Central Park, Cowdenbeath
| Central Park | |
|---|---|
 Main Stand and Alex Menzies Stand | |
  | |
| Location |
Cowdenbeath, Fife KY4 9QQ |
| Coordinates | 56°06′31.46″N 3°20′49.55″W / 56.1087389°N 3.3470972°W |
| Opened | 1917 |
| Renovated | 1995 (Alex Menzies Stand) |
| Owner | Cowdenbeath F.C. |
| Surface | Grass |
| Capacity | 12,370 Standing (4,309 Seated[1]) |
| Tenants | |
| Cowdenbeath F.C. | |
Central Park is a football stadium in Cowdenbeath, Scotland. It is the home ground of Cowdenbeath. The ground is situated in the centre of the town, just off the High Street.[2] Central Park has a capacity of 4,309. The most unusual feature of the ground is a tarmac race-track circling the pitch, which is because the stadium is regularly used for stock car racing.[2] The track means fans on the east and west terraces are quite far away from the pitch. The pitch size is 107 x 66 yards.
History
Originally, Cowdenbeath F.C. played at another ground called North End Park. The club moved to Central Park when it was opened in 1917.[3] A main stand was built in 1921.[3] A record crowd of 25,586 attended a Scottish League Cup tie against Rangers in 1949.[2][3] Floodlights were first used in 1968, in a match against Celtic.[3] Central Park was also used for greyhound racing and speedway.[3] It became a stock car racing track in 1970, and has since hosted four world championships.[3]
Half of the main stand was destroyed by a fire in 1992.[3] The surviving section of this stand is called the West Stand, or the Old Stand. Beside this the ' Alex Menzies Stand' (or New Stand) was opened in March 1995,[3] giving a total seated capacity of 1,622. Along with this the club built new dressing rooms, a board room, function suite, and office facilities. Both stands have a row of floodlight pylons in front of them, which can obstruct supporters views.[2] Three sides of the ground are uncovered terraces.[3]
Future
There are currently plans for Cowdenbeath to move to a new stadium which will be located on the outskirts of Cowdenbeath.[4][5]
Transport
Cowdenbeath railway station is five minutes' walk from Central Park.[2] The M90 motorway passes near Cowdenbeath, with Central Park reached by leaving the motorway at junction 3, taking the A92 for Kirkcaldy.[2] The A909 road then leads into Cowdenbeath and free car parking is provided at the ground.[2]
References
- ↑ http://spfl.co.uk/clubs/cowdenbeath/
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "Cowdenbeath". Scottish Ground Guide (Duncan Adams). Retrieved 11 June 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Inglis 1996, p. 437
- ↑ Social networks... Facebook Twitter. "News". Central Fife Times. Retrieved 2013-07-22.
- ↑ Cowdenbeath take step towards new stadium, BBC Sport, 11 April 2011
- Sources
- Inglis, Simon (1996). Football Grounds of Britain. Collins Willow. ISBN 0-00-218426-5.
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