Boghead Park
Encyclopedia
Boghead Park is a former football
ground in the town of Dumbarton, Scotland
. It was formerly owned by Dumbarton F.C.
, who had played there since 1879, making it one of the oldest sporting venues in the United Kingdom
. It was used by the club until the end of November 2000, when they moved to their new 2,000 capacity all-seated Strathclyde Homes Stadium
.
Dumbarton F.C. first used Boghead Park in 1879. By the time the ground closed in 2000, it was the oldest stadium in Scotland that had been in continuous use. The club shared the first Scottish league championship in 1891 with Rangers
, then became the first outright champions in 1892.
The pitch was turned 90 degrees in 1913. After this the club constructed a tiny main stand, nicknamed the "Postage Box", which only had a capacity of 80 seats. It was replaced by a modern facility that held 303 people in 1980. The new stand was opened by Alan Hardaker
, former secretary of the English Football League
. Next to this stand was a small cover used by bookmaker
s when Boghead staged greyhound racing
.
Floodlights were installed in 1957 and the ground's record attendance was set in the same year, 18,001 for a Scottish Cup
match against Raith Rovers
. Despite the local enthusiasm for the tie, Dumbarton were comprehensively defeated 4-1 in the game. Also in 1957 the club bought the platform roof from Turnberry railway station
for use as a terrace
cover.
Having played host to a crowd of almost 20,000, Boghead Park was latterly a sad sight. In 1994, the club was ordered to construct a fence in front of toilets in the ground, because local residents complained that they could see inside the toilets. The ground fell into a level of disrepair and its capacity, which was around 10,000 when Dumbarton played in the Scottish Premier Division in the mid 1980s, was reduced to 5,000 by 1995 and less than 3,000 by the time of the ground's closure. This was largely due to the club not maintaining the site as they decided whether to renovate the ground or move on to pastures new.
That the board chose to let the ground get into a run down state is signified by the fact that when one of the two stands that existed at Boghead Park in the mid 1980s was destroyed by fire, they chose not to replace it, instead leaving the site empty. Ambitious plans were created for the redevelopment of Boghead Park into an all seated facility with a capacity in the region of 9,000. These plans are currently held on show at the Scottish Football Museum
at Hampden Park
, but were never put into practice by the club. Dumbarton F.C. eventually sold Boghead Park site for a housing development and moved to a new purpose built facility elsewhere in the town, the Strathclyde Homes Stadium
, in 2000. Boghead Park had been the club's home for 121 years.
Boghead Park was chosen by Robert Duvall
as the supposed home ground of the fictional football team, Kilnockie F.C. for his film, "A Shot at Glory
". Duvall allegedly chose Boghead Park because of its ramshackle nature, but ironically, the filming involved the film crew making improvements to the football ground.http://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/library/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=5587&printer=yes
The stadium is the subject of the song High Tension At Boghead, released by The Supernaturals
as a B-side to their 1997 single Prepare To Land.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
ground in the town of Dumbarton, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It was formerly owned by Dumbarton F.C.
Dumbarton F.C.
Dumbarton Football Club is Scotland's 4th oldest football club – founded in 1872, just after Queen's Park , Kilmarnock and Stranraer...
, who had played there since 1879, making it one of the oldest sporting venues in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was used by the club until the end of November 2000, when they moved to their new 2,000 capacity all-seated Strathclyde Homes Stadium
Strathclyde Homes Stadium
Strathclyde Homes Stadium is a stadium in Dumbarton, Scotland situated right below the famous Dumbarton Rock. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Dumbarton F.C. The stadium has a capacity of just over 2000, and was built in 2000 after the move away from...
.
Dumbarton F.C. first used Boghead Park in 1879. By the time the ground closed in 2000, it was the oldest stadium in Scotland that had been in continuous use. The club shared the first Scottish league championship in 1891 with Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, then became the first outright champions in 1892.
The pitch was turned 90 degrees in 1913. After this the club constructed a tiny main stand, nicknamed the "Postage Box", which only had a capacity of 80 seats. It was replaced by a modern facility that held 303 people in 1980. The new stand was opened by Alan Hardaker
Alan Hardaker
Alan Hardaker was an English football administrator for the Football League, a wartime Royal Navy officer, and previously an amateur footballer...
, former secretary of the English Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
. Next to this stand was a small cover used by bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
s when Boghead staged greyhound racing
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
.
Floodlights were installed in 1957 and the ground's record attendance was set in the same year, 18,001 for a Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
match against Raith Rovers
Raith Rovers F.C.
Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Kirkcaldy, Fife. They are members of the Scottish Football League, currently playing in the First Division, having secured promotion from the Second Division as champions in 2009. Rovers have won one national trophy, the...
. Despite the local enthusiasm for the tie, Dumbarton were comprehensively defeated 4-1 in the game. Also in 1957 the club bought the platform roof from Turnberry railway station
Turnberry railway station
Turnberry railway station was a railway station serving the Turnberry Golf Course and its associated hotel, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The station was part of the Maidens and Dunure Light Railway.-History:...
for use as a terrace
Terrace (stadium)
A terrace or terracing in sporting terms refers to the traditional standing area of a sports stadium, particularly in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
cover.
Having played host to a crowd of almost 20,000, Boghead Park was latterly a sad sight. In 1994, the club was ordered to construct a fence in front of toilets in the ground, because local residents complained that they could see inside the toilets. The ground fell into a level of disrepair and its capacity, which was around 10,000 when Dumbarton played in the Scottish Premier Division in the mid 1980s, was reduced to 5,000 by 1995 and less than 3,000 by the time of the ground's closure. This was largely due to the club not maintaining the site as they decided whether to renovate the ground or move on to pastures new.
That the board chose to let the ground get into a run down state is signified by the fact that when one of the two stands that existed at Boghead Park in the mid 1980s was destroyed by fire, they chose not to replace it, instead leaving the site empty. Ambitious plans were created for the redevelopment of Boghead Park into an all seated facility with a capacity in the region of 9,000. These plans are currently held on show at the Scottish Football Museum
Scottish Football Museum
The Scottish Football Museum is the Scottish Football Association's National Museum of football, located in Hampden Park in Glasgow.-The Museum:...
at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
, but were never put into practice by the club. Dumbarton F.C. eventually sold Boghead Park site for a housing development and moved to a new purpose built facility elsewhere in the town, the Strathclyde Homes Stadium
Strathclyde Homes Stadium
Strathclyde Homes Stadium is a stadium in Dumbarton, Scotland situated right below the famous Dumbarton Rock. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Dumbarton F.C. The stadium has a capacity of just over 2000, and was built in 2000 after the move away from...
, in 2000. Boghead Park had been the club's home for 121 years.
Boghead Park was chosen by Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall
Robert Selden Duvall is an American actor and director. He has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA over the course of his career....
as the supposed home ground of the fictional football team, Kilnockie F.C. for his film, "A Shot at Glory
A Shot at Glory
A Shot at Glory is a film by Michael Corrente produced in 1999 and released in 2001, starring Robert Duvall and the Scottish football player Ally McCoist. It had limited commercial and critical success. The film features the fictional Scottish football club Kilnockie, as they attempt to reach their...
". Duvall allegedly chose Boghead Park because of its ramshackle nature, but ironically, the filming involved the film crew making improvements to the football ground.http://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/library/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=5587&printer=yes
The stadium is the subject of the song High Tension At Boghead, released by The Supernaturals
The Supernaturals
The Supernaturals were a five-piece guitar based pop band from Glasgow, Scotland. Fronted by singer-songwriter James McColl, they signed to Parlophone in 1996, and had a string of singles which were taken from their three albums and four EPs. Other members included Mark Guthrie, Derek McManus and...
as a B-side to their 1997 single Prepare To Land.