Blundell Park

Infobox Stadium
stadium_name = Blundell Park


fullname = Blundell Park
nickname = Blundell Park
built = 1898Fact|date=July 2007
opened = 1 August 1898Fact|date=July 2007
seating_capacity = formatnum:9235
owner = Grimsby Town
dimensions = 101.5 x 68.5 m

Blundell Park is a football ground in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England and home to Grimsby Town F. C.

History and layout

Pontoon Stand

The keenest home fans (and often the loudest) sit in the Pontoon Stand.Fact|date=July 2007 This is at the north end of the ground behind one of the goals. It was built in 1961 with money for the construction raised by Grimsby Town's fans.

The Pontoon Stand is the only stand in which the seats correspond to the club's colours, black and white stripes.

The Carlsberg Stand

The two tiered Carlsberg Stand runs along half of the length of the pitch on the west side. This was built with money from former fish processing company Findus and was originally known as the Findus Family Stand. It has subsequently been called the Stones Bitter Stand and the John Smith's Stand.

This stand was opened in 1981, replacing the old Barrett Stand. The upper tier is covered and offers views of the River Humber, Spurn Point and the North Sea over the top of the Main Stand. The lower tier is uncovered and between the two is a row of corporate boxes.

The club shop, ticket office, McMenemy's restaurant and all of the club's administration departments are also based in this stand.

Main Stand

Opposite the Carlsberg stand, on the east side of the ground, is the Main Stand which dates from 1901 and is often claimed to be the oldest stand in the football league. Smoking is banned here, due to it being constructed partly from wood. During matchday a fire engine is always housed outside in case of fire outbreak. This stand houses the changing rooms, press facilities and disabled supporters.

The players' tunnel runs from the centre of this stand onto the pitch between the two sets of dugouts.

Osmond Stand

Away fans sit in the Osmond stand at the south end of the ground, where there are around formatnum:2000 seats. This stand was built in 1939, shortly before the start of World War II.

Peter Crouch quoted his mother as saying "she has never been so cold in all her life as the away end at Grimsby" [ [http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/european/article2565072.ece The Independent] , 21 May 2007]

The corner between the Main Stand and the Osmond Stand is the only enclosed corner in the whole ground. This was not converted to seating and is now fenced off and unused.

The future

The club is hoping to relocate to a new ground on the western outskirts of Grimsby at Great Coates, adjacent to the A180 dual carriageway. Planning permission has been granted for the provisionally-titled Conoco Stadium, and if all goes to plan this will be ready for the 2010-11 season. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/grimsby_town/4644178.stm Mariners submit new stadium plans (BBC Sport)] ] Blundell Park is the lowest football stadium in the United Kingdom, at a height of only 2 feet above sea-level. While not in immediate danger from rising tides, it is prudent for Grimsby Town to pursue a move to higher ground. [ [http://www.midfielddynamo.com/stadia/england_highest.htm English Stadia Height] ]

Records

The highest ever attendance at the ground was formatnum:31651 for an FA Cup 5th Round match on February 20 1937 against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Since the ground was converted to all seating for the start of the 1995-96 season after the Taylor Report, the highest attendance was formatnum:9528 for a Football League Division One (Second Tier) match against Sunderland on March 13 1999.

External links

* [http://www.grimsby-townfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ClubHistory/0,,10417,00.html Official Site]
* [http://www.nads.org.uk/?page=98 Blundell Park at The National Association of Disabled Supporters]

References