Somerset Park

Somerset Park
San Somerset
Somerset
Somerset Park, August 2024
Somerset Park is located in South Ayrshire
Somerset Park
Somerset Park
Location in South Ayrshire
LocationAyr, Scotland
Coordinates55°28′10″N 4°37′12″W / 55.46944°N 4.62000°W / 55.46944; -4.62000
OwnerAyr United F.C. (1920–)
Capacity10,185[1] (1,597 seated)
Field size110 yd × 72 yd (101 m × 66 m)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Opened1888
ArchitectArchibald Leitch[2]
Tenants
Ayr F.C. (1888–1910)
Ayr United F.C. (1910–)

Somerset Park (Scottish Gaelic: Pàirc Somerset) is a football stadium located in Ayr, South Ayrshire, Scotland. It has been the home of Scottish Championship team Ayr United since the club was founded in 1910. Prior to that, it was the home ground of Ayr, who merged with Ayr Parkhouse to form Ayr United. The 10,185 capacity stadium was designed by renowned football stadium architect Archibald Leitch.

After an impressive season in 2017–2018 by Ayr United, debate and discussion began regarding the possibility of Ayr United being promoted to the Scottish Premiership and whether Somerset Park would be eligible for Premiership matches. It was later confirmed that under current league requirements, Ayr United would be allowed to play matches at Somerset Park with minimal improvements to its facilities should they gain promotion to the SPFL Premiership, as the more stringent seating capacity regulations had been removed some years earlier.[3]

The stadium was hosted a number of international football fixtures, mostly Scotland national football team under–17s and under–19s matches. Somerset Park was the first stadium in Britain to host the UEFA Women's Cup (now Champions League) in 2001.

  1. ^ "Ayr United Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference ayr was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference fitfor was invoked but never defined (see the help page).