Sharing a stadium makes sense for Liverpool and Everton

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Published 23:58 29/11/09

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The prospect of Everton and Liverpool sharing a new super-stadium has provoked quite a response on Merseyside.

I think most of the supporters in the North West are not in favour of their team’s leaving their respective historic homes.

And of course I know the area well having played for Liverpool.

My repeated remarks that Liverpool would be better off without manager Rafa Benitez have caused quite a stir at my old club.

And at the risk of upsetting Kop fans again, I firmly believe that a ground share with Everton would be in both their best interests.

I’ve been lucky enough to have watched a couple of games in the Allianz Arena in Munich where both Bayern and 1860 and play.

Now us Englishmen like to be stubborn and conservative when it comes to stadia, but I think a shared Merseyside stadium would be a great idea.

Both clubs are struggling for money and could do with the extra revenue from improved corporate facilities a new ground would provide.

And with technology now, there is no reason why both club’s history and flavour couldn’t be captured in a shared ground.

In Munich on Bayern matchdays, the stadium turns red, on 1860 Munich’s matchdays, blue is the colour.

And I would defy you to find one fan of either to say the 66,000-seater stadium, shared since the start of the 2005/06 season, isn’t an incredible arena.

It’s all about fans at the end of the day, and the noise and character they bring that makes it home - not the old fashioned notion of “home”.

If it’s good enough for AC Milan who have won European Cups since ground-sharing with Inter, then its good enough for us in England, surely?

AFTER ENKE, HOW CAN FA DITCH SPORTING CHANCE?

After the tragic suicide of Germany keeper Robert Enke a few weeks back, I was stunned to see that the FA are considering their position regarding funding for the Sporting Chance Clinic.

The clinic, helped set-up by Tony Adams, has saved the lives of sportspersons with problems - it’s that simple.

I know full well the devastation that depression can cause after my own battles with the illness.

And in an age where players are getting more exposure younger, with all of our hopes and expectations heaped sometimes on fragile young men, it is absolutely crucial that the clinic continues to receive support and funding from both the PFA and FA.

I hope it will not take a suicide in British football before we realise that mental health issues need the same support as physical injuries.

The FA reportedly spent 50k on flying Goldenballs David Beckham around as an FA ambassador to back the 2018 bid.

Now that is reportedly the same amount of funding Sporting Chance gets from the FA to help save lives.

And I know what the priority should be.

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