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Liverpool confirm intentions for Anfield Road end expansion – plus update on new training ground
Jack Lusby
NewsAnfield Expansion
20 June 2018

Liverpool have stressed they are “committed to finding the best possible answer” as they plan to move ahead with the Anfield Road end expansion.


Work on the Main Stand expansion was concluded in 2016, with a further 8,500 seats added to the stadium along with improvements made to the concourse and outside the ground.

Meanwhile, plans for a new training ground to include both first-team and academy facilities on the current Kirkby site were announced in 2017, as part of a £50 million renovation.

But there are still proposals under consideration to redevelop the Anfield Road end, and speaking at a Fans Forum on Saturday chief operating officer Andy Hughes confirmed the club’s intentions.

Hughes revealed that while the focus is currently on the training ground, with work set to begin in July, Liverpool are “completely committed” to another stadium expansion:

“Our priority right now is the training ground, the contract for which is currently out to tender, and ideally work will begin on that project in July.

“While this process is continuing, outline planning permission for Anfield Road is in place and does not expire until September 2019, which is later than had been reported in some quarters.

“It’s important to stress that we are applying the same level of rigour to this process as we did to the Main Stand process but Anfield Road is very much a live process and we will look to vary the outline planning permission that we have if necessary.

“From our point of view, there is no shortage of time or effort that is being put into this project to make it as good as it possibly can be. The programme is on track and we are completely committed to this project.

“We definitely can raise the money and we are committed to finding the best possible answer, assuming it is viable from all points of view.”



The new training ground is designed to improve the relationship between the first team and the academy, improving the pathway for young players into the senior squad.

Pepijn Lijnders’ previous role with the club included overseeing a Talent Group at Melwood, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ben Woodburn and Rhian Brewster all alumni.

But the differences between training in first-team facilities once a week and sharing the same training ground as the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are vast.

Meanwhile, the club are believed to be finalising plans for the Anfield Road end expansion as they consider three designs, though as Hughes stresses they have outline planning permission until late 2019.

The expansion would add 7,000 extra seats to the stadium, bringing its capacity to around 61,000.

Planning permission has now been granted and they will start work as soon as possible.

kazza » Wed Jun 16, 2021 3:00 am wrote:Planning permission has now been granted and they will start work as soon as possible.

Yeah just seen that, the new Annie Road stand will take capacity to 61,000 and will cost around £60m. A lot of the work will be done behind the existing stand so there won’t be any reduction in capacity during the season, the rest will be done during the summer months. They are hoping it will be finished for 2023.

So glad that they decided to redevelop Anfield rather than move to another bowl shaped stadium, as it looks fantastic while keeping all the history. I think in time, the Owner’s legacy will be what they did for the stadium more than that they won us the league after a 30 year wait.

kazza » Wed Jun 16, 2021 4:09 pm wrote:So glad that they decided to redevelop Anfield rather than move to another bowl shaped stadium, as it looks fantastic while keeping all the history. I think in time, the Owner’s legacy will be what they did for the stadium more than that they won us the league after a 30 year wait.

Yeah the owners are not in my good books for trying to throw 150 years of football history in the bin but I’ll always be grateful that they decided to stay at Anfield.

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:32 pm wrote:

kazza » Wed Jun 16, 2021 4:09 pm wrote:So glad that they decided to redevelop Anfield rather than move to another bowl shaped stadium, as it looks fantastic while keeping all the history. I think in time, the Owner’s legacy will be what they did for the stadium more than that they won us the league after a 30 year wait.

Yeah the owners are not in my good books for trying to throw 150 years of football history in the bin but I’ll always be grateful that they decided to stay at Anfield.

Eh ? Throw what in the bin ?

Lallana in Pyjamas » Wed Jun 16, 2021 7:43 pm wrote:

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:32 pm wrote:

kazza » Wed Jun 16, 2021 4:09 pm wrote:So glad that they decided to redevelop Anfield rather than move to another bowl shaped stadium, as it looks fantastic while keeping all the history. I think in time, the Owner’s legacy will be what they did for the stadium more than that they won us the league after a 30 year wait.

Yeah the owners are not in my good books for trying to throw 150 years of football history in the bin but I’ll always be grateful that they decided to stay at Anfield.

Eh ? Throw what in the bin ?

English football

It was the European Comp - UEFA they were leaving not English football.

The diggers started before the planning permission was even announced, they've taken the car park up already.

The club did a great job on the main stand and I'm sure they'll do the exact same with the anfield road end as it follows the same model. For a number of reasons I think this will be it for a while so the KD stand and the Kop will remain as they are. But interesting to see that rail seating will be trialed next season which might be the first of several steps towards having the whole of the kop as a safe standing stand.

Lallana in Pyjamas » Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:30 pm wrote:It was the European Comp - UEFA they were leaving not English football.

They were clearly trying to ruin it by turning it into a farce.

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Thu Jun 17, 2021 7:36 pm wrote:

Lallana in Pyjamas » Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:30 pm wrote:It was the European Comp - UEFA they were leaving not English football.

They were clearly trying to ruin it by turning it into a farce.

Or trying to combat the ridiculous changes that UEFA were doing to the CL which is getting to be a closed shop