Naming the New Stadium

Several ArseWeb readers have written in asking questions about, giving suggestions for, or wanting a poll on, the name for the proposed new stadium at Ashburton Grove.

Some points to note:

The stadium plans have not yet been approved

At the time of writing (November 2000), the plans for the new stadium, the redevelopment of the current Arsenal stadium site, and the relocation of current Ashburton Grove businesses etc to Lough Road have been submitted to Islington Council for consideration.

There is now to be a period of consultation and consideration. The Council is expected to announce its decision sometime in the Spring of 2001. The complicated nature of the plan (changed usage of 3 separate sites) as well as its sheer size, means that it is impossible to predict the outcome. So far, those members of the public opposed to the plans have been more outspoken than those in favour, although that may change now that AISA has been set up.

The Council have been pretty co-operative so far. But even if they approve the plans, the Mayor Ken Livingstone has the power of veto.

We haven't decided yet whether to run any sort of poll of ArseWeb readers regarding the name for the new stadium, but we definitely won't be doing it until we know that the stadium is going to be built.

The current stadium is not called 'Highbury'

Several people have written in saying "why not just leave the name as it is: the stadium would still be in the Highbury area, so carry on calling it 'Highbury'".

This ignores the fact that the current Arsenal stadium is not actually called 'Highbury'. It is called 'Arsenal Stadium' and 'Highbury' is just a nickname.

It's exactly similar to West Ham's ground, where many people also mistakenly believe the stadium to be called 'Upton Park'. It's not, it's the 'Boleyn Ground'. Upton Park is the area.

So, while it's quite true that the new stadium could be officially called 'Highbury', it wouldn't be because the current one is called that. It's also quite possible that the new ground would get to be known as 'Highbury', that it would inherit the nickname of the current stadium. But that leaves open the question of the official name of the new ground.

There may not be much choice

It is not impossible that the new stadium will end up with a sponsored name. That possibility is going to horrify some Arsenal fans, and I think it's fair to presume that there are members of the Arsenal board who would go out of their way to prevent it. We have a board that is both forward-looking and traditionalist. However, as Ken Friar made clear at a recent meeting, given the huge cost of the project it would be foolish to rule anything out. Personally, I hope that should such a possibility start to look likely, the board will approach Canon! Anyone got any other ideas for appropriate-sounding sponsors?

Suggestions for names for the new stadium

Having said that we're not going to run a poll, at least not before the announcement that the stadium is definitely going ot be built, it does seem worthwhile listing some of the sugestions we've heard. If you have any ideas to add to the list (sensible or funny, I don't mind), please send them in

(New) Arsenal Stadium
(New) Highbury Stadium
(Herbert) Chapman Stadium
Ashburton Grove
The Grove
(Bertie) Mee Stadium
The Gunners (isn't that a pub)
Gunners Park
Cannon Ball

Some people have also suggested that certain people should be immortalised by having stands etc named after them.
Suggestions include: Chapman, Graham (!), Adams, Wright, Wenger.