Myreside Stadium

Myreside
Location 86 Myreside Road
Edinburgh
EH10 5BZ
Coordinates Coordinates: 55°55′40″N 3°13′25″W / 55.927792°N 3.223548°W / 55.927792; -3.223548
Owner George Watson's College
Capacity 5,500
Surface Grass
Opened 1933
Tenants
Watsonians (1933–)
Edinburgh Rugby (1996–1998, 2017–)
Edinburgh Reivers (1999–2002)

Myreside Stadium is a sports ground that has been used by Edinburgh Rugby for Pro12 matches since January 2017. Often simply known as Myreside, Watsonians RFC have used this venue on the east side of Myreside Road as their home ground for rugby union matches since 1933. A main stand is positioned along the west side of the grass pitch, with floodlights around the ground. Ahead of the Edinburgh Rugby team's return to play home matches at the stadium, temporary stands were installed to increase seating capacity to 5,500.

History

One of the Myreside turnstile gates in 2007

The ground originally used by Watsonians RFC was called Myreside, which took its name from a local farm. On 4 March 1933, Watsonians played their first match at New Myreside, against Royal High School FP Rugby Club.[1] A West stand was constructed.[2] The Watsonian Cricket Club play at the adjacent Myreside Cricket Ground.

When rugby turned professional, Edinburgh Rugby used the stadium for their home matches 1996 to 1998.[3] That team was succeeded by the Edinburgh Reivers which played at Myreside from 1999–2002.[3][4]

In May 2016, Edinbugh Rugby announced a partnership with the owners of the ground, George Watson's College. The partnership allowed a trial period starting in January 2017 for Edinburgh to return to Myreside for six months, downsizing from Murrayfield Stadium.[3] The pitch has floodlights but the facilities at the ground are ageing.[3] The plans involved increasing the stadium capacity by erecting temporary stands at the North and South ends.[5] Edinburgh City Council approved plans to erect temporary stands in December 2016.[6] The temporary stands were erected as close as possible to the dead-ball lines.[7] The capacity was increased to just above 5,500 seats in time for Edinburgh to play their first game in January 2017.[8]

Transport

The ground is near several routes operated by Lothian Buses.[9]

Myreside is a 2 minute cycle from the Canal National Cycle Route 754 which runs through the West of the city. [10]

References

  1. ↑ "Rugby. The Anniesland "Derby". High School warm favourites". The Glasgow Herald. 4 March 1933. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  2. ↑ "Edinburgh, Myreside Road, George Watson's Rugby Ground". Canmore. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Edinburgh confirm move from Murrayfield to Myreside". BBC Sport. 10 May 2016.
  4. ↑ "Edinburgh to make Myreside home". The Scotsman. 25 July 2001. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  5. ↑ Connell, John (2 September 2016). "Concerns raised over Edinburgh Rugby's planned move from Murrayfield to Myreside". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  6. ↑ "Temporary stands given go ahead at Myreside". Scrum magazine. 7 December 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  7. ↑ "Rugby: Andy Irvine’s confident Edinburgh players will come to love Myreside". The National. 17 January 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  8. ↑ Lewis, Jane (16 January 2017). "Edinburgh: Myreside 'can be better than Glasgow's Scotstoun' - Andy Irvine". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  9. ↑ "Edinburgh Rugby has a new home. Get to Myreside by bus" (Press release). Lothian Buses. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  10. ↑ http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/route-754
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