Hibernian Park

Hibernian Park was the home ground of the Scottish football club Hibernians from 1880 until the club's dissolution in 1891. When the club was reformed in 1892 as Hibernian, the club took out on a lease on a site which became known as Easter Road. Hibernian Park was also located in the Easter Road area; in fact, it was closer to Easter Road itself than the present stadium because it was on the site of what is now Bothwell Street. [ [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=bothwell%20street&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl Bothwell Street, Edinburgh.] , Google Maps.]

Hibs had played at a variety of grounds from their formation in 1875 until moving to Hibernian Park. Initially they played on the Meadows, along with all the other nascent Edinburgh clubs. They subsequently moved to grounds in Newington and Powderhall, but neither of these were used for more than a year at a time. Having lost the lease on the Newington ground in 1879, the opportunity to acquire a site off Easter Road was too good to miss because it was equidistant between Hibs' two main sources of supporters - the "Little Ireland" community of the Cowgate, and the Catholic population of the port of Leith. [Lugton (1999), pp45.]

Hibernian Park was known by the Hibs supporters as "The Holy Ground",Lugton (1999), pp46.] in reference to the fact that the club was operated by St. Patrick's Church in the Cowgate. [ [http://www.archdiocese-edinburgh.com/parishes_stpatrick_cowgate.htm Parish Name: Saint Patrick's] , Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh.] [Swanson, Ian. [http://news.scotsman.com/romancatholicchurch/Church39s-plans-to-resite-history.4048633.jp Church's plans to re-site history has critics crying foul] , Edinburgh Evening News, May 3 2008. ] [Valley, Joanna. [http://sport.scotsman.com/hibernianfc/God-squad-signs-up-to.2798179.jp God squad signs up to play host to Hibs past] , "Edinburgh Evening News", August 4 2006. ] Hibs were essentially a sporting arm of the Catholic Church in Edinburgh from their formation until 1891. Hibs supporters still use this monicker for the present Easter Road Stadium. [ [http://www.hibs.net/index.php?Itemid=28&id=93&option=com_content&task=view World Cup fever hits Holy Ground] , "hibs.net", June 8 2006. ]

Perhaps the most famous game played at Hibernian Park was when Hibs beat "The Invincibles" of Preston North End 2–1 in a match described as being the "Association Football Championship of the World". [ [http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football-news/2008/01/23/on-the-record-86908-20294852/ On The Record] , "Daily Record", January 23 2008. ] [Mackay (1986), pp40.] [Lugton (1999), pp121-123.] The ground also hosted one Scotland international, a 5–1 win against Wales in the 1888 British Home Championship, which was the first ever football international played in Edinburgh. [ [http://londonhearts.com/scotland/misc/venues.html Scotland Home Record by Venue] , "London Hearts". This shows that the only grounds to hold an international earlier than Hibernian Park were the first Hampden Park, Cathkin Park and the West of Scotland Cricket Ground, which are all in Glasgow. Tynecastle hosted its first international in 1892. Easter Road Stadium itself did not hold an international until as recently as 1998.] Lugton (1999), pp131.] Hibs players Willie Groves [ [http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/players/williamgroves.html William Groves] , "London Hearts".] [ [http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/player_details.cfm?playerid=113077&CFID=2259475&CFTOKEN=65008486 William Groves - A Squad] , Scottish Football Association.] and James McLaren [ [http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/players/jamesmclaren.html James McLaren] , "London Hearts".] [ [http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/player_details.cfm?playerid=113518&squadid=1 James McLaren - A Squad] , Scottish Football Association.] both played in the match, with Groves scoring Scotland's fourth goal. [ [http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/games/18880310.html Sat 10 Mar 1888 Scotland 5 Wales 1] , "London Hearts".] [ [http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/match_details.cfm?matchid=57996 Scotland v Wales] , Scottish Football Association.]

After the high points of winning the Scottish Cup, beating Preston and hosting an international, however, Hibs were to suffer a dramatic decline and fall. This was largely precipitated by the formation of Celtic, who attracted many of Hibs' star players by offering financial inducements in a time when the Scottish game was still amateur.Lugton (1999), pp140-141.] As Hibs were operated on a charitable basis, they were essentially broke despite being one of the most popular clubs in Scotland. At the same time, Hibs were riven by internal politics relating to Irish Home Rule; [Lugton (1999), pp144.] a former secretary absconded with a significant amount of funds; [Lugton (1999), pp156.] and the club inexplicably failed to enter the Scottish Football League when it was formed in 1890. [Lugton (1999), pp170-176.]

The last first team match played at Hibernian Park was a 9–1 drubbing at the hands of Dumbarton in the Scottish Cup on September 27 1890.Lugton (1999), pp177.] Hibs had failed to secure the ground lease and building work had already started, which restricted the attendance the ground could hold. Later that season, the building work covered the rest of the park. [Lugton (1999), pp180.] After they failed to pay their subscriptions to the Scottish Football Association in 1891, Hibs were deleted from the membership rolls. [Lugton (1999), pp190.] Philip Farmer, an ancestor of current Hibs owner Sir Tom Farmer, played a major role in the establishment in 1892 of a new "Hibernian" club, which secured the site that is now known as Easter Road,Lugton (1999), pp199.] on the other side of the railway.

ee also

*List of host grounds of Scotland home international football matches
*Easter Road
*History of Hibernian F.C.
*History of Celtic F.C.

References

*cite book| last=Lugton | first=Alan | title=The Making of Hibernian 1 | publisher=John Donald Publishers Ltd | year=1999 | isbn=0-85976-509-1
*cite book| last=Mackay | first=John | title=The Hibees | publisher=John Donald Publishers Ltd | year=1986 | isbn=0-85976-144-4

Notes