The subject of my first entry was a tough choice but I decided to stick with something (fairly) local and a club that is close to my heart, Celtic and their current stadium Celtic Park. Being a boyhood fan of the Hoops I thought that starting out with something I have a good base of knowledge would be the best place to start. My Football Manager career notwithstanding of course!
The current Celtic Park was extensively redeveloped in the mid-90’s during the dominance of Scottish football by their arch rivals, Rangers. The ‘biscuit tin’ approach to transfer signings during this time was often cited as a result of the redevelopment of the clubs stadium with the then board taking a long term outlook for the club. The stadium in its current guise would only tell a tiny part of footballing history in the area with the clubs home being on the current site shortly after its formation in 1888.
Quick Stats
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Date Opened: August 1892
Capacity: 60,832
Highest Attendance: 92,975 for league match against Rangers in 1938
Current Tenants: Celtic
Nicknames: Parkhead, Paradise
Early Foundations
Following a dispute with the landlord at their original ground, the club built a new stadium in a disused brickyard across the street where they resided for three years. Built by volunteers, it opened on 13th August 1892 for the club’s annual sports day. Now located closer to a local graveyard a journalist who covered the opening event reported “it was like moving from the graveyard to paradise” and the nickname ‘Paradise’ has been used ever since. Initially the capacity (entirely of terracing) was around 40,000 and to generate additional income, the club installed a banked cycling track around the pitch.
Following a dispute with the landlord at their original ground, the club built a new stadium in a disused brickyard across the street where they resided for three years. Built by volunteers, it opened on 13th August 1892 for the club’s annual sports day. Now located closer to a local graveyard a journalist who covered the opening event reported “it was like moving from the graveyard to paradise” and the nickname ‘Paradise’ has been used ever since. Initially the capacity (entirely of terracing) was around 40,000 and to generate additional income, the club installed a banked cycling track around the pitch.
The first double tiered stand in football stadia construction was built at Parkhead in 1898, increasing the capacity to 63,000. This stand was destroyed following a fire and it was replaced by a single tier stand in 1927.
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The single tiered replacement stand built in 1927. Note the rising slope of the cycle track. |
This replacement stand was designed by renowned stadium architect of the day and native Glaswegian, Archibald Leitch who designed many stadia throughout Britain during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His background in designing industrial structures is evident in many of his projects and the front facade of this new main stand is clearly influenced by this. Both the regular, simplified geometry and his use of red brick as a material are extensively used in industrial structures of the era. This aesthetic is also prominent in the facade of Ibrox Stadium which he also designed.
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| The external facade of the 1927 main stand which would be in use until its replacement in 1988. |
Post-War Additions
The addition of stands on all sides of the ground continued throughout the 20th century with the infamous ‘Jungle’ stand across from the main stand receiving a roof in 1966. Rumoured to be named the ‘Jungle’ due to the poor condition of the terracing, corrugated iron roof and the ferocity of the supporters contained within the stand, it would be a formidable component of the atmosphere generated during matches. The goal ends would also finally receive roofs during the post-War years, with the Celtic end (to the right on the image below) receiving only a partial roof covering the rear portion of the terraces. During the famed Scottish weather it was common for the front of the Celtic End to be deserted as supporters sheltered from the weather at the back of the stand.
The stadium would stay much as it was during the clubs finest hour when it became the first British club to win the European Cup in 1967, up until the major redevelopments in the mid-1990’s. Following the Ibrox Disaster in 1971, the capacity was reduced from 80,000 to a more manageable 60,000. To celebrate the clubs centenary in 1988, the original Archibald Leitch red brick facade of the main stand was updated in a similar style.
The addition of stands on all sides of the ground continued throughout the 20th century with the infamous ‘Jungle’ stand across from the main stand receiving a roof in 1966. Rumoured to be named the ‘Jungle’ due to the poor condition of the terracing, corrugated iron roof and the ferocity of the supporters contained within the stand, it would be a formidable component of the atmosphere generated during matches. The goal ends would also finally receive roofs during the post-War years, with the Celtic end (to the right on the image below) receiving only a partial roof covering the rear portion of the terraces. During the famed Scottish weather it was common for the front of the Celtic End to be deserted as supporters sheltered from the weather at the back of the stand.
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| Looking on to the Main Stand (right) and the Celtic End (left) during the stadiums pomp. |
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| The 1988 upgrade of the facade to allow corporate facilities to be added to the main stand. The distinctive glass foyer being a particular aesthetic of the time. |
Major Redevelopment
Following the collapse of plans by previous board members for a 52,000 all-seater stadium in Cambuslang, the new Celtic board led by Fergus McCann had plans to completely redevelop Celtic Park to meet with the Taylor Report’s ruling that all football stadia be converted to all-seater stadia.
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| Celtic Park before extensive remodelling in the 1990’s. Going clockwise, the Main Stand, the Celtic End, ‘The Jungle’ and the Away Stand. |
Funds were raised in one of the most successful share issues in footballing history for the redevelopment of the existing site. ‘The Jungle’ and both goal end stands were demolished in 1994 and Celtic would play their home games of the 1994/95 at the Scottish National stadium, Hampden Park paying a reported ‘King’s ransom’ to the SFA for the privilege.
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| Celtic Park during 1994/95 with only the Main Stand remaining. |
The stadium reopened for the following season with the 26,790 capacity North Stand the then biggest single stand in British football. This stand was of complex construction, containing fourteen internal pillars to support the roof which impinged on the nearby cemetery, a contentious issue with some local residents. The capacity was augmented with the 7,850 capacity main stand and temporary seating on the site of the West stand.
The East stand known as the ‘Lisbon Lions Stand’ was completed in August 1996 with a capacity of 13,006 and named after the clubs famous European Cup winning side of 1967. During this redevelopment, the corner stands were constructed in accordance with plans to make Celtic Park of bowl design, a growing trend in stadia in the late 20th century. Finally, the ‘Jock Stein Stand’ was completed in August 1998, named after the clubs most famous and successful manager, also with a capacity of 13,006. With the redevelopment complete, the entire capacity of the new Celtic Park was 60,832.
Despite a change of only a few yards, the current pitch at Celtic Park is in the same position as the original 1892 pitch. In fitting with this, a piece of Donegal turf containing shamrocks (the club emblem) was placed in the centre circle in exactly the same ceremony to open the ground in 1892.
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| Celtic Park in its current guise. |
A Famous Match
As with many historic stadia, there are a plethora of matches that live long in the fans memories. Derby wins over Rangers, European knockout wins and title clinching league matches have all occurred at Celtic Park throughout its history.
In recent times though, there can be only one game that falls under the ‘famous’ banner and that occurred on the 27th August 2000 when Celtic defeated arch rivals Rangers 6-2 in the SPL. A comprehensive beating of your rivals is one thing but in the context of Scottish Football at the time, it was a seismic event that would have implications for the next decade. Rangers had been the dominant force in Scottish Football for the best part of the previous 20 years and with their cheque book well used in the off-season looked set to continue their dominance into the new millennium.
It would be Martin O’Neill’s first Old Firm derby and given the new management team and playing squad were still finding their feet, this defeat of Rangers would set the tone for the season ahead. Goals from Sutton (2), Petrov, Lambert and Larsson (2) saw off their old foes in spectacular fashion including the iconic chip from the Swedish forward.
In the grand scheme of things this would see Rangers set into relative decline while Celtic returned to the top of Scottish Football and a return to the lucrative top tier of European football. This following the barren years of the 1990’s where the club focussed on improving the stadium instead of the playing squad.
And I'll End With a Quote
"Every professional footballer should seek to play at least one game at Celtic Park. I have never felt anything like it"
Paolo Maldini
Paolo Maldini
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