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SUCCESS BREEDS WEALTH - 29-1-08
Louis Spence
Everybody, it seems, wants to be associated with success. In football the rich become richer as more and more media money is poured into the game. For the leading clubs in England it is a case of grow or wither, compete or die.
In order to cope with the demands of handling success and matching lofty ambition, grandiose plans are constantly being prepared by eager chairmen and the investors who back our leading clubs. It would appear that to be a major force in European football, which is a minimum requirement for our top clubs, a stadium capacity of at least 60,000 is a must.
Listed below are the top European club stadia in relation to capacity:
| Team |
Stadium |
Capacity |
| Barcelona |
Nou Camp |
98,000 |
| AC/Inter |
San Siro |
86,000 |
| Real Madrid |
Bernabeu |
80,000 |
| Bayern |
Allianz Arena |
70,000 |
| Juventus |
Stadio delle Alpi |
67,000 |
| Benfica |
Estadio da Luz |
65,000 |
You will no doubt be aware that all of the clubs listed have won the European Cup more than once and six of them are in the top seven richest clubs in the world.
So where does that leave the English pretenders in their desires to compete at the highest level?
Manchester United currently have a capacity at Old Trafford of 76,000 but have plans to increase that to 96,000.
Arsenal have, of course, recently moved to the Emirates Stadium with its figure of 60,000.
Chelsea, with no apparent moves in the pipeline, are stuck at a mere 42,000. They do seem to have limitless funds to compete at the moment though, courtesy of Mr. Abramovich. If he should withdraw however.
This brings us neatly to Liverpool FC. For a club with the third best record in European terms (behind Real Madrid and AC Milan), things are not looking too good. Currently holding just 46,000, it would appear that Anfield is no longer fit for purpose. The move that was proposed to a new stadium would have initially given them a 60,000 seater stadium with plans to extend to 80,000.
As their club was recently named the nineth richest in the world, their fans must wonder how they will continue to compete if moves are not made to increase their paying fan base. More funds equals better players equals more success equals more funds ad infinitum. This works, notwithstanding the rumours of debt that plague this outfit. R.I.P.Shanks.
Now anybody with a sense of humour will surely revel in the next two facts. The only other English clubs with outline plans in place to increase their stadia capacities are Newcastle who could upgrade to 60,000 and... wait for it... Sunderland with a possible 67,000 if they were to extend their third tier. This is more likely to end in tears as a more realistic target for them would be Premiership survival.
Former multi European champions Ajax seem to have now settled into relative anonymity at this level. Their Amsterdam Arena accommodates 51,000 and it would appear that their glory days are well behind them. The same can be said for Porto (who are double European Cup winners) as at 52,000, they are struggling to compete.
And so the rich get richer and the poorer and less ambitious get left behind. Or, as in the case of a once ridiculously ambitious Leeds United, they become church mouse material.
There's really no secret to success.
Did you ever know a successful club's fan who didn't tell you about it?
Boring. And now back to reality for me...
Riverside Red, loyal and true
Riverside Red I wanna be like you
Singing your songs to follow your dream
And make your voice heard for your Middlesbrough team
Louis Spence
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