Everton get planning permission for new stadium bigger than Newcastle’s St James Park

Everton currently have the tenth biggest Premier League stadium.

This season of course not exactly an issue, with fans banned, but the blue scousers have been desperate for years to move to a bigger new stadium.

The outdated Goodison Park surrounded by terraced streets and nothing really going for it, apart from the sentimental attachment of the Everton fans of course.

Now on Tuesday, it has been announced that Liverpool City Council have unanimously approved the planning application for Everton’s new 52,888 capacity stadium at a different site.

That will be an increase of more than 13,000 on Goodison Park’s 39,221, tenth biggest currently behind Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge in ninth.

When the new Everton is completed, a capacity of 52,888 would see it become the seventh biggest stadium in the Premier League, overtaking the 52,354 of St James Park.

When the redevelopment was completed beyond 52,000 in 2000, only Old Trafford was bigger in the Premier League than the home of Newcastle United.

In 2006, the Emirates pushed St James Park down to third.

However, it is under Mike Ashley where things have really nosedived under this owner.

As well as Arsenal and Man Utd, we have seen Tottenham, West Ham, Liverpool and Man City all end up with bigger capacity stadiums as they push their ambitions.

Newcastle fans now facing the prospect of Everton pushing them down to eighth.

Not only has Mike Ashley refused to even conduct any feasibility studies into expanding the St James Park capacity.

The Newcastle United owner has even sold the land to himself opposite Gallowgate that was intended to help facilitate a bigger capacity. The land bought by NUFC when Hall and Shepherd were in charge and plans drawn up for a capacity of at least 60,000. Mike Ashley selling the land to himself and then making a personal profit by then selling at a higher price to developers.

The planned development will mean it’s all but impossible to even in the future significantly increase the SJP capacity, if new owners wanted to get ambitious and grow the club on and off the pitch.

These are the current top ten capacity stadiums in the Premier League, capacities taken from various sources but the highest to lowest placings definitely correct.

Manchester United

Old Trafford – Capacity: 74,879

Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Capacity: 62,062

Arsenal

Ashburton Grove (Emirates Stadium) – Capacity: 60,260

West Ham United

London Stadium – Capacity: 60,000

Manchester City

City of Manchester (Etihad Stadium) – Capacity: 55,017

Liverpool

Anfield – Capacity: 53,394

Newcastle United

St. James Park – Capacity: 52,354

Aston Villa

Villa Park – Capacity: 42,785

Chelsea

Stamford Bridge – Capacity: 40,853

Everton

Goodison Park – Capacity: 39,221