In this article, we take a look at a top 10 created by YouTuber NLYT based on abandoned non league stadiums in English football.
Commonly when clubs move to a new stadium, it’s because their old one has been sold and there have been houses built on them. But this isn’t the case for all, with many left lying abandoned.
Take a look at the video below going through the top 10 or scroll on plus go on the next few pages to read about each…
10) YEADING (The Warren)
The West London Bayside used to play here before merging with Hayes to become Hayes & Yeading back in 2007. They moved to Church Road, the former home Hayes.
They played their for four years before the ground was demolished in 2011 and had to go and groundshare with the liked of Woking, Maidenhead United and Beaconsfield, but before moving it to the SkyEx Community Stadium, a newly built ground on the sites of The Warren which was opened in 2017.
Bizarrely a stand actually still remains at The Warren, well as least a part of the stand, as the new stadium was built slightly further south on the site, so this stand wasn’t fully demolished.
9) LEYTON STADIUM (Leyton)
Leyton (not Orient of course, a separate club) used to play at the ground formerly known as the Hare and Hound.
Over in 2011, after a short suspension from the league for not paying it’s subscription fees, the club was forced to withdrawn from the Isthmian League Division One North due to the debt.
Following this the chairman, secretary management and the players left the club and ended it’s existence. It’s left the ground still there, fully intact although some parts worse for wear.
8) FEETHAMS (Darlington)
Feethams of Darlington between 1883 and 2003 was demolished over 10 years ago but a little bit remained only until recently.
The Quakers moved to the Darlington Arena which they also left. They now play at Blackwell Meadows as a phoenix club.
Back to Feethams and there is a cricket ground adjacent to it which remains in use.
The ground, which had a capacity of 8,500, was left abandoned for three years before most of was demolished in 2006. One stand behind the goal remained for many years before also getting knocked down.
7) MCCAIN STADIUM (Scarborough)
Similarly to Darlington this was a club than ran into trouble and had to reform and then moved to a newer smaller ground, which is to expand as the Seadogs climb up through the leagues.
The well known nickname for the ground was ‘The Theatre of Chips and had a capacity of 6,408.
When a phoenix club, they did look to move back on the site of their former home but a fire started in the changing rooms in 2008, repairs was too expensive, the ground was left abandoned until 2011 when it was then demolished. Six years later, a Lidl was built there.
6) MEADOW PARK (Gloucester City)
Meadow Park was the former home of Gloucester City, although they look to return there very soon.
It was their home from 1986 until July 2007, when the club’s ground was left under eight feet of water. The impact of the flooding meant that they have been in exile away from Gloucester ever since, groundsharing at many clubs including Cheltenham, Cirencester, Forest Green and Evesham.
The stands that did sit there were removed, foundations have been put in place and now a return home is complete. Finally!
5) WEXHAM PARK STADIUM (Slough Town)
Slough Town played at the Wexham Park Stadium from 1975 until 2003 season after the club had financial disagreements with the stadium’s owners leading to eviction.
The ground still sits but has been gradually falling apart. It was given a new renovation but not made into a football stadium.
A marquee was placed on the pitch and used as a wedding venue as well as hold fairs and stalls.
4) BUCKINGHAM ROAD (Aylesbury United)
They moved to Buckingham Road in the mid 1980s but in July 2006, the lease on the ground expired and forced the club to play outside the ground at Thame United, Leighton Town and Chesham United.
The stadium is still left abandoned, but obviously looks more derelict, overgrown and as the years have passed.
Initial hopes of the Ducks returning to Buckingham Road have been dashed in the last few years as the land was bought at auction.
The ground was sold for a whopping £800,000 to developers after the club had intentions to never give up getting back to their old stomping ground.
3) NENE PARK (Irthlingborough, Rushden and Kettering)
Nene Park was built in 1969, got renovated between 1995 and 1998, then closed in 2012.
It could accommodate 6,441 spectators, with 4,641 seated and 1,800 standing.
Irthlingborough Diamonds played in it between 1969 and 1992, before they merged with Rushden Town and became Rushden & Diamonds on 21 April 1992 where it continued to be their home.
Rushden went under, then became Kettering Town’s home for 18 months, though they left in November 2012 to play at Corby, due to the costs of running the ground.
It was left abandoned then was demolished in late February 2017 and lasted approximately two and a half months.
To this day fans are left extremely gutted at it being no longer.
Coventry City were considering playing there in 2012, but instead ground-shared with Northampton Town, before then going to Birmingham.
2) ROCKINGHAM ROAD (Kettering Town)
It was Kettering’s home between 1897 until 2011 and before the time of it’s closure, had a capacity of 6,264.
The lease ran out on the stadium and the club had to move out. They moved to Burton Park Wanderers’ Latimer Park the following year.
Fans hoped the club would return to Rockingham Road, but was demolished in 2007 ready for houses to be built on the site.
1) THE FIRS (St Leonards and Hastings Town)
St Leonards moved to the ground, from Pannel Lane, in 1993 but it was previously home of Hastings Town until they moved into the Pilot Field next door after the demise of the old Hastings United.
During 1993, The Firs was redeveloped so they could play in the Sussex County League. More improvements were made in 1996, to allow the club to enter the Southern League, after being rejected.
The club folded and then the ground was used by St Leonards Social, who play in the East Sussex League, however the ground became disused and had graffiti in parts. Uniquely though, an astroturf pitch was put up where the pitch used to be so that no club can again used it. All of this, yet there is a stadium right next door.
SEE MORE: TOP 10 Stadiums Too Big For Their Non League Club
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