Newcastle United have made a new boardroom appointment – and he could play a major role in the future of St James’ Park.
Roger Thornton, who was born in South Shields, has joined the club’s board of directors and has close ties to Magpies co-owner Jamie Reuben.
Thornton has previously played an important role in recent improvements in Newcastle’s city centre, as well as property concerns at Newcastle Racecourse, which is owned by Reuben.
His grandfather helped revive the Newcastle United Development Association in the mid-1960s and was instrumental in funding ground upgrades at St. James’ Park
over the years.
According to a club announcement, “Newcastle United has named Roger Thornton to its Board of Directors.
“Born in South Shields, Roger is the Head of Property at Motcomb Estates Limited, an asset management firm that manages a portfolio of global office, retail, hotel,
and leisure facilities for the family of Newcastle United co-owner Jamie Reuben.
“Roger has a strong interest in his native North East and has played an important role in recent developments in Newcastle city centre, such as the transformative
Pilgrims Quarter project, as well as property matters for Newcastle Racecourse.
“He has strong familial ties to the Magpies. His grandfather, Ben Sullivan, was an administrator who relocated from Lincoln City to establish the Newcastle United
Development Association in the mid-1960s.
“Ben played a key role in supporting ground improvements at St. James’ Park over many years, including securing funding to build the existing East Stand structure
which opened in 1973.”
Members of Newcastle’s Fan Advisory Board received an update on the stadium feasibility study this week from chief operating officer Brad Miller.
As part of a presentation, the club stated that the study has now entered a critical second phase, with more detailed analysis underway to explore project-related
risks and potential prior to a decision stage in early 2025.
It will result in either the redevelopment of St James’ Park or the construction of a new stadium elsewhere.
Miller stated: “This is an exciting but incredibly complex project, and I’d want to thank supporters for their patience as we work through this critical step of the
feasibility study. We are not yet at the decision-making stage, but we plan to finish the next key tasks in early 2025.
“We understand what a changed St. James’ Park would provide, and we also have a considerable quantity of data and feedback on our stadium footprint and
surrounding neighborhood, so we are several steps ahead.
“We are challenging our assigned design team and ourselves to ensure that our eventual chosen approach provides an excellent fan experience that represents the
supporters, city, area, and club while also aligning with our ownership group’s long-term goals.
“But it must generate an investable return, as well as robust revenue growth, to improve our PSR headroom, which, as everyone knows, allows us to invest more in
football.
“Part of the process includes understanding other choices so that we can see the big picture and strike the correct balance between risk and opportunity. This is a
once-in-a-generation investment, and we don’t want to look back in years to come, as a club or a city, and regret a squandered chance.
“Our goal is to select a scheme that is deliverable, affordable, and sustainable, so we are investing this time to ensure that we only spend money on projects that will
have the greatest impact – on fan experience, revenue, competitiveness, football investment, and operational efficiency.
“All this requires a robust process that leaves no stone unturned.”
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