Paraag Marathe Elland Road remark underlines most crucial aspect of Leeds United expansion work

Elland Road boasts character, prestige and history

Home is a place that has character and identity. It’s recognisably yours and cannot be mistaken for another. It’s the inner sanctum of your life and livelihood.

The same can apply to football stadiums. Pick any regular Bundesliga ground and it’s hard to distinguish one from another.

The soulless bowls in France and in some parts of Italy hamper the dynamic of the home support. England boasts a better range of stadia character but some clubs have struggled to make their new grounds feel like homes.

West Ham United’s London Stadium is never going to truly feel like a football ground. It took years for Arsenal to make the Emirates Stadium an atmospheric arena. Everton’s new stadium on Bramley Moore Dock is modern yet quite formulaic and bland.

In all three cases, their former homes held more character. Visitors felt like they were coming to another’s house, not just another pitch. Elland Road boasts character, prestige and history.

The planned expansion works are exciting and also ensures the ground will stay the club’s home for years to come, having been so for 121 years. Paraag Marathe has outlined how eventually the stadium will grow to hold a 53,000 capacity.

With Leeds United’s season ticket waiting list over 26,000 members long, the club will have no problem filling the ground on current demand. The hope is that all current seating will be available while expansion works are carried out.

Marathe admitted this makes the task more “tricky” but indirectly highlighted why it is crucial. “What’s of paramount importance is to keep the cauldron and electricity of the stadium today – it is a special place, over 100 years old,” he said in February.