Ayresome Park

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ayresome Park

Facility Statistics
Location	Ayresome Park Road, Middlesbrough, England
Inauguration	1903
Demolition	1997
Surface	Grass
Pitch dimensions	110 × 74 yards
Owner	Middlesbrough F.C.
Capacity
Total
Seated

Ayresome Park was a football stadium in the town of Middlesbrough, United Kingdom, and was the home of Middlesbrough F.C. from its construction in time for the 1903/1904 season, until the Riverside Stadium opened in 1995.

Middlesbrough had previously played at Linthorpe Road, but a move to the football league meant that an improved stadium was required. Ayresome Park was built at Paradise Field, adjacent to the old stadium of Middlesbrough Ironopolis F.C., who had played in the football league in the 1893/1894 season.

The highest attendance at the ground, of 53802, was set on December 27, 1949, when Middlesbrough played local rivals Newcastle United. Ayresome Park was also one of the venues for the 1966 Football World Cup. Three games were played at the ground, involving the Soviet Union, North Korea, Italy and Chile. North Korea famously beat Italy 1-0 at the ground to knock one of the biggest footballing nations out of the World Cup, progressing to the quarter-finals in the process. However, the attendances at Ayresome Park were the lowest in the entire tournament, with just 15,887 fans at the game for North Korea versus Chile.

By the early 1990s the stadium was old and clearly in need of major work to bring it up to date, and the demands of the Taylor Report meant that either renovation or a new stadium was requried if Middlesbrough were to secure a place in the new Premier League. The final competitive game at Ayresome Park was played against Luton Town on April 30th 1995 in match which Boro won 2-1. Before the game, many of Middlesbrough's old players were paraded around the pitch, in a lap of honour. Boro won promotion at the end of the season, meaning their next season would be played at the Riverside Stadium in the Premiership .

Ayresome Park was demolished in 1997 and a housing estate now occupies the site. Middlesbrough Football Club used it as a training ground for much of the 1996-7 season before it was knocked down.

The last ever game at the ground was a sell out testimonial match for Stephen Pears where he notched the last ever goal at Ayresome Park, scoring from the penalty spot.