McDiarmid Park
 View from the Main (West) Stand | |
 | |
| Location | Tulloch, Perth, Scotland |
|---|---|
| Owner | St. Johnstone F.C. |
| Capacity | |
| Field size | |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1989 |
| Main contractors | Miller Construction |
| Tenants | |
Scotland (women) | |
56°24′34.87″N 3°28′36.94″W / 56.4096861°N 3.4769278°W
McDiarmid Park is the home stadium of St. Johnstone Football Club from Perth, Scotland. It has an all-seated capacity of 10,673. The record attendance is 10,525, which occurred on 23 May 1999, when Tayside rivals Dundee were the visitors for the last game of the season.[1]
History
For 65 years, St. Johnstone called Muirton Park, in the city's north end, their home, but in 1986 the ground was purchased by the Asda retail group, who wanted to demolish it - and the adjoining ice rink - and build a supermarket in their place. In return, the club would be relocated, at no cost to them, to a brand-new stadium at the western edge of the city. A local farmer, Bruce McDiarmid, donated the land on which the stadium now stands. The going rate for the land at that time would have been approximately £400,000 but Bruce McDiarmid saw a donation of his "berry and barley fields" as a gift to the people of Perth. It was at the insistence of St. Johnstone that he accepted a 20 per cent shareholding and the title of honorary president of the football club.[2]
Description
McDiarmid Park, the first purpose-built all-seater stadium in the United Kingdom, consists of four covered, single-tier stands. It was built by Edinburgh-based Miller Construction with the grass pitch the work of Souter of Stirling.[3] Work started on the Tulloch farmland donated by Bruce McDiarmid in December 1988 and was finished by the following August in time for the start of the 1989–90 season. Facilities include parking for 1,000 cars and 100 coaches, a synthetic playing surface adjacent to the ground (which is used as the team's training ground), and conference facilities within the Main (West) Stand.
Three of the stands are the same height; the Main Stand, on the western side of the ground, is a little taller. The Main Stand also has greater leg room between rows of seats and includes an area with padded seats reserved for season-ticket holders, club officials and their guests.
The South Stand is named the Ormond Stand, after Willie Ormond, the club's most successful manager to date. The Ormond Stand also houses the club's souvenir shop, which is only open on match days before and after the match. It was formerly nominated as a "family stand", for home fans and fans of the visiting club to sit together.
For football matches, the North Stand is allocated to fans of the visiting team if they are expected in large enough numbers; otherwise, they are housed in a segregated section of the Main Stand and the North Stand remains closed.
In the East Stand, white seats spell out "ST. JOHNSTONE F.C."
In the north-east corner of the ground there is an electronic scoreboard, in front of which the players have their annual squad photo taken.
Football
McDiarmid Park was officially opened on 19 August 1989, prior to a Saints victory over Clydebank. This league fixture on the opening day of the season was deliberately kept low-key as a glamour challenge match had been arranged for a night in October.
On 17 October 1989, St. Johnstone lined up against English club Manchester United, who brought a very strong squad up to Scotland. The Manchester United team included Jim Leighton, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Bryan Robson, Paul Ince, Brian McClair, Mark Hughes and Lee Sharpe. Brian McClair scored the only goal in Manchester United's win in front of a near capacity (9,780) crowd[4] Manchester United were managed by ex-Saint Alex Ferguson with Sir Matt Busby and Bobby Charlton also in attendance.[5] With just 30 minutes played of the match, the stadium was temporarily plunged into darkness caused by a fault at an electricity substation. Although the stadium's emergency generators were able to provide lighting in the stands, it was 23 minutes before play was resumed.
Women's Football
The Scotland Women's national team play their home games at McDiarmid Park.
Rugby Union
The professional rugby union side the Caledonia Reds played some of their home games at McDiarmid Park before they were merged with the Glasgow Warriors in 1998. The merged Warriors initially played some of their 1999 games in Perth, but eventually switched all home games to Glasgow.
On 13 November 2004 the Scotland national rugby union team played Japan there in a historic first test match north of the River Forth. The result was a 100–8 scoreline in favour of Scotland, the first time the Scottish rugby team had scored a century. Chris Paterson scored 40 points (three tries, 11 conversions and one penalty).
The stadium has hosted several of Scotland's "A" team: a victory over Italy in 1999, a draw over Argentina in 1999, a win against Samoa in 2000, and a loss to Italy in 2003.
On 21 November 2006, Scotland "A" faced Australia in Perth, their first appearance on home soil in three years.[1]
On 23 February 2007, Scotland "A" hosted Italy at McDiarmid Park.[6]
Non-sporting usage
The stadium hosts the Scottish convention of Jehovah's Witnesses, which brings thousands of worshippers to the local area every summer. In July 2009, a mass baptism was held, which included the use of a 33-foot-diameter (10 m) pool. Over 8,000 people attended the three-day event.[7]
On 6 July 2008, Elton John became the first musician to play at the stadium.[8][9]
Ground information
- Name - McDiarmid Park
- Location - Perth
- Capacity - 10,673
- Inauguration - 1989
- Pitch size - 115 x 75 yards
- Record attendance - 10,525; v. Dundee, 23 May 1999
- Address - Crieff Road, Tulloch, Perth, PH1 2SJ, Scotland
References
- ^ Soccerbase result
- ^ Bannerman, Gordon (1991). Saints Alive! St Johnstone Football Club Five Years on a High. Sportsprint Publishing, Edinburgh. p. 65. ISBN 0 85976 346 3.
- ^ Official match programme: St. Johnstone v. Manchester United, 17 October 1989
- ^ Official match programme: St. Johnstone v. Partick Thistle, 28 October 1989
- ^ Bannerman, Gordon (1991). Saints Alive! St. Johnstone Football Club Five Years on a High. Sportsprint Publishing, Edinburgh. p. 72. ISBN 0 85976 346 3.
- ^ Rugby returns to McDiarmid Park
- ^ "Mass Baptism held in McDiarmid Park pool" - The Courier, 20 July 2009
- ^ Elton John to play McDiarmid Park
- ^ St Johnstone FC[dead link]
