East End Park
| East End Park | |
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 View of the ground |
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| Location | Dunfermline, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 56°04′31.11″N 3°26′30.86″W / 56.0753083°N 3.4419056°W |
| Opened | 1885 |
| Owner | Dunfermline Athletic F.C. |
| Surface | Grass |
| Capacity | 11,380 |
| Field dimensions | 105 x 64 yards (pitch) |
| Tenants | |
| Dunfermline Athletic F.C. | |
East End Park is a football stadium situated in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland with a seating capacity of 11,380.
The stadium plays host to the home matches of Scottish Premier League side, Dunfermline Athletic F.C. It currently comprises four stands: East Stand, Main Stand, SGM Stand(Grassy) and the Norrie McCathie. The stadium is all seater and has undersoil heating.
[edit] History
East End Park was first used in 1885, the same year as the club was formed.[1] The original stadium was situated slightly to the west. In 1920, the Board of Directors purchased 3 acres (12,000 m2) of land from the North British Railway company for £3,500, and the present position of the ground was laid out.[1] A wooden stand with a low roof and a pavilion were built on the southern side, backing onto Halbeath Road (A907).[1] Terrace banks were extended to give a capacity of 16,000 when the club was promoted to the First Division in 1926.[1] Relegation and the effects of the Great Depression forced East End Park to be used for greyhound racing in the early 1930s.[1] The rent from this activity helped keep the club afloat, but the dog track cut across the corners of the pitch.[1] Dunfermline was promoted in 1934 and a roof was built over the northern terrace.[1] One year later, the eastern terrace was improved using wood salvaged from the liner Mauretania, which was being broken up in the Rosyth Dockyards.[1]
Polish and British army units were stationed at East End Park during the Second World War.[1] Dunfermline received £329 in compensation, but the ground remained quite primitive.[1] Crush barriers were not installed until 1951, after a 20,000 crowd had attended a match.[1] East End Park was greatly developed between 1957 and 1970, a period in which the club qualified several times for European competition.[1] A two-tier Main Stand was constructed in 1962, funded by the club winning the 1960–61 Scottish Cup.[1] The terracing was also improved, with an L-shaped roof formed over the western and northern sections.[1] The record attendance for a Dunfermline Athletic home game of 27,816 was against Celtic on 30 April 1968.[1] There was some chaotic crowd scenes, as people scaled the stand roof and floodlight pylons to gain access.[1] One person died from his injuries after falling.[1]
In the late 1990s, East End Park was converted to an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 11,380. Since then there have been sell-outs against Rangers in the Scottish Cup and against Raith Rovers in a title decider for the 2010–11 Scottish First Division.[2] An artificial playing surface was installed at East End Park in 2003, as part of an experiment by UEFA.[3] Opposing mangers and players expressed reservations at the time that the surface could lead to injuries. The pitch was subsequently replaced with grass two seasons later.[3] The 2006–07 Scottish Junior Cup Final between Kelty Hearts and Linlithgow Rose was held at East End Park on 3 June 2007. Dunfermline announced in November 2011 that the North Stand was to close, in order to reduce operating costs.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Inglis 1996, p. 442
- ^ "Hardie double wins thrilling comeback". BBC Sport (BBC). 23 April 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/9465295.stm.
- ^ a b "Dunfermline lose SPL pitch vote". BBC News. 2005-03-10. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/4334291.stm. Retrieved January 17, 2008.
- ^ "Dunfermline to close North Stand to reduce costs". BBC Sport (BBC). 16 November 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15764844.stm. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
- Sources
- Inglis, Simon (1996). Football Grounds of Britain. Collins Willow. ISBN 0002184265.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: East End Park |
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