Dean Court
| Seward Stadium | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Full name | Dean Court |
| Location | Kings Park Bournemouth Dorset England |
| Opened | 1910 |
| Renovated | 2001 |
| Owner | Structadene |
| Capacity | 10,700 seated[1] |
| Field dimensions | 105 x 78 m |
| Tenants | |
| A.F.C. Bournemouth (League One) | |
Dean Court is a stadium in Bournemouth, England. Primarily used for football, it is the home of League One team A.F.C. Bournemouth. Formerly known as the Fitness First Stadium, from July 2011 the stadium will be renamed the Seward Stadium after the naming rights were sold to the Seward Motor Group.[2]
Contents |
[edit] History
Dean Court is named after the Cooper-Dean family of Bournemouth, who granted the land to the football club in 1910. One of the stands had previously been used in the Wembley Exhibition of 1924.[citation needed] The ground's attendance record of 28,799 was set at an FA Cup match against Manchester United in 1957.[3]
The ground was completely rebuilt in 2001, with the pitch rotated ninety degrees from its original position. The stadium was also moved away from adjacent housing. Although it was rebuilt as a three sided stadium, seats were placed on the undeveloped south end in the autumn of 2005. The club sold the stadium in December 2005 in a sale-and-leaseback deal with London property company Structadene.[4]
The stadium has also been used for music concerts, hosting Elton John in 2006.
[edit] Present
In the 2010/2011 season many aspects of the stadium were upgraded including adding a new temporary south stand, refurbished bar/restaurant and a new café bistro which replaced the old cherry tree pub. These works include lettering on the exterior of the stadium to promote the venue and Black Label events. Other works carried out were the installation of a "cherry brick road" where fans bought personalized bricks and the landscaping of the area outside the main stand and also the re-surfacing and landscaping of the car park. Several items were also included in the refurbishment of the ground including works to the club store and a new fashion store adjacent to it called ENZI. The club also opened a new gym in the east stand area of the ground which is used by players and the general public. Several miscellaneous items were added such as the large poster on the side of the north stand thanking people for their support and also a corporate brick wall in the main stand. In 2011/2012 the temporary south stand was axed due to lowering attendances however new plans were unveiled for a new official south stand to be built aswell as new training facilities and a hotel.
[edit] References
- ^ "AFC Bournemouth". Football Ground Guide. http://www.footballgroundguide.com/bournemouth/. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
- ^ "Bournemouth sell naming rights deal of Dean Court". BBC News. 9 May 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13335192.stm. Retrieved 2011-05-11.
- ^ "AFC Bournemouth Club Information". A.F.C. Bournemouth. 2008. http://www.afcb.co.uk/page/ClubInfo/0,,10324,00.html. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
- ^ "New stadium deal could be required". Bournemouth Daily Echo. 2008. http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/search/display.var.2096442.0.new_stadium_deal_could_be_required.php. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
[edit] External links
- History of AFC Bournemouth
Media related to Dean Court at Wikimedia Commons
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