KitKat Crescent
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| KitKat Crescent | |
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 The exterior of the Main Stand |
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| Full name | KitKat Crescent |
| Location | York, North Yorkshire |
| Opened | 1932 |
| Owner | York City F.C. |
| Operator | York City F.C. |
| Surface | Grass |
| Former names | Bootham Crescent |
| Tenants |
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| Capacity |
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| Field dimensions |
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KitKat Crescent (formerly Bootham Crescent) is an association football stadium in York, North Yorkshire. It has been the home of York City since 1932, when the club moved there following its purchase from York Cricket Club. Other than football, it has hosted a pop concert, a firework display and American Football and rugby league matches.
During the Second World War, the ground's Popular Stand was converted into an air raid shelter and the ground suffered slight damage when a bomb landed on houses at the Shipton Street End. Floodlights were fitted at the ground in 1959 at the cost of £14,500. Bootham Crescent hosted football in the Football League until 2004, when York was relegated to the Conference National. The ground was renamed to KitKat Crescent in 2005, due to a sponsorship deal with Nestlé. The stadium currently holds a capacity of 9,034.
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[edit] History
York City F.C.'s original stadium Fulfordgate had been relatively inaccessible, with the tram service only having a single track to the ground, and concern about the poor support there had been raised, and director Mr G.W. Halliday was convinced that the only solution to this was to move to a new ground.[2] Bootham Crescent had been used by York Cricket Club for a number of years, but the they decided to move to a new headquarters at Wigginton Road, so York City held a meeting on moving to the ground following preliminary discussions and visits.[3] The move was eventually voted on and after a 115 votes for and 37 against the move, shareholders approved the move to take Bootham Crescent on lease.[4] Bootham Crescent was converted into a football ground and a main stand was built and a roof was put over the Popular stand.[5] The ground was officially opened on 31 August 1932 when York played Stockport County in a Division Three North game and was formally opened by the club president, Sir John Hunt, cutting a ribbon of the clubs' colours of chocolate and cream.[6]
The first match against a First Division team to be staged at the ground was when Derby County played York in an FA Cup third round match, which set a club record attendance of 13,612.[7] During the Second World War, the Popular Stand was used as an air-raid shelter for pupils and staff of the Shipton Street School.[8] The ground was slightly damaged during the war, after a bomb landed on the houses at the Shipton Street end, during the air-raid on York in April 1942.[7] Shortly after the war ended, the terracing was laid properly with concrete, although most of the ground was still uncovered.[5] Considerable improvements were made to the ground in the immediate post-war period, with deeper drainage, concreting banking at the Bootham Crescent stand of the ground and the installation of loudspeaking equipment being put in place.[7] It was announced at the shareholder's metting in September 1948 that York City had purchased Bootham Crescent, after it had been on a lease to the club since 1932.[7]
Concreting to the terracing in the Popular Stand was completed by the late 1940s and early 1950s, due to the efforts of the Supporters' Club, and also to the Shipton Street end.[7] During the 1954–55 season, York reached the semi-final of the FA Cup, of which two matches were played at Bootham Crescent.[9] The first round game against Scarborough, which was won 3–2, and the fifth round game against Tottenham Hotspur, which was won 3–1 in front of a crowd of 21,000, were both held at Bootham Crescent.[9] During the summer of 1955, the Main Stand was extended towards Shipton Street, which was helped by profits gained from the FA Cup run and a Stand Extension Fund.[7]
Two FA Cup ties against First Division opposition were held at the ground in the 1957–58, with Birmingham City being beaten 3–0 and then a 0–0 draw with Bolton Wanderers, which saw a crowd of 23,600; a post-war record for the ground.[9] A concrete wall was built in the St Olave's Road end as a safety precaution and a support for additional banking and terracing, which cost over £3,000.[10] This had a two-fold purpose, as it acted as a safety precaution and a support for additional banking and terracing.[10] The ground was fitted with floodlights in the summer of 1959, costing £14,500, which was raised by the Auxiliary Club.[10] They were officially switched on for a friendly against Newcastle United on 28 October 1959, which United won 8–2 in front of a crowd of 9,414.[10]
York City reached the last eight of the League Cup in the 1961–62 season, during which Leicester City were beaten 2–1 at Bootham Crescent.[11] The half-time scoreboard at the Shipton Street end ceased to be in use in 1965, but remained as advertising hoarding.[10] Seats were installed in the Popular Stand prior to the opening of the 1974–75 season, York's first in Division Two, which increased the ground's seating capacity to 2,762.[10] The floodlights were updated and improved in 1980 for £20,000 and were officially switched on by former player Derek Dougan for a friendly with Grimsby Town on 1 August 1980.[10] A gymnasium was built at the Bootham Crescent end for £50,000 early in 1981, which York were helped towards by receiving £15,000 from the Sports Council and £20,000 from the Football League Improvement Trust.[10] New offices for the manager, secretary, match-day and lottery manager were built along with a vice-presidents' lounge in the summer of 1983, with the lounge being officially opened by Football League chairman Jack Dunnett prior to a game against Wrexham in November 1983.[10]
Cracks had appeared in the concrete wall built in 1956 at the back of the Bootham Crescent end, which led to the rear end of the terracing being cordoned off, meaning the capacity of the ground had been reduced to under 13,500.[10] The Bootham Crescent end was segregated and allocated to away supporters and fencing was erected around the ground before the FA Cup match against Liverpool.[10] During the 1983–84 and 1984–85 seasons problems had arisen in handling big crowds, which was due to the ground having only two of four sides available for entry and exit and the home supporters funnelling through the car-park to the Shipton Street end.[10]
Extensive improvements were made in the summer of 1985 for an approximated £100,000 and eight new turnstiles were installed at the Shipton Street end.[10] Simultaneously, the dressing-rooms were refurbished, so they incorporated new baths and showers, and also the addition of a new referee's changing room, a new physiotherapist's treatment room and new toilets.[12] During the period of 1986 to 1987, hospitality boxes were built into the Main Stand, video equipment was installed and crush-barriers were strengthened.[13] This meant that ground safety requirements were met and in September 1939 it was announced that the capacity of the ground has been increased to 14,628.[13]
The capacity of the ground was reduced in 1994 as the family area of the Main Stand was increased due to popular demand, which saw 326 seats replace a standing area, as well as complying with recommendations made in the Taylor Report following the Hillsborough disaster.[5] New floodlights were installed during the summer of 1995, costing £122,000.[5] These floodlights are twice as bright as the original floodlights, and also meet the requirements for Division One football.[5] A new drainage system was installed to improve the quality of the pitch during winter, costing several thousand pounds. A water tower was also installed in the late 1990s to help the quality of the pitch.[5]
A sponsorship deal with Nestlé in January 2005 saw Bootham Crescent renamed KitKat Crescent,[14] although the ground is still commonly referred to as Bootham Crescent.[1] The pitch was relaid for the 2007–08 season, as the poor quality of the pitch was believed to be the reason for the team's poor home form the previous season.[15]
[edit] Structure and facilities
The ground's pitch includes four stands – the David Longhurst Stand, the Main Stand, the Popular Stand and Grosvenor Road End.[15] The Main Stand is an all-seater stand which covers the length of two-thirds of the pitch and contains the dressing rooms, club offices, ticket offices and hospitality suites and contains a number of supporting pillars.[15][16] It has open corners to either side, one of which is where the supporter's club is located, and to the rear has windshields to either side.[16] Opposite this is the Popular Stand, a covered all-seated stand, which contains a number of supporting pillars and holds a television gantry on its roof.[15][16]
The northernmost stand of the ground is the David Longhurst stand, which is a covered terrace for home supporters and has a row of supporting pillars across its front.[15][16] It was originally known as the Shipton Street End, but was renamed following the death of David Longhurst, who died on 8 September 1990 in a match against Lincoln City at Bootham Crescent.[17] Opposite this is the Grosvenor Road End, which is an open terrace reserved for away supporters.[15][16] As well as this, away supporters are permitted to use 300 seats of the Popular Stand.[1] A club shop is situated just inside the car-park, which also houses the commercial manager's office and adjoining this is the social club and players' bar.[18]
Groundsman Bryan Foster was presented with a gold watch from the directors in March 1988 in recognition of his long and outstanding service.[10]
[edit] Future
On 4 February 2004, the club's board announced that an agreement had been reached which would see York City remain at Bootham Crescent until 2015,[5] by which time they are hoping to move to a new stadium.[19] It is expected to be built on either the sites of the British Sugar factory, York Central or Nestlé North in York.[20][21]
[edit] Other uses
The ground hosted a representative match between a Football League XI side and the Northern Command on 17 October 1942, which was won 9–2 by the Football League XI.[8] It held its first Schoolboy International in May 1952, when England, who were captained by Wilf McGuinness, who later became York manager, beat Ireland 5–0 with a crowd of 16,000.[7]
The ground hosted its first major neutral match in February 1968, when Middlesbrough beat Hull City 1–0 in an FA Cup third round second replay.[11] The ground was due to host England U16 v Scotland U16 on 8 December 2006 in the final match of the Sky Sports Victory Shield,[22] but due to a waterlogged pitch the match was moved to Glanford Park of Scunthorpe United.[23]
The stadium has also held non-football events.[13] It held a pop concert in September 1979 and a firework display in October 1982 to celebrate the centenary of the Yorkshire Evening Press.[13] Sporting events to have taken place include an American Football match which took place in the summer of 1988 and a rugby league match between York RLFC and Leeds in front of a crowd of 11,347, which was won 28–9 by Leeds.[13]
[edit] Records
The highest attendance record at the stadium was 28,123 for a match against Huddersfield Town in an FA Cup quarter-final on 5 March 1938.[5][24] The highest attendance in the Football League was 21,010 against Hull City in Division Three North on 23 April 1949.[18]
The highest seasonal average attendance for York at KitKat Crescent was 10,412 in the 1948–49 season.[8] York's lowest seasonal average was 2,102 in the 1977–78 season.[25][26] The most recent season in which the average attendance was more than 10,000 was in the 1955–56 season.[27][28] This season also saw York's highest total seasonal attendance at the ground, which was 236,685.[27][29]
[edit] Transport
The grounds nearest train station is York railway station, which is located just over a mile away.[16] Many of the roads near the ground are for residential permit holders only, meaning car parking at the ground is notoriously difficult.[15]
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d York City. Internet Football Ground Guide. Retrieved on 2007-04-30.
- ^ Batters, Dave (1990). "Homes of York City", York City: A Complete Record 1922-1990. The Breedon Books Publishing Company Limited, p114. ISBN 0907969690.
- ^ Batters. York City: A Complete Record 1922-1990, pp114–117.
- ^ Batters. York City: A Complete Record 1922-1990, p118.
- ^ a b c d e f g h The History of Bootham Crescent. Red and Blue NET. Retrieved on 2007-03-26.
- ^ Batters. York City: A Complete Record 1922-1990, pp118–119.
- ^ a b c d e f g Batters. York City: A Complete Record 1922-1990, p119.
- ^ a b c 1940's. York City FC. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
- ^ a b c 1950's. York City FC. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Batters. York City: A Complete Record 1922-1990, p120.
- ^ a b 1960's. York City FC. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
- ^ Batters. York City: A Complete Record 1922-1990, pp120–121.
- ^ a b c d e Batters. York City: A Complete Record 1922-1990, p121.
- ^ "What's in a name?", BBC Sport, 2005-01-20. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Ground of the week: Kit Kat Crescent!", BBC London, 2007-09-03. Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
- ^ a b c d e f "York City", Blue Square Premier. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
- ^ Jarred, Martin; & Windross, Dave (1997). "Football League Players", Citizens and Minstermen, A Who's Who of York City FC 1922-1997. Citizen Publications, p62. ISBN 0953100502.
- ^ a b Batters. York City: A Complete Record 1922-1990, p122.
- ^ Recent History. York City FC. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
- ^ "York City FC on verge of stadium deal", The Press, 2007-04-04. Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
- ^ "Probe into City stadium", The Press, 2008-04-04. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.
- ^ "York to host England-Scotland tie", BBC Sport, 2006-10-31. Retrieved on 2007-05-29.
- ^ "ENGLAND U16 V SCOTLAND U16 LIVE AT GLANFORD PARK", Scunthorpe United FC, 2006-12-09. Retrieved on 2008-02-11.
- ^ Batters. York City: A Complete Record 1922-1990, p314.
- ^ Batters. York City: A Complete Record 1922-1990, p380.
- ^ Calculated by adding the total home attendances (48357), then dividing by the number of home games played (23).
- ^ a b Batters. York City: A Complete Record 1922-1990, p336.
- ^ Calculated by adding the total home attendances (236685), then dividing by the number of home games played (23).
- ^ Calculated by adding the total home attendances (236685).
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York City Football Club
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Conference National Venues 2007-08
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Abbey Stadium | Aggborough | Bridge Road | Broadfield Stadium | Broadhall Way | Butcher's Arms Ground | Kassam Stadium | Kingfield Stadium | KitKat Crescent | Marston Road | Moss Lane | Nene Park | The New Lawn | New Recreation Ground | Plainmoor | Pirelli Stadium | The Raymond McEnhill Stadium | Recreation Ground | The Shay | St James Park | Stonebridge Road | Throstle Nest | Victoria Stadium | The Wessex Stadium |
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