Crystal Palace Fan View: Stunning new stadium a huge milestone for Eagles

After several long years of development, finally there’s news of the redevelopment of Selhurst Park.

It’s been on the cards since our promotion, but a combination of other more pressing areas for investment and planning issues meant it has been continuously pushed back.

There’s been ‘news coming’ for Crystal Palace fans for two or three years and now, finally, it’s here. And…

It. Is. Stunning.

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There have been attempts to improve the ground in recent years, but in truth they’ve been sticking plasters that, while welcome, never removed the need for major redevelopment. At first there was thought of moving elsewhere, but the prohibitive planning regulations and space in London meant that it eventually became clear that wasn’t an option. Redevelopment of Selhurst was the way to go…

The new Main Stand will be the stunning centrepiece. The vaulted arched glass façade is an ode to the original Crystal Palace and will increase the overall capacity by 8,000.

A large part of the improvements will add to the corporate hospitality facilities, which frankly no ordinary fan cares about, and while I’m far from convinced by the ‘Tunnel Club’ I think we all appreciate the need for the stadium to serve different functions to different people. A £100 million investment needs to be repaid somehow.

It’s not just about the stunning new Main Stand though. The TV gantry that blocks the view in the Arthur Waite stadium will be removed and incorporated elsewhere, access and spaces for disabled fans will be increased while a bigger pitch will allow tournament and European football to be hosted at Selhurst Park. I presume that last one is for some other team to borrow the stadium….

The spate of stadium redevelopments or outright moves threatened to leave Crystal Palace even further behind than we were already. West Ham moved into the Olympic stadium, Tottenham will move into their new home at the start of next season and plans are underway at Chelsea to at least expand Stamford Bridge.

The most surprising response to the stadium plans actually came from Sainsburys, who it turned out knew nothing about them. It seems Steve Parish has taken the approach of getting on and doing it before asking for forgiveness as opposed to trying to get permission.

This could prove to be a shrewd move given the obstinance Sainsburys have displayed so far in proceedings. The details of a stunning transformation to a generally worn-out stadium have now been laid bare, forcing them into something of a corner – it would be a very strong move by Sainsburys to now stand in the way.

Detractors will, and have, said that this’ll be “the nicest stadium in the Championship” but this is about more than that.

Our geographical location gives us huge potential as a football club, but our success on the pitch has halted that for years. Now, for all of our struggles, we’ve been a Premier League side for five years and have the potential to create a legacy.

Our position at the moment just magnifies the need for something like this, as opposed to diminishing it. This won’t last forever, we’re not ‘too big’ to be relegated and this fact is exactly why we must pounce on the position we’re in and drive home the financial advantage we enjoy.

This isn’t about now, or next season, or the one after that. It’s about the wider future, a decade or two down the line.

If the legacy of our run in the Premier League is a stadium rejuvenated and a new generation of fans inspired to come and support our fantastic club then it will have been worth every penny.