August 17, (THEWILL) – Liverpool’s plans to expand Anfield have hit a roadblock, as the construction company working on the new Anfield Road stand has gone into administration.
Buckingham Group, the contractor hired to build the 7,000-seat expansion, announced on Thursday, that they intend to appoint administrators. This led to construction workers being pulled off the site, leaving the future of the project in doubt. The new stand was originally scheduled to open ahead of Liverpool’s first 2023/2024 Premier League home match this weekend. However, delays over the summer meant the stand would not be ready for full capacity.
The club had planned to open the lower tier of the Anfield Road stand at reduced capacity for Saturday’s match against Bournemouth. While the Reds confirmed that the lower tier will still open as scheduled, the club released a statement saying they will work with Buckingham Group on the “phased opening” of the rest of the stand and will continue to update supporters. The club received a safety certificate from Liverpool City Council to operate the lower tier.
The expanded Anfield Road stand will increase the capacity of the stadium to 61,000 when completed. But Buckingham Group’s intention to appoint administrators throws the timeline into question. It remains unclear when construction workers will be able to resume work on the project. This could force Liverpool to play an extended period of home matches at reduced stadium capacity.
Liverpool have not given details on the cause of Buckingham Group’s financial troubles. The club will likely have to seek a new contractor to finish construction of the stand’s remaining sections. Saturday’s lower tier opening will allow a portion of the expansion to be utilised, but Liverpool’s plans to redevelop Anfield hang in the balance.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
