Reds In The Press: Liverpool asked to groundshare again

Last updated : 30 March 2007 By The Independent

The American businessmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks, who on Monday announced that they had secured the 98.6 per cent of the club's shares they needed to compulsorily purchase the remainder, want to make Liverpool's new Stanley Park stadium even bigger than the planned 60,000-capacity but will need council permission.

Liverpool have always ruled out sharing with Everton but the city council leader, Warren Bradley, wants them to reconsider.

Bradley told the Liverpool Echo: "They have got their guys [Dallas firm HKS] looking at designs, infrastructure and everything.

"Are you telling me a commercial business in America doesn't sweat the asset? They sweat that asset until they can't get any more out of it. If they can consider increasing the stadium size, why can't they consider a shared stadium?"

Everton are pondering a move to a site outside Liverpool in Kirby but Bradley - a Blues season-ticket holder - believes Goodison Park could be redeveloped. "I think in a few years' time they'll be playing in a new stadium and I think it will be in Liverpool. I would be happy with a joint stadium, I've got to be honest, but my gut feeling is probably not."

He added: "I don't see any reason why Goodison Park cannot be redeveloped. You could quite easily fit an additional footprint and some commercial activity - a hotel, for example - into a new development."