- City Ground, Cambridge
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City Ground Image here Full name City Ground Coordinates 52°12′59″N 0°7′21″E / 52.21639°N 0.1225°ECoordinates: 52°12′59″N 0°7′21″E / 52.21639°N 0.1225°E Built 1922 Opened 1922 Capacity 2,300 (500 Seated & 220 Covered) Tenants Cambridge City F.C. The City Ground (also known as Milton Road) is a football stadium in Cambridge, England. It is the home of Southern League Premier Division club Cambridge City F.C.
History
The City Ground has been Cambridge City's home ground since 1922.[1] It is located in the Chesterton area of the city, approximately 1km north of the city centre. The ground was one of the largest outside the Football League and was estimated to have a capacity in excess of 20,000, although the highest recorded attendance was 12,058 against Leytonstone in 1961.[citation needed] From the late 1960s the ground was used for greyhound racing,[1] and crowds were often higher than for football matches.[citation needed] However, dwindling gates and crippling debts led to part of the site being sold for development in 1985.[1] The ground was demolished and a much smaller but functional ground was built in its place, at 90° to the former ground, with the remainder of the site being developed for offices. The club has a bar and lounge which is open on match days, and available for hire to the general public.
The ground itself has a capacity of 2,300. The Main Stand, together with its recent extension (built to house the Cambridgeshire FA) seats approximately 500 people. Opposite the Main Stand, a narrow terrace provides covered terracing for approximately 220 supporters. The middle section is popularly, though not officially, known as "The Shed" and attracts City's more vocal supporters. At each end of the ground, the School End and the Westbrook End are narrow and have no cover or formal terracing.
The club are currently involved in a legal dispute with their landlords over the ground, which was sold by a previous Board of Directors for £2.2 million despite professional estimates of the site's value being around £12 million.[citation needed] The landlords, Isle of Man company Ross River, which is linked to former City Director and property developer Brian York, gave City a lease to stay at Milton Road only until 31 May 2007, but the club fought this. After several months a High Court ruling stated that "the club is entitled to rescind the [sale of the land] - having been induced to make it by a fraudulent misrepresentation for which Ross River are responsible". The consequence of this is that City are able to stay at the City ground until 2010, and can share in 50% of future profits from development of the site.[2]
In April 2008 the City Ground failed an FA ground inspection. As a consequence Cambridge City were automatically demoted from the Conference South to the Southern League Premier Division, despite the club appealing the decision.[3]
The club have been involved in negotiations to move to a new Community Stadium on the edge of the city, which they could potentially share with local football rivals Cambridge United and/or Cambridge rugby union football club. Their long-term position after they leave the City Ground on 31 March 2010 remains uncertain.
In February 2010, Cambridge City announced a three year groundshare with local team Newmarket Town F.C. at their Jockeys Cricket Field Road ground in Newmarket for the 2010-2011 season. This ground will need work to bring it up to the required standard.[4] During this time Cambridge City will continue to look for a permanent home closer to Cambridge.
In January 2011 the club agreed to extend the lease at the City Ground until the end of the 2012-2013 season, moving to Cricket Field Road for the 2013-2014 season.[5]
References
- ^ a b c "Cambridge City FC". www.pyramidpassion.co.uk. http://www.pyramidpassion.co.uk/html/cambridge_city.html. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
- ^ High Court Success for City - from Non-League Daily, Retrieved on 21 September 2007.
- ^ "Cambridge City fail in FA appeal". BBC Sport Online. 2008-05-28. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7423974.stm. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
- ^ Cambridge City FC - Groundshare announcement
- ^ http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Sport/City-to-stay-two-more-years-at-Mlton-Road.htm
External links
Categories:- Cambridge City F.C.
- Football venues in England
- Buildings and structures in Cambridge
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