Home of Bishop's Stortford FC
Opened 1999
Capacity 4,525
★★★★★
★★★★★
Nice football ground to visit. Went for a pre-season friendly. Pitch is excellent. Good food, reasonably priced drinks in a large club house bar. There is parking on site. Generally a friendly bunch. Will visit again. I wish the club all the best for the forthcoming season in the National League North.
a year ago
History (from Wikipedia)
Ground[edit]
The club initially played home matches at Silver Leys, which they shared with the polo club.[10] In 1897 they moved to the playing fields of the Grammar School on Hadham Road, remaining there until moving to Havers Lane in 1900 and Laundry Field on Dunmow Road in 1903.[2]
Following World War I, local businessman Joe Brazier allowed the club to start playing at a piece of land near South Road, which became known as Brazier's Field and later the Town Ground. The ground was opened on 4 October 1919 with a match against Ware in front of a crowd of 400, which saw Stortford win 2–1.[10] A wooden pavilion was later erected on site, having been moved from Silver Leys.[10] In 1927 the club bought the land from Brazier, and a wooden stand was built in 1931.[10]
Covered terracing was installed behind both goals in the 1950s,[10] and a new 250-seat main stand was built in 1961.[7] Some uncovered terracing was added alongside the main stand in 1968.[11] Floodlights were installed in 1967,[10] and the following year saw the ground renamed the George Wilson Stadium after a former chairman,[7] although by then the ground was commonly known as simply Rhodes Avenue.[10] Due to financial problems, the club sold the ground in 1997, with the last match played against Ware in December that year. Mirroring the result in the first-ever game at the ground, Stortford won 2–1.[10]
After eighteen months groundsharing at Boreham Wood, Dagenham & Redbridge, Hitchin Town, St Albans City and Ware, the club returned to Bishop's Stortford in 1999 when Woodside Park was completed. The first match was played on 17 July 1999, a friendly against Norwich City.[7] There are seated stands on either side of the pitch, with covered terracing at each end. It is currently also known as the Prokit UK Stadium for sponsorship purposes.
The club initially played home matches at Silver Leys, which they shared with the polo club.[10] In 1897 they moved to the playing fields of the Grammar School on Hadham Road, remaining there until moving to Havers Lane in 1900 and Laundry Field on Dunmow Road in 1903.[2]
Following World War I, local businessman Joe Brazier allowed the club to start playing at a piece of land near South Road, which became known as Brazier's Field and later the Town Ground. The ground was opened on 4 October 1919 with a match against Ware in front of a crowd of 400, which saw Stortford win 2–1.[10] A wooden pavilion was later erected on site, having been moved from Silver Leys.[10] In 1927 the club bought the land from Brazier, and a wooden stand was built in 1931.[10]
Covered terracing was installed behind both goals in the 1950s,[10] and a new 250-seat main stand was built in 1961.[7] Some uncovered terracing was added alongside the main stand in 1968.[11] Floodlights were installed in 1967,[10] and the following year saw the ground renamed the George Wilson Stadium after a former chairman,[7] although by then the ground was commonly known as simply Rhodes Avenue.[10] Due to financial problems, the club sold the ground in 1997, with the last match played against Ware in December that year. Mirroring the result in the first-ever game at the ground, Stortford won 2–1.[10]
After eighteen months groundsharing at Boreham Wood, Dagenham & Redbridge, Hitchin Town, St Albans City and Ware, the club returned to Bishop's Stortford in 1999 when Woodside Park was completed. The first match was played on 17 July 1999, a friendly against Norwich City.[7] There are seated stands on either side of the pitch, with covered terracing at each end. It is currently also known as the Prokit UK Stadium for sponsorship purposes.
Things to do nearby.