Liverpool could host Everton with a reduced attendance in October as their £80m Anfield renovation is delayed AGAIN – with main contractor Buckingham filing for administration
- Liverpool’s contractors Buckingham Group filed for administration last week
- The delay could see the Reds face Everton with a reduced attendance in October
- WATCH: ‘It’s All Kicking Off’ – Episode 2 – Mail Sport’s brand new football show
Liverpool could face Everton in front of a reduced capacity in October after the club’s £80million renovation of Anfield was hit further delays.
The Reds had initially hoped to complete the redevelopment of Anfield Road, which began in September 2021, in time for their first home match of the 2023-24 season against Bournemouth last weekend, but the project has been plagued by multiple delays.
Liverpool are working to build a new upper tier on to the Anfield Road stand and increase their stadium’s capacity to 61,000 spectators.
Mail Sport reported last week that the main constructors behind Liverpool’s renovation, Buckingham Group Contractors, had filed for administration and left the club in the lurch over the completion of their new stand.
Buckingham, having filed notice of intention to appoint administrators last Wednesday, has now stopped working on the site, casting doubt over Liverpool’s plan to have the stand’s upper tier fully operational by October.
Liverpool’s Anfield Road stand redevelopment was hit with further delays last week after their main contractor Buckingham Group filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators
The delay could see Jurgen Klopp’s side face Everton in October with a reduced attendance
Liverpool host rivals Everton on October 21
The Reds will host Aston Villa and West Ham with reduced attendances of just 50,000 in September, but it now seems their home matches against Everton and Nottingham Forest next month could also be affected.
Liverpool chief executive officer Billy Hogan said: ‘Timing, obviously, is incredibly fluid right now. There’s a lot of uncertainty around where we are and obviously in time that will become more clear.
‘We’re in a bit of a holding pattern right now. But if Buckingham does enter into administration, we’ll need to address any delays that may arise from completing the new stand as a result of that.
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Construction workers left the site and are no longer working on the new £80million renovation
‘Obviously we will of course work with Buckingham and any other contractors who may be appointed in the future to retain as many of the existing jobs and expertise which have been a part of the project all along.’
While insisting that the club are ‘still aiming for October’, the Reds chief admitted the situation was both ‘disappointing’ and ‘frustrating’.
‘Obviously we talked about having the stand fully open in October, clearly we have discussed the uncertainly that this announcement creates,’ he added.
‘We are still aiming for October but what we’re working through now is to put a plan in place. I know this is incredibly disappointing and frustrating.’
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