Those We Have Lost
Over the last thirty years or so, football in the United Kingdom has lost a lot of architecture. Old grounds have been demolished and replaced with newer models, and while the modern stadium is usually conventionally more “comfortable” than the grounds of old, it’s difficult to avoid the feeling that we’ve lost something in this rush towards modernity. This series recalls just some of those that have fallen by the wayside, both big and small.
Those We Have Lost: Fellows Park, Walsall FC
In 1990, Walsall became one of the first clubs of the modern era to leave their home for pastures new, when they departed Fellows Park for the Bescot Stadium. Tom Lines tells the story of their original home. If you support a club that has moved home and fancy writing...
Those We Have Lost: Maine Road, Manchester City
And still they keep coming! The next in our Those We Have Lost series comes from David Mayor, who had misgivings about Manchester City leaving Maine Road, but is happy that the spirit of his club remains intact, at least in its support. We are still very much looking...
Those We Have Lost: Elm Park, Reading FC
The next in our series on the lost homes of British football comes from Reading, where Reading FC left Elm Park for The Madejski Stadium in 1998. Our thanks go to Rob Langham from the excellent The Two Unfortunates, for this story of the history and memories from Elm...
Those We Have Lost: Springfield Park, Wigan Athletic
Today's instalment in the Those We Have Lost series is on the subject of a ground that seems like it existed a million years ago. We are indebted to Martin Tarbuck for this - Martin is the author of two books about Wigan Athletic and editor of the Mudhutter, a Wigan...
Those We Have Lost: The Goldstone Ground, Brighton & Hove Albion
Today's entry in this on-running series comes from Mark Chalcraft, who can otherwise be found at the very splendid 2nd Yellow football site. His subject is one that is rather close to one or two of us that already write for Twohundredpercent - Brighton & Hove...
Those We Have Lost: Feethams, Darlington
Next up in our series on the lost football grounds of Britain, comes one of the most poignant stories of all. Darlington left Feethams for The Reynolds Arena in 2003, leaving behind a home of over a hundred years to play in a vast bowl that has proved to be disastrous...
Those We Have Lost: The Dell, Southampton
Tom Tully surely performed a double take when he happened upon the match report from Southampton's final stand at The Dell. Having written so many tales of glory for Roy of the Rovers, he likely thought his work had been plagarised when news came through that the...
Those We Have Lost: Redheugh Park, Gateshead
We have another splendid article on a lost football ground for you this morning on Twohundredpercent, and we are pleased to be able to thank Paul Eke, who has some recollections of Redheugh Park, the former home of Gateshead Football Club. I was coming up on two years...
Those We Have Lost: Richmond Road, Kingstonian FC
After a depressing few days, let's try and lighten the mood a little as Mark Murphy brings us his memories of the former home of Kingstonian FC at Richmond Road. I only saw the death throes of Isthmian League Kingstonian’s Richmond Road ground. But it still had...
Those We Have Lost: Dean Court, Bournemouth
Losing a ground doesn't always mean moving to a new venue. AFC Bournemouth bulldozed Dean Court, spun it around ninety degrees, and rebuilt it as a three-sided ground. For Andy Smith, it might never be the same again. Can you write something about the old Dean Court,...
Those We Have Lost: Boothferry Park, Hull City
For the third part in our series about the football homes that we have lost over the last quarter of a century or so, we are delighted to welcome Marcus Dysch to Twohundredpercent. Marcus supports Hull City, and had predictably mixed at the club's departure from...
Those We Have Lost: Southbury Road, Enfield
For many, many years, there were effectively no new football grounds built in Britain. Over the last quarter of a century, though dozens upon dozens of clubs have bulldozed their ancestral homes and moved on to pastures new. This summer, we hope to run a series of ...