Manchester United have not just been busy in the transfer market, with areas such as dressing rooms, broadcast media positions, barrier seating and disabled facilities all upgraded; co-owner Joel Glazer: "Old Trafford is at the heart of Manchester United"
Wednesday 18 August 2021 13:43, UK
Manchester United have upgraded changing rooms and broadcast media facilities as part of a wider £20m revamp of Old Trafford.
During their behind-closed-doors match against Burnley on Tuesday, the visitors were only the second team after Leeds United to experience the new away dressing rooms at Old Trafford.
Last season, the away teams were housed in a temporary structure due to Covid-19 protocols. Now, United have enlarged their home changing room and moved the away team to a new, bigger away changing room on the other side of the player tunnel as part of a revamp that will also see improved post-match media facilities housed in the tunnel area.
This is part of an overall programme of works at the ground - the club has spent over £20m across the summer and into this season. They have painted and cleaned the stands and cantilever girders, relaid the pitch, installed new floodlights across the stadium and barrier seating installation in J Stand.
New disability facilities - the red and black concourse at the back of the Stretford End and in other parts of the ground - are due to open soon as well. Extensive work on pitches and facilities at Carrington - the club's training ground - is also taking place.
All of this work is separate to the longer-term works that co-chairman Joel Glazer committed to in the Fans Forum back in June.
"Old Trafford is at the heart of Manchester United and while we have spent over £100m over the last 10 years on infrastructure projects, we will now accelerate the process of planning much more significant investment and upgrades to the stadium," Glazer said.
"I do want to stress that these projects take time to plan and get right. But, rest assured, we will consult with supporters throughout the process to end up with a result we can all be proud of.
"The same goes for our training ground. Preliminary and exploratory planning work is already under way and there will be significant funding available to further enhance our facilities and ensure they remain world class."
