Key facts
| Address | Victoria Ground, Boothan Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4EG |
| Capacity | 22,500 seats |
| Build Date | 1878 |
| Demolished | 1997 |
| Record Attendance | 51,380 |
Description
The Victoria Ground, also referred to as Boothan Road, used to be a stadium located in Stoke-on-Trent, the UK. It was the permanent home for Stoke City from 1878 to 1997, when the club moved to the Britannia Stadium. The highest attendance was 51,380 during a match between Arsenal and Stoke City that took place in 1937.
Stoke City started to use the ground in 1878, and their first match was against Talke Rangers. The ground was named after Victoria Hotel located nearby. At each end of the ground, there was an open grass bank as well as a small wooden stand on the each of the sides that could host 1,000 people. On the opposite side of the stand, there used to be another bank with the capacity of 4,000 people.
The ground remained unchanged for around 30 years. The football team that was dropped out of the league in 1908 was able to return in 1919, which resulted in the needed to improve the stadium. That is why there were constructed two large grandstands as well as a wooden one with the capacity of 1,000 fans. There were changing rooms and a stove.
In 1935, the Butler Street Stand was constructed with 5,000 seats. There was a small paddock located in front of the seats as well as capacity for another 2,000 people. During WWII, the stand was used for military needs.
Another new stand was constructed in 1960. In the 1960s, more improvements were made, which allowed the ground to remain in good condition up to 1976.
The last final improvements to the stadium took place in the 1980s. The Stanley Matthews suite was opened along with new offices and shops. Due to the Taylor Report, the club was forced to make certain changes to the ground for safety reasons, but they decided to build a new ground instead. Stoke left the stadium in 1997 after using it for 119 years.
FAQ
Victoria Ground was opened in 1878 and served as the home of Stoke City Football Club for 119 years until 1997. It was one of the oldest football grounds in England before its closure.
The stadium was named Victoria Ground in honor of Queen Victoria, who was the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom at the time of its opening.
At its peak, Victoria Ground could accommodate around 56,000 spectators. However, in its later years, the capacity was reduced to about 22,500 due to safety regulations and modernization requirements.
One of the most notable features of Victoria Ground was the Boothen End, a large terrace that was famous for its atmosphere. It was known for housing the most vocal Stoke City supporters and played a significant role in the stadium’s reputation for having an intimidating atmosphere for visiting teams.
After Stoke City FC moved to the Britannia Stadium (now known as bet365 Stadium) in 1997, Victoria Ground was left abandoned for several years. It was eventually demolished in 1997, and the site was later redeveloped for housing.
