Martinho II , https://www.footballgroundguide.com is well worth a visit. Information on pretty much every stadium. They have an app too for smartphones. It would be a good read while cocooning
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After a series of delays (Covid etc), the Welders finally moved into their new stadium at Blanchflower Park last month (right by their former Tillysburn ground).
Must say it looks good, in keeping with their Irish Premiership ambitions (cuurently in the Championship/2nd tier):
EDIT: Can't seem to embed the (3 minute) video, so need to click on the above link, but this pic taken from the main stand below gives an idea:
All they need now are a few more fans!
Last edited by EalingGreen; 09/11/2021, 5:45 PM.Comment
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Wow, nice little ground, how was it funded?Comment
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I don't actually know. I'm pretty sure Blanchflower Park is Council owned, so they may have helped.
Also they might have had a lease on, or even owned outright (less likely), their previous ground which they could have sold? (I'm guessing here).
What I do know is that while they have never had any real connection with H&W (they just happened to be established by a group of workers independently of the coompany), they have a thriving Social Club which operates 7 days a week and (presumably) produces a good income for the football club each season.
See club link: https://weldersfc.co.uk/social-clubComment
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Would be interesting to know how much that John Davidson stand cost to build. It's nice, although a bit oddly positioned. I'm guessing if a club where to build similar as a main stand that ran the length of the pitch it would hold 1,100 - 1,200 or so.Comment
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It is oddly positioned, as you say.
But looking at the site on Google Earth, which also has still photos taken during construction, it seems that two sides of the ground were unavailble/unsuitable, since one end was hemmed in by trees (therefore no access), while one side backed onto another pitch, which BCC won't have wanted to lose.
Meanwhile, someone asked about the funding - one of the stands has a sign sayhing it was supported by 'Sport NI' (Sports Council).Comment
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Crusaders have received planning permission from Belfast City Council for a new main stand at Seaview:
(Computer generated image)
"Plans include a new 1352 seat stand, changing facilities, spectator deck and an upgrade of existing floodlighting.
There will also be community facilities, new turnstiles and car parking."
And from another angle:
"Meanwhile, in a separate development, the club has submitted a planning application for a new centre of excellence at Three Mile Water in Newtownabbey, County Antrim.
Crusaders say the scheme comprises two full-sized 3G pitches, small sided games pitches, multi-use games areas, a changing pavilion and limited spectator facilities."
Which just leaves the small matter of getting those chancers at Stormont to get their finger out of their hole and finally release the £36m stadium funding which has been promised to the game in NI for over a decade.
Ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2125?Last edited by EalingGreen; 21/02/2022, 11:18 PM.Comment
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Current Seaview main stand holds 850 so a decent expansion and much needed upgradeComment
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Ealing Green,
Just a quick note to say that I finally got around to visiting the Oval last Sunday. A brilliant day, and actually being present confirmed what I thought from afar, the ground is absolutely iconic.
Gates were open so took a walk around, then by chance bumped into your S&C coach Sammy - a thorough gent - and when he heard I'd come from Dublin just to see the ground he gave me the full tour. Spent the guts of an hour chatting about Irish football. Absolutely class experience.
Best of luck in the play-off.If I question Liam Scales ability to play intl football, refer me to this signature & his peformance at home at lb vs Port on Nov 13 2025.
Signed
Kingdom.Comment
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They do official groundhopper tours by arrangement, so it was good that you met Sammy on the day for your visit:
It's easy to take The Oval for granted, I suppose, but "iconic" seems to be the word - see eg my earlier post #14, or this English Groundhopper guide:
"There are groundhoppers all over the world and everyone has their own favourite team or stadium to visit. But we can say without any doubt The Oval in Belfast, Northern Ireland can be considered to be somewhat of the holy grail in the world of groundhoppers. After years of dreaming, we finally made it to the city of Belfast to visit The Oval and witness a game of the glorious Glentoran FC."
I don't get back to it myself these days, but I'll make sure to make a trip before they finally knock it down. Which will be around half a century from my first trip, to see the Glens play Juve in a European Cup tie under lights, in a crowd of 25k. (I say "25k", but that was the Official figure - fans who knew the place better than I did reckoned that that was a few thousand light!)
And of course it has its own video from your man Sam North from Footy Adventures:
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Aussie video of NI grounds following - the LOI equivalent was posted elsewhere on this forum a while back:
He's not so enamoured of The Oval as some other reporters, sniff, sniff...
(Dunno why the video doesn't embed?)
Last edited by EalingGreen; 11/06/2023, 6:01 PM.Comment
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