Liverpool fans criticise new stadium naming rights plan

Liverpool's plan to sell naming rights to their new stadium has been heavily criticised by a section of the club's fans.

Ian Ayre, Liverpool's commercial director, announced that the club is hoping to raise more than the £100 million Arsenal received for naming their club the Emirates Stadium to help the construction of their own new ground in Stanley Park, adjacent to their present home at Anfield.

However, the decision has not been received well by the club's fans, with one supporters' group denouncing it as an "act of self-destruction".

Graham Agg, secretary of the German Reds official supporters' club, told the Daily Mail: ''The whole idea of leaving Anfield and knocking it down is the biggest act of self-destruction the club could ever consider.

''Can you imagine the Nou Camp or Bernabeu being bulldozed by Barcelona or Real Madrid, or Inter Milan leaving the San Siro? You're talking about football's cathedrals, and Anfield is one of them. There is too much heritage, history and tradition for it all to be thrown away.

''I just can't imagine going to somewhere like the Budweiser Stadium to support Liverpool, and I'm sure there are plenty who feel the same way.''

Ayre defended the decision to name the new stadium, the construction of which could start as early as April 2010, insisting that it is a necessary action to compete with the club's top Premier League rivals.

He said: "Naming rights is now an accepted part of building any new footballing venue in the world. And as one of only a few global football brands, it would be crazy of us not to tap into that opportunity.

thats the owners for you, money money money.

maybe they could call it the home of the ch lg trophy seen as it permanently stays there now