Manchester United have announced plans to build a new £2 billion ($2.6bn) stadium with a capacity of 100,000.
United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to build “the greatest football stadium in the world” and hopes to complete the project in a five-year timeframe.
The triumphant announcement and striking images of the proposed arena and surrounding areas sit in contrast to United’s sorry state on the field and Ratcliffe’s shocking pronouncements earlier this week that the club was in danger of running out of money by the end of 2025 without his much-criticised string of cuts and redundancies.
However, the new stadium will take an almost century-old record away from United’s bitter local rivals.
MORE: Harry Maguire names key ingredient to Man United’s Europa League hopes
How Man United’s new stadium will break a Man City record
Old Trafford’s capacity of 74,197 makes it the biggest ground in the Premier League. United’s new stadium will take them even further clear of the pack. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has the second-largest capacity at 62,850 and is one of four around the 60,000 mark.
The Etihad Stadium will also be in that company once Manchester City’s ongoing development of its North Stand is complete by the middle of next season.
However, City still hold a notable English attendance record for the biggest crowd in a home match at their own ground — and it’s a record not many people know about.
This dates back to March 3, 1934 when 84,569 attended City’s FA Cup quarterfinal against Stoke City at Maine Road.
Spurs broke that record in 2016 when they played Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League. However, Tottenham played this match at Wembley, which means City’s record for games held at club grounds remains.
At least, it will until United’s new stadium is open for business.
MORE: All you need to know about Man United’s new stadium plans
What is Man United’s record home attendance?
Interestingly, this is another best mark that they will take from Maine Road, which was demolished in 2003 when it operated at a vastly reduced all-seater capacity.
After Old Trafford was badly damaged by a German bombing raid during the Second World War, United groundshared with City until returning home in October 1949, when 41,748 watched their first game back against Bolton Wanderers.
That was a little over half of the crowd that crammed onto the Maine Road terracing on January 17, 1948, when United faced Arsenal in Division One — their biggest ever home attendance, for a few more years at least.
