Southport FC: Club unveils stadium revamp plans
- Published
Work on the Grandstand will begin next month
Southport FC have revealed plans for a £2m revamp of their ground.
The club played their first game at their current ground on Haig Avenue in 1905 and now plan to fully refurbish the main stand and replace a terraced stand with seating.
The work will also include the creation of a new supporters' bar and corporate facilities.
Chief executive Natalie Atkinson said the revamp was part of the club's plans to get back into the football league.
Southport FC, who trace their history back to 1881, were regulated from the National League to the National League North in 2017.
The revamp will be completed in two phases, with the entire development set to be finished in time for the 2019/20 season.
The first phase of works is set for completion in July
The first phase will include the renovation of the interior and exterior of the Grandstand, with new seats in the club's yellow and black branding, new changing rooms and new exterior cladding.
The second phase involves replacing a terraced stand opposite the main stand with a seated one, as well as office space and corporate facilities.
Funding will come from the club's directors, a grant and sponsorship deals.
A spokesman for Southport FC said there will be no borrowing to support the costs of the works.
Haig Avenue stadium, which is currently known as the Merseyrail Community Stadium for sponsorship purposes, has a capacity of 6,008.
The revamp should decrease capacity slightly by removing terracing, with the exact figures not yet confirmed.
Phil Hodgkinson, Southport FC director, said the club wanted to give supporters "the best possible match day experience".
"The stadium redevelopment is a huge challenge but it's a challenge we're all relishing and we feel it's a necessary step to take the club forward," he said.
The entire development is to be finished in time for the 2019/20 season
The current main stand