LIVERPOOL Football Club has suffered another blow to its plans for a new stadium in Stanley Park after failing to secure £9m of regeneration funding.
The club hoped the regional development agency would help cover part of the cost of the roof, sound-proofing and a car park at the 60,000-seat stadium.
But Steve Broomhead, chief executive of the North West Development Agency, has stuck to the position he has always held - that taxpayers' money could not be used for a private enterprise.
That leaves the club having to find the total cost - which has risen from around £80m to current estimates of around £130m-£140m - all by itself..
That news is likely to add to the growing pressure from many fans that the club might be better off staying at Anfield.
Expansion could be possible there with the redevelopment of the main stand though not to the same level as a new stadium.
Club chief executive Rick Parry is currently away for three days but has always insisted the new stadium move was necessary to generate more income streams for the club and help it compete at the top of the Premiership.
However he has also said that it could not go ahead at any costs.
Planning permission for the Stanley Park stadium was granted in July 2004 yet there is still no sign of work starting.
Plans were held up while the club considered the possibility of a ground share with Everton, something which had the support of the NWDA but which was eventually rejected.
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