Inside Plymouth Argyle’s 46,000-seater World Cup stadium plans as Wayne Rooney’s side battle relegation to third tier

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE erstwhile had ambitious plans to big matches astatine the 2018 World Cup.

However, England's failed bid to big the World Cup that twelvemonth - alternatively being handed to Russia - yet saw the plans autumn flat.

And successful the contiguous day, the nine are successful a relegation conflict successful the Championship nether Wayne Rooney.

In a parallel universe, The Pilgrims present play successful a stunning 46,000-seater stadium aft leaving Home Park, wherever they person played since 1901.

This is surrounded by a £150million task of shops, cinemas, restaurants, a edifice and an crystal rink.

State-of-the-art tramlines, arsenic good arsenic a caller pier and stunning Drake's Island would pull the super-rich.

The city's rejuvenation would besides spot it playing big to different large sporting events specified arsenic the America's Cup - sailing's ain mentation of the World Cup.

The ambitious task would person created 3,700 jobs and £292m successful concern for the city.

Argyle would person hosted 4 World Cup matches, on with grooming camps astir the portion and “Fan Fests” connected the Hoe and astatine Stonehouse Creek costing implicit £15m implicit 31 days.

There was wide enactment for the bid from locals, portion politicians jetted to South Africa to effort and beforehand Plymouth's campaign.

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However, the airy of ambition became shrouded successful the acheronian of the ashes that astir became Plymouth Argyle.

The Plymouth Herald revealed the metropolis assembly itself mislaid £700,000 successful the failed bid.

Plymouth City Council unsocial spent £147,000 with different £250,000 being underwritten by Argyle.

The Home Park outfit owned £17m owed to the project, sending the nine into medication successful 2011.

James Brent's Akkeron Group yet agreed a woody with administrators to bargain the club, with erstwhile president Peter Ridsdale leaving the nine erstwhile the woody was completed.

Argyle sold Home Park backmost to the metropolis assembly for £1.6m and agreed to wage £135,000 a twelvemonth successful rent.

If this task had not been axed by Fifa, Plymouth whitethorn good person been among the archetypal names erstwhile considering who mightiness big games for Euro 2028.

However, the tourney - which volition beryllium crossed England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland aft Northern Ireland pulled retired - volition not diagnostic immoderate trips to the West Country.