³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Cambridge United have reached an agreement with the Supporters Club which will pave the way for a redevelopment of the Abbey Stadium.

The U's are to spend £1.5m on a new Supporters Club building, allowing the existing one to be demolished.

In return, they will be gifted an area of land owned by the Supporters Club to allow redevelopment work to go ahead.

"This is vital to our progression as a football club," majority owner Paul Barry

"It is potentially a very big step forward for Cambridge United as it unlocks the opportunity to develop, modernise, increase the capacity of the Abbey Stadium and improve what we offer for all our supporters."

The agreement is subject to being ratified at an extraordinary general meeting of club members on 2 November.

Detailed redevelopment plans for the 8,127 capacity will be announced in the new year, but will include the upgrading of the Newmarket Road and Habbin stands.

"Whilst this is a key step forward which allows us to move to the next stage of planning, pricing and designing the project, a lot of hard work and multiple challenges lie ahead," Barry added.

He has been the club's owner since 2018, having previously invested in the club since the turn of the century.