The Mount (stadium)
Encyclopedia
The Mount was a football stadium
in Catford
, (not to be confused with Catford Stadium
). The stadium was located in the south west corner of Mountsfield Park where football was played as early as the mid 19th century. Catford South End F.C. (founded before 1914) eventually developed the land into a proper stadium with terracing. The Mount was unusual as it was elevated above the surrounding area and thus that may be a possibility for its name.
The Mount was the polar opposite to The Valley, which was a sunken ground that was originally a chalk pit. The Mount was a more modest stadium, holding roughly 50,000 compared to The Valley's 75,000, and had an appearance like a fort owing to concrete pylons having to be raised to support the terraces which were erected on sloping ground (down hill). Despite being the largest ground in the world at the time apart from the newly completed Wembley Stadium, Charlton Athletic F.C.
decided to move to The Mount for the 1923-24 season as they failed to fill The Valley with supporters. The Addicks also changed their kit colour to dark and light blue (the same as Catford South End) sparking rumours of a merger. The move to The Mount and the construction works to improve the terracing were almost entirely funded by Harry Isaacs, owner of The Dartmouth Arms in Laleham Road adjacent to the park, who was a passionate racing and football fan and son of Sam Isaacs, founder of the UK's first table service Fish & Chip Restaurant chain. The 1923-24 season was one of the wettest on record and being far from their fan base in Charlton
it meant that attendances were very poor throughout the season. Added to this, the concrete pylons supporting the stands began to slide into the mud taking a bankrupt Harry Isaacs with them, and The Addicks back to The Valley the next season.
Catford South End remained a modest local team who eventually fell into obscurity. The stadium proved too big for them and so they also decamped. The Mount thus became vacant and fell into disrepair and, by the 1950s, had been completely demolished. The land still remains as a grassed area within Mountsfield Park.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Catford
Catford
Catford is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Architecture:...
, (not to be confused with Catford Stadium
Catford Stadium
Catford Stadium was a historic greyhound track in Catford, a suburb of London. It was open between 1932 and 2003, when it was closed by its commercial operator Wembley . The local amateur side, Catford Wanderers, were mooted to move into the stadium, though this dream was never realised...
). The stadium was located in the south west corner of Mountsfield Park where football was played as early as the mid 19th century. Catford South End F.C. (founded before 1914) eventually developed the land into a proper stadium with terracing. The Mount was unusual as it was elevated above the surrounding area and thus that may be a possibility for its name.
The Mount was the polar opposite to The Valley, which was a sunken ground that was originally a chalk pit. The Mount was a more modest stadium, holding roughly 50,000 compared to The Valley's 75,000, and had an appearance like a fort owing to concrete pylons having to be raised to support the terraces which were erected on sloping ground (down hill). Despite being the largest ground in the world at the time apart from the newly completed Wembley Stadium, Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
decided to move to The Mount for the 1923-24 season as they failed to fill The Valley with supporters. The Addicks also changed their kit colour to dark and light blue (the same as Catford South End) sparking rumours of a merger. The move to The Mount and the construction works to improve the terracing were almost entirely funded by Harry Isaacs, owner of The Dartmouth Arms in Laleham Road adjacent to the park, who was a passionate racing and football fan and son of Sam Isaacs, founder of the UK's first table service Fish & Chip Restaurant chain. The 1923-24 season was one of the wettest on record and being far from their fan base in Charlton
Charlton, London
Charlton is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Greenwich. It is located east-southeast of Charing Cross. Charlton next Woolwich was an ancient parish in the county of Kent, which became part of the metropolitan area of London in 1855. It is home to Charlton...
it meant that attendances were very poor throughout the season. Added to this, the concrete pylons supporting the stands began to slide into the mud taking a bankrupt Harry Isaacs with them, and The Addicks back to The Valley the next season.
Catford South End remained a modest local team who eventually fell into obscurity. The stadium proved too big for them and so they also decamped. The Mount thus became vacant and fell into disrepair and, by the 1950s, had been completely demolished. The land still remains as a grassed area within Mountsfield Park.