Solitude (stadium)
| Solitude | |
|---|---|
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| Data | |
| place |
 Belfast , UK
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| Coordinates | 54 ° 37 '10.3 " N , 5 ° 56' 50.2" W |
| opening | 1890 |
| First game | Cliftonville FC - Milford (8-2) |
| Renovations | 2001, 2008 |
| surface | artificial grass |
| capacity | 2,180 |
| Societies) | |
Solitude is a stadium in Belfast , Northern Ireland and is home to Cliftonville FC . During the renovation and rebuilding of the grandstand on the east side of the Solitude, Cliftonville temporarily played its home games between June and the end of October 2008 on the grounds of Donegal Celtic FC in West Belfast. The reopening of the Solitude took place on October 27, 2008 with the league match between Cliftonville FC and Linfield FC and was broadcast live on television (Sky Sports).
history
In 1890 the leaders of Cliftonville FC decided to build their own stadium due to the founding of the Irish Football League . Before that, the club had played on a Cliftonville Cricket Club course . A meadow across Cliftonville Road was chosen as the location. In the 1890s and 1900s, the stadium also served the all-Irish national team as the venue for their home games.
The stadium
The Whitehouse
In the southeast corner of the Solitude is the so-called Whitehouse , which includes part of the club's premises and a balcony with a view of the playing field.
The south side
The current main stand is on the south side and was built in the 1950s. Initially, the grandstand consisted of several rows of benches, before folding seats were installed in the mid-1990s . After the new grandstand has opened, access to the main grandstand will be blocked for security reasons and has been awaiting further refurbishment ever since. However, the “Cliftonville Social Club” inside, which is popular with fans as a meeting point, and the standing room directly below the grandstand are excluded from the ban.
The east side
The east-facing grandstand was completely renewed between June and October 2008 and opened on October 27, 2008 with the league encounter against Linfield FC. The official opening by the Northern Irish Sports Minister Nelson McCausland took place a year later on October 13, 2009 on the occasion of a friendly against Glasgow Celtic . With the new grandstand, which also houses the team cabins, the club now has, in addition to modern training equipment, much more spacious club space than before.
Previously, the so-called was on the site of today's Tribune Cage (Cage), a fully covered and separated from the board by a high fence grandstand, which consisted solely of standing room. It is from here that the Red Army , as the fans of Cliftonville FC are also called, have been cheering their team on since 1970. The last game before the renovation Cliftonville won 2-1 against the Dungannon Swifts .
The north side
Up until a fire in the 1970s, there was also standing room on the northern long side of the Solitude.
The west side
The west side is sometimes called The Bowling Green due to the bowling alley that used to exist behind it and serves as a grandstand for away fans. Originally only with standing room, since the renovation in 2001 there have been around 850 seats. Since then, this block has been one of the most modern guest stands in the whole league.
Others
- The first penalty kick in international football was shot and missed in the Solitude .
- On March 3, 1894, the Irish national team won here for the first time in thirteen games against the selection of England .
Web links
- Images on cliftonvillefc.net
- Pictures of the renovation of the cage terrace on cliftonvillefc.net
- Pictures and reports
- Pictures with report