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Forgotten Grounds in Football - What is Left Behind After Clubs Move On

There is a solemn stillness when a football stadium lies dormant. A place that was once filled with laughter, cheers and a sense of camaraderie. The stands, once a sea of shouting bodies, sit empty. The pitch, now scarred and overgrown, remembers every pass, tackle and shot.

For fans, these magnificent structures are not just grass and cement; they are memory machines filled with the biggest highs and lows of people's pasts. It is where friendships were formed, bonds are strengthened, and generations learnt what it means to be part of a community.

They are living archives of the beautiful game.

Sadly, stadiums around the world are closing with increasing frequency. Clubs move on in pursuit of modernity, bigger capacities, or corporate revenue, and with them goes a piece of football’s living history.

But what happens with these football time capsules when they are closed?

Highbury

Opened - 1913

Closed - 2006

Home of Arsenal football club for just under 100 years, Highbury’s transformation into apartments was elegant, almost gentle, but it could not erase the ghosts of players like Tony Adams, who made the pitch their theatre, nor the roar of 38,000 fans on a North London afternoon.

Nearly all of Arsenal’s major honours were won whilst the club played their home matches at Highbury. In fact, only four FA Cups—won between 2014-2020—have been won since the club moved to the Emirates, highlighting how much of Arsenal’s history is tied to Highbury.

The club sadly needed to leave their iconic stadium. As Arsenal’s stature as a brand and club grew massively in the 1990s and early 2000s, Highbury was packed every week. There were restrictions on upgrading the stadium's size, so Arsenal chose to start afresh with the Emirates Stadium.

Maine Road

Opened - 1923

Closed - 2003

The iconic stadium of Manchester City, Maine Road, was home to the Citizens for 80 years. Like Highbury, it was eventually redeveloped—but whereas Highbury became stylish flats, Maine Road gave way to a housing estate, leaving only echoes of the roar that once filled its terraces.

During City’s time at Maine Road, they won two league titles and two FA Cups.

There were plans to redevelop the stadium to become a 45,000 seater, but these were abandoned in favour of a move to the City of Manchester Stadium—later renamed the Etihad Stadium—built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

The soul of Manchester City lives on with Maine Road. There is a public art display commemorating the stadium at the new housing estate.

Upton Park

Opened - 1904

Closed - 2016

Home to West Ham United for over a century, Upton Park was home to West Ham supporters until they made the controversial decision to move to the London Stadium.

The stadium was sold in 2016 to a private development company for £40 million. There now sit 800 houses—just 25% considered affordable—where the ground once lay.

During their time at Upton Park, West Ham won three FA Cups, the European Cup Winners' Cup, and the Intertoto Cup.

The Baseball Ground

Opened - 1890

Closed - 2003

Another stadium that was used for over a century, The Baseball Ground was originally built for Baseball, not football.

Derby County did not use the stadium for all 113 years of its history; they moved to Pride Park in 1997 due to the small capacity—18,000—as they hoped to regain promotion to the Premier League.

During their time at the Baseball Ground, Derby won two league titles and an FA Cup.

150 houses sit on where the Baseball Ground once lay. Although there is now no sign of football—other than kids playing in their gardens—the legacy of players such as Steve Bloomer lives on.

The Den

Opened - 1910

Closed - 1993

Home to Millwall for 83 years, the Den was known for its intimidating atmosphere as the club's fans developed a fearsome reputation for hooliganism.

The club decided to move in 1990, not just to get to a bigger stadium, but in the hope to try and move forward and away from the club's growing reputation for football hooliganism. There was even a period in the late 1980s when the club nearly changed their name to get away from its bad reputation.

During their time at the original Den, the club did not win a single major honour

Just like the rest on this list, where the Den once lay, is now a housing complex.