Crystal Palace should have looked to build a new stadium rather than focus on the improvement of Selhurst Park, according to former Everton CEO Keith Wyness.
The Eagles have made significant strides on the pitch since Oliver Glasner took over the reins in February 2024. Glasner guided Palace to FA Cup glory in May and then the Community Shield in August. The Eagles are currently operating in eighth spot in the Premier League, are in the EFL Cup quarter-finals and the knockout rounds of the Conference League.
Having enjoyed success on the pitch, Palace are also keen to make improvements off the field with plans to expand their Selhurst Park home.
Palace's current ground is the fourth-smallest in the Premier League, with a capacity of just over 25,000. The club are set to begin work on their main stand to take their capacity to the 35,000 mark. However, Wyness believes that Palace should have looked to start a new chapter away from their Selhurst Park rather than put their effort into developing their current home.
Wyness expresses concerns over Palace's stadium decision
“It’s going to be an improvement. There’s no doubt about it and it’s the right way forward. They’re going to start building that stand a bit like Liverpool did, and then try and keep the existing stand in place for as long as possible,” Wyness Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast.
“I looked at the design plans, and it looks great, it’s good. I just wonder in my mind should they have bitten the bullet and looked to build a new stadium elsewhere.
“Still, at the Sports Centre down in Crystal Palace is somewhere that I thought was a perfect site and that would have given them a chance to develop revenue streams around a new stadium, which is where you’ve got to go these days if you’re going to really make a difference.
“But look, they’re going to start the stand apparently next month in January, so good luck to them. But it’s not, look, it’s something they’ve got to do to at least try and maintain their position rather than make big leaps up the table. So they’d only be falling further if they didn’t do it.“
FGG says: Selhurst Park stay has its limitations
Selhurst Park has been Palace's home for 101 years, so there will be a reluctance among many supporters to leave the historic stadium. With that in mind, many fans will be happy to see the club develop the current ground rather than look to build a new stadium elsewhere, especially as there will not be too many viable sites.
However, the decision now to build a new state-of-the art ground could see Palace miss out on opportunities that are falling the way of clubs with new stadiums. The likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Everton created new revenue opportunities with their modern grounds, which allow them to host non-football events all year round.