Premier League giant was forced to scrap plans to build stadium dubbed ‘San Siro of the north’

Newcastle once had plans to build one of the biggest stadiums in Europe that was dubbed the ‘San Siro of the North’.

Local opposition to the plans thwarted the Magpies’ attempts in 1997 to build the stadium, which could have held as many as 70,000 fans.

That would have seen the club have bigger grounds than Anfield, the Emirates and the London Stadium.

But Newcastle were foiled by various local groups, who shut down any further action with the help of local residents.

The club had planned to spend £90million on constructing a new stadium at Castle Leazes Moor.

It would have seen St James’ Park converted into a massive leisure complex with an indoor arena and running track.

Why the plans fell through

But pressure groups including Friends of the Earth and local campaigners like No Business on the Moor managed to collect a petition of 36,000 signatures opposing the scheme.

It meant that Newcastle would have faced a lengthy, and expensive, public inquiry, forcing a rethink.

In November 1997, the club submitted alternative plans to upgrade and extend St James’ Park instead.

Newcastle’s former chairman Sir John Hall had dreamt of a new home for his old club, dubbed the ‘San Siro of the North’.

The plans would have seen a three-tiered stadium with a bowl shape, mirroring the iconic ground in Milan.

With a 70,000-seat capacity, it would have been one of the most impressive stadiums in the world.

Taylor Tulip & Hunter Architects

Taylor Tulip & Hunter Architects

Taylor Tulip & Hunter Architects

Newcastle had finished the season as Premier League runners-up and then-chairman Hall wanted to see his beloved club become a powerhouse in Europe.

“We looked everywhere. The Council eventually stepped in to say we couldn’t move from the City but we looked all around the place,” Hall told the Chronicle in 2020.

“We looked around at where the hell we could build a new stadium clean, which was the ideal thing to do.

“We looked at Leazes Park, next to the BBC, the Town Moor, places where the fans could walk to the ground. But at the end of the day the Council stepped in.

“We looked at Gateshead when we weren’t getting on with Newcastle Council and they said we could redevelop the athletics stadium.”

Newcastle executive director Russell Jones told the Chronicle in 2020: “It was certainly going to be state of art. There was a problem with English heritage.

Taylor Tulip & Hunter Architects

“We ended up going to the Fine Arts commission and while it was backed by the council, everyone else was against it so we ended up expanding the current stadium and the idea for a bigger stadium just disappeared.”

After the plans faltered and St James’ Park was renovated, taking it from 35,000 to nearly 52,000, making it the eighth-biggest stadium in England.

And with new owners PIF now in charge, conversations are already being held over what the future holds for the stadium.

There is talk that the Saudi owners could extend St James’ Park capacity further to 65,000, adding 13,000 seats.

But with the actual San Siro set to be knocked down and rebuilt, perhaps the home of AC Milan and Inter Milan could be known as the ‘St James’ Park of Italy’ if Newcastle are serious about expanding their ground.