Bloomfield Road

Bloomfield Road
The current stadium, looking north, as visitors Fulham kicked off the first-ever Premier League match at Bloomfield Road on 28 August 2010
Bloomfield Road is located in Blackpool
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Location in Blackpool
Full nameBloomfield Road Stadium[1]
Former namesGamble's Field (1887–1899)
LocationSeasiders Way
Blackpool
FY1 6JJ
Coordinates53°48′17″N 3°2′53″W / 53.80472°N 3.04806°W / 53.80472; -3.04806
OwnerRose 123 Investments Ltd.[2]
Executive suites12+
Capacity16,616[3]
Record attendance38,098 (1955; pre-redevelopment)
16,116 (2010; during redevelopment)
Field size112 x 74 yards (102.4 x 67.7 metres)
SurfaceGrass
ScoreboardYes
Construction
Opened28 October 1899 (1899-10-28)
Renovated1999–2002 (North and West Stands)
2003 (East Stand)
2009–2010 (South Stand)
2010 (East Stand)
2011–2012 (South East Corner Stand)
ArchitectTTH Architects, Gateshead, UK
Tenants
South Shore F.C. (1899)
Blackpool F.C. (1900, 1901–present)
Blackpool Borough[4] (1987)
Blackpool Panthers (2004–2006)

Bloomfield Road is a football stadium in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, which has been the home of Blackpool Football Club since 1901. It is the third stadium in the club's existence, the previous two being Raikes Hall Gardens and the Athletic Grounds.

Largely unchanged since the 1960s, the stadium began a redevelopment phase in the early 2000s. A temporary East Stand was erected before the start of the 2010–11 season, the club's debut in the Premier League. It is still in place today. The three permanent stands are named the Stan Mortensen North Stand (denoted by the acronym "B.F.C." spelled out in white seats, the Jimmy Armfield South Stand (with "ARMFIELD" spelled out in white seats) and the Sir Stanley Matthews West Stand (with one of the club's nicknames, "SEASIDERS", spelled out in white seats).

The record attendance at Bloomfield Road is 38,098, when Blackpool played Wolverhampton Wanderers on 17 September 1955.[5]

The stadium hosted three matches of the 2005 UEFA Women's Championship. It has also been the venue for the final of the Northern Rail Cup, a rugby league tournament.

  1. ^ https://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/siteassets/image/generics/201617-away-fan-guide.pdf [dead link]
  2. ^ "Contact Us" – BlackpoolFC.co.uk
  3. ^ Blackpool – efl.com
  4. ^ When their Borough Park stadium closed in 1987, Blackpool Borough played their final six home games at Bloomfield Road, before relocating out of the town. Prior to this they had played "big games" at Bloomfield Road.
  5. ^ Gillatt, Peter (30 November 2009). Blackpool FC On This Day: History, Facts and Figures from Every Day of the Year. Pitch Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-905411-50-4.