Manchester United should plan to bring women's team closer to Old Trafford, Gary Neville says

Manchester United ‘should’ consider building a stadium for the club’s women’s team on the same site as Old Trafford, according to Gary Neville.

The United legend said club bosses ‘should look at a solution’ for the ‘women’s game being homeless’ in the ‘next five to ten years’ as Andy Burnham announced he was asking for the government’s backing of a huge redevelopment of the area around Old Trafford.

The Mayor has called for funding to complete the construction of the Parkside freight rail terminus on the St Helens-Wigan border, which would mean a freight terminal currently situated behind the Theatre of Dreams could be moved out of Greater Manchester.

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In turn, that would free up a large tract of land that the club could use to build a sporting campus. It could also be used for a new ‘mixed use neighbourhood’ with apartment blocks and shopping centres, Mr Burnham added.

Gary Neville, who sits on United’s task force to evaluate options for the future of Old Trafford, said he was ‘not bothered if it’s either’ a new stadium or the existing one refurbished.

“The most important thing is Manchester United end up with a world class stadium,” he explained. “If you think about the Bernabeu which has been refurbished, it’s amazing. If you think about Tottenham and what they’ve done, a brand new build, it’s amazing.”

However, the eight-time Premier League champion said the club ‘should’ bring the women’s team closer to Old Trafford. Currently, the WSL side play some home matches at the Leigh Sports Village, and some where the men’s team host fixtures.

“It’s something the club definitely have to consider, having a stadium where the women’s team can play and call home,” he replied when asked if having a second women’s team stadium on the same campus could help grow football among women and girls in Greater Manchester.

He went on: “I spoke to a very prominent ex-England international about three months ago who said the women’s game is homeless. That’s not just at Manchester United, it’s across the country.

“There are some clubs that have a women’s stadium, but a lot haven’t. I think Manchester United will need to look at a solution for that and should look at a solution for that in the next five to ten years.”

It was also announced on Monday that Norman Foster’s architectural firm has been appointed to draw up a development blueprint for land owned by the club around the stadium.