Lesser Hampden
Encyclopedia
Lesser Hampden is a football stadium in Glasgow
, Scotland, which is located immediately beside the western end of Hampden Park
.
In 1923, Queen's Park
were looking for a venue for their other teams other than the main stadium
. The club purchased a farm
to the west of Hampden Park and built a pitch and stands.
When it opened in 1924, Lesser Hampden had a capacity of 12,000. To save money, the original farmhouse was retained and was converted into a pavilion
and dressing room. This farmhouse, which dates back to the 19th century is believed by many football historians to be the oldest football building in the world.
During World War II
, Lesser Hampden was commandeered by the British Government to serve as a base for the Home Guard
. The ground was returned to the football club at the end of the war in 1945. There had been proposals to convert the site back to agriculture if there were food shortages.
During the 1970s, several Queen's Park first team games were played at the stadium. During the redevelopment of the main stadium in the 1990s, the club played Scottish Football League
matches at the ground.
In 2002, it was discovered that Lesser Hampden was tainted with chromium
. This was cleaned up at a cost of around £40,000. The ground served as a staging area for pre-game tailgate parties
hosted by the Scottish Claymores
American Football
side when they played at Hampden Park.
The stadium is now hemmed in by housing and commercial development. It has some areas of terracing, floodlights and a small covered grandstand adjacent to the farmhouse.
Lesser Hampden now has a 3rd generation astro-grass pitch, where the youth teams play and train.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland, which is located immediately beside the western end of Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
.
In 1923, Queen's Park
Queen's Park F.C.
Queen's Park Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland. The club are currently the only amateur club in the Scottish League; their amateur status is reflected by their motto, Ludere Causa Ludendi – to play for the sake of playing.Queen's Park are the oldest...
were looking for a venue for their other teams other than the main stadium
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
. The club purchased a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
to the west of Hampden Park and built a pitch and stands.
When it opened in 1924, Lesser Hampden had a capacity of 12,000. To save money, the original farmhouse was retained and was converted into a pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
and dressing room. This farmhouse, which dates back to the 19th century is believed by many football historians to be the oldest football building in the world.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Lesser Hampden was commandeered by the British Government to serve as a base for the Home Guard
British Home Guard
The Home Guard was a defence organisation of the British Army during the Second World War...
. The ground was returned to the football club at the end of the war in 1945. There had been proposals to convert the site back to agriculture if there were food shortages.
During the 1970s, several Queen's Park first team games were played at the stadium. During the redevelopment of the main stadium in the 1990s, the club played Scottish Football League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
matches at the ground.
In 2002, it was discovered that Lesser Hampden was tainted with chromium
Chromium
Chromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable...
. This was cleaned up at a cost of around £40,000. The ground served as a staging area for pre-game tailgate parties
Tailgate party
In the United States, a tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating often involves consuming alcoholic beverages and grilling food. Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games and...
hosted by the Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
American Football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
side when they played at Hampden Park.
The stadium is now hemmed in by housing and commercial development. It has some areas of terracing, floodlights and a small covered grandstand adjacent to the farmhouse.
Lesser Hampden now has a 3rd generation astro-grass pitch, where the youth teams play and train.