Albion planning to increase capacity

West Bromwich Albion have announced plans to turn the Hawthorns into a 30,000-seat stadium.

Chairman Jeremy Peace revealed that the Baggies will add an extra 3,500 seats within the next three years at the end-of-season gala dinner last night.

Plans have not yet been finalised but it is believed it will involve extending the West Stand, formerly known as the Halfords Lane Stand, to expand the ground from its current capacity of around 26,500.

Peace said the expansion would go ahead regardless of which division Albion are in.

And he announced The Hawthorns pitch will be levelled out this summer and re-laid with a state-of-the-art Desso playing surface.

Peace told fans at Birmingham's ICC last night: "Our medium-long-term plans include the extension of the Hawthorns to around a 30,000-seat capacity within the next three years regardless of divisional status.

"Despite the apparent financial insanity of such a move, we believe it is the right thing to do as we endeavour to move the club forward and pro-actively encourage the next generation of supporters to come to The Hawthorns."

Desso pitches combine natural turf with a small number of artificial fibres below the surface.