the site continues to travel to the most famous football arenas of the world and invites you to Manchester at Old Trafford. The stadium, built on Wayne Rooney's three-day salary, survived a Luftwaffe raid and more than one reconstruction to become a model of a modern football facility by the beginning of the 21st century. They remember 1958 Munich, Matt Busby, Best, Lowe and Charlton, but still can't beat the 1939 record.
60 thousand British pounds. Today this amount is not enough to pay for the three days of Wayne Rooney's stay at your club, and in 1909 it was hardly but enough to build a new stadium for the Manchester United team. Mancunians patron John Henry Davies found it disgraceful that the First Division champion was playing in some kind of swamp and laid the money straight out of his own pocket.
Problems with the arena began at the time when the team was called Newton Heath. The modest 12,000-seat North Road Monsell stadium that she had occupied since 1880 was saturated with the scent of smoke from nearby factories, and the field was either a mess a la Metallurg Samara or so hardened that the players could only be shattered into smithereens. he was not broken. Opponents bombarded the Heat with complaints, and in 1883 the team moved to Bank Street. With the capacity of the new stadium, everything was in order (50 thousand people), but the conditions were even worse - chemical plants were located in the neighborhood. One of the rivals, now Manchester United, once demanded a postponement of the match, saying that he was not going to play in a toxic waste dump. The request was denied, the game ended with a score of 14:0 in favor of United, but the club's board, of course, understood that it was impossible to live like this.
For his money, Davis planned to receive a work of architectural art. The new Mancunian stadium was supposed to accommodate 100,000 spectators; the legendary Scotsman Archibald Leitch was called in to lead the process - a man, in addition to Old Trafford, who designed Anfield, Stamford Bridge, Highbury, White Hart Lane, Celtic Park and Ibrox Park.
It is probably not worth talking about the fact that a place with as clean air as possible was specially found for the new stadium.
The construction of the arena was entrusted to Brameld and Smith. Alas, unplanned expenses and an unsuccessful attempt to get a loan from a local railway company led to the fact that the dream of a 100,000th arena had to be abandoned. Opened on February 19, 1910, the stadium could accommodate a maximum of 80,000 spectators.
All Davis' plans failed to come true - and yet a reporter from the Sporting Chronicle who visited the stadium that day wrote the following: "The most beautiful, spacious and luxurious arena I have ever seen." According to Leitch's plan, Old Trafford had three standing stands and one main stand with a roof and seats. The first guests of the new stadium on February 19 were the Liverpool players, who managed to spoil the housewarming for the Mancunians: first they fought back from the score 0:3, and then scored the winning goal.
Two years later, Old Trafford already hosted the FA Cup final, and in 1926 the national team played on it for the first time (the Scots defeated the hosts 1-0).
During the Second World War, Old Trafford entered the service of the British army, which placed a warehouse there. They didn’t stop playing football at the stadium, however, in March 1941, the German bombing destroyed the main stand (but, to everyone’s surprise, the tunnel from which the teams went to the game symbolically survived). United's then boss James Gibson extorted £22,000 from the British government for refurbishment.
Realizing that the team needed somewhere to play while Old Trafford was pieced together, the board signed a contract with Manchester City to rent the Main Road stadium. For the right to visit a neighbor, Manchester United annually paid 5 thousand pounds plus 10% of fees. The amount was very significant at that time, but United managed to permanently register in the city's record book: 83,260 people came to watch the match between Manchester United and Arsenal in January 1948 (the best league match attendance in Maine Road history) .
The loan was approved only in 1944, and permission to start construction was received in 1948. It was not until August 24, 1949, eight years after the Luftwaffe raid, that United returned home. Over the next three years, Old Trafford became 3/4 covered, and soon artificial lighting appeared in the stadium. Now the club could host European competition matches - before Manchester United had to play them at the same Maine Road.
Satisfied with the growth in attendance, the club's board decided to modernize the west stand of the Stretford End. Now it was the largest standing tribune of the arena, accommodating about 20 thousand spectators (excluding those who will sit on 1500 installed chairs).
However, one more problem remained unresolved, and everyone understood that it could not be dealt with cheaply. The piers that supported the roof blocked the view of the spectators in the north stand of the United Road. In 1962, it became known that England would receive the World Cup, three matches of which would be held at Old Trafford. Having received 40 thousand for development, United began a complete reconstruction of the entire stand: modern cantilever roofs were built, the number of seats increased to 20 thousand, and in addition, the first VIP boxes in the history of British stadiums appeared on United Road. The club's board is said to have been skeptical of the latter idea - who wants to watch football from a glass box? Another thousand pounds, after much debate, was invested in building the first souvenir shop; what is now the Megastore was once a modest wooden shack.
The next reconstruction cost 350 thousand pounds, and in 1973 the south stand was modernized in a similar way. The club's management planned to do the same with the other two stands, turning the stadium into a closed bowl.
And she did - but before that the club and its arena went through one of the most unpleasant periods in their history. The question of the construction of barriers at Old Trafford was raised back in 1969, when a smoke bomb was thrown on the field in the match between Manchester United and Milan. Two years later, a knife flew from the Stretford End stands, the stadium was suspended for two matches, and then the management could not stand it. At Old Trafford there really was a fence - the first in the country. And a few years later, the goal of Stretford's idol Denis Low, of course, did not send, but symbolized the fall of United into the second division.
Even after dropping out of the elite, Manchester United continued to spend money on the construction of the stadium. Improved roof. Even more seating. New scoreboard. New lighting system. New VIP box with a magnificent view of the field. The team that returned to the first division on the first try did not lag behind either. In the mid-80s, the first official club museum on the continent opened. The United Stadium began to host rugby matches, and in the early 90s, rock concerts.
But before the music of Bruce Springsteen and Rod Stewart could play at Old Trafford, an event occurred that changed English stadiums forever. , April 15, 1989, which hosted the semi-final match of the Cup between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. The report on the tragedy, compiled by Lord Peter Taylor, concluded that standing areas and barriers should disappear from English stadiums. The rebuild cost £10 million and reduced Old Trafford's capacity to 44,000 seats, the lowest in the arena's history.
All this also meant that the classic Stretford End was over. The dismantling took place in the summer of 1992 - for a long time the fans came to pick up a brick or two as a keepsake. The upgraded Stretford End cost £12 million to accommodate 10,500 seats and 46 VIP seats. A new press center soon appeared under the main tribune.
“It is hard to imagine that this arena will need to be updated over the next ten years,” the newspapers wrote at the time. However, the success of Manchester United under Alex Ferguson meant that the demand for season tickets grew every year. The board even had the idea to build new stadium, but in the end it was decided to reconstruct the northern stand. Construction was completed just in time for Euro 96: the updated Old Trafford (now accommodating more than 56 thousand spectators) hosted three matches group stage, quarter-finals Germany - Croatia and semi-finals France - Czech Republic.
In 2003, Juventus and AC Milan played out that season's Champions League decider at Old Trafford, the first English final not to take place at Wembley. United's dreams of lifting the trophy at home were smashed by Real Madrid and, in particular, Ronaldo, who scored three goals in unforgettable match. Three years later, the last this moment reconstruction, which increased the capacity to 76,212 people. 76,098 people showed up for United's match against Blackburn in March 2007 - a record that will stand for some time to come, given that the stadium has a capacity of 75,957 after a recent seating redesign.
Today, Old Trafford is a model of modern football arena top level. The three-level northern stand - the main stand of the Mancunian stadium - can accommodate 26,000 spectators. There is also a club museum, a trophy room always ready to replenish, as well as the famous Red Cafe. At the top of the south stand is the press box, where the BBC, Sky Sports and MUTV cameras are installed (so it is the least seen on TV). In addition, the southern stand receives most of the VIP guests. The eastern stand is adjacent to the corner for away fans. Previously, it was called "Scoreboard End" - until the end of the 60s, there was a scoreboard there. Finally, the West Stand is officially called the "West Stand", but even the chairs located on it say "Stretford End". On the second tier hang the famous banners - the one that counts the number of years that Manchester City goes without trophies, the one that declares Manchester United as a religion, those dedicated to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ryan Giggs and many others.
The technical area is located in the south stand area. It is slightly raised to make it easier for coaches to watch the game.
There is also the "Munich Tunnel", named so in memory of. Players left it on the field until 1993. This is the only part of the stadium that has remained virtually untouched since 1909; as already mentioned, she even survived the bombing of German pilots.
Hundreds of thousands of people visit every year club museum.
Today, February 19, the Old Trafford stadium, where Manchester United plays, is 100 years old. We invite you to look back at the past century.
The legendary arena, which has been repeatedly reconstructed, now accommodates almost 76,000 spectators. Old Trafford hosted their first match on February 19, 1910. Then Liverpool came to visit the Mancunians.
The name "Theater of Dreams" came from the famous football player of the "Red Devils" Sir Bobby Robson. Old Trafford has seen a lot in these 100 years - joys and defeats, rebuilding and bombing, matches, both Manchester United and other clubs.
The record attendance at Old Trafford was recorded in 2007, when 76,098 fans showed up for a match against Blackburn, which United won 4-1. And the lowest attendance was set in May 1921. Then the meeting of “Stockport” and “Leeds” was attended by only 13 people.
Manchester United's record victory at Old Trafford took place in December 1995 - Ipswich "distinguished", who went home with a 9-0 defeat. And most major defeat Newcastle struck the owners of the loan here - in 1927, the Magpies defeated the Mancunians with a score of 1: 7.
At this stadium, many players have turned into world football stars. Starting with George Best, Denis Lowe, Bobby Charlton and ending with Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. With the help of the photo report, you can see a brief history"Old Trafford" and the stages of its development.
Manchester United striker George Stacey scores a penalty at Old Trafford. October 4, 1913
Team captains Tommy Boyle of Burnley and George Utley of Sheffield United before their FA Cup semi-final match at Old Trafford. March 28, 1914
A bird's eye view of Old Trafford. At that time, the stadium was surrounded by houses, the railway and various factories. 1930
Manchester United player John Griffiths removes danger from his goal. August 1938
View of the main stand at Old Trafford, destroyed during the bombing of World War II. December 1948
The war has taken a heavy toll sports facility. December 1948
After serious restoration work against Bolton in the summer of '49, Manchester United made a return to Old Trafford. August 1949
Another look at that iconic match against Bolton. The stadium has been completely restored. August 1949
Manchester United vs Chelsea at Old Trafford. August 1952
Sprinklers irrigate the Old Trafford field ahead of the European Cup match against Real Madrid. April 1957
Manchester United legend Bobby Charlton at the corner flag during the match against Bolton. March 1962
The appearance of a new stand at Old Trafford with a hinged visor. 1967
Police closely monitor the safety of fans near Old Trafford before the match against Derby. September 1972
Reconstruction work on the Stretford End stand. 1992
View of "Old Trafford" at the end of the last century. 1998
Reconstruction of the East Stand "Old Trafford". November 9, 2005
Modern view of Old Trafford. March 26, 2006
Inside Old Trafford. Our days
One of the most beautiful and famous stadiums on the planet - Old Trafford - is located in the UK, in the municipal area of Greater Manchester. This is the home arena of the legendary football club Manchester United. The team has been playing here since the distant 1910, but had to take a break only during the Second World War, when the arena was almost completely destroyed as a result of a German air raid.
The British themselves pathetically call "Old Trafford" "The Theater of Dreams". Well, given its rich history, a huge number of people spent here football matches, victories and defeats, the stadium deserves such a name.
Arena "Old Trafford" received the highest score of the UEFA - five stars. In addition to the Manchester stadium in the UK, only the famous one, the main sports arena of the country, could receive such an assessment. In terms of capacity, Old Trafford also ranks second after Wembley and can accommodate about 75,000 spectators. The owners plan to expand the arena to 90,000 fans.
The main tribune of the Old Trafford stadium is the North, it is also the Tribune of Sir Alex Ferguson, who was the head coach of Manchester United for 27 years. It is here that the main objects of the arena are located, attracting thousands of tourists. So, on the North Stand there is a Manchester United themed restaurant and bar, a football club trophy room, as well as a team museum, which became the world's first football museum, opened in 1986.
You can get to the Old Trafford stadium by bus, by rail (the station near the arena opens only on match days), as well as by skytrain. By the way, you can have a wedding at the Old Trafford stadium, but this pleasure will cost the newlyweds a very tidy sum.
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Old Trafford - PHOTO
The Old Trafford football stadium is located on the same-named territory as part of the municipal district of Trafford in Greater Manchester. The stadium is the base (home) for football team Manchester United is the second largest in the UK after the new Wembley Stadium.
The famous English stadium, which opened in 1910, has repeatedly become the arena of international matches: the World Cup (1966) and Europe (1996), the Champions League final (2003), Summer Olympic Games(several matches, 2012).
The nominal capacity of the Old Trafford stadium is 75,635 people, the record number of spectators was recorded in 1939 at the FA Cup semi-final and amounted to 76,962 people. The largest of the stadium's four stands is the northern one, named after Sir Alex Ferguson, which can accommodate up to 26,000 fans.
Approximate field dimensions Old Trafford- 105 meters long and 68 meters wide. A slope for water runoff is thought out on the territory - the center of the field rises about 23 cm above its edges.
During its operation, the stadium was reconstructed more than once (including being restored after damage during the Second World War), was used not only for football, but also for other major sports competitions. The last major expansion of the stadium took place in 2006.
There is a thematic museum at the stadium. Excursions are offered for tourists.
How to get to Old Trafford from Manchester
There are several ways to get to Old Trafford: light rail line A passes nearby, there is a Manchester United Football Ground railway station, several bus stops (for example, it is convenient to take bus number 250).
For spectators who come to the match on their own by car, there are several spacious parking lots around the stadium (within a radius of 800 meters). However, it is recommended to arrive and park in advance.
Old Trafford is the home stadium of Manchester United (since 1910), with a capacity of about 76,000 spectators. The stadium is located in Trafford, England, and is the second largest in this country (in the first place is Wembley). This arena boasts a proud history, hosting the FA Cup semi-finals, 1996 World Cup and 1996 European Championship matches, England games, the 2003 Champions League Final, the Super Rugby League Grand Final and the 2000 World Cup Final.
The stadium was built in late 1909 under the direction of Archibald Leitch, who designed a total of about 20 British stadiums. The money for the construction - £60,000 - was provided by the chairman of the Manchester United club, John Henry Davies, who decided to build a good stadium for his team that won the First Division and the FA Cup in 1909. Already on February 19, 1910, the first United game took place at the new stadium, which ended in a 3-4 defeat by Liverpool. The stadium's record attendance was recorded on March 25, 1939: the FA Cup semi-final between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Grimsby Town attracted 76,962 spectators.
In 1941, German aircraft destroyed much of the stadium and while the renovations were underway, Manchester United played at Maine Road, Manchester City's stadium. The latter demanded £5,000 a year and interest on ticket fees, leaving United £15,000 in debt. Old Trafford opened only in 1949 - with reconstructed stands, but without a roof. On August 24 of this year, United's first match took place after the reconstruction of the arena. This time, the team won: Bolton Wanderers were beaten 3-0. 41,748 spectators came to this match. From 1951 to 1959, the roof over all the stands was restored, then modern floodlights were installed at the stadium and the North and East Stands were redesigned, replacing the roof-supporting columns with cantilevered supports, and the United Road Stand was also expanded.
Old Trafford has gone through many rebuilds and improvements, but with each improvement, the stadium's capacity has declined: by the early 1980s it was about 60,000 seats, by 1990 the stadium could hold even less. In January 2000, the construction of the second tier of the East Stand was completed, which increased the capacity to 61,000 seats, and after the second tier of the West Stand was opened, the capacity was 68,217 seats. From 2005 to 2006, the construction of the second tiers in the northwest and northeast quadrants was carried out, as a result of which the capacity increased by 8,000 seats, and already in 2007 a new record attendance English Premier League: match "Manchester United" - "Birmingham City" gathered 69,070 spectators. But this was not the limit: on March 31, 2007, the current attendance record was recorded: 76,098 people were present at the United match against Blackburn Rovers. Finally, in 2009, the stadium seating was reorganized, reducing the arena's capacity by 255 seats to a total of 75,957 seats.
On February 19, 2010, Old Trafford celebrated their 100th anniversary. On this occasion, an exhibition dedicated to the history of the stadium was opened at the Manchester United Museum, and in March of the same year, relatives of the former chairman of the club, John Henry, and relatives of the players who played in the first match at Old Trafford, laid a commemorative capsule near the central stadium tunnel.
Interestingly, to south stand The stadium adjoins the railway station, which opens only on match days. This station - Manchester United FC Halt - is located on the southern branch of the Liverpool-Manchester route of the Northern railway, between Deansgate and Trafford Park stations. The stadium can also be reached via the Altrinem Manchester Skytrain line (Old Trafford stop) and buses from Manchester Piccadilly railway station.