Peterborough United plan new megastore and new stadium - worth '£40m' to the city - is still possible

Posh have not given up on plans for a new stadium despite ownership changes in recent weeks.

Earlier this month, Darragh MacAnthony purchased the majority of the shares owned by Kelgary Sports & Entertainment Ltd - the company Dr Jason Neale and Stewart Thompson formed to buy 50 percent of the club in 2018 - to make himself the club’s majority owner once again.

While Dr Neale and Mr Thompson arrived at the club with visions of building a new stadium, Mr MacAnthony has said hopes of the project being completed are not over following recent developments and even invited the pair to get involved in the project in the future.

The club has named the Embankment as its preferred location for a new stadium, but would first have to secure the relevant permissions to take control of the site.

Meanwhile, London Road Peterborough Properties Ltd - a separate company Mr MacAnthony, Mr Thompson and Dr Neale formed to purchase London Road back from the council – remains in receivership over a reported unpaid debt of £6.6m.

Negotiations to rectify the situation are set to begin in January.

Speaking on his Hard Truth podcast, Mr MacAnthony said: “My missions are zero debt, a team worth £50-60m, stadium resolved, new stadium down the line, push up the leagues, a style of football our fans love and just growth, growth, growth.

“We have a long-tern lease on London Road, there’s nearly 20 years left on that. Me, Randy and Jason own the current stadium and we’re going to deal with that. We’ll start negotiating last week of Jan to solve that problem (the debt).

“I have said to both, if the new stadium comes up again, be involved.

“I’m happy for them to be involved. I still think it can happen. It isn’t down to ownership issues or debts, it boils down to the land and the council.

“We’re going to get to a stage where we’re selling out 13,000 plus every week. If we get to where to we want the be, we could get to 15-16,000+ comfortably. The better we do in the Championship, we could get up towards 20,000.

“That revenue will really help a growing city.

“They’re (the council) lending money to hotels that aren’t open at low interest rates so give us land, help us with a new stadium.

"Let’s do it with the local authority. We did a study and found that £40m over the next 15 years would come into the city with a new stadium.

"It would be a centrepiece for the city, I still want to do that.”

Mr MacAnthony also confirmed the club plans to create a new megastore and is in the process of changing catering companies.

Mr MacAnthony added: “We’re going to do a new megastore. I’ve now got the plans for that, we’ve got two prices. We’re doing that.

“We’re also going to have a new catering company next summer. Dawn (Gore, CEO) and Alex (Harris, Commercial Manager) have gone through the best six out there and we’re down to the last two and we’re then going to sort out the Allia Centre.”