| Solitude | |
|---|---|
| Location | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Opened | 1890 |
| Capacity | 6,224 (2,180 safe capacity)[1] |
| Tenants | |
| Cliftonville | |
Solitude is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the home ground of Cliftonville.[2] The stadium holds 6,224, but is currently restricted to 2,180 under safety legislation.[3] The stadium was built in 1890.[4]
The stadium has undergone several renovations. In 2002, a new stand was built at one end of the ground to house visiting supporters, and in 2008, a new stand was completed behind the goal at the east end of the ground.
Contents |
Opened in 1890, Solitude holds the distinction of having the first ever penalty in International Football taken there. Previously consisting of two pitches (the second of which was sold off and now contains housing), Solitude is the oldest football ground in Ireland.
Solitude has hosted a number of cup finals and international games. During the 1890s and early 1900s Solitude was the home ground of Ireland, replacing the Ulster Cricket Ground at Ballynafeigh. During the 1890s, the ground hosted 11 home internationals. On 3 March 1894, after thirteen attempts Ireland, playing at Solitude, finally avoided defeat to England. Against an England team that included Fred Spiksley and Jack Reynolds, Ireland gained a 2–2 draw. Goals from Olphert Stanfield and W.K. Gibson inspired Ireland to come back from 2–0 down to gain a 2–2 draw. The ground continued to host Ireland internationals into the early 1900s, but was gradually replaced as Ireland’s home ground by Windsor Park and Dalymount Park.
The main stand at Solitude, situated on the western side of the ground, houses the majority of the Cliftonville support on any given home matchday. It was constructed during the 1950s, and has two tiers. The lower tier is terracing, and the upper tier has a mixture of seating and benches, and holds over 2,500 people.
Also contained within the main stand at Solitude, is Cliftonville Social Club: Cliftonville's licensed premises.
In many peoples' opinion this most famous part of the old ground. The Cage was demolished and a new stand seating 1600 was opened on 27 October 2008. New facilities under this stand have replaced facilities such as new dressing rooms.
Often referred to as "The Bowling Green End" (due to the bowling green behind it), the away end on the north side of the ground underwent a major facelift in 2001, when the covered terracing used to house away fans was replaced by an 1000 all-seated stand.
The Whitehouse, not unlike "the Cottage" at Fulham's ground Craven Cottage, currently contains the changing facilities and the board room for the club. However the building of the new stand in place of the Cage is expected to relieve the Whitehouse of these duties, some have suggested that this historic part of Irish football will be preserved in the form of a museum.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||