From the Roker roar to the Baseball Ground, from The Dell to Maine Road: English football's lost stadiums
PARADISE LOST: Goodison Park will host what is likely the last Merseyside derby at the ground this weekend.
GOODISON Park, Everton’s historic and atmospheric stadium for 133 years, is preparing to host its last Merseyside league derby - and it won’t be only Toffees fans getting dewy-eyed.
The Grand Old Lady of English football, built in 1892 for under £6,000, is recognisable to almost anyone who loves football, no matter who they support, and set the design standard for a fast-growing sport that conquered the world.
Described as the country’s first ‘purpose-built football stadium’ it has done remarkably well to survive the explosion of money, sponsorship and foreign ownership that has transformed English football and, in the process, set Everton – the people’s club – aside from their rivals as something different.
Eventually, however, the clamour for more income, more seats, more sponsorship and modern facilities, became too much – and Everton will move to their spectacular new Bramley Moore Dock stadium next season, with an increased capacity of 52,888.
Whether their new home will be able to recreate the guttural atmosphere that has made Goodison so famous is impossible to know; but you can guarantee it will be mourned for many years to come, making Saturday's lunchtime derby more emotional than ever.
Goodison’s demise also means the number of heritage grounds continues to dwindle. From Highbury to Maine Road and Upton Park to Burnden Park, they are disappearing, with many of them now a distant memory.
So, the big question is what happens to a football stadium when it dies?
In Goodison’s case, it will be developed into a mixed-use scheme featuring 173 homes and 4,738 square metres of offices, as well as a care home, community space and shops.
That’s a common theme when it comes to football stadium redevelopment; people all over England are now living, sleeping and loving on the very spot where their football heroes once created memories.
But the football after-life is by no means the same for everyone. Here’s our round-up of what England’s stadium heaven looks like...:
1895; Last game: 1997.
This iconic ground was the subject of one of LS Lowry’s most talked-about paintings: Going to the Match. It hosted an FA Cup Final, the replay between Sheffield United and Tottenham in 1901, and, sadly, was the scene for football’s original disasters – a crush in 1946 which killed 33 fans.
Legendary striker Nat Lofthous stands out. But Sam Allardyce was there as both player and manager – and Peter Reid makes the top 10 of all-time favourites.
The site is now an Asda supermarket and car park. A plaque to commemorate the people who lost their lives in the tragedy of 1946 can still be found inside.
: 1891; 2002.
Built tight-up against a street of terraced house, Filbert Street was old school, charming and atmospheric. Leicester fans won’t want to remember one of its most famous games, though - when Wycombe Wanderers’ Roy Essandoh, only signed after the club put out an advert for a striker on Ceefax, scored an injury-time winner there in the FA Cup quarters of 2001.
Gary Lineker, Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton top the list – but we must include fan favourites Steve Walsh, and Matt Elliott.
Now home to student accommodation for De Montfort University and University of Leicester. The site is known as Filbert Village and the main road running through it, as you’d expect, is Lineker Road. Nice touch.
: 1913; 2006.
From the marble halls and the art deco main stand, to the packed North Bank and the iconic clock behind the other goal, Highbury was perhaps the most fashionable stadium in England. It oozed class and history and was the star of the Arsenal Stadium Mystery film of 1939.
Think Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp, Ted Drake, Cliff Bastin and Tony Adams. It’s a long list. Let’s put Liam Brady and David O’Leary near the top.
Hundreds of flats have been built around the old Highbury pitch, all with a view of the turf where the Arsenal legends played. The face of the old Art Deco East and West Stands have been preserved, making it an iconic place to live. Unless, of course, you’re a Tottenham fan.
: 1898; 1997.
One word – atmosphere. The ‘Roker Roar’ was famous across football, helping Sunderland win six titles. Former Tottenham captain Danny Blanchflower described as the most intense atmosphere he ever experienced. The cold welcome was mirrored by the weather – with the ground set close to the North Sea. Roker Park hosted the 1937 FA Cup Final, watched by 93,000 people, as well as 1966 World Cup games.
Goalkeeper Jim Mongomery’s legendary double save helped Sunderland win the 1973 FA Cup Final against Leeds. Other legends include Kevin Phillips and of course our own Niall Quinn.
Roker Park is now a housing estate, with many of the street names referencing its history – from Promotion Close, Clockstand Close and Turnstile Mews.
: 1923;: 2003.
It wouldn’t have won a beauty prize but Maine Road, with haphazard stands built and rebuilt over the years, felt massive and daunting when you finally spotted it, rising unexpectedly out of rows of terraced houses. The legendary Kippax stand delivered a barrage of noise and passion to match any rival. A wide pitch and a big capacity – 85,000 in its heyday – made it stand out, too. It hosted FA Cup semi-finals and England internationals.
The men from the 60s and 70s - Colin Bell, Bert Trautman, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee. But don’t rule out Irishmen Peter Doherty.
The ground was transformed into a housing development featuring more than 400 homes and a school. The centre spot is still there, however – and now known as Gibson Green.
1903; : 1995.
nother old-school ground packed into a space between terraced houses, it was famous for its four strikingly red roofs and deep terracing. Middlesbrough won promotion to the Premier League in their very last game there.
Old Big Head, Brian Clough, when he was a striker not a manager, Graeme Souness (before moving to Liverpool) and prolific striker John Hickton.
Houses have been built on the site but also 10 bronze sculptures to show were key parts of the ground were originally. One front garden, for instance, has a sculpture to show where the penalty spot stood. A bronze jumper and scarf mark the corner flats and a pair of football boots are placed on the old centre circle.
: 1889; 2005.
Packed in amongst houses and factories, the stadium’s red brick walls and corrugated steel cladding created a vibrant atmosphere. In 1981, under the guidance of Jimmy Hill, it became the first all-seater stadium in England. It certainly went out with a bang in 2005 – a 6-2 victory over Derby before a farewell concert by Elton John.
Let’s go with the legend that is Robbie Keane. But throw in Dion Dublin, too, if you like…
There’s still football on site – but only on a playing field in the middle of a housing estate.
: 1898; 2001.
Two triangular stands and a cracking atmosphere which made it a nightmare for away teams, even the giants. The Itchen Stand was built to resemble an ocean liner.
Look no further than the legendary Matt Le Tissier, scorer of some of the greatest goals the Premier League has ever seen. Including a late winner in a 3-2 victory over Arsenal in The Dell’s farewell game.
The stadium has been replaced but houses and flats, with apartment blocks named after former players. Le Tissier Court must surely be the most expensive? All the blocks are built around a central open space to recreate the feel of a stadium.
: 1904; 2016.
The closeness of the stands to the pitch (especially in the notorious ‘chicken run’ helped create a raucous East End atmosphere. It hosted England internationals and boxing bouts and survived being bombed in World War Two.
Three of the very best: Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters. Hammers fans will still tell you that West Ham won the World Cup.
Upton Park made way for Upton Gardens – a development of 842 flats with architecture inspired by ‘bubbles’ after the club’s I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles theme tune. You could call it progress, but concierges and posh apartments feel a long way from the working-class roots of such a legendary ground.
: 1899; 2017.
From the copper cockerel about the West Stand, to fans packed on ‘The Shelf’ and the classic football played there, especially the ‘double’ winning team of 1961, White Hart Lane was iconic and hosted more than 2500 games in its history.
Paul Gascoigne, Glenn Hoddle, Jimmy Greaves, Gareth Bale, Harry Kane. A big mention for Big Pat Jennings, too. It also hosted England games when Wembley was being rebuilt.
White Hart Lane became the stunningly modern Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, now regarded as one of the world’s greatest sporting venues.
:1890; 2003.
Old school atmosphere (especially lively in The Pop Side), floodlights mounted on corners of the stand rather than on pylons – and a seriously muddy pitch. As you may have guessed, the ground was originally used for baseball. As a result, not all stands lined up perfectly with the pitch, adding to its charm.
If you’re going proper old school then it’s 19th Century hero Steve Bloomer, who scored 332 goals for the club in its early years. A song named after him “Steve Bloomer’s Watching” has been the Derby anthem since 1997. Also add 1970s legends such as Colin Todd, Kevin Hector and Dave Mackay.
The ground was used for youth team games after Derby moved out before a housing development of 150 homes was built in its place. A commemorative statue takes pride of place on site.
