The Everything is Black and White Podcast delved in the debate regarding St James' Park
A general interior view of match action at St James' Park during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Aston Villa
A general interior view of match action at St James' Park during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Aston Villa(Image: Getty Images)
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The debate regarding the future of Newcastle United continues to divide the fanbase as a wait goes on for a decision to be made by those running the club - will they remain at St James' Park and expand, or will they leave and build a brand new stadium?
In truth, it's a question no one has the answer to - although in the latest episode of The Everything is Black and White Podcast, we tried our very best to come up with a solution.
Sitting in the sunshine in Leazes Park - a possible location earmarked for a new stadium - podcast hosts Andrew Musgrove and Mark Carruthers shared their insight and opinion on where the club should call home for the next generation of supporters.
Just like the fanbase, the topic split our hosts. Musgrove is now firmly in the camp of moving to a new stadium, while Carruthers remains held back by the emotional pull of St James' Park, more open to staying than leaving.
But the pair did agree on a couple of things - first, that a delay to the club making a decision isn't a bad thing. It's a decision that has an impact on the next 100 years or more as well a short term impact on the economic foundations of the city and the region.
It is a decision that the club cannot get wrong - both financially but also as a whole, and therefore, the key stakeholders taking their time to make the call, as frustrating as it is for most, should be viewed as a good thing.
And secondly, and perhaps most importantly, the biggest issue the club face if indeed they decided to move - location.
It is thought that any move away from St James' Park would still see the club based somewhere in the city centre - with the transport links and the aforementioned importance to the city's hospitality, any move out of NE1 is unthinkable.
But as mentioned on this episode of the podcast, that presents the club and the hierarchy with their biggest issue - just where in the city centre could they move to?
As noted, Leazes Park is seen as the ideal spot but the land is Grade II listed and alongside the wildlife it homes, this would present United's bosses with a lot of red tape to get through before a single blueprint was drawn up.
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Other big areas of land - the Town Moor and Castle Leazes - would prove just as tricky to purchase and then build upon. Once you discount those three plots, there's not many others areas that jump out at you - and this is is the dilemma Newcastle face if indeed staying in the city centre is the aim.
To put it bluntly, the options - and options that come with limited hassle - are in short supply.
All this and more was discussed in this special episode of The Everything is Black and White Podcast: The one problem stopping Newcastle United leaving St. James' Park.
You can watch the episode by playing the widget above or by clicking here and heading to YouTube. You can also listen to the episode by clicking here, and it will take you to your chosen podcast provider.