There was supposed to be a huge redevelopment and 50,000 seats, but it will end up being "tweaks" and, at most, the addition of a few thousand seats. Wolverhampton's chairman has revealed that the planned modernisation won’t be possible for both financial and sporting reasons.

Molineux is “good enough” for Wolves

It was one of the most ambitious projects in England. 50,000-seats, the reconstruction of all stands ... In 2018, Wolverhampton Wanderers chairman Jeff Shi said: When we build a strong team and can compete comfortably in the Premier League is the time to expand the stadium. That moment clearly hasn't come yet and won't come in the near future, as Shi backs away from those declarations.

I have been to many stadiums in the UK and it’s a good stadium, he said about Molineux in the Business of Sport podcast, adding that the capacity of 32,00 seats is good enough. Although Shi sees the possibility of reaching 35,000 or even 40,000 seats, according to him, it’s not urgent.

© AFL Architects | The north stand (the largest, with the white roof) was rebuilt in 2011-12. The reconstruction of the other three never materialized.

“Tweaks” for VIPs along the lines of Craven Cottage

The urgent changes are that I think we should have more hospitality areas he announced. Shi wants to add them on the Steve Bull Stand, the oldest of the stadium. The stand would have a similar function to the new Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage, which, as a result of a controversial upgrade, has become a luxurious VIP stand in contrast to the rest of Fulham’s home. The goal is not to rebuild the stand or the stadium, but to tweak it and optimise it, the chairman points out, however.

Shi justifies the change in approach with financial and sporting considerations. Sometimes we lost money because maybe we were too emotional, he stated. Wolves have been dangerously close to the relegation zone for the past few seasons, and, as Shi indicates, playing in the Championship would significantly reduce both attendance and revenue.

It looks like Wolves have learned from the 1979 redevelopment, when the hugely expensive works on the Steve Bull Stand almost bankrupted the club, which was even relegated to 4th tier and was only saved by the change of the owner and the intervention of the city.

The upgrade plan in 2010 envisaged a capacity of 38,000. The second, from 2019, increased that number to 50,000 seats.