The Top 10 Demolished Grounds I wish I had visited

Moving grounds can go one way or another. The prospect of getting more fans through the turnstiles can be an attractive prospect for clubs as it means more money which can mean more success and this can be too good to turn down. Moving home for clubs can and has in some cases had it’s drawbacks such as: loss of atmosphere, harder to access for home fans and an all around lost home feeling. Many clubs that have moved have been successful in their moves so it can be a good thing in many cases. If I was chairman of a football club, personally I would NEVER move to a different ground. I would redevelop the current home ground to of a better standard respectively. Over the years, the footballing world has lost some of it’s iconic grounds over the world and in this post, I am naming the top 10 demolished grounds that I wish I had visited. I am also going to rate the grounds using 3 of the 4 ratings I use for ground hopping as an estimate to what I think these grounds would have scored if I had visited them. I will not be using the Expense rating for these grounds.

10) Nene Park

Nene Park, previously home of Irthlingborough Diamonds, Kettering Town and most notably Rushden & Diamonds. Nene Park was built in 1969 in Irthlingborough based in Northamptonshire. Irthlingborough Diamonds FC were the team that played their home games there from the opening. In 1992, a club share with nearby Rushden Town was proposed and the deal went through and a new club Rushden & Diamonds was founded. The club did rather well, so well that they made it into the Football League but unfortunately did not last there too long and in 2011, the club folded… But it’s not all doom and gloom as a year later, the fans decided to start again as AFC Rushden & Diamonds who currently play at Step 3 of the non-league system and share a home ground with Rushden & Higham United. Hopefully a groundhop will be coming soon! As for Nene Park, Rushden & Diamond’s fiercest rivals, Kettering Town moved in for a short period but then moved back to Kettering. The ground became unused and demolition began in 2017. The ratings of this ground will be solely based on Rushden & Diamonds time at the ground.

Ratings

• Atmosphere: 4/10 – Not a club I know very well and from what I have heard, not particularly known for it’s atmosphere so I’ll go with 4.
• The Ground: 7.5/10 – I’ve always thought that it looks like a nice ground and would be good enough for a League One club!
• Overall Experience: 7/10 – I am fairly sure I would have enjoyed a trip to Rushden & Diamonds with Mansfield Town or to watch them play Kettering Town so I will give a 7.

18.5/30

9) Millmoor

Millmoor, previously home of Rotherham United based in South Yorkshire. Millmoor was built in 1907 and was the home of Rotherham United from 1925 – 2008. After a dispute with the Millmoor owner, the club moved into the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield before their move into their new and current home, the New York Stadium. This has been a good move for the club which has seen them reach the heights of the Championship and I myself have been to this ground and rated it fairly high. Millmoor is still standing and has not technically been demolished and the ground has not been used by any other local club. Could Millmoor make a return one day with a different club? My ground hopping mate, the Merry Miller and other football fans have told me only good things about Millmoor with it being a great day out and I really do hope that while it is still standing, a club moves in so I can experience a game there for old times sake.

Ratings

• Atmosphere: 8/10 – From what I have been told, the atmosphere was always electric for Rotherham home games!!
• The Ground: 7/10 – A proper old school ground with plenty of personality!
• Overall Experience: 10/10 – I have no doubt that me, the Merry Miller and any of our other friends would have had a fantastic day out here!!

25/30

8) Maine Road

Maine Road, previously home of Manchester City. Maine Road was built in 1923 and was home to Manchester City from the opening. City played their home games there for 80 years and then moved in to their new and current ground the Etihad Stadium. The club have seen themselves go from mid table mediocrity to League title contenders year in year out since their takeover in 2008. The move has been a success for the club as a whole but one thing that the club may have lost is the atmosphere. I stated this in my Manchester City post after I visited the Etihad that the atmosphere was poor but overall it has been more a good move for the club.

Ratings

• Atmosphere: 8.5/10 – Always a good atmosphere so I have heard.
• The Ground: 8/10 – A very nice ground from seeing it on Jimmy Grimble, it certainly had some personality about it.
• Overall Experience: 7.5/10 – I’m sure it would have been a good day out overall.

24/30

7) Saltergate

Saltergate, previously home of Chesterfield FC based in Derbyshire. Only Chesterfield have ever played their home games here from the opening of the ground in 1871. The ground has seen some famous moments with the main one being the battle of Saltergate which saw 5 players sent off after a huge fight in the penalty area that I am sure WWE themselves would have been proud to air!! That was in the same year as the club’s famous FA Cup run to the Semi-Final. The ground was also used in the 2009 film “The Damned United”. The club moved out in 2010 to their new and current ground the Proact Stadium. The club has enjoyed some success at the ground but currently find themselves in the National League. Overall it has been a good move for the club in my opinion, a very nice ground fit for the Championship never mind National League and I personally have been there twice most notably to see a famous Mansfield Town win in 2018 that can be seen in my blog post of Chesterfield FC. To this day, Saltergate is now a housing estate… I did once visit Saltergate for a non league cup final in 2005 but have never been there to see Chesterfield play.

Ratings

• Atmosphere: 9/10 – If I had visited this ground to see Chesterfield, it would have more likely seen me and the Super Stag in the away end cheering on Mansfield!! The atmosphere in those games are always incredible!!
• The Ground: 6/10 – A ground with personality! Wooden seats in the main stand where I sat that day but it wasn’t anything more than a 6!
• Overall Experience: 10/10 – No doubt I would have been walking out celebrating a Mansfield victory just like in 2003 if I had visited to see Chesterfield!!

25/30

6) Griffin Park

Griffin Park, previously home of Brentford FC based in West London. Griffin park was built in 1904 and has mainly been the home of Brentford. Brentford moved out of Griffin Park in 2020 and into their new ground, the Brentford Community Stadium. It remains to be seen whether this has been successful or not as it’s early days in the club’s recent history but the club were so close to being promoted to the Premier League for their first season in the new ground but sadly lost out to Fulham. What a way to move into your new ground that would have been!! It could be argued that grounds like Griffin Park are dying out as it had standing terraces at both ends of the ground and I personally am a big fan of them.

Ratings

• Atmosphere: 6/10 – A fairly decent atmosphere from my observations of watching them on Sky Sports in the past.
• The Ground: 9/10 – A dying breed with a bar at all 4 corners of the ground and standing terracing at each end.
• Overall Experience: 8/10 – I’m sure I would have enjoyed watching a game here as a home or away fan.

23/30

5) White Hart Lane

White Hart Lane, previously home of Tottenham Hotspur based in North London. Tottenham played there since the ground was opened in 1899 and the club decided to move out in 2017 to move into their new and current ground, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. White Hart Lane was demolished in 2017 to make way for the new ground. So far I would say that this has been a successful move as the new ground is very modern and the club is moving forward. I am personally a fan of how the club is moved by building the ground right next to the previous one instead of moving a few miles away as that in my opinion doesn’t feel like home. Hopefully one day soon I will visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on my groundhop adventures!!

Ratings

• Atmosphere: 5/10 – Nothing too special from my observations of watching them on Sky Sports.
• The Ground: 7.5/10 – It was a fairly nice ground but they have definitely upgraded.
• Overall Experience: 8/10 – Visiting one of England’s most iconic grounds would have always been a good day out!!

20.5/30

4) Highbury

Highbury, previously home of Arsenal FC based in North London. Highbury was built in 1913 and was home to Arsenal from the opening. In 2006, Arsenal moved out of Highbury into their new larger and current ground, the Emirates Stadium. I would say this one hasn’t been a successful move overall. Highbury was a fortress back at a time when the club were regular title challengers and in 2003/04, the invincibles! Since the move, the club has failed to win the league and hasn’t seen too much success. It could be argued that the Emirates is a nicer facility and it does hold more fans but overall I think this is one of the more not so good moves. I am yet to visit the Emirates but I am keen to do so one day. To this day, Highbury is now a block of flats…

Ratings

• Atmosphere: 3.5/10 – The Highbury Library was a term knocking around suggesting the atmosphere wasn’t so good…
• The Ground: 9/10 – An iconic old school ground with plenty of history and personality!
• Overall Experience: 9/10 – I’m sure seeing the likes of Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and others would have made the experience incredible!!

21.5/30

3) The Old Wembley Stadium

The Old Wembley, previously home to the England National team and where the FA Cup, League Cup and Football League play-offs were played. This ground has seen some famous moments. My dad has visited in the past to watch England. It was a fantastic ground!! The most famous game being England’s famous 1966 World Cup final against West Germany seeing Sir Alf Ramsey bring Football home!!! The ground was built in 1923 and was demolished in 2003 and a new, more modern Wembley Stadium was built on exactly the same site. I have been lucky enough to visit the new Wembley and hope to do again many times in the future!!

Ratings

• Atmosphere: 8/10 – I’m sure if I had visited, it would have been for an England match which are normally great atmospheres.
• The Ground: 9/10 – A fantastic ground!!! But in comparison to the new Wembley, I can’t say they match so I will give a 9.
• Overall Experience: 10/10 – Visiting Wembley is always a great day out, even if you do lose a final, the memories will last a lifetime!!

27/30

2) Vicente Calderon

The Vicente Calderon Stadium, previously home of Atletico Madrid. The ground was opened in 1966 and was home of Atletico Madrid since then. The club moved out in 2017 and into their new, bigger and current ground, the Wanda Metropolitano. This has been a good move for the club overall. The club has stayed at relatively the same level, fighting for the La Liga title every year but is still to win the Champions League. The clubs fans have continued to generate a big atmosphere at their new ground.

Ratings

• Atmosphere: 10/10 – An atmosphere to remember!! The Atletico fans know how to do it for sure!
• The Ground: 8.5/10 – A nice ground they had but they have now moved on to bigger and better things.
• Overall Experience: 10/10 – I have no doubt that I would have loved watching a game at the Calderon!!

28.5/30

1. Upton Park

Upton Park, previously home of West Ham United based in East London. The one ground that I do truly wish I had seen… The ground was opened in 1904 and West Ham moved in and in 2016, they moved out and into the new Olympic Stadium built for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. This has certainly not been a successful move in my opinion! Upton Park was a fortress and a nightmare for away teams at times. As a Liverpool fan, I used to dread West Ham away at that time knowing they could take points of us. The club was languishing in and around mid table whilst they were at Upton Park but now they are closer to relegation and the fans haven’t been too happy with the move. I am yet to see the London Stadium but plan to do so. Upton Park has since become a block of flats…

Ratings

• Atmosphere: 10/10 – A fantastic atmosphere they had there! I’m forever blowing bubbles would for sure have made the hairs stand up on my arms!!
• The Ground: 9/10 – One of the iconic grounds of English football!
• Overall Experience: 10/10 – I am sure it would have been a day out to remember with the atmosphere and team they had at the time!!

29/30

The Demolished League Table

Pos.	Team	Atmosphere	The Ground	Overall Experience	Score
1)	West Ham United (Upton Park)	10	9	10	29
2)	Atletico Madrid (Vicente Calderon)	10	8.5	10	28.5
3)	The Old Wembley Stadium	8	9	10	27
4)	Chesterfield FC (Saltergate)	9	6	10	25
5)	Rotherham United (Millmoor)	8	7	10	25
6)	Manchester City (Maine Road)	8.5	8	7.5	24
7)	Brentford FC (Griffin Park)	6	9	8	23
8)	Arsenal FC (Highbury)	3.5	9	9	21.5
9)	Tottenham Hotspur (White Hart Lane)	5	7.5	8	20.5
10)	Rushden & Diamonds (Nene Park)	4	7.5	7	18.5