Many have referred to Norwich as a ‘yo-yo' club in years gone by—a side too good for the Championship but not quite good enough to consistently secure a Premier League stay.
While there may be some truth to that, it has allowed the Canaries to develop their finances slowly, and by doing so, provided them with the opportunity to potentially expand their home ground, Carrow Road.
What is Carrow Road like now?
Contents
Carrow Road under construction back in 1935#NCFC #NorwichCity #Canaries #Stadiums #Workers pic.twitter.com/cCflZqC06X
— Football Memories (@footballmemorys) August 8, 2024
Carrow Road has been Norwich City's home for just short of 90 years, having first opened in 1935. In its current state, the ground is all-seated and has a capacity of 27,244. Given the club's nickname, the stadium is occasionally referred to as the ‘Canaries nest'.
While it is unlikely to be considered iconic on a national scale, it is worth noting that it has plenty of history and prestige within the sport. The venue has hosted several international matches on its pitch, having played host to England and Brazil.
Why does Carrow Road need expanding?
As mentioned, Norwich have struggled to adapt to Premier League life when given the chance and have almost always found it impossible to preserve their status in England's top flight over an extended period.
However, a Carrow Road expansion would significantly improve their chances of doing so in the future, indirectly of course. A bigger stadium would increase reliable revenue, allowing the club to not only continue to improve their facilities such as the academy, but also the players in their first-team squad.
Additionally, there is a waiting list for Norwich City season tickets at the time of writing, and an increased capacity would likely ease some of that strain.
What are the Carrow Road expansion plans?
While there are a whole host of renovations currently being discussed at Carrow Road, an expansion of the City Stand, currently known as the Geoffrey Watling City Stand, has been catching the headlines.
The club have previously made public its desire to increase the stadium's capacity, and implementing a second tier to the above stand appears to be the most straightforward path to that goal. It is believed that this would increase by approximately 7,000 seats.
Other renovations currently being discussed are:
- New dugouts
- Stadium WiFi
- New floodlights
- Improvements to changing room facilities
Ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, Norwich also successfully implemented safe standing at Carrow Road which has been a massive fit among fans.
Carrow Road expansion plans placed on hold
However, as we have so often seen, stadium renovations, whether relocations or expansions, are incredibly expensive and place a great financial strain on the club in question. It can have damning, long-lasting effects if not handled correctly – the current embargo at Everton is a prime example of that.
For that reason, Carrow Road expansion plans are currently on hold, as confirmed by Zoe Webber, Executive Director of Norwich. When probed on the progress of the potential renovations, Webber said, “If someone could do something about the price of steel, that would be hugely helpful.
“We have master plans of development for the whole stadium but, in terms of expanding the City Stand, it's just too cost-prohibitive at the moment, just because of the cost of materials, the cost of construction. But it's something that we constantly keep an eye on.”
Norwich keen to avoid third-party debt
Those costs could perhaps be mitigated sooner if the club were to finance the expansion using a loan from a third party, however, that is an avenue Norwich are keen to avoid – and correctly so.
Speaking on the impact Mark Attanasio, the club's majority shareholder, has had on the plans, Webber explained that: Mark coming in has enabled us to keep any debt within our ownership structure which puts us in a much stronger position than if you're being financed by a third party.”
So, while Norwich supporters may be a tad frustrated with the lack of progress regarding the Carrow Road expansion, rest assured that the ownership appears to be prioritising the club's stability in the future, which can only be a good thing in this scenario.