Clapton Stadium
| Millfields Road | |
| Location | Clapton, London, England |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°33′30″N 0°02′37″W / 51.5582°N 0.0435°WCoordinates: 51°33′30″N 0°02′37″W / 51.5582°N 0.0435°W |
| Record attendance | 37,615 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Renovated | 1927–28 |
| Closed | 1974[1] |
| Tenants | |
|
Clapton Orient (1896–1930) Greyhound racing (1928–1974) | |
The Clapton Stadium, also known as Millfields Road, was a football ground and greyhound stadium in the Lower Clapton area of London. It was the home ground of Clapton Orient between 1896 and 1930.
History
The stadium was originally named Whittles Athletic Ground and was mostly used for whippet racing. In 1896 Clapton Orient moved to the site from Pond Land Bridge, after which it became known as Millfields Road. The football club began redeveloping the stadium, with large embankments were built around the pitch using slag from an adjacent power station.[2]
Clapton Orient were elected to the Second Division of the Football League in 1905, and the first Football League was played at the ground on 9 September 1905, with Clapton beating Hull City 1–0 in front of 3,000 spectators. In 1906 the first covered spectator facility was provided, when a 2,000-seat grandstand was built.[2] This stand was sold to Wimbledon to use at their Plough Lane ground in 1923, and was replaced by a 3,000-seat stand.[2]
In 1927 the Clapton Stadium Syndicate became joint tenants, and major alterations were made to the ground to allow for greyhound racing, costing over £80,000. An oval track was installed around the football pitch, with covered concrete terracing laid on the three sides away from the main stand. The new layout was designed by Owen Williams, and the ground became London's fourth greyhound track, staging its first meeting on 7 April 1928. In 1928 the track hosted a new race over 400 yards that gained classic status called the Scurry Gold Cup.
Clapton set their record League attendance at the ground on 16 March 1929 when 37,615 saw them lose 3–2 to Tottenham Hotspur. However, the club were in financial trouble at the end of the 1920s and were forced to leave the ground, moving to the Lea Bridge Stadium. Their last match at the ground was a 4–1 win over Brighton on 3 May 1930 with 8,763 in attendance.[2]
In 1939 the greyhound track underwent improvements and a second restaurant was built.
In 1966 the Clapton shareholders contemplated a bid from the GRA which included two training sites with 180 acres and an interest in West Ham Stadium. The deal went ahead in 1967. In 1969 the track was then sold by GRA and the track's demise caused much upset. It eventually closed for the final time on 1 January 1974.
References
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