Layer Road

Infobox Stadium
stadium_name = Layer Road
nickname =


fullname =
location = Layer Road, Colchester
built = 1910
opened = 1910
closed = 2008
owner = Colchester Borough Council
operator =
surface = Grass
construction_cost =
architect =
former_names =
former_tenants = Colchester United
seating_capacity = 6,320 (2,040 seated)
dimensions =

Layer Road was a Football League stadium in Colchester, England. It was only used for football matches and was the home ground of Colchester United before being replaced by the Colchester Community Stadium. The stadium held formatnum:6320 spectators and was built in 1907, originally for use by Colchester Town Football Club. Layer Road has often had up to formatnum:17000 packed into the ground, when Colchester had been on a good FA Cup run, before the capacity was reduced to formatnum:6320. The record attendance at Layer Road is formatnum:19072 for an FA Cup fixture against Reading in November 1948, a match that was abandoned. The ground was also used to host Sudbury Town's FA Cup match against Brentford in 1996, [ [http://www.fchd.info/SUDBURYT.HTM Sudbury Town] Football Club History Database] as their Priory Stadium was deemed unfit.

The most recent development to the ground was the construction of a small, temporary seating stand for housing away supporters. It held 143 supporters and was similar to the "chocolate boxes" at The Dell.

The last match at Layer Road took place on 26 April 2008, when Colchester lost 1-0 to Stoke City, with Richard Cresswell scoring the last goal at the stadium. [Cite news
title = Colchester 0-1 Stoke
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/7356028.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2008-04-26
accessdate = 2008-04-27]

The stadium was locked for the last time on 17 July 2008.

References

External links

* [http://www.cu-fc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LayerRoad/0,,10424,00.html Layer Road information] Colchester United F.C.