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Edgar Street
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Edgar Street | |
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 The Blackfriars End with the cathedral and church in the background |
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| Full name | Edgar Street Athletic Ground |
| Location | Hereford, England |
| Built | late 19th century |
| Opened | late 19th century |
| Owner | Hereford City Council |
| Surface | Grass |
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Edgar Street is a football stadium in Hereford, England and is the home of Hereford United who currently play in League Two. It is located close to the city centre of Hereford on the road of the same name (A49).
The site has been used as a stadium since the late 19th century although it is unclear exactly when it was built. In its early years it was a multi-purpose stadium used mainly for football and athletics. This is evident by the characteristic curved ends of the stadium which accommodated the athletics track. At 76 yards, the ground has one of the widest pitches in the Football League.
The stadium was originally owned by the Hereford Athletic Ground Company and was also used by amateur football side Hereford City. In 1924 Hereford United was formed by the amalgamation of two local clubs and began ground-sharing with City while paying rent to the Athletics company. Even in those days Hereford United struggled financially and the landlord obligingly reduced the rent to help the club. In 1931 the stadium was purchased by Hereford City Council for £3,000, and in 1952 United secured a lease on the stadium for the first time. That same year floodlights were installed, before many larger clubs in the League.
Due to the club's financial crisis in 1997, the lease was handed over to developers, who are expected to take an active role in the redevelopment of the stadium. In 2000 an electronic scoreboard was put up at the Blackfriars Street End.
The capacity of the ground is 7,700 having been gradually reduced from 8,843 due to the Blackfriars End falling into a state of disrepair in recent years. The record attendance, however, is 18,114 against Sheffield Wednesday in the 1958-59 season FA Cup Third Round.
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The Merton Stand, on the eastern side of the ground is the only all-seater stand and was built in 1968. Originally it was flanked on either side by standing areas known as the Cowsheds, but the stand was extended to cover the entire length of the pitch in the 1970s. It is the nominated family stand and includes the director's box and press box, with the dugouts and players' tunnel located in front of structure. The stand is unusual in that it is built on the club's main buildings with various windows at pitch level. These include the Vice Presidents' Club and Legend's, the supporter's bar.
The Meadow End, located at the northern end of the ground, is a covered terrace and is home to the club's most vocal supporters. It has a distinctive curve (see above) with a flat area in front of the terracing enabling supporters to stand directly behind the perimeter wall of the pitch. It has a capacity of approximately 3,500. Located behind this end is the substantial Merton Meadow car park.
The Floors-2-Go Stand, on the western side of the ground, comprises two tiers and was built in 1974, replacing the previous wooden grandstand. It is unusual in that the lower tier is terraced and the upper tier seated. The upper tier contains just five rows of seating but offers perhaps the best view in the ground as it is higher up than the Merton Stand. The view from the terracing on the lower tier can be obscured by a number of supporting pillars, but also has the benefit of being close to the pitch. Ticket allocation is split between home and away supporters with the half on the Meadow End side is allocated to Hereford's supporters. The rebuilt stand was named after the former president and benefactor of the club, Len Weston, of the cider and perry making family business. However it was renamed the "Floors-2-Go Stand" at the start of 2006-07 season, with the stand being painted to reflect this. Immediately behind the stand is Edgar Street itself, which may restrict any future development.
The Blackfriars Street End, on the southern side of the ground, is a covered terrace but is considerably less populated than the Meadow End. The terrace is significantly further back from the pitch than and has fallen into a state of some disrepair, making it thee most likely candidate to be redeveloped. The half of the end nearest to Len Weston Stand side is designated for away supporters who are separated from the home support by fencing. Similarly to the Meadow End, there is a large flat area in front of the terracing, allowing supporters to stand directly behind the perimeter wall.
Herefordshire Council and Advantage West Midlands, the Regional Development Agency, have formed a company, ESG Herefordshire, to redevelop the area around the football ground including the nearby cattle market. The current (2003) draft plan includes a new stadium. The site of the new stadium overlaps with the area of the current football ground suggesting the need for United to find an alternative venue for an extended period during the redevelopment. In October 2006, ESG Herefordshire appointed Urban Initiatives to revise and develop the masterplan [1].
- ^ ESG Herefordshire (2006-10-26). "Urban Initiatives to design masterplan to revitalise and expand Hereford city centre". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-01-31.
| Football League Two venues, 2007-08 |
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Adams Park | Blundell Park | Christie Park | Crown Ground | The Darlington Arena | Deva Stadium |
