'It's a bouncy castle!' - Fans left in stitches as Tom Brady's Birmingham unveil plans for 'absolutely honking' new stadium

Ever since Knighthead took over Birmingham in 2023, the club has tried to flex its muscles, both with transfers and its lofty goals. And that was plain to see on Thursday with their potential ground in Bordesley Green in East Birmingham, which, they hope, could seat 62,000 fans. The images of the proposed design were released at Digbeth Loc Film Studios in Birmingham, coinciding with the Blues' 150th anniversary celebrations.

Chairman and co-owner Tom Wagner said the club "could not be more excited" over these plans, which are to be developed by Heatherwick Studio and MANICA Architecture.

He told the club's website: "This is a huge milestone for Birmingham City Football Club, creating a home for the club that reflects our ambition to compete at the highest level. More than that, the iconic design is a statement of intent for the City of Birmingham and the West Midlands, testament to a region that is on the rise. The stadium draws upon the proud heritage of the West Midlands – a heritage of industry, ingenuity and growth. I believe those same qualities can create a new era of success on and off the field and prosperity for local communities that have been starved of opportunities for too long."

Naturally, many fans of rival club, Aston Villa, poked fun at these designs on social media.

@HarryUTV_ wrote on X: "It looks like an upside down table built in Minecraft lads."

@PhilKeenan11 tweeted: "The fact you’ve given it large for months about us being obsessed and you’ve gone and designed that agahahahahaha."

@danielhavfc mused: "It looks like Willy Wonka designed a power plant."

@MisterMashingto commented: "Oh my days. It's a bouncy castle haha!"

And @VillaWaffle added: "When you let a group of nursery kids design your stadium. That’s absolutely honking."

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When this became public, academy product Jude Bellingham, along with minority owner Tom Brady, were part of the launch. The American icon added that NFL games would also take place at this ground - dubbed the 'Birmingham City Powerhouse - in the future.

Incidentally, Thomas Heatherwick, founder and design director of Heatherwick Studio, said: "Too often, stadiums feel like spaceships that could have landed anywhere, sterilising the surrounding area. This stadium grows from Birmingham itself – from its brickworks, its thousand trades, and the craft at its core. It's also a wholehearted place for the community. The stadium will truly come alive where it meets the ground; a place for play, gathering, and everyday life. The goal is to capture the spirit of the city and give it back to Birmingham."

And David Manica, president and owner of MANICA Architecture, added: "Birmingham is a resilient and passionate community, so the design of this new stadium needed to embody the grit and passion of its people. The Powerhouse’s design is both intentional and meticulous, paying homage to a passionate fanbase while laying the foundation for the Bluenoses of tomorrow."

Birmingham added that Knighthead have commenced a period of engagement and consultation with locals, fans, political representatives, and planning officers before submitting a planning application next year. The goal is to open the stadium for the 2030/31 season. 

On the club's website, they boldly state: "The new stadium will anchor the Birmingham Sports Quarter in East Birmingham, a once in a generation opportunity to catalyse growth and transform the lives and livelihoods of people across East Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. The Sports Quarter will provide transformative investment into the area, driving new economic growth in East Birmingham and across the region. It will include a mix of new facilities – from leisure and entertainment to retail and wellbeing – as well as dedicated spaces for the community. It will also bring better transport links, new housing and jobs at every level."