Westmarch
| Westmarch | |
|---|---|
| Data | |
| place |
 Paisley , Scotland
|
| Coordinates | 55 ° 51 '10.4 " N , 4 ° 26' 45.6" W |
| opening | 1883 |
| surface | Natural grass |
| capacity | ≈ 8000 |
| Societies) | |
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The Westmarch was a football stadium in Paisley , County Renfrewshire , Scotland , about 10 kilometers west of Glasgow . It was the home of FC St. Mirren between 1883 and 1894 when they played in the Scottish Football League .
history
FC St. Mirren, founded in 1877, moved from their Thistle Park to Westmarch in 1883. The "Saints" played in Thistle Park between 1879 and 1883. Shortroods (1876 to 1877) and Abingdon Park (1878 to 1879) had previously been the club's venues.
The new area had a grandstand on the western side. A little away from the pitch, it was surrounded by a racing and cycling track.
The first game in the new stadium was played against FC Queen's Park on August 25, 1883 , which the Saints won 2-1.
St. Mirren was a founding member of the Scottish Football League , and the first league game was played on September 20, 1890 at Westmarch against FC Abercorn . The game ended in a 4-2 win. There was a record attendance on October 22, 1892 when 8,000 spectators saw a 1: 3 defeat against Celtic Glasgow . The last league game was played in Westmarch on February 17, 1894 when St. Mirren defeated FC Dundee 10-3.
In 1894 the club decided to leave the stadium after the owner doubled the rent. An attempt to buy the former Shortroods property has been abandoned. A new location was found on Love Street . Love Street remained the home of the Saints until 2009, before the club moved to St. Mirren Park .
The Westmarch site was then used as a harness racing track before being bought by the Caledonian Railway to build a line between Paisley St James and Barrhead. The new line opened on October 1, 1902.
literature
- Paul Smith & Shirley Smith: The Ultimate Directory of English & Scottish Football League Grounds Second Edition 1888–2005 . Ed .: Yore Publications. ISBN 0-9547830-4-2 , pp. 227 .