In this latest edition of The Edit, we’ll embark on a journey through time, exploring and counting down the 10 oldest football stadiums in the UK, each with its own unique story to tell.

A journey through time

1. Anfield, Liverpool (1884)

First on our list is Anfield, one of the most iconic venues in English football. Unknown to some is that it used to be the home of Everton between 1884 and 1891 before they later moved to Goodison Park. Since then it has been the home of Liverpool after their formation in 1982. Anfield has seen some of the greatest players to ever play the game, with the Spion Kop arguably serving up one of the best atmospheres in the football league. What a great place to start on our journey through time! 

2. Turf Moor, Burnley (1883)

Next on our list is Turf Moor, which has been the home to Burnley Football Club since 1883. Sport has been played at the Turf Moor site since 1843, when Burnley Cricket Club made the area their home. In 1883, they invited Burnley FC to use a pitch adjacent to the cricket field, and in 1985 the first grandstand was built. In 1986, Turf Moor became the first football ground to be visited by a member of the Royal Family, when Prince Albert Victor attended a friendly against Bolton Wanderers. 

3. Ewood Park, Blackburn (1882)

Football has been played on the site of Ewood Park since at least 1881. Blackburn Rovers, founding members of the Football League, played four games there, including a friendly against Sheffield Wednesday. In 1882, Ewood Park was opened and staged football, athletics, and greyhound racing before Rovers moved back in 1890. Blackburn have played their home games there ever since, including the 1994/95 season when they won the Premier League. 

4. Deepdale, Preston (1878)

Some claim that Deepdale is the oldest active stadium in the Football League. It has been home to Preston North End, another of the founding members of the Football League, since 1878. Some of our other stadiums to come weren’t home to their current team until after this date. In the inaugural season of the Football league, Preston won both the league title and the FA Cup. They were the first team to achieve the domestic double in English football and are remembered as the original ‘Invincibles’ after going the entire campaign unbeaten. 

5. Rodney Parade, Newport (1877)

Rodney Parade features on our list despite being a rugby stadium for much of its lifetime. Built in 1877, Newport RFC played their first game there just a few years later. It wasn’t until 2012 that Newport County moved from Newport Stadium to play its home fixtures at Rodney Parade. With Newport County in residence, Rodney Parade is one of the oldest sports venues in the English Football League. With so much history, it’s good to see there is still life in the ground yet! 

6. Stamford Bridge, Chelsea (1877)

Opened in 1877, the stadium was originally used by the London Athletic Club. In 1905 Chelsea Football Club were formed and moved in to occupy the ground. They have played their home games at The Bridge ever since. The ground has undergone major changes over the years, most recently in the 1990s when it was renovated into a modern, all-seater stadium. With further plans to expand the stadium, Stamford Bridge looks set to retain its rich history for a long time to come. 

7. Tannadice Park, Dundee (1870)

Scotland makes its mark on our list with Tannadice Park. Originally known as Clepington Park, the ground was first used for football in the 1870s. In 1909 a new club, Dundee Hibernian, was formed. Rather than building a new ground, the club controversially approached the landlord of Clepington Park to secure the ready-made venue. Located just 180 meters from Dens Park, home of city rivals Dundee, the two grounds are the closest football stadiums in the UK. 

8. Field Mill, Mansfield (1861)

Mansfield Town’s Field Mill is the oldest professional ground in the Football League. It has been used as a football ground since 1861, making it the longest serving football ground in our list. The first grandstand was built in 1922 along the west side of the ground, with the other three sides all completed by 1926. In 1929, using money from their cup run of the previous year, a covered stand was built on the Bishop Street side of the ground.  

9. Bramall Lane, Sheffield (1855)

Sheffield lays claim to another historical gem. The ground has played host to some of football’s most significant matches, including the final of the world’s first tournament, the Youdan Cup, in 1867. Despite being used by The Wednesday F.C, later renamed Sheffield Wednesday, it is now the home of Sheffield United. The Blades have played their home games at Bramall Lane since the club’s establishment in 1889. 

10. The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (1801)

Our journey concludes in Wrexham, North Wales, with The Raceground Ground. Built in 1801, The Racecourse Ground holds the distinction of being the oldest football stadium that still hosts international football matches. Originally built for horse racing and cricket, it wasn’t until 1864 that the stadium was used to host football matches. With Wrexham making a climb back up the Football League, it might be a good time to go and watch a game in the UKs oldest football stadium. 

More than just football. 

Our exploration of the UKs 10 oldest football stadiums has been a journey through time. These grounds are more than just a place to watch football. They are cultural landmarks and the stages upon which generations of footballing stories have been told. Our hallowed grounds have witnessed the evolution of the English game, from its humble beginnings to the global phenomena that it is today. 

As more clubs move to modern, purpose-built, stadiums, it’s important that we cherish our few remaining historic venues. There really isn’t anything better than watching football in a ground steeped in footballing history.

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Join us as we trace the history of one of world football’s most iconic stadiums.

Everton’s controversial time at Anfield

While Anfield is now synonymous with Liverpool Football Club, it was originally the home of their local rivals, Everton. When Anfield was first built back in 1884, Everton were on the look-out for a new ground having outgrown their previous homes at Stanley Park and Priory Road. John Houlding, a member of Everton’s board of directors, saw an opportunity to build a larger stadium on the site of a nearby field in Anfield, previously home to Everton Cricket Club. Houlding bought the field and leased the land to Everton Football Club for an annual rent of £100. The Blues moved in for the 1884/85 season, and won their first game 5-0 as they defeated Earlestown.

By 1888 Everton had become a professional football club and played their first Football League fixtured against Accrington Stanley at Anfield.

In 1891 a 50ft flagpole which had once been the top mast abord SS Great Eastern was purchased by Everton FC from a local shipyard in Rock Ferry. The flagpole was floated across the Mersey and hauled up to Anfield by a team of horses where it was positioned in the corner of the ground. The flagpole is still a striking feature at Anfield more than a century on.

Flying from the flagpole later that year was Anfield’s first league championship flag as Everton won the First Division at only their third attempt. But while the Blues enjoyed success on the pitch, tensions began to rise off it. A bitter dispute eventually broke out when Houlding attempted to increase the rent, leading Everton to move to a new venue on Goodison Road in 1892.

After Everton’s departure, Houlding decided to form his own club and so Liverpool Football Club was born.

Liverpool’s early years at Anfield

Houlding’s newly formed Liverpool’s played their first fixture at Anfield in a friendly against Rotherham Town in September 1892. John Miller had the honour of scoring Liverpool Football Club’s first goal in a 7-1 win. After one season in the Lancashire League, Liverpool were elected to the Second Division of the Football League. In 1893, just a year after moving to Anfield, Liverpool won the Second Division title and gained promotion to the top flight of English football, igniting their famous Merseyside rivalry.

The maiden clash between Liverpool and Everton came in October 1894 and was played at Goodison Park. Everton ran out 3-0 winners in front of a crowd estimated to be around 44,000. The first Anfield derby took place just over one month later, in November 1894, and saw the teams battle out a 2-2 draw.

By 1901 Anfield was home to the champions of England for the second time with Liverpool following Everton’s achievement from a decade earlier. Alex Raisbeck, regarded as one of the greatest players of his era, captained the Reds to their first of their 18 top-flight titles. On the back of this success, a new terrace was built on the Anfield Road side of the ground, a year after the club’s founding farther, John Houlding, had passed away.

The story behind the legendary Spion Kop.

Liverpool’s early years at Anfield were far from glamorous and the stadium was little more than a basic playing field with a single wooden stand. When Liverpool first moved to Anfield, the ground was in a state of disrepair, and the club had to work hard to make it suitable for their needs. The pitch was often muddy and uneven, and the facilities were basic at best. The players had to change in a nearby pub, and there were no floodlights or covered stands.

By 1906 the official capacity of Anfield was 25,000, but when an estimated 35,000 crammed into the ground for a derby day fixture that Easter, it was clear that demand was significantly outweighing the supply. Liverpool went on to clinch their second league championship that season, and once the campaign was over, engineer Archibald Leitch was tasked with overseeing an ambitious redevelopment.

Once finished, Anfield was a completely enclosed, the pitch was raised, and the corners were rounded to enable the stands to be joined together. The new grandstand was the first in football to be built with reinforced concrete, with a red and white arched gable in the centre bearing the words ‘Liverpool Football Club’.

And, if you sat in the new grandstand and glanced to your right, you’d see ab imposing structure that would soon become part of footballing folklore.

The Spion Kop was a huge standing terrace capable of holding up to 20,000 spectators. Soon after the newly developed Anfield opened its gates, a record crowd of 40,000 watched the Merseyside derby.

The Spion Kop was famous for its noise and passion, with Anfield considered one of the most intimidating places to play for visiting teams. Sadly, it was demolished in 1994 as part of a wider renovation of Anfield. However, the memory lives on, and it remains an important part of Liverpool’s history and identity. Today, the “Kop Stand” stands in its place, which has a capacity of around 12,000 seats and continues to be a key part of the stadium’s atmosphere.

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All of our products are made from high-quality materials that are both comfortable and long-lasting. Our embroidered designs are carefully crafted using the latest techniques and highest quality materials to ensure that they remain durable and eye-catching, even after multiple washes.

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