Liverpool reveal new Stanley Park stadium

Liverpool have unveiled revised designs for their new £300 million 60,000-seater stadium in Stanley Park.

The club's American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, in conjunction with architects HKS, have radically redesigned the original plans for the stadium which is scheduled to open in three years' time.

The Kop, a stand that epitomises Liverpool's Anfield ground, has been recognised in the new design with the new single tier stand to accommodate up to 18,000 fans.

The stadium has also been designed to allow for further expansion to more than 70,000 seats, dependent on improvements to local transport infrastructure.

The new plans have been welcomed by staff and players at the club. Captain Steven Gerrard said: "I knew it was going to be great but after spending five minutes looking at the plans I was just completely blown away by it.

"We are Liverpool Football Club and we expect the best and this will be the best. I’ve played in some special stadiums but this is something special and it’s so important that we are not seen to be copying off another club."

Chief executive Rick Parry said: "The asymmetric design sets it apart from other new stadia, as it is a clear move away from what is becoming the traditional bowl model. It recognises and makes reference to the fact that English football grounds were historically asymmetric.

"We make no apologies for that, we’ve gone out of our way to embrace that culture and it works exceptionally well for both the new ground and its location within Stanley Park. This new design will be unmistakably Liverpool and instantly recognisable as our stadium."

Manager Rafa Benitez added his voice of approval. He said: "The facilities the new stadium will provide are going to ensure that the future of this club is a great one and this is what our fans deserve."

Defender Jamie Carragher and midfielder Xabi Alonso, meanwhile, are confident the new stadium will create the same atmosphere as Anfield currently does.

Carragher said: "Everyone is excited by the new plans. They are spectacular. We’ve got a great stadium at the minute in Anfield, but the designers have come up with something completely unique. I’ve never seen a football ground like it and that’s what makes it so special."

Alonso added: "Liverpool is famous for the atmosphere generated by its fans and from looking at the pictures I’m sure the new stadium will be just as atmospheric, if not more so. Anfield is really special, we all know that, but the new stadium will be a great one and I’m looking forward to playing there."

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