Deposed champions want extra time as they add 6,000 seats to take capacity to more than 55,000 and make the Etihad the top-flight's third biggest ground
City's ground development in full swing
Manchester City want to start the new season away – to give them maximum time to prepare their newly-expanded stadium for the big kick-off.
Deposed champions City are adding 6,000 seats to the south stand at their Etihad Stadium, which will take the overall capacity to more than 55,000 for the new season.
That will make it the third biggest club ground in the top flight after Manchester United’s Old Trafford, which holds 75,000, and Arsenal’s 60,000-capacity Emirates Stadium.
Although City insist their stadium will be ready for the start of the new season, on the weekend of August 8-10, they have asked the Premier League for an away game to maximise the time they have to ensure it is fully operational for their first home match.
Talks between City and the Premier League are ongoing, with the fixtures for the new Premier League season set to be released at 9am next Wednesday - June 17.
BlueinBosnia wrote:On this subject - don't we need a 'trial' game to ensure the stand is safe for crowds, like they do for new stadiums, or is that kind of thing more for stewards/policing than structural stability?
Wonderwall wrote:BlueinBosnia wrote:On this subject - don't we need a 'trial' game to ensure the stand is safe for crowds, like they do for new stadiums, or is that kind of thing more for stewards/policing than structural stability?
I am sure thats needed, but I dont think its an event thats required as its only a single tier of the stand. I am just assuming, I have no fact to back up that assumption.
BlueinBosnia wrote:Wonderwall wrote:BlueinBosnia wrote:On this subject - don't we need a 'trial' game to ensure the stand is safe for crowds, like they do for new stadiums, or is that kind of thing more for stewards/policing than structural stability?
I am sure thats needed, but I dont think its an event thats required as its only a single tier of the stand. I am just assuming, I have no fact to back up that assumption.
Will they just let a load of schoolkids up there to run and jump around for 90 minutes instead, or summat?
I was kind of hoping for a one-off re-initiation of the Thomas Cook Trophy. (Incidentally - I just looked up its history, and noticed that Yaya scored against us in it during his time at Olympiakos!)
Piccsnumberoneblue wrote:It doesn't always follow that pattern.
I'm sure some teams were played home and away in fairly short order the season just gone. Leicester sticks in my mind for some reason.
Im_Spartacus wrote:Fantastic run in all things considered. Last 10 games, really only one of great concern would be chelsea away.
Just an observation though. In recent years, the fixtures have run through one set, then the opposite fixtures have been scheduled in the same order in the 2nd half of the season.
Looks like TV has had some part to play, as some of these fixtures don't look particularly random. Why for example we play Chelsea in April as opposed to playing them in our 20th game? Another example is the swapping of the order of the Swansea and Arsenal games in the 2nd half of the season......almost as if the league intentionally doesn't want a last day decider.
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