First Scottish club to have a a Modern Day Stadium?

[monktonharp]

I have seen recently some posts regarding Falkirk and their failure to be promoted, and I think it was because on both occasions that they did not have the required capacity, and in their old ground it would not happen anyway. If I recall, and I might be wrong, St. Johnstone became the first club to have "modern day facilities" all seated, all under cover and the first time I went to Mc Dermott, they actually had tellies in the concourse. Airdieonians were not far behind, as far as I remember but they have not been in the Premier league during that time, have they?

[wookie70]

Ibrox was a good bit before that I think

[hibby6270]

You could well be right. St J had the first purpose fully built all seater stadium mid to late 80s iirc.
Had the good fortune to speak with the architect a few years ago (long story) and he said it was also the first ground in Scotland to be built having the proper acoustics taken into account to be at their maximum volume.

[lyonhibs]

Were the Rangers not a bit ahead of the curve on this front due to changes made after the Ibrox disaster?

[wookie70]

Looking at Wikipedia Rangers were 1981 with St Jonstone 1989. I found this article while looking too. Who would have thought they would go from plans for a centrally heated seating area to not being able to afford a pund for the meter,

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/foot...NEW-280m-IBROX

[iwasthere1972]

From memory St Johnstone had their new stadium about 1989 and Ibrox was a few years before that when they modernised. Couldn't think of any other clubs who would have had the finances to rebuild or move because Tesco wanted their land.

[Pete]

Pittodrie was the first covered, all-seater stadium in Scotland.

Boghead was the first all-seater football stadium in the UK....edit, I meant Kilbowie, home of Clydebank.

[wookie70]

Was Pittordrie not bench seats though. It looks far from a modern stadium now whereas St Johnstone still looks like it could have been built fairly recently as does ER.

[monktonharp]

I am shocked that Ibrox was first. can understand the disaster situation prompting it I suppose. still , that was an Auld club so it must be St. J'Z in Club terms rather that stadium terms

[StevieC]

I think St Johnstone could say that they had the first modern purpose built stadium. A lot of clubs could boast all-seater stadiums, but only after they had slapped cheap wooden benches on top of existing terracing.

When did Rangers put seats into their main stand enclosures? I seem to remember them being standing areas even after Broomloan and Copeland Road stands were up.

[brianmc]

Two points to add: Ibrox still had terracing in the enclosure at the front of the Main Stand long after 1981...
And, Pittodrie has many hundreds of seats, that to this day, are completely uncovered.

*Snap

[hibby6270]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Were the Rangers not a bit ahead of the curve on this front due to changes made after the Ibrox disaster?

True. The Broomloan, Copland and Govan stands were completed by the early 80s but the main stand didn’t get completed until early 90s. You could argue then that Oldco had three quarters of a modern stadium before everyone else but not a complete modern stadium until later.

[Pete]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Was Pittordrie not bench seats though. It looks far from a modern stadium now whereas St Johnstone still looks like it could have been built fairly recently as does ER.

I think they ripped out the benches and replaced them with individual seats when they made it all-covered. Not sure about the old beach end though which I think was benches until it was knocked down.

[monktonharp]

I was sure Saint Johnstone did have the full ground done. also remember much to our surprise, all those TV's on the walls ! in the concourse areas.

[Nakedmanoncrack]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I think they ripped out the benches and replaced them with individual seats when they made it all-covered. Not sure about the old beach end though which I think was benches until it was knocked down.

Beach end was benches until knocked down for the current monstrosity.

[jgl07]

Ibrox wasn’t completely all seated until after they were forced to do by the Taylor report. The only standing areas were a paddock to the front of the Main Stand if I recall correctly. The whole stadium had been completely rebuilt with three brand new stands and a new deck on the Main Stand. This was done relatively painlessly because they were getting such poor crowds in the early 1980s particularly if there was any prospect of them getting beaten. Hence they could close and rebuilt each stand in turn.

Aberdeen and St Johnstone had all-seater stadiums earlier. Aberdeen’s was a con with bench seats on terraces.

I think that Coventry City were the first English team to have a all-seater stadium. Jimmy Hill was Chairman at the time and he just shut down the standing areas. I was living in Coventry at the time (early 1980s) and it went down very badly. He was later forced out and the standing areas reopened.

[BH Hibs]

I’m sure Hibs were the first if not only club to build four completely new stands on their old but existing site.

[Mixu62]

Clydebank also had an all "seater" stadium (again, if you count wooden benches as seats) back in the early 80's but a lot of it was uncovered.

[oneone73]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I’m sure Hibs were the first if not only club to build four completely new stands on their old but existing site.

Think that might have been Kilmarnock?

[Hiber-nation]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Think that might have been Kilmarnock?

Think you might be right - I'm sure they rebuilt their main stand back in the 60s then the 3 new stands with extra small seats were built in the 90s.

[where'stheslope]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Think you might be right - I'm sure they rebuilt their main stand back in the 60s then the 3 new stands with extra small seats were built in the 90s.

You also forgot to mention the whole stand moves when you jump out of your seats after scoring a goal?????

[Firestarter]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I was sure Saint Johnstone did have the full ground done. also remember much to our surprise, all those TV's on the walls ! in the concourse areas.

They still have the same TVs now in some areas. 😂

[Keith_M]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I think St Johnstone could say that they had the first modern purpose built stadium. A lot of clubs could boast all-seater stadiums, but only after they had slapped cheap wooden benches on top of existing terracing.

When did Rangers put seats into their main stand enclosures? I seem to remember them being standing areas even after Broomloan and Copeland Road stands were up.

I think it was about '92.


St Johnstone can claim the prize of first purpose built all seated stadium and Rangers, quite rightly, can claim the first modern era rebuild of most of their stadium

IMO, Ibrox is still the best football stadium in Scotland. Shame about the inhabitants.

[CropleyWasGod]

Didn't Meadowbank Thistle have the first all-seater stadium in Britain?

[jgl07]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Didn't Meadowbank Thistle have the first all-seater stadium in Britain?

Aye because the 7,000 capacity Main Stand was big enough to accommodate their usual 350 people attending. Hence they could close everything else.

A typical home crowd in the latter stages of the Meadowbank Thistle era would be 120 visiting supporters, 100 with complementary tickets and 130 home supporters. Most of them would be singing ‘Bobby out, Blobby out’ in tribute to then chairman Bill Hunter who was blamed for running down the club so that the move to Livingston could go through.

[Carheenlea]

Ibrox is the first ground I can remember that had the facility of sinks and paper towels in the toilets - all very novel at the time and it was back to wading towards the troughs at the back of the east the week after.

[Billy Whizz]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Ibrox is the first ground I can remember that had the facility of sinks and paper towels in the toilets - all very novel at the time and it was back to wading towards the troughs at the back of the east the week after.

I’m still waiting on Hibs putting hot water in the East

[Hermit Crab]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Ibrox wasn’t completely all seated until after they were forced to do by the Taylor report. The only standing areas were a paddock to the front of the Main Stand if I recall correctly. The whole stadium had been completely rebuilt with three brand new stands and a new deck on the Main Stand. This was done relatively painlessly because they were getting such poor crowds in the early 1980s particularly if there was any prospect of them getting beaten. Hence they could close and rebuilt each stand in turn.

Aberdeen and St Johnstone had all-seater stadiums earlier. Aberdeen’s was a con with bench seats on terraces.

I think that Coventry City were the first English team to have a all-seater stadium. Jimmy Hill was Chairman at the time and he just shut down the standing areas. I was living in Coventry at the time (early 1980s) and it went down very badly. He was later forced out and the standing areas reopened.

No Scottish club were bound by the Taylor report. The SFA sucked up the English FA's arse by agreeing to go along with it. Taylor report only included top flight stadia in England!

[Hermit Crab]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I’m still waiting on Hibs putting hot water in the East

We don't have it in the West either!

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

You could well be right. St J had the first purpose fully built all seater stadium mid to late 80s iirc.
Had the good fortune to speak with the architect a few years ago (long story) and he said it was also the first ground in Scotland to be built having the proper acoustics taken into account to be at their maximum volume.

First in the UK according to their website.