Key facts
| Address | City Stadium, Filbert Street, Leicester |
| Capacity | 21,500 seats |
| Build Date | 1891 |
| Demolished | 2002 |
| Record Attendance | 47,298 |
Description
Filbert Street (also referred to as ‘Filbo’) used to be a football stadium located in Leicester, the UK. It was the home of Leicester City F.C. from 1891 to 2002. After using the ground for 111 years, the football club moved to the King Power Stadium that provided the capacity of 32,000 seats.
The ground had four stands, with only one of them to be a modern facility, allowing 9500 people to watch football games. It was known as ‘The Carling Stand,’ and it was constructed during 1993-1994 for more than 5 million pounds. It was only used for 9 years before the demolishment.
The South Stand included two stands, and that is why it was also referred to as ‘Double Decker.’ The highest attendance at the ground was 47,298 people noted in 1928 during the fifth Round of FA Cup. There were so many people who wanted to watch the match that lots of them just had to walk around the ground, and some of the people were even watching the game from a roof.
In 1971, Leicester City purchased an inflatable sheet, which was later called the ‘Filbert Street Tent,’ to cover the pitch to protect the ground during freezing weather. The tent was big and high enough to allow players to train during any weather conditions.
In the spring of 2002, the stadium was sold for 3.75 million pounds to a development company. The last game played at the ground ended with the victory of Leicester City F.C. against Tottenham Hotspur.
The demolition of the stadium began in one year after the sale agreement was signed. The former stadium is now used as accommodation for students of a local university.
Away fans
The East stand was dedicated to away fans.
How to get to Filbert Street
If you are traveling by driving from the Midlands, you need to take the M69, and at the end of the motorway, you need to take the A5460 leading to the center of Leicester city. After you reach a railway bridge, drive for about 200 yards and then turn right to Upperton Road. Turn right again to Filbert Street.
Pubs
There are plenty of bars and pubs around Filbert Street. ‘The Hind’ was a perfect place for away fans.
FAQ
Filbert Street stadium was opened in 1891. It served as the home ground for Leicester City Football Club for over 100 years until 2002.
The stadium was named after the street on which it was located – Filbert Street in Leicester.
At its peak, Filbert Street had a capacity of approximately 47,000 spectators. However, this was reduced over the years due to safety regulations and modernization. By the time it closed, the capacity was around 22,000.
The Main Stand, built in 1921, was arguably the most notable structure at Filbert Street. It was designed by renowned football architect Archibald Leitch, who was responsible for many iconic British football grounds.
After Leicester City FC moved to their new stadium (now known as King Power Stadium) in 2002, Filbert Street was demolished. The site was later redeveloped for residential use, with apartment buildings now occupying the former stadium grounds.
Filbert Street hosted numerous memorable matches throughout its history. One of the most famous was Leicester City’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the 1961 FA Cup final replay. This match was significant as it was the first time an FA Cup final replay was played at a neutral ground other than Wembley Stadium.
