Manchester Metropolis have made the Etihad Stadium their residence for the final 21 years. Nevertheless, over the course of the membership’s lengthy historical past, they’ve additionally occupied different grounds.
Undoubtedly, the Cityzens are most carefully related to their earlier stadium, Maine Highway, however that isn’t the place Man Metropolis’s historical past started.
On this article, we are going to have a look at the three grounds that Metropolis have performed in, and the very best attendances which were recorded through the years.
After all, we may even clarify how the membership ended up shifting to the Etihad – the stadium that the staff now name residence.
The place did Man Metropolis play initially?
The membership that ultimately turned often known as Manchester Metropolis FC discovered it troublesome to discover a everlasting residence in its fledgling years. It was solely when captain Kenneth McKenzie discovered an space of waste floor on Hyde Highway close to Ardwick that issues started to alter.
After leasing the land for £10, a pitch was created in 1887, with the primary stand being constructed a yr later. After initially calling themselves Ardwick AFC, they had been renamed Manchester Metropolis in 1894.
Hyde Highway could be the staff’s residence for the subsequent three a long time, growing to a capability of 40,000 earlier than a fireplace in 1920 compelled Metropolis into shifting.
When did Man Metropolis transfer to Maine Highway?
The Cityzens moved into their new floor in 1923. It was a controversial alternative as most supporters had been from Belle Vue whereas the brand new floor was located in Moss Facet, which is within the south of Manchester.
It took 300 days of development and value £100,000 to construct – an eyewatering sum on the time, however Metropolis performed their first sport at Maine Highway in entrance of 58,159 individuals in opposition to Sheffield United on the twenty fifth of August 1923.
Manchester United really leased the bottom between 1945 and 1949, with Previous Trafford needing repairs after being bombed throughout World Battle Two.
The stadium has undergone many modifications through the years. Floodlights had been first put in in 1953, and it turned an all-seater stadium in 1994, decreasing its capability after the Taylor Report.
The outdated 18,000-capacity Kippax terrace was changed by the 14,000 triple-tier Foremost Stand in 1995 at the price of £16m, however it quickly was clear that additional enlargement and redevelopment could be too expensive.
After the Metropolis of Manchester Stadium (now named the Etihad for sponsorship causes) was constructed for the 2002 Commonwealth Video games, it made sense for the membership to maneuver right into a model new floor, as soon as conversion was accomplished.
The ultimate sport at Maine Highway happened on the eleventh of Could 2003 in opposition to Southampton, with 34,957 in attendance, simply in need of the total capability.
What was the file attendance?
The largest crowd that Metropolis have performed in entrance of at residence got here all the best way again in March 1934.
84,569 followers had been in attendance when Manchester Metropolis took on Stoke Metropolis within the sixth spherical of the FA Cup. As compared, the file attendance on the Etihad is 54,693.
