On a work trip I was able to have a look backstage at The oldest football stadium in the world.
The Bramall Lane Stadium in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, is the home of Sheffield United. It is the oldest major stadium in the world still to be hosting professional football matches.
The stadium was built on a Sheffield road named after the Bramall family (who were file and graver manufacturers). The Bramalls owned "The Old White House" on the corner of Bramall Lane and Cherry Street, and subsequently built the Sheaf House, now a public house that still stands at the top of Bramall Lane. The stadium was originally opened as a cricket ground. It was also used for football games in the 19th century by Sheffield F.C. and Sheffield Wednesday but since 1889 it has been the home of Sheffield United.
Bramall Lane is one of only two grounds (the other being the Oval) which has hosted England football internationals (five games prior to 1930), an Englandcricket test match in 1902 against Australia and a FA Cup Final Replay in 1912, when Barnsley beat West Bromwich Albion, 1–0. It also regularly hosted FA Cup Semi Finals and replays between 1889 and 1938.
The ground has also hosted rugby league games for the Sheffield Eagles, a Billy Graham Evangelist meeting in 1985 and a pair of rock concerts by Bruce Springsteen in 1988.
The record attendance for the ground is 68,287, set at an FA Cup 5th Round tie between Sheffield United and Leeds United on 15 February 1936. The ground has now been extensively renovated in the wake of the Taylor Report, and has an all-seated capacity of 32,702.
Now on to the pics.
Pitch repairs
Stand rooftop
Floodlights
Reporters seats
Match analysis and tv box
Winch at top
Of stadium. Used for lifting camera equipment etc
Rooftop gangway and media access corridor (winch in background)
Enjoy
The Bramall Lane Stadium in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, is the home of Sheffield United. It is the oldest major stadium in the world still to be hosting professional football matches.
The stadium was built on a Sheffield road named after the Bramall family (who were file and graver manufacturers). The Bramalls owned "The Old White House" on the corner of Bramall Lane and Cherry Street, and subsequently built the Sheaf House, now a public house that still stands at the top of Bramall Lane. The stadium was originally opened as a cricket ground. It was also used for football games in the 19th century by Sheffield F.C. and Sheffield Wednesday but since 1889 it has been the home of Sheffield United.
Bramall Lane is one of only two grounds (the other being the Oval) which has hosted England football internationals (five games prior to 1930), an Englandcricket test match in 1902 against Australia and a FA Cup Final Replay in 1912, when Barnsley beat West Bromwich Albion, 1–0. It also regularly hosted FA Cup Semi Finals and replays between 1889 and 1938.
The ground has also hosted rugby league games for the Sheffield Eagles, a Billy Graham Evangelist meeting in 1985 and a pair of rock concerts by Bruce Springsteen in 1988.
The record attendance for the ground is 68,287, set at an FA Cup 5th Round tie between Sheffield United and Leeds United on 15 February 1936. The ground has now been extensively renovated in the wake of the Taylor Report, and has an all-seated capacity of 32,702.
Now on to the pics.
Pitch repairs
Stand rooftop
Floodlights
Reporters seats
Match analysis and tv box
Winch at top
Of stadium. Used for lifting camera equipment etc
Rooftop gangway and media access corridor (winch in background)
Enjoy
