Anfield Stadium
The Reds will hold a series of public consultation events in which it will share proposals for a redeveloped Anfield Road Stand
Liverpool announced in August that they had scrapped initial plans for an upgrading of the Anfield Road End. Outline planning permission for the addition of around 4,000 extra seats was allowed to lapse with club owners, Fenway Sports Group, revealing its plan to explore alternative redevelopment options.
They are now in a position to share those alternative plans, and Goal understands that they will involve a redevelopment which takes Anfield’s capacity above 60,000.
There is already an acceptance at Liverpool that demand for tickets far outstrips supply, and the club’s on-field success in recent seasons has only highlighted that fact further.
That, coupled with the knowledge that their Premier League rivals – Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Arsenal – all boast larger stadiums, has led to a series of feasibility studies investigating the economic viability of a new, larger Anfield.
FSG have already displayed a willingness to expand the stadium. They spent £110 million ($142m) on building the new Main Stand, which opened in 2016 and took the capacity above 54,000.
Speaking in July, chairman Tom Werner said: “We are still analysing the opportunity to build on Anfield Road. We are trying to figure it out.
“When we went forward with the Main Stand expansion, which I’m very proud about, we obviously wanted to do it right so we were quiet about it. In a perfect world we will be able to figure this out.”
“Everybody wants Liverpool to choke and fail”
Chris Burton
A bloodied Billy Vunipola looked dejected as South Africa won the final
The game started off with England giving away two penalties in the first 10 minutes and Kyle Sinckler being replaced after less than three minutes due to concussion.
In England’s biggest game since their last World Cup final in 2007 – where they also lost to the Springboks – everything was at stake for both teams at the International Stadium Yokohama.
Thousands of England fans arrived in Japan to watch the game after their team beat New Zealand in the semi-finals but after a game of penalties and the score at 6-12 at half-time, the Springboks were too strong.
England fanned out across the pitch as the All Blacks delivered the challenge, with several players who crossed the halfway line standing their ground when officials tried to usher them back.
World Rugby regulations stipulate opponents must not cross the halfway line while the haka is being performed. It did not disclose the size of the fine, which is to be donated to charity.
“England have been fined for a breach of World Cup tournament rules relating to cultural challenges, which states that no players from the team receiving the challenge may advance beyond the halfway line,” the sport’s governing body said in a statement.
“This is in line with the protocol which operates globally across the international game.”
In the 2011 tournament France were fined 2,500 pounds ($3,216.75) when they also advanced on the haka before the final.
Asked about England’s actions after the match, captain Owen Farrell said: “We didn’t just want to stand in a flat line and let them come at us.”
World Rugby’s Youtube video of the incident, titled “England’s incredible response to intense New Zealand haka” with a commentator saying “you want box office? You’ve got it,” has been viewed more than four million times.
New Zealand coach Hansen said on Wednesday he had no problems with England’s response.
“If you understand the haka, then the haka requires a response,” he said. “It is a challenge to you personally and it requires you to have a response.
“I thought it was brilliant and quite imaginative too.”
Fellow New Zealander Warren Gatland took a similar view, with the Wales coach calling it a “perfect response.”
“For them to do something like that is completely respectful as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “They didn’t turn their backs or anything like that. They stood there and received the haka.
“Ireland in Chicago a few years ago did a number eight in respect for Anthony Foley and other teams have done it in their own way. “I was involved with the All Blacks against Ireland and Willie Anderson linked arms with everyone else and they marched forwards.
“After the match they were severely criticized by the press for how disrespectful that was. As All Blacks, no one mentioned a thing afterwards.”
The haka, he added, was a challenge to an opponent’s toughness and physicality.
“It’s important you don’t take a backward step and you respond respectfully. England did that.”
