Leeds United ready to green light Elland Road expansion — Keith Wyness — Football Insider 24/5/24
Fri 24 May 2024 7:00, UK
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has insisted Leeds
United will look to expand Elland Road if they are promoted on Sunday (26 May).
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside
Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between
2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs –
suggested club owners 49ers Enterprises are “prepared to invest and have a go”
following their takeover last summer (2023).
Football Insider revealed last November that the Leeds
chiefs have accelerated plans to expand Elland Road after securing external
investment for the project.
The project is expected to increase capacity to around
55,000 and will cost upwards of £100million to complete.
Elland Road currently holds 37,890 and the East Stand was
the last area to be renovated in 2011.
Leeds face Southampton at Wembley on Sunday (26 May) in the
play-off final with a place in the Premier League at stake.
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “I do
think the Elland Road expansion would swing into action straight away if they
do go up.
“I think the owners are really prepared to invest and have a
go.
“This is why I go back to the Premier League giving promoted
clubs an amnesty for a few years.
“It would allow investment in facilities, investment in the
squad.
“Leeds is a club which can make a real go of remaining in
the Premier League, so it would be wrong to tie them up with red tape.
“I think they will go ahead with improving Elland Road. It’s
in a great location, not far from the motorway and not far from the city.
“Good luck to them.”
