Redheugh Park

Infobox Stadium
stadium_name = Redheugh Park Ground
nickname =


location = Gateshead, England
coordinates =
broke_ground =
opened = 1930
renovated = 1937
expanded =
closed = 1971
demolished = 1972
owner = Gateshead Council
operator =
surface = Grass
construction_cost =
architect =
former_names =
tenants =
Gateshead AFC
(Football League &
Northern Premier League)
seating_capacity =
Record attendance 20,752 vs. Lincoln City 25th September 1937
dimensions =

Redheugh Park (pronounced "red-yoof"), a football stadium in Gateshead, England, was built in 1930 when South Shields FC moved to Gateshead from Horsley Hill and became Gateshead AFC. It was their home for more than 40 years.

The stadium offered terracing all round. The Main Stand was a two-thirds pitch length seated stand (purchased from a greyhound stadium in Carlisle) with covered standing extensions added on either side. Opposite the Main Stand was a large covered terrace that ran the full length of the ground. The North end of the ground had a small covered terrace, whilst the opposite Ropery Road (South) End was a small uncovered terrace (That latterly included a large totaliser scoreboard introduced with the greyhound racing).

The Past

In 1930 Gateshead Council set about locating a suitable site for Gateshead AFC to be based. Sites at Low Fell and Sheriff Hill were considered, but were deemed too far out of town. The chosen location was in The Teams area of Gateshead, a worked out clay pit (known as Johnsons Clay Hole) edged by Ropery Road and Derwentwater Road. The holes, tunnels and craters on the site were filled by lorries full of the town's refuse.

Redheugh Park was officially opened by Mr. Sutcliffe, the Football League's then Vice-President on August 30th 1930 when Gateshead AFC played their first ever Football League game winning 2-1 against Doncaster Rovers in front of 15,545 spectators. Greyhound racing at Redheugh Park commenced in 1937, which brought a boost to the Football Clubs financial status and subsequently eased the burden for the upkeep of the stadium. However the inclusion of the Greyhound track reduced the size of the playing area, the terracing at either end of the ground and subsequently the capacity.

With the loss of Football League status in 1960 and the Football Club's subsequent continual slide down the leagues, a further heavy blow was dealt with the cessation of greyhound racing at the stadium in 1966. This put both Redheugh Park and Gateshead AFC in serious financial troubles. Other sources of income were investigated, this included allowing showmen to have a small fair on the car park, allowing advertising to be placed on the wall facing Askew Road (permission was refused) and even converting the refreshment bar into a transport cafe to catch passing trade. In 1967 Gateshead AFC made a vain attempt to fill the void the Greyhound racing had left by staging Speedway racing at the Stadium.

By the early 1970s Redheugh Park had become run down, this, combined with a fire in the 1971/72 season, saw Gateshead AFC move to the Gateshead Youth Stadium (Now known as The Gateshead International Stadium). However the new venue proved no easier on the finances of the club, bringing the liquidation of Gateshead AFC in late August 1973. 1972 saw Redheugh Park fare no better, a year after the Football Club moved out the ground was in a derelict condition. Weed infested with crumbling terraces and dilapidated stands it was demolished.

Present Day

For nearly twenty years the outlines of Redheugh Park could be made out with the terraces appearing as grass humps on the land. The area was completely leveled for the 1990 Gateshead Garden Festival and used as a car park. A few years later saw football return to the area in the shape of the Pitz 5-a-side soccer centre which is still in place today.

The Future

There were discussions about the return of Gateshead F.C. to Redheugh Park. It was one of the prime choices for the relocation of the club due to the unsuitability of the International Stadium for football. The main problems with the current ground being the distance between the pitch and stands because of the running track, also the lack of money making opportunities available to the club both on match days and in-between. However the Gateshead FC Chairman has since stated that the club will not be moving back to Redheugh Park. It is believed the main reason behind this decision is the Teams area is too far from Gateshead town centre where the club wishes to be.

Further reading

*cite book
author=Thompson, George | title=Gateshead F.C. The Football League Years 1930 - 1960
date=2002
publisher=Yore Publications
id=ISBN 1874427399
*cite book
author=Twydell, Dave | title=Rejected F.C. Volume 1
date=1992
publisher=Yore Publications
id=ISBN 1874427003
*cite book
author=Esther, Goff | title=Requiem For Redheugh
date=1984
publisher=Gateshead Libraries

External links

* [http://www.homeoftheheed.co.uk/ Home of the Heed - Gateshead FCs New Stadium]