Glanford Park
Encyclopedia
Glanford Park is a football stadium in Scunthorpe
, Lincolnshire
, England
, and the current home of Scunthorpe United
. It is the smallest stadium by capacity in the Championship (2009–10 season)
.
Glanford Park opened in 1988 at a construction cost of £2.5 million, housing a total of 9,088 supporters. It was the first time that an English football club had moved to a new purpose-built stadium in 33 years, since Southend United
moved to Roots Hall
in 1955.
, which was located towards the centre of the town on the Doncaster Road. After the club relocated, the Old Showground was demolished and replaced by a Safeway
supermarket, which was subsequently sold to Sainsbury's in 2004.
Glanford Park is located on the outskirts of Scunthorpe, close to the start of the M181 motorway
. The name Glanford Park was derived from its funding by the then Glanford Borough Council
, before North Lincolnshire became a unitary authority
.
On its completion, it was the first new Football League
stadium in England for 43 years.
The stadium was officially opened at the start of the 1988–89 season by Princess Alexandra.
For all but one of its first 17 seasons, the stadium staged fourth tier football before Scunthorpe were promoted to League One in 2005, since when they have appeared in either League One or the second tier Football League Championship
.
Manchester City
visited Glanford Park on 24 January 2010, in the FA Cup Fourth Round. City won the match 4–2, which saw Robinho
score his final goal in English football.
The record attendance is 9,077 for a 5–2 loss against Manchester United
in the League Cup
on 22 September 2010.
, a football club sharing the same claret and blue colours as Scunthorpe United F.C.
but were replaced prior to the 2007–08 season.
on 14 December 2006 it was announced that the club were looking to expand the Doncaster Road End of the stadium. Potential improvements mentioned included a second tier and expansion of the club's restaurant. In announcing the plan for expansion, the club's chairman Steven Wharton acknowledged that they were not currently filling the stadium to capacity on a regular basis, but added that he was preparing for a future situation where a larger capacity could be required.
This redevelopment option is currently being assessed, alongside the option of moving to a new stadium. This would be the first major redevelopment of any stand at Glanford Park since its opening, though earlier in 2006 further catering and toilet facilities were provided beneath the Grove Wharf Stand at a cost of £100,000.
Under regulations the club must convert the Doncaster Road End to seats if they avoid relegation from the Championship in 2010–11. To try to change this, supporters launched a Keep Scunthorpe Standing campaign. The club revealed revised expansion details in September 2010, with plans to add a three-level building behind the current terrace to include a larger supporters' bar, club shop and ticket office. The capacity of the ground would not increase; this is due to the change from a terrace to a seating area.
Scunthorpe
Scunthorpe is a town within North Lincolnshire, England. It is the administrative centre of the North Lincolnshire unitary authority, and had an estimated total resident population of 72,514 in 2010. A predominantly industrial town, Scunthorpe, the United Kingdom's largest steel processing centre,...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and the current home of Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
. It is the smallest stadium by capacity in the Championship (2009–10 season)
2009–10 Football League Championship
The Football League Championship season 2009–10 is the sixth season of the league under its current title and eighteenth season under its current league division format...
.
Glanford Park opened in 1988 at a construction cost of £2.5 million, housing a total of 9,088 supporters. It was the first time that an English football club had moved to a new purpose-built stadium in 33 years, since Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
moved to Roots Hall
Roots Hall
Roots Hall is a multi-use sports stadium in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England, primarily used for football games and is the home of the Football League Two club Southend United. With a capacity of 12,392 Roots Hall is the largest football stadium in Essex, and is the current venue for the final of...
in 1955.
History
Scunthorpe originally played at the Old ShowgroundOld Showground
The Old Showground was the original stadium of the English football club Scunthorpe United and had been built in c.1867.Scunthorpe United played at the Old Showground until 1988, when they moved to Glanford Park - the first newly-constructed Football League stadium since Southend United's Roots...
, which was located towards the centre of the town on the Doncaster Road. After the club relocated, the Old Showground was demolished and replaced by a Safeway
Safeway (UK)
Safeway was a chain of supermarkets and convenience stores in the United Kingdom. It started as a subsidiary of the American Safeway Inc., before being sold off in 1987....
supermarket, which was subsequently sold to Sainsbury's in 2004.
Glanford Park is located on the outskirts of Scunthorpe, close to the start of the M181 motorway
M181 motorway
The M181 motorway links the town of Scunthorpe, England, to the M180 motorway. A spur of the M180, the road is virtually straight through its entire length...
. The name Glanford Park was derived from its funding by the then Glanford Borough Council
Glanford
Glanford was, from 1974 to 1996, a local government district with borough status in the non-metropolitan county of Humberside, England.-Creation:...
, before North Lincolnshire became a unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
.
On its completion, it was the first new 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...
stadium in England for 43 years.
The stadium was officially opened at the start of the 1988–89 season by Princess Alexandra.
For all but one of its first 17 seasons, the stadium staged fourth tier football before Scunthorpe were promoted to League One in 2005, since when they have appeared in either League One or the second tier Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
.
Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
visited Glanford Park on 24 January 2010, in the FA Cup Fourth Round. City won the match 4–2, which saw Robinho
Robinho
Robson de Souza , more commonly known as Robinho, is a Brazilian professional footballer who currently plays as second striker and winger for Serie A club AC Milan...
score his final goal in English football.
The record attendance is 9,077 for a 5–2 loss against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in the League Cup
League Cup
In association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946/47 and was entitled the Scottish...
on 22 September 2010.
Scunthorpe Telegraph Stand
The Scunthorpe Telegraph (formerly Evening Telegraph) stand is the West side stand, and houses the executive boxes, players' tunnel, team dugouts and home seating. The stand, sometimes referred to as the "ETS" is marketed as being a family stand.Study United FC Stand now known as Rainham Steel Stand
The name of this stand is the most frequently-changing. It is much more commonly known as the "Doncaster Road End" among supporters, or even simpler, the "Donny Road End." This stand is the only terraced stand at Glanford Park, and typically houses the more vocal supporters. It is due to be fitted with seating after the 2009–10 season due to Football League regulations that standing areas must be made seating following three seasons in the Championship.Grove Wharf Stand
The Grove Wharf Stand (formally Country Chef Stand) is the East stand of the ground, and houses seated home supporters. This stand now also features a can bar and a food outlet.AMS Stand
This stand houses away supporters, with a maximum capacity of 1,678. However extra away seating is often made available for games such as local derbies, by sectioning off an area of the Evening Telegraph Stand. The seats in the away end of the ground were originally sourced from Aston Villa F.C.Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, a football club sharing the same claret and blue colours as Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
but were replaced prior to the 2007–08 season.
Future development
In the Scunthorpe TelegraphScunthorpe Telegraph
The Scunthorpe Telegraph is a local paid-for newspaper published and distributed weekly in Scunthorpe, England. It was launched on 8 September 1937. Prior to the Scunthorpe Telegraphs launch, the town was served by the Grimsby Evening Telegraph....
on 14 December 2006 it was announced that the club were looking to expand the Doncaster Road End of the stadium. Potential improvements mentioned included a second tier and expansion of the club's restaurant. In announcing the plan for expansion, the club's chairman Steven Wharton acknowledged that they were not currently filling the stadium to capacity on a regular basis, but added that he was preparing for a future situation where a larger capacity could be required.
This redevelopment option is currently being assessed, alongside the option of moving to a new stadium. This would be the first major redevelopment of any stand at Glanford Park since its opening, though earlier in 2006 further catering and toilet facilities were provided beneath the Grove Wharf Stand at a cost of £100,000.
Under regulations the club must convert the Doncaster Road End to seats if they avoid relegation from the Championship in 2010–11. To try to change this, supporters launched a Keep Scunthorpe Standing campaign. The club revealed revised expansion details in September 2010, with plans to add a three-level building behind the current terrace to include a larger supporters' bar, club shop and ticket office. The capacity of the ground would not increase; this is due to the change from a terrace to a seating area.