In the 25 years since the Bradford City fire and the Hillsborough Disaster four years later, more than a third of all teams currently playing in the top four divisions of English football have elocated and this is a process that is continuing rapidly. Currently under construction or at an advanced planning stage are new ground for teams like Chesterfield, Everton, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Southend United, Tottenham Hotspur and Bristol City.
During this period of number of the most famous grounds in the country — such as Highbury (Arsenal), Ninian Park (Cardiff), Maine Road (Manchester City), Ayresome Park (Middlesbrough), Roker Park (Sunderland) and Leeds Road (Huddersfield Town) — have all disappeared. Most of the ‘lost’ grounds have been demolished with virtually no trace of the original ground left whilst others survived for a period in some form of half-life, being used for example for reserve team matches. But even these have for the most part now disappeared as well. North of the border, in Scotland, clubs likeSt Mirren, Falkirk, Clyde and Airdrie United have also moved from the grounds traditionally associated with the clubs
In addition to those clubs that have relocated but still survive in the leagues in both England and Scotland, there are many clubs that were once part of the league structure — such as Bradford Park Avenue, Newport County and Gretna — that have disappeared or been reborn at a much lower level in the football pyramid, often at grounds that have never seen league football.
This new book provides a full and detailed history of the lost league grounds of Britain, and includes a great selection of photographs from in and around the grounds, with an eclectic mix of nostalgic memorabilia to bring some old football memories back to life.
