Derby County have had three stadiums since they were established in 1884, and they have called Pride Park their home since 1997.
The Rams originally played at Derbyshire’s Country Cricket Ground (also known as the Racecourse Ground), spending 11 years at their first ever home before moving further south in the city.
The Racecourse Ground held the first ever FA Cup final outside of London in 1886, as Blackburn Rovers ran out 2-0 winners over West Bromwich Albion in a replay to lift the trophy for the third successive year.
However, Derby needed a more permanent home, with fixtures often clashing with the cricket club’s. They moved to the Baseball Ground, where they spent the next 102 years, and supporters grew to love it despite the obvious drawbacks as it began to age.
Football League World has taken a look at where it ranks compared to England’s biggest stadiums, as Pride Park nears its 30th year in operation.
The Baseball Ground would be just inside the top 10 biggest grounds in England
The Baseball Ground evolved throughout its history, but when it first opened, around 10,000 could fit into the stadium.
This grew over the next few decades, and by the time the 1970s rolled around – the club’s greatest ever decade – four times as many spectators could fit in to the Rams’ former home.
Derby’s record attendance still stands at 41,826, which was set against Tottenham Hotspur in a 5-0 victory on September 20, 1969, in the old Division One. It’s a record that will continue to stand for the foreseeable future, with Pride Park’s capacity limited to 33,597.
The Baseball Ground’s full capacity is enough to rank 10th compared to England’s biggest stadiums that are currently being used by clubs in England, with Manchester United’s Old Trafford at the very top of the list at 74,789.
| England’s top 10 biggest club stadiums by capacity (footballgroundmap.com) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Club | Stadium | Capacity |
| Manchester United | Old Trafford | 74,879 |
| West Ham United | London Stadium | 62,500 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | 62,303 |
| Arsenal | Emirates Stadium | 60,704 |
| Manchester City | Etihad Stadium | 55,097 |
| Liverpool | Anfield | 54,074 |
| Newcastle United | St. James’ Park | 52,354 |
| Sunderland | Stadium of Light | 48,707 |
| Aston Villa | Villa Park | 42,785 |
| Chelsea | Stamford Bridge | 40,834 |
However, the BBG, as it is fondly remembered by supporters, soon lost the ability to host that many supporters following The Taylor Report, and by the time it shut, just 17,451 could fit into the ground amid safety concerns and a move was needed.
Nevertheless, with two league titles won while playing on Shaftesbury Crescent, there was a huge amount of history that was left behind following the move, while the atmosphere was arguably one of the best in the country.
Pride Park has been a good modern home for Derby
While it is always disappointing to move stadiums, getting the next step right does help, and Derby have done that with Pride Park.
While it does maybe lack the character that the Baseball Ground had, supporters have made it their own and, despite having the bowl design, it is able to hold in the atmosphere that is often created by the South Stand.
Pride Park is creating its own history, with last season’s promotion back to the Championship the first since the move in 1997.
With an average attendance of nearly 30,000 this season, Derby’s support has not dwindled, and the coming years are certainly set to be exciting.
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