What are the football arenas in England? Stadiums in England. Brit Oval Stadium
Football fans quite often get carried away with collecting various items that are somehow related to football in general, or their favorite club in particular. These are autographs of football players, T-shirts, scarves, souvenirs, stamps, badges, photographs, posters, magazines... Anything. But there are hobbies that, at first glance, can be called at least strange. For example, in England there are people who are fond of collecting... Stadiums. Can you tell me how you can assemble stadiums? And how much money do you need to have to add at least a couple of exhibits to the collection?
But still, this is a truly unusual hobby, because the person who “collects” stadiums does not even try to buy them. All he needs to do is buy a train (or bus) ticket, a ticket for any match that takes place at the desired stadium and just visit it, feel the atmosphere of pain, “breathe” the stadium. In this case, it is not at all necessary to even take photographs. Such people get an incomparable “buzz” from the very fact of discovering a new unique structure for themselves, and from the entire aura of football fandom created over the years, which literally permeates the stands, the field and even the rooms below the stands.
In England, every stadium is a masterpiece. And each one, be it the stadium of a Premier League team or some unknown team from the bottom of amateur football, has its own history and its own elusive charm. Let's try to take a virtual tour of England's stadiums and be in the shoes of a "stadium collector" for a little while. Let's start, perhaps, with the most significant stadiums of the English Premier League.
Year the stadium opened: 1882
Capacity: 45362
Average attendance (2007/08): 43,532
Ticket price: £28-32 (min. – max.)
The stadium was built for Everton, who first played at Stanley Park. The further development of events is known - John Houlding raised the rent from 100 pounds a year to 250, the owners of Everton were indignant and moved the team to Goodison Park, and Houlding himself, so that the arena would not disappear, created the Liverpool club.
The iconic Kop Stand, which is the heart of Anfield, is named after the hill in South Africa (Spion Kop) in the vicinity of which the battle between British troops and the Dutch Boers took place. 8 thousand proud Boers defeated more than 30 thousand British units, and in honor of the soldiers who died at the Kop (more than 1,500 British and 300 Dutch), the stand was named "The Kop". This happened on January 23-24, 1900.
Near the Kop there is a bronze statue of the great Liverpool manager Bill Shankly. Reds fans enter the stadium through the gate named after him. The Shankly Gate was built in 1982 and was first opened by the widow of Liverpool manager Nessie on 26 August 1982. The inscription on them says “You"ll Never Walk Alone. I think there is no need to explain what this saying means, because now every person who cares about football knows it. Near these gates there is a memorial dedicated to the victims of Hillsborough, near which the flowers never fade .
In 1999-2000, the top of the stands was reinforced with additional supports after many fans began to complain about strange vibrations in the very top rows of the arena.
During Euro 96, the stadium hosted 4 matches - the group round and the quarter-finals. The Russian national team played two matches at this stadium - with Italy and the Czech Republic.
The stadium may soon cease to exist due to the fact that the team wants to move to a more modern and spacious arena in Stanley Park, which is promised to be built by 2011. So far, the start of construction has been postponed due to a number of reasons. And then the economic crisis crept up. In any case, Liverpool fans will never forget their famous Anfield.
GOODISON PARK
Year the stadium opened: 1892
Capacity: 40569
Average attendance (2007-08): 36,954
Ticket price: £26-34
Now we move to the other side of Stanley Park and find ourselves in the holy of holies of Liverpool's main enemies - Goodison Park, one of the most glorious arenas in England. The city's oldest club, Everton, has been playing here ever since John Houlding raised the rent at Anfield.
Goodison Park was the first stadium in England designed exclusively for football. And in general, in the whole world only Scotland at that time had better stadiums than Goodison. No wonder that in 1894, Everton Stadium hosted the FA Cup final between Notts County and Bolton. It was attended by 37 thousand spectators, which in those years was simply a crazy audience.
Interestingly, the stadium was built with donations from wealthy Everton fans who wanted to rid the club of Houlding's tyranny. Mr. James Baxter donated £552, and the Kelly brothers built two unroofed stands to seat 4,000 each and one seated stand with a roof to seat 3,000, spending a total of £1,460. Huge money at that time!
The stadium was built by the famous architect Archibald Laitch, whose trademark was the balconies on the façade of the stadium. He also placed these balconies at other stadiums he built - Roker Park in Sunderland and Ibrox in Glasgow, but they were preserved only at Goodison. All the stadiums built by Laich were distinguished by an amazing feature - watching matches was convenient from anywhere in the arena. He also carried out the reconstruction and completed the construction of the upper tier.
It was at Goodison that the Soviet Union team played the semi-final of the 1966 World Cup with the West German team. The famous match between the DPRK and Portugal took place here. Well, in the group round it was here that the famous Brazilians played all their matches. At that time, the stadium was one of the best in the world in all respects, and therefore it is not surprising that it became the venue for such significant matches.
For several years now there has been talk about Everton moving to a more spacious and modern arena, which the club wants to build in Kirkby, but the problems are the same as Liverpool - construction is delayed, the economic crisis... The Grand Old Lady a little more will serve the team.
OLD TRAFFORD
Year the stadium opened: 1909
Capacity: 76212
Average attendance (2007-08): 75,691
Ticket price: £21-36
The second largest stadium in England (after Wembley, naturally), once called the “Theater of Dreams” by Sir Bobby Charlton, is located in the Manchester area called Trafford. It was built according to the design of the same Archibald Laitch, who designed almost all the significant stadiums in Britain.
During the war, the stadium was almost completely destroyed, because the city of Manchester, as an industrial giant, was one of the main targets of German aviation. Old Trafford was restored only in 1949, and the team spent the entire reconstruction period at Maine Road, the Manchester City stadium.
The most famous stand of the stadium, by analogy with Anfield and its Kop, is the Stretford End. This is where the team's most ardent fans are located during Manchester United matches, and they are the ones who get the whole stadium going. This stand has a personal signature on the seats. It appeared thanks to a new sponsor - AIG, which, unlike Vodafone, refused to sign its name at the stadium. Until recently, this stand was a terrace (standing stand) because there was no need for seats - all the fans located at the Stretford End spent the entire match standing, singing songs. But still, with the advent of the Premier League, Stretford was equipped with seats and the official name was changed to West Stand, but for the fans the stand remained the same good old Stretford End. Only two people in Manchester United bore the proud name “King of Stretford” - Denis Law and Eric Cantona.
Old Trafford hosted group stage matches of the 66 World Cup, Euro 96 matches (up to the semi-finals) and the 2003 Champions League final (Milan - Juventus).
In the future, the stadium may undergo reconstruction, and its capacity will increase to 96 thousand spectators. There are such plans, and the design of the stadium allows them to be implemented. To do this, you need to complete the third tier on the southern stand. Most likely, this will be the case, because now Old Trafford is one of the most desirable places for Manchester United fans of all nationalities. Its occupancy rate will likely remain the same even with increased capacity.
CITY OF MANCHESTER STADIUM
Year of opening of the stadium: 2002 (in general), 2003 (for football purposes)
Capacity: 47726
Average attendance (2007-08): 42,126
Ticket price: £27-32
In the same Manchester there is another magnificent stadium - the City of Manchester. It was built in 2002 as a replacement for the old Maine Road, after which the legendary Manchester City arena was dismantled.
Initially, the stadium was conceived as the central arena for the Olympic Games in Manchester in 2000, but since the city lost the fight for the right to host such a grand tournament to Sydney, the stadium was made the center of games held between states that were previously under the influence of the Queen of England (72 countries , all former British colonies) in 2002. That is, the stadium was originally equipped with running tracks, but then it was rebuilt as a purely football arena for Manchester City.
The first match at the new stadium took place between MS and Barcelona, and the first goal at the new arena was scored by Nicolas Anelka. Officially, the first match was a meeting between the Welsh TNS and Manchester City in the UEFA Cup. The new building has already hosted the final of a European tournament. It was at this stadium that St. Petersburg's Zenit beat the Scottish Rangers and won the UEFA Cup in 2008.
You can get to the stadium thanks to the wide Joe Mercer Road, which was laid so that fans could freely wander in front of the stadium before the match and take their seats in the stands without interference. In front of the stadium there is a sculpture called "B of the Bang", named after the famous sprinter Linford Christie, who said that the secret of his success is that he starts with the first sound of the starting pistol (called the "Bang" by the British). . It represents, as it were, the initial phase of some kind of explosion, when fragments (in this case, rays emanating from a point) begin to fly apart.
The stadium is segmented, that is, there is a special stand for fans with children (Family Stand), for visiting fans (South Stand) and the most ardent fans of Man City (The Kippax).
ST JAMES PARK
Year the stadium opened: 1892
Capacity: 52387
Average attendance (2007-08): 51,320
Ticket price: £22-37
If we have already started the story - a journey through the stadiums with the Liverpool and Manchester “sweet couples”, then it would be appropriate to continue with the arenas of the two most irreconcilable rivals in the north of England. Let's start with St James' Park.
The third largest stadium in the Premier League is currently an asymmetrical structure due to the fact that not all the stands have been reconstructed yet. But I am sure that in the near future the stands of the stadium will be brought to a common denominator, because the popularity of Newcastle is so great that the city could easily accommodate a stadium for 70 thousand spectators. Especially if the team at least sometimes delighted its loyal fans with new trophies.
If at other stadiums there are separate stands for the most ardent fans, then at St. James Park it is more likely to allocate a place where the opponent’s fans are, because all the other stands will be exactly that “place of location of the most loyal fans.” "Toon Army" - an army of Magpies fans occupy all the stands - Milburn Stand, East Stand, Leazes End and Gallowgate End. The most famous is Gallowgate End. Where then are the opposing fans located? At first, the “welcoming” Newcastle residents wanted to put them in the north-eastern corner sector of the stadium, from which it is sometimes difficult to see what is happening near the opposite gate. All this is due to the asymmetrical nature of the stadium, the main stands of which have already been rebuilt in a new way, while the rest are still in their old place. As a result, Leazes End, which is at a much greater angle to the surface than the old stands, simply blocks the view. But then, under a barrage of criticism, the club’s management decided to allocate 3 thousand seats for visitors under the very ceiling of the northwestern corner sector.
By the way, the name of the stadium has a rather unusual spelling. In English - St James's Park. Can you tell me what the decisive apostrophe at the end of the word James has to do with it? The fact is that in pre-war times the name of the stadium was written as St James's Park (that’s how it was written in the program for the matches). And then, as often happens, the British simplified the word, but left the apostrophe. So officially the stadium is called St James' Park.
Unofficially, the stadium is called SJP, St James or Gallowgate. The latter name comes from the name of the Gallowgate End stand, where the most devoted fans have long gathered (now we can say that the entire stadium is a large Gallowgate End stand). Part of this stand is an entertainment establishment called Shearer's Bar, and the stand itself is often called Shearer's, in honor of the famous scorer, the god for the Toon Army. By the way, the entire St. James Park is dotted with numerous cafes, restaurants and entertainment venues, where fans warm up before the match and refresh their vocal cords during the break. At one time, the club even accepted an offer from the sharks of the British gaming business, MGM Mirage, to create a Super Casino with an area of up to a thousand square meters near the stadium, but the tightening of gambling laws in Britain destroyed these grandiose plans.
The stadium hosted Euro 96 matches, in particular the matches of the Bulgarian and Romanian teams in the group round. Now it’s too early to talk about the future, because the uncertain situation with the club’s owner Mike Ashley, who cannot sell the club, does not allow making plans to reconstruct the stadium. In any case, we will have to bring all the stands to a common denominator, because now the stadium looks somewhat unnatural.
STADIUM OF LIGHT
Year the stadium opened: 1997
Capacity: 49000
Average attendance (2007-08): 42,728
Ticket price: 20-30 £
The Stadium of Light (or Stadium of Light) has no history, because the arena was built recently, but its predecessor is Roker Park, one of the most legendary stadiums in England. It is a pity that it had to be destroyed, because the capacity of 30 thousand spectators could not satisfy the demand for Sunderland matches, and reconstruction was impossible. But in the pre-war years, “Roker Park” accommodated more than 70 thousand spectators! It was designed by the same Archibald Laich and the stadium was in some way related to Goodison, Ibrox and Plymouth's Home Park stadium, because they found a certain similarity in design and a certain charm inherent only in the work of Laich.
During the war, Roker Park was badly damaged due to a direct bomb hit in the very center of the lawn. But by the 1966 World Cup he was again one of England's best. It was in this arena that the teams of Group 4 – Chile, USSR, North Korea and Italy – played their matches. And if the Koreans became almost family to the residents of Middlesbrough, where they played most of their matches, then for the Sunderlanders, the Union national team became such a team.
But the years took their toll, and the arena slowly began to reduce its capacity (especially after Taylor’s report, which ordered all English stadiums to be rebuilt according to new safety requirements) and by the mid-90s the club’s management began to think about the need to build a new stadium. For a long time they could not choose a place for it, but in the end they chose the mining district of Wearmouth Colliery.
The story behind the name of the stadium is interesting. When construction began, it was planned to be called New Roker Park or the banal Wearside Stadium, after the name of the area where the new stadium was located. But then it was decided to name the arena the Stadium of Light, implying the miners' lamps, because Sunderland had long been a miners' club. But in Newcastle it will still not be called anything other than Joker Park (park of jesters, clowns).
When the stadium was designed, they expected 35 thousand seats, but then during the construction process the capacity increased due to the third tier on two stands: Kronenbourg Upper Stand, Premier Concourse. The first is located behind the goal and is intended for the most devoted fans of the “black cats”, and the second is for the luxury boxes. If necessary, the stadium can be expanded to 63 thousand seats if third tiers are built on two two-tier stands.
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Stamford Bridge Stadium is located on Fulham Road in London. This is one of the oldest and most prestigious stadiums in England. Stamford Bridge is now the home of Chelsea.
The stadium was opened in 1877. Initially it had only one east stand, and was intended to host athletics competitions. But in 1905, the stadium began to host football matches, becoming the home arena of the Chelsea club. It has been extensively expanded and renovated throughout its history, and today it is one of the most modern in England. The updated arena has a new look, completely different from the original one, so that almost a century and a half of history seems somewhat unreal.
The stadium hosts matches of the English Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League and other prestigious football cups.
Falmer Stadium
Falmer Stadium is located in Brighton, England. It is the home of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club. In 2015, it will host matches of the Rugby World Cup.
The stadium was opened in 2011. Construction lasted 3 years, starting in 2008. Construction cost was 93 million pounds sterling. The total capacity of the stadium is more than 30 thousand people. The stadium has modern infrastructure and advanced design.
The stadium hosts English League One matches for Brighton & Hove Albion. It also hosts various music concerts with the participation of famous bands.
Old Trafford Cricket Stadium
Cricket, starting from the 18th century, became truly the national English sport. The first cricket club was created in the 60s of the 18th century in the town of Hambledon, Hampshire, and almost a century later this fashion reached Manchester - in 1857 the first matches took place at the site, which later became known as Old Trafford.
This sports ground is home to the famous Lancashire County Cricket Club. Immediately after its creation, it was not particularly popular due to its distance from the city center. But already in 1884, competitions with the status of a so-called test game took place at Old Trafford. These are games with special regulations that only elite cricket clubs can play. Since that time, the popularity of the course has grown, and along with it the number of spectators has grown steadily. Competitions were not held here only during the First and Second World Wars.
At the beginning of the 21st century, a major reconstruction was carried out at Old Trafford: the historical Victorian-style pavilion with the original facade, which is already 150 years old, was restored, a new VIP box was also equipped, from where it is convenient to monitor the playing field through the arched windows, and hotel rooms of the “class” appeared. Lux" is equipped with a modern hall for meetings and business meetings.
All this is due to the fact that being a cricket fan in England is very prestigious. Very often, wealthy companies have their own box at the stadium. They say that during matches the most important events take place in such boxes, and the game on the field serves only as a pleasant background for concluding financial transactions.
Anfield Stadium
Anfield Stadium is located in the city of Liverpool, and is one of the oldest and most popular football arenas in England. It is the home stadium of Liverpool Football Club.
Anfield was opened in 1884, and initially the Everton club played their home games there, but already in 1892 it became the stadium of the newly emerged Liverpool club, which still plays its matches there.
The stadium has been reconstructed several times. The most extensive reconstruction was carried out in 1992, when all the stands were significantly expanded. A special feature of the stadium is the presence of proper names at the stands, entrances and even gates, which were named in honor of the legendary Liverpool coaches.
Now the stadium accommodates more than 45 thousand visitors. It always has a high attendance rate, thanks to the legendary merits and popularity of the Liverpool club.
Rico Stadium
Rico Stadium is a modern sports complex located in the center of Great Britain. It includes a football arena, a huge exhibition hall and many areas for entertainment and shopping. The most important event held here was the 2012 Olympic Games.
The stadium was opened in 2005. The arena structure consists of two parts - a football arena and an entertainment complex, which houses many shops, banks, cafes, sports facilities and a huge exhibition hall. The capacity of its football arena is more than 32 thousand spectators. The stadium is located in a green area, near a major highway, so this place is very popular among tourists.
The arena hosts home matches of Coventry City FC.
St James's Park Stadium
St James's Park Stadium is located in Newcastle, England. It is the home ground of Newcastle United football club. In 2012, the stadium hosted football matches for the 2012 Olympic Games.
The stadium was opened in 1892. From the very beginning, its capacity was low - approximately 30 thousand people, and most of the seats in the stadium were standing room. But over time, the stadium was modified and reconstructed many times. One of the last changes was made in 1998-2000. Then the stadium received its current capacity - 52 thousand fans. The stadium now has a traditional British shape with square corners and an extended main stand. It is worth noting that throughout its history the stadium has been subject to many attempts to move it, for which the local authorities especially fought, but all of them were in vain.
Riverside Stadium
Riverside Stadium is located in Middlesbrough, England, and is home to the football club of the same name. Riverside is the first stadium built in England where there was no standing room.
The stadium was built in 1995. The construction cost at the time of construction was £16 million. The stadium's capacity is 35 thousand people. It has the traditional shape of English football with square corners and a flat roof.
The stadium regularly hosts matches of the English Premier League, in which the Middlesbrough club plays.
Molineux Stadium
Molineux Stadium is an iconic venue for many English Premier League fans. Over its long history, it has hosted many important matches involving the England national team. As it has been since its inception, Molineux is still the home of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club.
The stadium was opened in 1889. Its original capacity was only 4,000 people. But soon the club that rented the stadium carried out a series of renovations, increasing the capacity to several tens of thousands.
The stadium's heyday dates back to the 40s and 50s of the last century, when the Wolverhampton Wanderers club was at its peak. At that time, the arena hosted matches of the English Championship, some European cups and matches with the participation of the England national team. And one of the main sporting events that took place at the stadium was the first UEFA Cup final in 1972.
Over its long history, the stadium has undergone many reconstructions. The modern appearance of the arena consists of stands with right angles and a flat roof. The stadium can accommodate 31 thousand spectators. But more recently, the board of the local club announced ambitious plans for a number of reconstructions. Thus, according to plans, in the future the stadium will be able to accommodate about 50 thousand spectators.
Old Trafford Stadium
Since 1910, Old Trafford has been the home stadium of Manchester United. Its capacity of approximately 76,000 spectators makes it the second largest stadium in England, behind Wembley Stadium.
The stadium was built in late 1909 and was designed by Archibald Leitch, who designed around 20 stadiums in the UK. Funds for construction - almost £60,000 - were personally provided by John Henry Davies, chairman of the Manchester United club. His goal was to create a decent stadium for his team.
In 1941, as a result of German air raids, most of the stadium was destroyed. After restoration, Old Trafford did not reopen until 1949. The renovated arena has become the site of the most iconic football events: it hosted the FA Cup semi-finals, the 1996 World Cup and European Championships, the 2003 Champions League final and the Rugby Super League Grand Final.
On February 19, 2010, the Old Trafford stadium solemnly celebrated its centenary. An exhibition was prepared especially for this memorable date, which opened at the Manchester United Museum and was dedicated to the history of the stadium. In March of the same 2010, relatives of the players who played the first match at the famous stadium, together with relatives of the first chairman of the club, John Henry, laid a commemorative capsule near the central tunnel of the stadium.
Etihad Stadium
The home stadium of the popular Manchester City football club is called Etihad Stadium. This is one of the largest stadiums in England, currently seating 47,726 fans.
The stadium was built as part of the preparation of a sports base for the 2000 Olympic Games. Although the Olympics did not take place in Manchester, a wonderful stadium remained, originally designed to host track and field competitions. Subsequently, the running tracks were dismantled, and the stadium turned into an exclusively football arena. After reconstruction, for the convenience of fans and to ensure safety, a separate section was allocated for spectators with children, for visiting football fans and for particularly ardent local admirers of the Manchester City team. The roof of the stadium is designed in such a way that it completely protects the stands from rain, and on days when there are no matches it can be partially removed to provide the best access to sunlight for the lawn grass.
Despite its relative youth, the stadium has already made its mark in the history of football: the fiftieth anniversary UEFA Cup final was held here in 2008, where Zenit St. Petersburg won a beautiful victory over the Rangers team from Scotland with a score of 2:0.
Trent Bridge Stadium
Trent Bridge is a first class cricket stadium. This is one of the oldest and most popular stadiums in England. It regularly hosts international cricket competitions.
The stadium was opened in the 1830s. Its design is considered one of the best. The stadium has been reconstructed many times. The last changes were made in 2007, when its stand was updated and the capacity was increased to 17 thousand people.
Trent Bridge regularly hosts international cricket competitions.
St Mary's Stadium
St Mary's Stadium, one of the largest football stadiums in the south of England, opened in 2001. Its area is about eight thousand square meters, the capacity is 33 thousand spectators.
The stadium has a bowl shape, divided into four stands. Each of them has its own name in honor of the object with which it is adjacent. The arena is home to the Southampton team, which plays in the Premier League. The stadium surface is grass, the first row is located 10 meters from the playing field. On the central stand there is a sector for VIPs, including 150 seats. Behind the players' bench there are 50 seats for media representatives. For the convenience of spectators, 200 monitors and two large video screens are installed in the stands, showing the progress of the match. There is an electronic scoreboard installed along the perimeter of the left wing of the stadium, above the stands.
On match days, additional transport flights are introduced to relieve passenger traffic. With the construction of the stadium, the local infrastructure was significantly improved - hotels, restaurants and cafes are located near the stadium.
Reebok Stadium
Reebok Stadium is located in Bolton, England. It is the home stand of Bolton Wanderers Football Club.
The stadium was opened in 1997. It has a pointed architecture, which makes it stand out among other stadiums in England. Its capacity is more than 28 thousand people. The name of the arena was given in honor of the long-time sponsor of the Bolton Wanderers team - Reebok.
Football fans quite often get carried away with collecting various items that are somehow related to football in general, or their favorite club in particular. These are autographs of football players, T-shirts, scarves, souvenirs, stamps, badges, photographs, posters, magazines... Anything. But there are hobbies that, at first glance, can be called at least strange. For example, in England there are people who are fond of collecting... Stadiums. Can you tell me how you can assemble stadiums? And how much money do you need to have to add at least a couple of exhibits to the collection?
But still, this is a truly unusual hobby, because the person who “collects” stadiums does not even try to buy them. All he needs to do is buy a train (or bus) ticket, a ticket for any match that takes place at the desired stadium and just visit it, feel the atmosphere of pain, “breathe” the stadium. In this case, it is not at all necessary to even take photographs. Such people get an incomparable “buzz” from the very fact of discovering a new unique structure for themselves, and from the entire aura of football fandom created over the years, which literally permeates the stands, the field and even the rooms below the stands.
In England, every stadium is a masterpiece. And each one, be it the stadium of a Premier League team or some unknown team from the bottom of amateur football, has its own history and its own elusive charm. Let's try to take a virtual tour of England's stadiums and be in the shoes of a "stadium collector" for a little while. Let's start, perhaps, with the most significant stadiums of the English Premier League.
Year the stadium opened: 1882
Capacity: 45362
Average attendance (2007/08): 43,532
Ticket price: £28-32 (min. – max.)
The stadium was built for Everton, who first played at Stanley Park. The further development of events is known - John Houlding raised the rent from 100 pounds a year to 250, the owners of Everton were indignant and moved the team to Goodison Park, and Houlding himself, so that the arena would not disappear, created the Liverpool club.
The iconic Kop Stand, which is the heart of Anfield, is named after the hill in South Africa (Spion Kop) in the vicinity of which the battle between British troops and the Dutch Boers took place. 8 thousand proud Boers defeated more than 30 thousand British units, and in honor of the soldiers who died at the Kop (more than 1,500 British and 300 Dutch), the stand was named "The Kop". This happened on January 23-24, 1900.
Near the Kop there is a bronze statue of the great Liverpool manager Bill Shankly. Reds fans enter the stadium through the gate named after him. The Shankly Gate was built in 1982 and was first opened by the widow of Liverpool manager Nessie on 26 August 1982. The inscription on them says “You"ll Never Walk Alone. I think there is no need to explain what this saying means, because now every person who cares about football knows it. Near these gates there is a memorial dedicated to the victims of Hillsborough, near which the flowers never fade .
In 1999-2000, the top of the stands was reinforced with additional supports after many fans began to complain about strange vibrations in the very top rows of the arena.
During Euro 96, the stadium hosted 4 matches - the group round and the quarter-finals. The Russian national team played two matches at this stadium - with Italy and the Czech Republic.
The stadium may soon cease to exist due to the fact that the team wants to move to a more modern and spacious arena in Stanley Park, which is promised to be built by 2011. So far, the start of construction has been postponed due to a number of reasons. And then the economic crisis crept up. In any case, Liverpool fans will never forget their famous Anfield.
GOODISON PARK
Year the stadium opened: 1892
Capacity: 40569
Average attendance (2007-08): 36,954
Ticket price: £26-34
Now we move to the other side of Stanley Park and find ourselves in the holy of holies of Liverpool's main enemies - Goodison Park, one of the most glorious arenas in England. The city's oldest club, Everton, has been playing here ever since John Houlding raised the rent at Anfield.
Goodison Park was the first stadium in England designed exclusively for football. And in general, in the whole world only Scotland at that time had better stadiums than Goodison. No wonder that in 1894, Everton Stadium hosted the FA Cup final between Notts County and Bolton. It was attended by 37 thousand spectators, which in those years was simply a crazy audience.
Interestingly, the stadium was built with donations from wealthy Everton fans who wanted to rid the club of Houlding's tyranny. Mr. James Baxter donated £552, and the Kelly brothers built two unroofed stands to seat 4,000 each and one seated stand with a roof to seat 3,000, spending a total of £1,460. Huge money at that time!
The stadium was built by the famous architect Archibald Laitch, whose trademark was the balconies on the façade of the stadium. He also placed these balconies at other stadiums he built - Roker Park in Sunderland and Ibrox in Glasgow, but they were preserved only at Goodison. All the stadiums built by Laich were distinguished by an amazing feature - watching matches was convenient from anywhere in the arena. He also carried out the reconstruction and completed the construction of the upper tier.
It was at Goodison that the Soviet Union team played the semi-final of the 1966 World Cup with the West German team. The famous match between the DPRK and Portugal took place here. Well, in the group round it was here that the famous Brazilians played all their matches. At that time, the stadium was one of the best in the world in all respects, and therefore it is not surprising that it became the venue for such significant matches.
For several years now there has been talk about Everton moving to a more spacious and modern arena, which the club wants to build in Kirkby, but the problems are the same as Liverpool - construction is delayed, the economic crisis... The Grand Old Lady a little more will serve the team.
OLD TRAFFORD
Year the stadium opened: 1909
Capacity: 76212
Average attendance (2007-08): 75,691
Ticket price: £21-36
The second largest stadium in England (after Wembley, naturally), once called the “Theater of Dreams” by Sir Bobby Charlton, is located in the Manchester area called Trafford. It was built according to the design of the same Archibald Laitch, who designed almost all the significant stadiums in Britain.
During the war, the stadium was almost completely destroyed, because the city of Manchester, as an industrial giant, was one of the main targets of German aviation. Old Trafford was restored only in 1949, and the team spent the entire reconstruction period at Maine Road, the Manchester City stadium.
The most famous stand of the stadium, by analogy with Anfield and its Kop, is the Stretford End. This is where the team's most ardent fans are located during Manchester United matches, and they are the ones who get the whole stadium going. This stand has a personal signature on the seats. It appeared thanks to a new sponsor - AIG, which, unlike Vodafone, refused to sign its name at the stadium. Until recently, this stand was a terrace (standing stand) because there was no need for seats - all the fans located at the Stretford End spent the entire match standing, singing songs. But still, with the advent of the Premier League, Stretford was equipped with seats and the official name was changed to West Stand, but for the fans the stand remained the same good old Stretford End. Only two people in Manchester United bore the proud name “King of Stretford” - Denis Law and Eric Cantona.
Old Trafford hosted group stage matches of the 66 World Cup, Euro 96 matches (up to the semi-finals) and the 2003 Champions League final (Milan - Juventus).
In the future, the stadium may undergo reconstruction, and its capacity will increase to 96 thousand spectators. There are such plans, and the design of the stadium allows them to be implemented. To do this, you need to complete the third tier on the southern stand. Most likely, this will be the case, because now Old Trafford is one of the most desirable places for Manchester United fans of all nationalities. Its occupancy rate will likely remain the same even with increased capacity.
CITY OF MANCHESTER STADIUM
Year of opening of the stadium: 2002 (in general), 2003 (for football purposes)
Capacity: 47726
Average attendance (2007-08): 42,126
Ticket price: £27-32
In the same Manchester there is another magnificent stadium - the City of Manchester. It was built in 2002 as a replacement for the old Maine Road, after which the legendary Manchester City arena was dismantled.
Initially, the stadium was conceived as the central arena for the Olympic Games in Manchester in 2000, but since the city lost the fight for the right to host such a grand tournament to Sydney, the stadium was made the center of games held between states that were previously under the influence of the Queen of England (72 countries , all former British colonies) in 2002. That is, the stadium was originally equipped with running tracks, but then it was rebuilt as a purely football arena for Manchester City.
The first match at the new stadium took place between MS and Barcelona, and the first goal at the new arena was scored by Nicolas Anelka. Officially, the first match was a meeting between the Welsh TNS and Manchester City in the UEFA Cup. The new building has already hosted the final of a European tournament. It was at this stadium that St. Petersburg's Zenit beat the Scottish Rangers and won the UEFA Cup in 2008.
You can get to the stadium thanks to the wide Joe Mercer Road, which was laid so that fans could freely wander in front of the stadium before the match and take their seats in the stands without interference. In front of the stadium there is a sculpture called "B of the Bang", named after the famous sprinter Linford Christie, who said that the secret of his success is that he starts with the first sound of the starting pistol (called the "Bang" by the British). . It represents, as it were, the initial phase of some kind of explosion, when fragments (in this case, rays emanating from a point) begin to fly apart.
The stadium is segmented, that is, there is a special stand for fans with children (Family Stand), for visiting fans (South Stand) and the most ardent fans of Man City (The Kippax).
ST JAMES PARK
Year the stadium opened: 1892
Capacity: 52387
Average attendance (2007-08): 51,320
Ticket price: £22-37
If we have already started the story - a journey through the stadiums with the Liverpool and Manchester “sweet couples”, then it would be appropriate to continue with the arenas of the two most irreconcilable rivals in the north of England. Let's start with St James' Park.
The third largest stadium in the Premier League is currently an asymmetrical structure due to the fact that not all the stands have been reconstructed yet. But I am sure that in the near future the stands of the stadium will be brought to a common denominator, because the popularity of Newcastle is so great that the city could easily accommodate a stadium for 70 thousand spectators. Especially if the team at least sometimes delighted its loyal fans with new trophies.
If at other stadiums there are separate stands for the most ardent fans, then at St. James Park it is more likely to allocate a place where the opponent’s fans are, because all the other stands will be exactly that “place of location of the most loyal fans.” "Toon Army" - an army of Magpies fans occupy all the stands - Milburn Stand, East Stand, Leazes End and Gallowgate End. The most famous is Gallowgate End. Where then are the opposing fans located? At first, the “welcoming” Newcastle residents wanted to put them in the north-eastern corner sector of the stadium, from which it is sometimes difficult to see what is happening near the opposite gate. All this is due to the asymmetrical nature of the stadium, the main stands of which have already been rebuilt in a new way, while the rest are still in their old place. As a result, Leazes End, which is at a much greater angle to the surface than the old stands, simply blocks the view. But then, under a barrage of criticism, the club’s management decided to allocate 3 thousand seats for visitors under the very ceiling of the northwestern corner sector.
By the way, the name of the stadium has a rather unusual spelling. In English - St James's Park. Can you tell me what the decisive apostrophe at the end of the word James has to do with it? The fact is that in pre-war times the name of the stadium was written as St James's Park (that’s how it was written in the program for the matches). And then, as often happens, the British simplified the word, but left the apostrophe. So officially the stadium is called St James' Park.
Unofficially, the stadium is called SJP, St James or Gallowgate. The latter name comes from the name of the Gallowgate End stand, where the most devoted fans have long gathered (now we can say that the entire stadium is a large Gallowgate End stand). Part of this stand is an entertainment establishment called Shearer's Bar, and the stand itself is often called Shearer's, in honor of the famous scorer, the god for the Toon Army. By the way, the entire St. James Park is dotted with numerous cafes, restaurants and entertainment venues, where fans warm up before the match and refresh their vocal cords during the break. At one time, the club even accepted an offer from the sharks of the British gaming business, MGM Mirage, to create a Super Casino with an area of up to a thousand square meters near the stadium, but the tightening of gambling laws in Britain destroyed these grandiose plans.
The stadium hosted Euro 96 matches, in particular the matches of the Bulgarian and Romanian teams in the group round. Now it’s too early to talk about the future, because the uncertain situation with the club’s owner Mike Ashley, who cannot sell the club, does not allow making plans to reconstruct the stadium. In any case, we will have to bring all the stands to a common denominator, because now the stadium looks somewhat unnatural.
STADIUM OF LIGHT
Year the stadium opened: 1997
Capacity: 49000
Average attendance (2007-08): 42,728
Ticket price: 20-30 £
The Stadium of Light (or Stadium of Light) has no history, because the arena was built recently, but its predecessor is Roker Park, one of the most legendary stadiums in England. It is a pity that it had to be destroyed, because the capacity of 30 thousand spectators could not satisfy the demand for Sunderland matches, and reconstruction was impossible. But in the pre-war years, “Roker Park” accommodated more than 70 thousand spectators! It was designed by the same Archibald Laich and the stadium was in some way related to Goodison, Ibrox and Plymouth's Home Park stadium, because they found a certain similarity in design and a certain charm inherent only in the work of Laich.
During the war, Roker Park was badly damaged due to a direct bomb hit in the very center of the lawn. But by the 1966 World Cup he was again one of England's best. It was in this arena that the teams of Group 4 – Chile, USSR, North Korea and Italy – played their matches. And if the Koreans became almost family to the residents of Middlesbrough, where they played most of their matches, then for the Sunderlanders, the Union national team became such a team.
But the years took their toll, and the arena slowly began to reduce its capacity (especially after Taylor’s report, which ordered all English stadiums to be rebuilt according to new safety requirements) and by the mid-90s the club’s management began to think about the need to build a new stadium. For a long time they could not choose a place for it, but in the end they chose the mining district of Wearmouth Colliery.
The story behind the name of the stadium is interesting. When construction began, it was planned to be called New Roker Park or the banal Wearside Stadium, after the name of the area where the new stadium was located. But then it was decided to name the arena the Stadium of Light, implying the miners' lamps, because Sunderland had long been a miners' club. But in Newcastle it will still not be called anything other than Joker Park (park of jesters, clowns).
When the stadium was designed, they expected 35 thousand seats, but then during the construction process the capacity increased due to the third tier on two stands: Kronenbourg Upper Stand, Premier Concourse. The first is located behind the goal and is intended for the most devoted fans of the “black cats”, and the second is for the luxury boxes. If necessary, the stadium can be expanded to 63 thousand seats if third tiers are built on two two-tier stands.
| English | - | Russian |
| languagefootball pitch | - | football field |
| center, circle | - | central circle |
| half-way line | - | midline |
| penalty area | - | penalty area |
| goal area | - | gate area |
| penalty spot | - | penalty mark (penalty kick) |
| goal line (by-line) | - | goal line |
| corner flag | - | corner flag |
| touch line | - | lateral line |
| goalkeeper | - | goalkeeper, goalkeeper |
| spare man | - | free defender |
| inside defender (central defender) | - | central midfielder (stopper) |
| outside defender | - | side (outer) defender |
| midlield players | - | midfielder (halfback) |
| inside forward (striker) | - | center forward |
| outside forward (winger) | - | winger (midfielder) |
| goalkeeper's gloves | - | goalkeeper `s gloves |
| football boot | - | soccer boot |
| football pad with ankle guard | - | football ankle pad |
| shin guard | - | shin guard |
| goal | - | gates |
| crossbar | - | crossbar |
| post (goalpost) | - | bar, goalpost |
| goal kick | - | goal kick (free kick) |
| penalty (penalty kick) | - | one-over kick, penalty |
| corner (corner kick) | - | corner kick (corner kick) |
| offside | - | offside, offside |
| free kick | - | free kick |
| bicycle kick (overhead bicycle kick) | - | kick backwards, "bicycle" |
| header | - | headbutt |
| pass (passing the ball) | - | pass (passing the ball) |
| short pass (one-two) | - | short pass (one touch) |
| foul (infringement) | - | violation |
| obstruction | - | blocking |
| dribbling | - | dribbling (driving the ball) |
| throw-in | - | throw-in |
| substitute | - | substitute player (replacement player) |
| coach | - | trainer |
| shirt | - | t-shirt |
| shorts | - | underpants |
| sock (football sock) | - | gaiters |
| linesman | - | linesman |
| sending-off | - | removal from the field |
| referee | - | judge in the field |
| red card | - | red card |
| yellow card | - | yellow card |
^My dream team
Among the players there are, of course, stars. I decided to make my dream team. This cannot happen, but mentally this team can be created. These athletes played at different times and in different football clubs. I have selected the best players in the history of football.
So, I took 4 defenders, 4 midfielders, 2 forwards and a goalkeeper.
The best goalkeeper of all time is, of course, Lev Yashin. There was no goalkeeper who would bear the heavy burden of glory for so long, going through new tests and emerging from them with honor, not only losing nothing, but also adding something. The most precious thing about Yashin was the feeling of reliability that all the fans experienced when they saw him at Dynamo and the national team.
Yap Stam. “Big slow” is the first impression when you see Stam. But that's not true. It’s hard to find a more reliable defender. Yap kept up with the fastest forwards. He gave it his all, never got tired, played like an automatic machine.
^ Rio Ferdinand. The main link in Manchester United. One of the best defenders in the world. Once Penny Levy, who is the agent of many world-famous stars, said that Rio was the best find of his entire life. And one cannot but agree with this.
Roberto Carlos. The best defender of the Brazilian national team. He could run 100 meters in 11 seconds. He owns the strongest blow of 198 km/h. Although he is a defender, he still became the top scorer.
Paolo Maldini . I can't call Maldini an outstanding defender. He is an outstanding football player! On the field, Paolo can do everything - defend, create, and score goals.
Zinedine Zidane . I dare say: I have never met a better football player in this role. His awards and titles speak for themselves. And his game, which was admired by millions of fans, needs no comment.
Cristiano Ronaldo . He is only 25, but it seems as if he has been playing for Real Madrid for at least ten years. Can play in any position.
His feints and speed baffle any opponent, and his excellent shot allowed him to become one of the best scorers. This is the future of world football.
Javi . We can talk about the advantages of Xavi for a long time. This includes technique, vision of the field, and the ability to leave the entire opposing team out of action with one pass.
But his main quality is his ability to play the game.
David Beckham . In my opinion, the greatest footballer in the world and England. He has many beautiful goals to his name. David has no shortcomings, but sometimes he did not appear in matches for the national team. I put Beckham alongside such great players as Pele, Maradona, Zinedine Zidane.
Pele . Diego Maradona still has not apologized for the “hand of God”, I am not including him in the lineup! And Pele is perhaps the best player of all time. He was talented in every aspect: he had speed, power, dribbling, scoring instinct, and knew how to head.
David Villa . Before the World Cup Qualifiers, I didn’t even know who David Villa was, although he was already 30! At the World Championship he played like a real world star. His smart goals and accurate shots allowed him to become the top scorer of the World Cup/
Conclusion
The leading football powers are Brazil, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Italy, England. The fate of Russian football at present, unfortunately, is not going very well, but we will believe that at the 2018 World Cup. the strongest will win and it will be Russia. After all, we love football no less than other nations. Thousands of boys play in big and small cities of Russia. Our Dolgorukovskaya team confirms our words. We took part in district, zonal, regional tournaments and competitions.
All players on our team are united by a love of football and a desire to win.