the Hillsborough Memorial, the Shankly Gates and statue and the Paisley Gates. 

"It is paramount that local people are involved in the planning process. Ultimately, we want something to happen that everyone in Anfield can be proud of. This should be a catalyst for the regeneration of the Anfield area." 

June 22
Supporters back move to Stanley Park

Sky Sports

Liverpool's plans to build the biggest league stadium in England next door to their Anfield home have been backed by a fans' chief. 

The ambitious scheme, which could house 70,000 fans, would cost around £150million and be built on land and a car park at nearby Stanley Park, will be discussed on Thursday night at a meeting between the club, Liverpool City Council and residents. 

It has also emerged that Everton were approached to become involved in the plans, but the idea of both Mersey giants sharing one massive stadium has seemingly been rejected. 

The Toffees are considering rebuilding Goodison Park or moving to a new stadium of their own on the city limit. But the Liverpool Stanley Park venture has met with approval from Liverpool fans, with supporters' club chairman Richard Pedder welcoming the ideal. 

He said: "We have to move with the times, Manchester United are getting a capacity of up to 67,000 and we have got to move on. The club have spent millions already on upgrading Anfield, but I don't think they can extend the ground any more than it is now. 

"I think they see that a new site which is about 200 yards from the current ground, using the Stanley park car park, would be a better site than what they have got now. I would obviously welcome the new idea. I believe it is a step in the right direction for the future," he added. 

The scheme could, if negotiations with the council and residents don't drag on, be ready in about three seasons. 

Liverpool's chief executive Rick Parry said today: "There is a lot of work to do on the detail. Clearly our aspiration is to do it as soon as we can. We have made it very clear in recent months that we need to expand as quick as possible. But realistically it will be a minimum of three years. 

"We are talking about 100 yards away, we will still be in Anfield, scarcely leaving our roots. We can get a brand new purpose-designed 70,000-seat venue which would be the biggest league ground in the country, that would be very exciting," he added. 

Pedder added: "I am very excited about the proposals because at the moment we only have around 45,000 able to get into the ground and there are a lot more people than that wanting to watch Liverpool. 

"But People must not forget that this is a residential area and there have been meetings going on for the last 12 to 18 months about plans that Liverpool will be putting forward. So the residents must be told what is going on so they can cope with it." 

June 21
Liverpool set to leave Anfield

BBC

In a move that will shock football fans all over the world, Liverpool Football Club are poised to leave their historic home at Anfield. 

The club's architects have drawn up plans for a new stadium, costing £150m, to be built on the edge of Stanley Park - just 200 yards away from the existing ground. 

The new stadium would have a capacity of up to 70,000, making it the biggest club ground in Britain. 

Liverpool City Council confirmed on Wednesday it has been aware of the plan for some weeks, but Town Hall sources said any proposals must have community backing if Liverpool are to get the go-ahead. 

Any such move would give Liverpool the advantage of a brand new purpose built stadium instead of the piecemeal expansion of the current ground

With the story leaked to the media, the club issued a statement on its website confirming the initiation of a consultation process to explore a possible move. 

"We are committed to staying at Anfield and are equally determined that any future expansion of the club will play a positive role in the planned regeneration of the district," the club said. 

"In recent weeks we have been involved in a positive dialogue with the local community about that regeneration process and as far as we are concerned that consultation will continue. 

"We have said consistently that if Liverpool is to continue to compete at the very top level of the game then future expansion is an absolute necessity. 

"Having listened to comments made during the consultation process, the move recently began to explore the idea of a move of literally a few yards to the car park presently situated in Stanley Park. 

"Any such move, of course, would also give Liverpool and its supporters the advantage of a brand new purpose built stadium instead of the piecemeal expansion of the current ground." 

Thor Zakariassen ©