Chelsea submit plans for 60,000-seat new Stamford Bridge
December 2 – Chelsea have formally submitted a planning application for the expansion of their Stamford Bridge stadium to a 60,000 capacity stadium.
Premier League
Hammers nail top spot in attendance chart, Villa hit rock bottom
By Paul Nicholson
December 1 – West Ham United again topped the table of attendance capacities last weekend with just 103 seats at the Boleyn Ground unfilled out of a total of 35,017. Seven Premier League teams reported more than 95% capacity attendances at their stadiums.
Man City group lands $400m of new money from China
By Paul Nicholson
December 1 – City Football Group (CFG), the Abu Dhabi-owned football investment firm that counts Premier League leaders Manchester City as one of its clubs has announced a $400 million new investment from China, valuing CFG at $3 billion.
News Analysis: Premier League clubs see matchday revenues drop, but stadiums full
By David Owen
November 30 – It looks increasingly likely that matchday revenues generated by Premier League clubs will be found to have fallen in 2014-15. With six English top-tier clubs having already reported, cumulative matchday revenue from all competitions is showing 6% down at just over £290 million.
Swansea top attendance table but Chelsea and Spurs show London pride
By Paul Nicholson
November 26 – Swansea topped the stadium capacity chart on the first weekend back after the international break, with Chelsea coming a close second and Spurs third.
Premier League Saints on the march in the US with youth soccer
By Ben Nicholson
November 25 – Although Southampton FC has yet graced the US shores with any commercial pre-season campaign, the Saints are now preparing to expand across the Atlantic with its soccer philosophy. Chairman Ralph Krueger (pictured) revealed plans to take the club’s coaching initiative to the US, prospecting that it will reach over 100,000 players.
Abramovich’s Chelsea are back in the red with £23.1m loss
By David Owen
November 24 – Chelsea, the Premier League champions enduring a woeful start to the present league campaign, fell back into the red in their latest title-winning season, although the club known as the Blues underlined that “after relevant adjustments” it was “comfortably” within allowable limits of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.
Gerrard heads for Aussie for Liverpool Legends debut in Sydney
November 24 – Liverpool’s pre-season tour took in two matches in Australia this summer. Now it is the turn of the official Liverpool FC legends to head down under for a fixture against the Australian Legends at the Sydney ANZ on January 7 next year.
Premier League returns with big games, big crowds and La Marseillaise
By Paul Nicholson
November 20 – With clubs across Europe returning to their domestic league programmes after the international fixture window, focus will fall on crowd attendances, particularly in the aftermath and uncertainty of the Paris attacks.
Everton report £4.1m loss on record turnover of £125.6m
By Mark Baber
November 19 – Everton have announced a £4.1 million loss for 2014-15 on a record turnover of £125.6 million, largely due to a deficit on player trading. The results leave the club with an overall net debt of £31.3 million.
Spurs push deeper into China with grassroots initiative
November 17 – English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur has expanded its push into Chinese markets with a series of grassroots initiatives that are being supported by club sponsor AIA.
Record revenues but team-building cost weighs on Man Utd’s bottom-line
By David Owen
November 12 – Manchester United continue to show the financial effects of their attempts to restore their dominance of the English club game, in spite of scoring a near 40% jump in first quarter revenues. A hike in costs, plus a financial hit on transfer dealings as manager Louis van Gaal and colleagues attempt to create a team worthy of the United brand, meant that pre-tax profits in the three months to September 30 were down 36% on a year earlier at £5.2 million.
Happy Hammers still in profit as they prepare to leave Boleyn Ground after 112 years
By David Owen
November 12 – West Ham United, the east London club gearing up to move to the Olympic stadium next year, has suffered a fall in annual profits owing to rising costs.
Xmas comes early at Man City, but will they be singing the blues at New Year?
By Tom Parsons
November 6 – Manchester City have unveiled their first ever annual Christmas photo which stars first team players such as Joe Hart and Jesus Navas as well as former Manchester City player and local legend Mike Summerbee.
Mourinho’s ‘special’ outburst lands him back in the stands as pressure mounts
November 3 – Under-fire Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, the self-styled ‘Special One’ who is suffering the worst spell of his coaching career, has been hit yet with yet another sanction amid reports that he is being sued personally by former Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro.