Visiting ex-league clubs grounds

[Scottish]

Q Douglas Gillman asks: “One of the things I’ve always wanted to do was find out more about the defunct clubs of Scottish football and visit the locations where their grounds used to be.

Prompted by an article in 4-4-2 magazine last month about old football stadiums it's a quest I'd love to go on but I wonder how do-able it is. For example, Cathkin Park still exists in some shape or form, but as far as you know are there any remnants of the grounds of the clubs you mention in the last chapter of “ROAR of the Crowd’?

A Cathkin, as you say, is still visible but some grounds are better than that. There are still some in existence where you can actually watch a match in either the junior or senior non-league ranks and one former club’s ground is actually in the SPL. Dundee Wanderers’ Clepington Park is now Tannadice, Beith’s Bellsdale Park still echoes to the traditional Ayrshire juniors sound of boot on head and Arthurlie’s Dunterlie Park is only a decent free kick away from Barrhead station. City Park in Edinburgh is currently used by Spartans in the East of Scotland League.

There are others which no longer exist but where the location is identifiable. Leith Athletic’s Logie Green is now a supermarket and Galston’s Portland Park forms part of a by-pass. Then there are those where the precise location is unknown like Helensburgh’s Ardencaple Park and Thistle’s Braehead Park.

There are too many grounds to offer a detailed history here but for a comprehensive list of former grounds and what became of them (including former grounds of current SPL & SFL clubs) see Paul & Shirley Smith’s ‘The Ultimate Directory of English and Scottish Football League Grounds 1888-2005’

[the hibLOG]

You might also find this foruminteresting if you're not already aware of it. Attached to the www.scottishgroundguide.co.uk site, which has a page on 'lost' grounds and old stands, but nothing much has been added to it. The forum appears to have a large thread about lost grounds though.

[BMCCOLL]

I've gone thru a number of postings on the forum and came across this link to a site that has views of some old Scottish grounds:

Marine Gardens (Leith)
Royal Gymnasium (St Bernards)
Clydeholm Park (Clydebank)
Beresford Park (Ayr Parkhouse & Ayr United)
Firhill
Ibrox

http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/RFC51/?

[deegee]

Thanks very much for the links guys!

Doug (Gillman)

[Burnie_man]

What about grounds of former Junior clubs? Shawfield's still exists near Polmadie Road, only because its contaminated and cant be re-developed.

[Scottish]

its contaminated and cant be re-developed.

Didn't stop them from going ahead at Ibrox and Parkhead.

[LEATHERSTOCKING]

Ah, Ibrox & Parkhead are on contaminated land, eh? Well that answers a lot of questions.

[Rob]

I've gone thru a number of postings on the forum and came across this link to a site that has views of some old Scottish grounds:

Marine Gardens (Leith)
Royal Gymnasium (St Bernards)
Clydeholm Park (Clydebank)
Beresford Park (Ayr Parkhouse & Ayr United)
Firhill
Ibrox

http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m171/RFC51/?

I have just joined the board and was looking through some of the threads and came across this post. Its a very small world. Thats my photobucket account. But you are all more than welcome to use what you like. If anyone has some pics of old grounds please let me know.