De Montfort Park
| Greene King Stadium | |
|---|---|
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| Full name | De Montfort Park |
| Former names | Marston's Stadium (2004-2008) |
| Location | Leicester Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 3DR |
| Coordinates | 52°33′32.82″N 1°20′25.44″W / 52.5591167°N 1.3404°W |
| Broke ground | 2002 [1] |
| Built | 2003-2005 |
| Opened | 5 March 2005 [2] |
| Owner | Hinckley United |
| Operator | Hinckley United |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction cost | £4 Million |
| Architect | Savage Hayward |
| Main contractors | FE Downes LTD |
| Capacity | 4329 (630 seated) |
| Field dimensions | 110 yards (100 m) x 72 yards (66 m) |
| Tenants | |
| Hinckley United Hinckley FC Aston Villa Reserves (in 2009) |
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De Montfort Park is the home of Hinckley United, an English football club from Hinckley, Leicestershire. The club currently plays in the Conference North.
The stadium complex covers 22 acres (9 ha) and includes three full size pitches, two three-quarter size pitches, three half size pitches and a full size, all-weather floodlit 3G rubber crumb surface pitch. It is named in honour of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester.
The flagship of the complex is the Greene King Stadium, a 4,329 capacity purpose-built football ground, also comprising gymnasium, sports injury clinic and a social club. The Stadium opened in March 2005 when Stalybridge Celtic were the first team to play Hinckley United on the ground, in front of a crowd of over 2000.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Stadium Sponsorship
When the Stadium opened in 2005 it was known as the Marston's Stadium, following a sponsorship deal between Hinckley United and Marston's Brewery. The Brewery paid what Regional Sales Manager Bob Leatherland called a 'substantial six figure sum' to secure the naming rights with the money paid out at £25,000 per year over a ten year period.[3] However, the brewery altered its sponsorship strategy, moving mainly into the cricket Twenty20 competition,[4] and the deal ended early in a mutual agreement between the brewery and football club at the end of December 2008.[5]
In January 2009 the club announced a stadium sponsorship deal with the Greene King Brewery and the stadium was renamed the Greene King Stadium.[6]
[edit] Stands
- The Main Stand - The Main Stand holds 630 covered seats. The complex houses the changing rooms, gymnasium, lounge, boardroom and offices of the football club. VP's Club Bar and the Sponsors' Lounge are located at the top of the Main Stand, overlooking the pitch.
- The East Terrace - The East Terrace Stand holds 970 covered seats. This stand is adjoined to the Social Club, Lacey's Bar.
- The Tom Powers Stand - The Tom Powers Stand is covered standing room with a capacity of 1095. It is named by the landowner who originally sold the land to Hinckley United, enabling them to build the ground.
- The West Stand - Currently the West Side is hard standing for 586 spectators. Plans to convert the stand into a 400-seat covered end with changing rooms for the Juniors and an all-weather pitch await finance as of January 2009. The changing rooms have been completed and the next phase will be to cover and seat the hard standing area.
The stadium has provision for segregated seating of away stands with 80 seats on the Main Stand and 850 places on the West Stand. The Away Turnstiles are only operable when segregation is in place.
[edit] Other uses
Leicester City reserves have used the De Montfort Park Stadium for their home games in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
The Greene King Stadium is used by the Leicestershire FA for finals of their regional competitions. It staged International Youth games in 2006. England U19s used the facilities for training in 2006 ahead of a match against the Czech Republic at Northampton's Sixfields Stadium.
In April 2007, April 2008 and April 2010 the Stadium was used by the English FA as a semi final venue for the National FA Sunday Cup.
Aston Villa reserves used the stadium for their home games in January and February 2009.
[edit] Record attendance
- 3231 vs Leicester City, 12 July 2008, Pre-season Friendly.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ "Hinckley United Independent news June 2002". Hinckley United Independent. 2002-06-08. http://www.hinckleyunitedfc.co.uk/news/newstadium.html#08_06_2002. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ a b "Hinckley United Independent news March 2005". Hinckley United Independent. 2005-03-05. http://www.hinckleyunitedfc.co.uk/news/newstadium.html#05_03_2005. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ "Hinckley United Independent news May 2004". Hinckley United Independent. 2004-05-19. http://www.hinckleyunitedfc.co.uk/news/newstadium.html#19_05_2004. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ "ECB Commercial News". ECB Official site. 2008-06-10. http://www.ecb.co.uk/ecb/partners/marstons,948,BP.html. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ "Hinckley United Independent news December 2008". Hinckley United Independent. 2008-12-30. http://www.hinckleyunitedfc.co.uk/news/newstadium.html#30_12_2008. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ "Hinckley United Independent news January 2009". Hinckley United Independent. 2009-01-21. http://www.hinckleyunitedfc.co.uk/news/newstadium.html#21_01_2009. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
- ^ "LCFC.com match report". LCFC official site. 2008-07-12. http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10274~1343157,00.html. Retrieved 2008-07-20.
