Old Trafford is what it is(the biggest club ground in the country), City got given the Etihad with the option to expand, Spurs brand new stadium not far off completion, Arsenal already in their new stadium, Chelsea about to start work on their new stadium, Everton waiting for the green light to build a new stadium.
LFC/FSG at a standstill because the supporters aren't stupid enough to pay for any new build stands from over inflated ticket prices.
As a club, every time they take us one step forward they take us two steps back, unless they commit their finances into the expansion of Anfield we'll lose ground on the forward thinking and oil backed clubs.
TBH 2019 is not far away
What we are seeing is
a) constrained project management resources. manage training ground expansion = cannot manage stand expansion. clealry not willing to do both at once
b) plan to do the single stand designed in phased approach to minimize loss of seating in season. 2 years to do 5 /6 month project. Not willing to close anfield road stand. will do approach work in 2019, stand work in 2020.
c) absolutely no further plans. Once we saw the closure of anfield road and the demolition of housing at main stand side the LOGIC thing would have been to do what spurs did and shift the pitch towards stanley park and build main stand and new andfield road end together at once using cheaper resources etc But then the centenary stnad and kop would have to be demolished and rebuilt so that was never on.
As it stands any work on centenary stand to get to the same numbers as main stand would require at least 60 houses demolished.
The kop is unexpandable. Even if knocked and a matching stand like this attempted the albert and the road would prevent it
Kop - 12,600 (increased slightly)
Centenary 11,762 (Unchanged)
Main Stand - 20,480 (new)
Anfield Road - 16,000 (proposed)
= 60,842
if we had a plan to do the centenary stand =69,560
IF safe standing come sin the kop MIGHT be able to take 28k... MIGHT. = 76,242.
IMO the only game in town for cheaper GA tickets and expansion after this is safe standing. I don't think i'll ever see the centenery stand done ala the main stand.