After the 1989 Hillsborough Disaster, the Taylor Report (1990) mandated all-seater stadiums in the top leagues. As a result, clubs were under pressure to modernize or rebuild their stadiums to comply with new safety regulations. This became a key consideration for most club owners at the time.
The first priority was regulatory and safety compliance. Stadium designs had to meet Taylor Report guidelines, including fire safety, crowd control, emergency exits, and all-seater arrangements.
Next was the matter of location. Easy access to public transport—especially rail and bus—was critical, as most fans still relied heavily on these. Richard also had to consider the trade-offs between suburban and city-centre locations. Thankfully, the Eastlands area was still largely undeveloped, as it had been an old industrial zone.
