Fans won't be priced out of Emirates Stadium

The prices of those seats provides further evidence of football's changing image, although Lee, who can count Stadium Australia and the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff among his previous projects, believes clubs like Arsenal are merely meeting supporters' requirements.

"There is an increase in corporate facilities, one because there is a need, two because a large part of the funding for these buildings comes from that," he said.

"Generally about 10 per cent of the ground's population would be corporate. But in society we all demand more and more comfort.

"Football is no longer the pure domain of the 25 to 35-year-old male and that drives the building to becoming different and people demanding better facilities. The people in the general admission areas demand just as much. They demand great toilets, good food, excellent seats and they should get it.

"The days of breeze-block concourses and one toilet for hundreds of people and a cold pie - we don't put up with it and why would we?" The price could be the answer.

Edelman maintains that there will be "no big price hike" when season tickets go on sale for the club's inaugural season at Ashburton Grove in 2006/07, but that is little consolation to fans who believe that they are overcharged at Highbury.

"Tickets at the bottom end are too expensive at the moment," said Steven Powell, chair of Arsenal Independent Supporters' Association. "If you go to a game at the San Siro you can pay up to 200 euros (£138) for a seat, you can also sit behind the goal for 30 euros (£21) which is far more reasonable. I have no problem with 7,000 corporate seats - if people have got the money good luck to them, but there have to be seats at prices people can afford.

"There is no point in having the greatest stadium in the world if people can't afford to go to it. People are getting close to having enough of it and they feel they are getting exploited."

How will those already disgruntled with Arsenal's pricing policy react to the club's plans to turn match days into a longer experience?

"We want fans to come to the stadium half an hour before and meet their mates there, watch the television, have their pint which won't be too expensive and enjoy that pre-match experience inside the stadium," said Edelman.

Such proposals are geared to generating greater finance. And with the Ashburton Grove project costing £357m, there is a commercial imperative driving Arsenal, although the £100m sponsorship deal with Emirates, affording the airline naming rights to the new stadium, has cushioned the blow.

Edelman, who maintains that Arsenal's business plan is not dependent on regular Champions League involvement, said the club plan to re-finance their debt into a long-term bond to reduce capital payments. "We are on a 14-year payback for the stadium which we can afford, but it's like paying back your mortgage in 14 years, you wouldn't do it because you probably couldn't go out and enjoy such good holidays, and buy such nice cars and go out to so many restaurants," he said.

For some Arsenal fans there is a worry that they might be forced to cut back on some of those luxuries to follow their team at their new home, but it is a sacrifice they will be willing to make as long as Arsene Wenger's side continue to illuminate English football. The true test for Arsenal's Emirates Stadium will come when the club's on-field fortunes change.