St James' Park and Newcastle United's Darsley Park training centre will undergo yet more changes over the summer as the Magpies continue to invest heavily behind the scenes. The ownership have pumped significant capital into improving the matchday experience for fans, while also bringing the club's Benton training facility up to scratch after years of neglect.
Newcastle have confirmed the Leazes Sports Bar will undergo a major renovation this summer, with the new facility in its place offering a 'premium' experience for fans. The introduction of this high-end spot means supporters currently located in the Leazes End will be forced to relocate but will crucially bring additional matchday revenue into the club.
Increasing Newcastle's financial streams has been a core part of Chief Executive Officer Darren Eales' goal since arriving on Tyneside. The Magpies are hoping to expand their options when it comes to bringing in both matchday and corporate income as they catch up to the rest of the Premier League's elite.
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"There’s no doubt that we are a long way off the big six [in terms of revenues]," Eales said in 2022. "We started to put the building blocks together to build for this long-term vision of sustainable top-six success where we can be competing for trophies. Now the trick is going to be putting together those deals that start to bring in the revenue."
There will also be changes at the opposite end of the ground as a licensed standing section, built to house up 1,800 home supporters, will be installed in the South East Corner. Newcastle recently carried out a consultation with fans, finding that around 75 per cent of the 4,000-plus fans surveyed supported the idea.
Wholesale changes have been made to the club's training facility after a damning assessment that the old space was arguably below Championship standard. Years of decline by Mike Ashley have been swiftly underdone in the last 18 months as the ownership made it a priority upon arrival.
Newcastle have introduced a bigger main dressing room, hydrotherapy and plunge pools, new outdoor pitches, a new state of the art kitchen, upgraded offices and a brand new building exterior to name just a few changes. Eddie Howe recently admitted players returning from loan stints elsewhere have been left shocked by the vast alterations in such a short space of time.
Newcastle have drawn up and submitted further plans to improve the training ground in the coming months. Drafted proposals have been sent off for a single storey side extension to the north elevation of the building with the purpose of extending the gym area and creating additional office space - to be used by recruitment staff.
In the recent application, Newcastle explained the need for additional gym space and added offices, writing: "Modern professional football demands the provision of bespoke dedicated training facilities to enable teams to compete successfully at the highest levels nationally and internationally."
Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley recently admitted plans were being made in regards to a brand new training ground. However, Howe is satisfied with the changes implemented at Benton since his arrival.
"It's getting there," Howe told reporters earlier this year. "The lads have got a couple more rooms to go into. It's still quite small and there's still a lot of building work going on.
"There are certain rooms they can't go into so it certainly feels that we are very tight together. Hopefully, in a few weeks, that will change and we will feel the benefits of the work going on."
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