Turf Moor
Encyclopedia
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley
, Lancashire
. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club
, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts
Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of 22,546, all seated. It is one of the last remaining stadiums in England to have the players' tunnel and dressing rooms behind one of the goals. The ground originally consisted of just a pitch and the first grandstand was not built until 1885. Six years after this, the "Star" stand was erected and terracing was later added to the ends of the ground. After the Second World War, the stadium was redeveloped with all four stands being rebuilt. During the 1990s, the ground underwent further refurbishment when the Longside and Bee Hole End terraces were replaced by all-seater stands. Currently, the four stands at Turf Moor are the James Hargreaves Stand, the Jimmy McIlroy Stand, the Bob Lord Stand and the Cricket Field Stand.
Burnley played their first match at the ground on 17 February 1883, losing 3–6 to local side Rawtenstall
. When Prince Albert Victor opened a new hospital in Burnley in 1886, Turf Moor became the first football ground to be visited by a member of the British Royal Family
. The first Football League match at the ground took place on 6 October 1888, with Fred Poland
scoring the first competitive goal at the stadium. The record attendance at Turf Moor was set in 1924 when 54,755 people attended an FA Cup
tie between Burnley and Huddersfield Town
. In the same year, Turf Moor hosted its only FA Cup semi-final to date. In 1927, the stadium was the venue of an international match between England
and Wales
. Since then, the ground has been used to host matches in the European Under-19 Championship
and European Under-21 Championship
fixtures.
In 2007, plans for expansion of Turf Moor were released to the public. The Burnley directors proposed a major development of the stadium, costing £20 million. The plans, which would incorporate the rebuilding of the Cricket Field Stand and the moving of the players' entrance tunnel, have been put on hold until the current financial climate improves. In 2009, following Burnley's promotion to the Premier League, the development of a second tier on the Bob Lord stand was announced. Director Paul Fletcher
stated that the anticipated capacity of Turf Moor would eventually be 28,000 to cope with extra fans.
Sport was first played at the Turf Moor site in 1833, when Burnley Cricket Club
was founded and made the ground their home. Horse racing also took place at the site in 1840. In 1883, the cricket club invited Burnley Football Club
, which had been formed in 1882, to move from their original home at Calder Vale to a football pitch adjacent to the cricket field. The first football match at Turf Moor took place on 17 February 1883, when Burnley were defeated 3–6 by Rawtenstall. Attendances at Turf Moor during the early years averaged at around 2,000, although a crowd of 12,000 descended on the stadium on 29 March 1884 to see Burnley lose 2–4 to local rivals Padiham
. For the first two years, spectators were forced to congregate around the pitch, so in 1885 the club built an 800-seater wooden grandstand
along the Brunshaw Road side (the south side) of the ground and installed terracing for 5,000 people at the ends of the pitch. The following year, Turf Moor became the first senior football ground to be visited by a member of the British Royal Family
when Prince Albert Victor saw Burnley defeated 3–4 by Bolton Wanderers
on 13 October 1886, while visiting the town to open a new hospital.
Turf Moor hosted its first Football League match on 6 October 1888, when Burnley won 4–1 against Bolton Wanderers. Five minutes into the game, Burnley centre forward Fred Poland
scored the first ever league goal at the ground. In 1891 the Burnley Union Star Football Club disbanded, abandoning their Rakehead ground, which was complete with its own grandstand. Burnley bought the stand and moved it to Turf Moor. It became known as the "Star" stand and was erected on the site of the current James Hargreaves Stand, on the north side of the ground. In March of the same year, Turf Moor hosted its first floodlit
football match. Sixteen creosote
-fuelled lamps were placed at regular intervals along the sides of the pitch, and spectators reported that while the edges of the field were sufficiently lit, there was a dark area in the centre. Burnley won the match, beating Nelson
4–2 in front of a crowd of 3,000 people.
On 26 March 1898, Turf Moor saw a crowd of over 20,000 for the first time for Burnley's FA Cup
Third Round tie against Everton
. The "Star" stand was demolished in 1898 and replaced by a new, larger stand, although it was still referred to as the "Stars" stand. Five years later, a second tier was built on the Brunshaw Road stand to accommodate club offices and in September 1903, Turf Moor was able to host the club's annual general meeting
for the first time. In March 1909 the "Star" stand was extended, with new turnstiles and barricades erected in preparation for the FA Cup Quarter Final against reigning league champions Manchester United
. In the spring of 1911, plans were unveiled for the rebuilding of the Brunshaw Road stand, with former Burnley forward Arthur Bell
the architect for the project. A strike amongst railway workers delayed the deliveries of steelwork for the new roof but spectators were still able to use the stand in time for Burnley's first home league game of the 1911–12 season. However, work on the dressing rooms had not been completed, and players from both teams were forced to change in the adjoining cricket pavilion. The newly erected Brunshaw Road stand cost the club £5,000 (£ as of ) and could accommodate over 5,500 spectators, including 2,200 seated places, increasing the capacity of Turf Moor to just under 41,000.
In 1913 the Burnley directors decided to demolish the "Star" stand for a second time, just 15 years after it had been rebuilt. In the same year, the Brunshaw Road stand was further extended to run the whole length of the pitch and in 1914 a roof was constructed to cover the terracing at the Cricket Field end, thus increasing the capacity of the ground to almost 50,000. In 1922, Turf Moor hosted its only FA Cup Semi Final; a crowd of over 46,000 turned out to see Huddersfield Town
achieve a 3–1 victory over Notts County
. On 23 February 1924, a crowd of over 50,000 saw Burnley secure a 1–0 win over Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup Third Round. The attendance was later confirmed to be 54,775, which is still a record for Burnley. In 1927, Turf Moor hosted its only international fixture when England
played Wales
. England lost the match 2–1, with Burnley captain Jack Hill
scoring an own goal
to give Wales the win. In 1932, the Burnley Supporters' Club raised funds to install a hut and scoreboard at the Bee Hole End of the ground. Six years later, plans were announced to build a new covered terrace on the site of the old "Stars" stand, but these plans were delayed by the outbreak of the Second World War.
The plans came to fruition after the war, and the Longside was completed in 1954. The club spent £20,000 (£ as of ) on the roof alone and the terrace was built using help from players in the Burnley youth team. Three years later, the club also installed permanent floodlights at Turf Moor. The lights were first used on 16 December 1957, when Burnley hosted rivals Blackburn Rovers
in a friendly. On 16 November 1960, the stadium was the venue of Burnley's first ever match in the European Cup. Jimmy Robson
and Jimmy McIlroy
both scored early in the first half as Burnley recorded a 2–0 victory over Stade de Reims. In 1969, a new, bigger stand was built at a cost of £180,000 (£ as of ) at the Cricket Field End that incorporated changing rooms and a players' tunnel, which had previously been a part of the Brunshaw Road stand. Under-seat heating was installed in the Cricket Field End, but after the first time it was used, chairman Bob Lord deemed it uneconomical and expensive, and it was never again switched on.
Redevelopment continued at Turf Moor and later in the 1960s, the Bee Hole End terrace was constructed. It had a capacity of over 7,000 and despite having no roof, it was very popular among supporters. In 1974, Bob Lord hired Cambridge Soil Services to relay the Turf Moor pitch, and the work also incorporated new drainage technology and under-soil heating. The pitch was raised and the slope that been ever-present since the club had arrived at Turf Moor was removed. He then replaced the Brunshaw Road Stand with a new all-seater stand named after himself, which was opened in 1974 by then-prime minister
Edward Heath
. The stand held 2,800 supporters, cost £480,000 (£ as of ) and contained the board room and a number of luxurious seats for Burnley's and visiting clubs' directors. In 1975, the floodlights that had been installed in 1957 were replaced. On 13 May 1983, Turf Moor was chosen to host a match between Czechoslovakia
and West Germany during the 1983 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
.
A tragedy occurred at the stadium in March 1992 when 17-year-old apprentice footballer Ben Lee was killed in a fall from the roof of the Longside Stand, when trying to retrieve a football.
Following the installation of the floodlights, Turf Moor did not undergo any further changes until the mid-1990s. After the Taylor Report
had stated that all grounds must become all-seater stadia, the Longside's and Bee Hole End's days were numbered, and in December 1994 the club announced the redevelopment of the two standing areas. In 1995, Lincolnshire-based company Linpave were contracted to build two new stands at Turf Moor. In June 1995, Turf Moor hosted a match between England U21
and Latvia U21
in the qualifying campaign for the 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
. On 16 September 1995, the last ever match was played in front of the historic Longside when Burnley won 2–1 against Hull City
in a Second Division
fixture. The Longside, which had housed both home and away supporters, was subsequently demolished and the James Hargreaves Stand, for home fans only, was built in its place. The new stand opened on 23 April 1996 for the visit of Bristol Rovers
. The following day, demolition of the Bee Hole End started, with work on the two stands finally completed in September 1996 at a total cost of £5.3 million (£ as of ), taking the capacity of the stadium to 22,619. The new stand was named the Jimmy McIlroy
Stand, in honour of the former Burnley forward and Northern Ireland
international.
Turf Moor saw its first international women's match on 4 September 2003 when England achieved a 1–0 victory over Australia
. Two years later, England U20
drew 2–2 with Netherlands U20, with former Burnley midfielder Richard Chaplow
captaining the England side. On 25 May 2007, Turf Moor hosted a friendly
international between England B
and Albania
. Although the game was not officially recognised as a full international, a number of England first-team players played in the game. In October 2007, a Barco
video wall was installed in the Cricket Field End, which at the time accommodated visiting supporters. At the start of the 2009–10 season, a new PA system was installed and the big screen was moved to allow home fans to sit in the Cricket Field Stand for the club's inaugural season in the Premier League.
The largest stand at Turf Moor is the James Hargreaves Stand, which was opened in 1996 as part of a ground redevelopment project which saw two new stands built to replace the Longside and the Bee Hole End at a total cost of £5.3 million. When built it was named the North Stand, although it has its current name thanks to a six-figure sponsorship deal. The stand can accommodate 8,154 spectators and was opened on 23 April 1996, replacing the Longside terrace. It runs parallel to the length of the pitch. The television gantry is located in the James Hargreaves Stand along with the media area, which is situated at the rear of the upper tier. The stand is the traditional seating area of the Suicide Squad
, who had previously stood in the Longside until the terrace was demolished in 1995. In the space between the upper and lower tiers of the James Hargreaves Stand there is a corporate area, which apart from being used for matchday hospitality is used for functions and events. Both the suite and the home dressing room, is licensed to hold civil marriage
services.
The Jimmy McIlroy Stand is situated at the eastern side of the pitch and has a current capacity of 6,280. The upper tier of the stand is the designated family area at Turf Moor and like the James Hargreaves Stand, it has a number of corporate hospitality boxes. The Bob Lord Stand, which has a capacity of just under 4,000 fans, runs parallel with Harry Potts Way and houses the executive lounges as well as the Burnley Football Club trophy room. The stand was built in 1974 and was paid for in part by the sale of Martin Dobson
to Everton
. Named after Bob Lord, the former chairman of Burnley, the stand cost £480,000 was opened by Edward Heath
, the Conservative Party
leader at the time, a Burnley supporter, who had just been defeated
as prime minister by Labour's
Harold Wilson
.
The Cricket Field Stand, also known as the David Fishwick Stand for sponsorship reasons, is the oldest current stand at Turf Moor. It was constructed in 1969 and backs onto the clubhouse and pavilion of Burnley Cricket Club. It contains both teams' dressing rooms as well as the officials' lounge and the tunnel leading to the pitch. Turf Moor is one of the few remaining football grounds in England to have the changing facilities behind the goals. The stand was made available to home supporters for Burnley's first Premier League season in 2009–10, having previously been the away section of the stadium.
In the corner of the ground between the James Hargreaves Stand and Jimmy McIlroy Stand there is a 36m² Barco
video wall, which was previously situated in the Cricket Field Stand between 2007 and 2009. In the car park behind the James Hargreaves Stand is Stadium Fitness, which includes a gymnasium, table-tennis facilities and a large sports hall.Outside the ground, between the Jimmy McIlroy and Bob Lord stands is the Burnley club shop, otherwise known as the Clarets Superstore. Some of The club's offices are sited above the store.
in nearby Padiham
. The plans were detailed in six phases. In the first phase it was planned to move the changing rooms to the corner between the James Hargreaves Stand and the Jimmy McIlroy Stand. The second phase included the demolition of the Cricket Field Stand a new stand to be built at that end of the ground that would incorporate a hotel, a restaruant and a newly constructed cricket pavilion, and would be able to accommodate 2,500 fans. The redevelopments also included the construction of a multi-storey car park adjacent to the stadium. Other planned improvements include a new club superstore and other retail outlets, and new business offices on the site of the current club shop. Revealed in the fifth phase was a transformation of the Bob Lord Stand, which will eventually house a multi-screen cinema. The development of a second tier on the Bob Lord stand was later revealed by Burnley chief executive Paul Fletcher
, taking the anticipated capacity of Turf Moor to 28,000 spectators.
Work on the stadium was expected to start in late 2007 and finish in time for the 2010 season. Planning permission for the first stage of developments was granted on 7 April 2008 and work on the new players' block was planned to commence in the summer of 2008. It was decided to not start building until permission had been received for all phases of the development including the rebuilding of the Cricket Field Stand. In October 2008, the project was put on hold by the club as a result of the global economic crisis restricting available funds. Revised plans were revealed in November 2009, with further announcements expected in early 2010. However further developments may be further delayed due to the clubs relegation from the Barclays Premier League.
In September 2011 Burnley Football Club will open the UK's first ever Football University at Turf Moor. The university will teach up too 100 students per year about the business side of football. Seminar rooms have been added to the Jimmy McIllroy stand for lectures and classes.
town centre. The stadium has two car parks of its own, and there are also a number of parking facilities in the surrounding area. The nearest railway station to Turf Moor is Burnley Manchester Road
, which is a short walk away from the ground. The stadium is also accessible from Burnley Central station
on the East Lancashire Line
, although it is a further walk. There are also a number of bus
services in the area, and Turf Moor is situated very close to Burnley Bus Station.
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts
Harry Potts
Harold "Harry" Potts was an English football player and manager.-Early life:Born in Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham, as was another well-known name in football, Bob Paisley. The duo spent much of their childhood playing various sports, but it was football that Potts loved most...
Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of 22,546, all seated. It is one of the last remaining stadiums in England to have the players' tunnel and dressing rooms behind one of the goals. The ground originally consisted of just a pitch and the first grandstand was not built until 1885. Six years after this, the "Star" stand was erected and terracing was later added to the ends of the ground. After the Second World War, the stadium was redeveloped with all four stands being rebuilt. During the 1990s, the ground underwent further refurbishment when the Longside and Bee Hole End terraces were replaced by all-seater stands. Currently, the four stands at Turf Moor are the James Hargreaves Stand, the Jimmy McIlroy Stand, the Bob Lord Stand and the Cricket Field Stand.
Burnley played their first match at the ground on 17 February 1883, losing 3–6 to local side Rawtenstall
Rawtenstall Athletic F.C.
Rawtenstall F.C., was an English football club based in Rawtenstall, Lancashire. They were nicknamed The Cobblers after the town's shoe-making industry.The club was founded in 1893 as Rawtenstall F.C...
. When Prince Albert Victor opened a new hospital in Burnley in 1886, Turf Moor became the first football ground to be visited by a member of the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
. The first Football League match at the ground took place on 6 October 1888, with Fred Poland
Fred Poland
Fred Poland was a professional association footballer who played as a centre forward. He was signed by Burnley in April 1888 from Dundee Harp. He played nine matches and scored five goals in the Football League for Burnley before emigrating in November 1888....
scoring the first competitive goal at the stadium. The record attendance at Turf Moor was set in 1924 when 54,755 people attended an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
tie between Burnley and Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
. In the same year, Turf Moor hosted its only FA Cup semi-final to date. In 1927, the stadium was the venue of an international match between England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. Since then, the ground has been used to host matches in the European Under-19 Championship
UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The European Under 19 Football Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. The competition has been held since 1948. It was originally called the FIFA junior tournament, until it was taken over by UEFA in 1955...
and European Under-21 Championship
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
fixtures.
In 2007, plans for expansion of Turf Moor were released to the public. The Burnley directors proposed a major development of the stadium, costing £20 million. The plans, which would incorporate the rebuilding of the Cricket Field Stand and the moving of the players' entrance tunnel, have been put on hold until the current financial climate improves. In 2009, following Burnley's promotion to the Premier League, the development of a second tier on the Bob Lord stand was announced. Director Paul Fletcher
Paul Fletcher (footballer)
Paul John Fletcher, MBE is a retired English professional footballer who played as a striker. He was formerly the chief executive of Burnley.In 2006 Fletcher was awarded an MBE for his services to football and to charity....
stated that the anticipated capacity of Turf Moor would eventually be 28,000 to cope with extra fans.
History
Burnley Cricket Club
Burnley Cricket Club, based at Turf Moor in Burnley, Lancashire, is a cricket club in the Lancashire League.The club was a founder member of the Lancashire League in 1892. Its captain for the 2011 season is Steve Brunt and its professional is Imad Wasim...
was founded and made the ground their home. Horse racing also took place at the site in 1840. In 1883, the cricket club invited Burnley Football Club
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, which had been formed in 1882, to move from their original home at Calder Vale to a football pitch adjacent to the cricket field. The first football match at Turf Moor took place on 17 February 1883, when Burnley were defeated 3–6 by Rawtenstall. Attendances at Turf Moor during the early years averaged at around 2,000, although a crowd of 12,000 descended on the stadium on 29 March 1884 to see Burnley lose 2–4 to local rivals Padiham
Padiham F.C.
Padiham Football Club are an English football team based in Padiham, Lancashire. As of 2011–12, they play in the Premier Division of the North West Counties League.-History:...
. For the first two years, spectators were forced to congregate around the pitch, so in 1885 the club built an 800-seater wooden grandstand
Grandstand
A grandstand is a large and normally permanent structure for seating spectators, most often at a racetrack. This includes both auto racing and horse racing. The grandstand is in essence like a single section of a stadium, but differs from a stadium in that it does not wrap all or most of the way...
along the Brunshaw Road side (the south side) of the ground and installed terracing for 5,000 people at the ends of the pitch. The following year, Turf Moor became the first senior football ground to be visited by a member of the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
when Prince Albert Victor saw Burnley defeated 3–4 by Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
on 13 October 1886, while visiting the town to open a new hospital.
Fred Poland
Fred Poland was a professional association footballer who played as a centre forward. He was signed by Burnley in April 1888 from Dundee Harp. He played nine matches and scored five goals in the Football League for Burnley before emigrating in November 1888....
scored the first ever league goal at the ground. In 1891 the Burnley Union Star Football Club disbanded, abandoning their Rakehead ground, which was complete with its own grandstand. Burnley bought the stand and moved it to Turf Moor. It became known as the "Star" stand and was erected on the site of the current James Hargreaves Stand, on the north side of the ground. In March of the same year, Turf Moor hosted its first floodlit
Floodlights (sport)
Floodlights are broad-beamed, high-intensity artificial lights often used to illuminate outdoor playing fields while an outdoor sports event is being held during low-light conditions....
football match. Sixteen creosote
Creosote
Creosote is the portion of chemical products obtained by the distillation of a tar that remains heavier than water, notably useful for its anti-septic and preservative properties...
-fuelled lamps were placed at regular intervals along the sides of the pitch, and spectators reported that while the edges of the field were sufficiently lit, there was a dark area in the centre. Burnley won the match, beating Nelson
Nelson F.C.
Nelson F.C. are an English football club, based in Nelson, Lancashire. They are currently members of the North West Counties Football League Division One, who played their home matches at Victoria Park, Lomeshaye Way. They are full members of the Lancashire County Football Association.-Early years:...
4–2 in front of a crowd of 3,000 people.
On 26 March 1898, Turf Moor saw a crowd of over 20,000 for the first time for Burnley's FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Third Round tie against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. The "Star" stand was demolished in 1898 and replaced by a new, larger stand, although it was still referred to as the "Stars" stand. Five years later, a second tier was built on the Brunshaw Road stand to accommodate club offices and in September 1903, Turf Moor was able to host the club's annual general meeting
Annual general meeting
An annual general meeting is a meeting that official bodies, and associations involving the public , are often required by law to hold...
for the first time. In March 1909 the "Star" stand was extended, with new turnstiles and barricades erected in preparation for the FA Cup Quarter Final against reigning league champions Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. In the spring of 1911, plans were unveiled for the rebuilding of the Brunshaw Road stand, with former Burnley forward Arthur Bell
Arthur Bell (footballer)
Arthur A. Bell was an English professional footballer who played as a centre forward for Burnley.-References:...
the architect for the project. A strike amongst railway workers delayed the deliveries of steelwork for the new roof but spectators were still able to use the stand in time for Burnley's first home league game of the 1911–12 season. However, work on the dressing rooms had not been completed, and players from both teams were forced to change in the adjoining cricket pavilion. The newly erected Brunshaw Road stand cost the club £5,000 (£ as of ) and could accommodate over 5,500 spectators, including 2,200 seated places, increasing the capacity of Turf Moor to just under 41,000.
In 1913 the Burnley directors decided to demolish the "Star" stand for a second time, just 15 years after it had been rebuilt. In the same year, the Brunshaw Road stand was further extended to run the whole length of the pitch and in 1914 a roof was constructed to cover the terracing at the Cricket Field end, thus increasing the capacity of the ground to almost 50,000. In 1922, Turf Moor hosted its only FA Cup Semi Final; a crowd of over 46,000 turned out to see Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
achieve a 3–1 victory over Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
. On 23 February 1924, a crowd of over 50,000 saw Burnley secure a 1–0 win over Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup Third Round. The attendance was later confirmed to be 54,775, which is still a record for Burnley. In 1927, Turf Moor hosted its only international fixture when England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
played Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. England lost the match 2–1, with Burnley captain Jack Hill
Jack Hill (footballer)
John "Jack" Henry Hill was an English footballer who played in his club career with various teams, including Burnley and Newcastle United between 1920 and 1934. He made eleven appearances for England, eight as captain...
scoring an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
to give Wales the win. In 1932, the Burnley Supporters' Club raised funds to install a hut and scoreboard at the Bee Hole End of the ground. Six years later, plans were announced to build a new covered terrace on the site of the old "Stars" stand, but these plans were delayed by the outbreak of the Second World War.
The plans came to fruition after the war, and the Longside was completed in 1954. The club spent £20,000 (£ as of ) on the roof alone and the terrace was built using help from players in the Burnley youth team. Three years later, the club also installed permanent floodlights at Turf Moor. The lights were first used on 16 December 1957, when Burnley hosted rivals Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
in a friendly. On 16 November 1960, the stadium was the venue of Burnley's first ever match in the European Cup. Jimmy Robson
Jimmy Robson
James "Jimmy" Robson was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward. He played over 450 matches in the Football League....
and Jimmy McIlroy
Jimmy McIlroy
James "Jimmy" McIlroy MBE is a former football player, regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Burnley Football Club.-At Burnley:...
both scored early in the first half as Burnley recorded a 2–0 victory over Stade de Reims. In 1969, a new, bigger stand was built at a cost of £180,000 (£ as of ) at the Cricket Field End that incorporated changing rooms and a players' tunnel, which had previously been a part of the Brunshaw Road stand. Under-seat heating was installed in the Cricket Field End, but after the first time it was used, chairman Bob Lord deemed it uneconomical and expensive, and it was never again switched on.
Redevelopment continued at Turf Moor and later in the 1960s, the Bee Hole End terrace was constructed. It had a capacity of over 7,000 and despite having no roof, it was very popular among supporters. In 1974, Bob Lord hired Cambridge Soil Services to relay the Turf Moor pitch, and the work also incorporated new drainage technology and under-soil heating. The pitch was raised and the slope that been ever-present since the club had arrived at Turf Moor was removed. He then replaced the Brunshaw Road Stand with a new all-seater stand named after himself, which was opened in 1974 by then-prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
. The stand held 2,800 supporters, cost £480,000 (£ as of ) and contained the board room and a number of luxurious seats for Burnley's and visiting clubs' directors. In 1975, the floodlights that had been installed in 1957 were replaced. On 13 May 1983, Turf Moor was chosen to host a match between Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
and West Germany during the 1983 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The European Under 19 Football Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. The competition has been held since 1948. It was originally called the FIFA junior tournament, until it was taken over by UEFA in 1955...
.
A tragedy occurred at the stadium in March 1992 when 17-year-old apprentice footballer Ben Lee was killed in a fall from the roof of the Longside Stand, when trying to retrieve a football.
Following the installation of the floodlights, Turf Moor did not undergo any further changes until the mid-1990s. After the Taylor Report
Taylor Report
The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster Inquiry report, better known as the Taylor Report is a document, whose development was overseen by Lord Taylor of Gosforth, concerning the aftermath and causes of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989. An interim report was published in August 1989, and the final...
had stated that all grounds must become all-seater stadia, the Longside's and Bee Hole End's days were numbered, and in December 1994 the club announced the redevelopment of the two standing areas. In 1995, Lincolnshire-based company Linpave were contracted to build two new stands at Turf Moor. In June 1995, Turf Moor hosted a match between England U21
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
and Latvia U21
Latvia national under-21 football team
The Latvia national under-21 football team represents the under-21s of Latvia and is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body of football in Latvia. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
in the qualifying campaign for the 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 1996, which spanned two years , had 44 entrants. After the quarter-finals stage, Spain were chosen as the hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total....
. On 16 September 1995, the last ever match was played in front of the historic Longside when Burnley won 2–1 against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
in a Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
fixture. The Longside, which had housed both home and away supporters, was subsequently demolished and the James Hargreaves Stand, for home fans only, was built in its place. The new stand opened on 23 April 1996 for the visit of Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
. The following day, demolition of the Bee Hole End started, with work on the two stands finally completed in September 1996 at a total cost of £5.3 million (£ as of ), taking the capacity of the stadium to 22,619. The new stand was named the Jimmy McIlroy
Jimmy McIlroy
James "Jimmy" McIlroy MBE is a former football player, regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Burnley Football Club.-At Burnley:...
Stand, in honour of the former Burnley forward and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
international.
Turf Moor saw its first international women's match on 4 September 2003 when England achieved a 1–0 victory over Australia
Australia women's national association football team
The Australia women's national association football team, nicknamed the Matildas , represents Australia in international women's association football and is governed by Football Federation Australia . The team has regularly qualified for both the Women's World Cup and the Olympics although has won...
. Two years later, England U20
England national under-20 football team
- Round of 16 :-Friendlies:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup running from 29 July to the 20 August 2011.-Recent call-ups:...
drew 2–2 with Netherlands U20, with former Burnley midfielder Richard Chaplow
Richard Chaplow
Richard David Chaplow is an English professional footballer. He currently plays for Championship club Southampton.-Burnley:...
captaining the England side. On 25 May 2007, Turf Moor hosted a friendly
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
international between England B
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and Albania
Albania national football team
The Albania national association football team is the national association football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania...
. Although the game was not officially recognised as a full international, a number of England first-team players played in the game. In October 2007, a Barco
Barco
Barco N.V. is a display hardware manufacturer specialising in video projectors, LCD projectors, DLP projectors, LCoS projectors, LED displays, video walls, flat panel displays, automated luminaires, digital lighting and lighting controls....
video wall was installed in the Cricket Field End, which at the time accommodated visiting supporters. At the start of the 2009–10 season, a new PA system was installed and the big screen was moved to allow home fans to sit in the Cricket Field Stand for the club's inaugural season in the Premier League.
Structure and facilities
The pitch at Turf Moor is surrounded by four stands, known as the Bob Lord Stand, the Cricket Field Stand, the James Hargreaves Stand and the Jimmy McIlroy stand. The stadium has a total capacity of 22,546, which is one seat for every three inhabitants of the town, no other league team has such a high ratio. The two newest stands, the James Hargreaves Stand and the Jimmy McIlroy Stand, both have two tiers, while the other two stands are both single-tiered stands with wooden seats. All four stands are entirely seated. Visiting supporters are seated in the Cricket Field Stand.The largest stand at Turf Moor is the James Hargreaves Stand, which was opened in 1996 as part of a ground redevelopment project which saw two new stands built to replace the Longside and the Bee Hole End at a total cost of £5.3 million. When built it was named the North Stand, although it has its current name thanks to a six-figure sponsorship deal. The stand can accommodate 8,154 spectators and was opened on 23 April 1996, replacing the Longside terrace. It runs parallel to the length of the pitch. The television gantry is located in the James Hargreaves Stand along with the media area, which is situated at the rear of the upper tier. The stand is the traditional seating area of the Suicide Squad
Suicide Squad (hooligan firm)
The Suicide Squad is a football hooligan firm linked to the English Championship team, Burnley F.C.The self imposed title is derived from previous behaviour at away games where the single minded involvement in violence against overwhelming odds could be described as suicidal...
, who had previously stood in the Longside until the terrace was demolished in 1995. In the space between the upper and lower tiers of the James Hargreaves Stand there is a corporate area, which apart from being used for matchday hospitality is used for functions and events. Both the suite and the home dressing room, is licensed to hold civil marriage
Civil marriage
Civil marriage is marriage performed by a government official and not a religious organization.-History:Every country maintaining a population registry of its residents keeps track of marital status, and most countries believe that it is their responsibility to register married couples. Most...
services.
The Jimmy McIlroy Stand is situated at the eastern side of the pitch and has a current capacity of 6,280. The upper tier of the stand is the designated family area at Turf Moor and like the James Hargreaves Stand, it has a number of corporate hospitality boxes. The Bob Lord Stand, which has a capacity of just under 4,000 fans, runs parallel with Harry Potts Way and houses the executive lounges as well as the Burnley Football Club trophy room. The stand was built in 1974 and was paid for in part by the sale of Martin Dobson
Martin Dobson
Martin Dobson, popularly known as "Sir Dobbo", was born on 14 February 1948 in Rishton, England. He is a former professional footballer and England international who played as a midfielder....
to Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. Named after Bob Lord, the former chairman of Burnley, the stand cost £480,000 was opened by Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
, the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
leader at the time, a Burnley supporter, who had just been defeated
United Kingdom general election, 1974
There were two general elections held in the United Kingdom in 1974:*United Kingdom general election, February 1974*United Kingdom general election, October 1974...
as prime minister by Labour's
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
.
The Cricket Field Stand, also known as the David Fishwick Stand for sponsorship reasons, is the oldest current stand at Turf Moor. It was constructed in 1969 and backs onto the clubhouse and pavilion of Burnley Cricket Club. It contains both teams' dressing rooms as well as the officials' lounge and the tunnel leading to the pitch. Turf Moor is one of the few remaining football grounds in England to have the changing facilities behind the goals. The stand was made available to home supporters for Burnley's first Premier League season in 2009–10, having previously been the away section of the stadium.
In the corner of the ground between the James Hargreaves Stand and Jimmy McIlroy Stand there is a 36m² Barco
Barco
Barco N.V. is a display hardware manufacturer specialising in video projectors, LCD projectors, DLP projectors, LCoS projectors, LED displays, video walls, flat panel displays, automated luminaires, digital lighting and lighting controls....
video wall, which was previously situated in the Cricket Field Stand between 2007 and 2009. In the car park behind the James Hargreaves Stand is Stadium Fitness, which includes a gymnasium, table-tennis facilities and a large sports hall.Outside the ground, between the Jimmy McIlroy and Bob Lord stands is the Burnley club shop, otherwise known as the Clarets Superstore. Some of The club's offices are sited above the store.
| Season | Average attendance | % of capacity | Ranking within PL/CH |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 | 14,930 | 66.2% | 17th highest |
| 2009–10 | 20,653 | 91.6% | 18th highest |
| 2008–09 | 15,891 | 70.5% | 15th highest |
| 2007–08 | 12,364 | 54.8% | 20th highest |
| 2006–07 | 11,956 | 53% | 21st highest |
| 2005–06 | 12,461 | 55.2% | 18th highest |
| 2004–05 | 12,465 | 55.3% | 18th highest |
| 2003–04 2003–04 Football League First Division -League Table:-First leg:-----Second leg:*Aggregate score 4-4. Crystal Palace win 5-4 on penalties.----*West Ham United win 2-1 on aggregate.-Final:... |
12,391 | 54.9% | 16th highest |
The future
On 27 July 2007, Burnley revealed plans for a £20 million redevelopment of Turf Moor. The plans also included the creation of a youth academy at the club's training facility at Gawthorpe HallGawthorpe Hall
Gawthorpe Hall, a Lancashire County Council property managed by the National Trust is an Elizabethan house near the town of Padiham, in the borough of Burnley, Lancashire, England...
in nearby Padiham
Padiham
Padiham is a small town and civil parish on the River Calder, about west of Burnley and south of Pendle Hill, in Lancashire, England. It is part of the Borough of Burnley but also has its own town council with varied powers.-History:...
. The plans were detailed in six phases. In the first phase it was planned to move the changing rooms to the corner between the James Hargreaves Stand and the Jimmy McIlroy Stand. The second phase included the demolition of the Cricket Field Stand a new stand to be built at that end of the ground that would incorporate a hotel, a restaruant and a newly constructed cricket pavilion, and would be able to accommodate 2,500 fans. The redevelopments also included the construction of a multi-storey car park adjacent to the stadium. Other planned improvements include a new club superstore and other retail outlets, and new business offices on the site of the current club shop. Revealed in the fifth phase was a transformation of the Bob Lord Stand, which will eventually house a multi-screen cinema. The development of a second tier on the Bob Lord stand was later revealed by Burnley chief executive Paul Fletcher
Paul Fletcher (footballer)
Paul John Fletcher, MBE is a retired English professional footballer who played as a striker. He was formerly the chief executive of Burnley.In 2006 Fletcher was awarded an MBE for his services to football and to charity....
, taking the anticipated capacity of Turf Moor to 28,000 spectators.
Work on the stadium was expected to start in late 2007 and finish in time for the 2010 season. Planning permission for the first stage of developments was granted on 7 April 2008 and work on the new players' block was planned to commence in the summer of 2008. It was decided to not start building until permission had been received for all phases of the development including the rebuilding of the Cricket Field Stand. In October 2008, the project was put on hold by the club as a result of the global economic crisis restricting available funds. Revised plans were revealed in November 2009, with further announcements expected in early 2010. However further developments may be further delayed due to the clubs relegation from the Barclays Premier League.
In September 2011 Burnley Football Club will open the UK's first ever Football University at Turf Moor. The university will teach up too 100 students per year about the business side of football. Seminar rooms have been added to the Jimmy McIllroy stand for lectures and classes.
Transport
Turf Moor is located to the east of BurnleyBurnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
town centre. The stadium has two car parks of its own, and there are also a number of parking facilities in the surrounding area. The nearest railway station to Turf Moor is Burnley Manchester Road
Burnley Manchester Road railway station
Burnley Manchester Road is a railway station serving the town of Burnley, Lancashire.-History:On 12 November 1849, the Manchester and Leeds Railway opened a single line branch – doubled in 1860 – from Todmorden to Burnley. The first station in the town, which was at Thorney-bank, was replaced by...
, which is a short walk away from the ground. The stadium is also accessible from Burnley Central station
Burnley Central railway station
Burnley Central railway station is a station in the town of Burnley, Lancashire and is on the East Lancashire Line. It is managed by Northern Rail, which also provides its passenger service....
on the East Lancashire Line
East Lancashire Line
The East Lancashire Line is a railway line in the Lancashire region of England, which runs between Preston and Colne, through Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley ....
, although it is a further walk. There are also a number of bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
services in the area, and Turf Moor is situated very close to Burnley Bus Station.