Celtic Park - Structure and Facilities

Structure and Facilities

Celtic Park is an all-seated bowl stadium, although the ground is split into four geographic sections, officially known as the North, Jock Stein (West), Lisbon Lions (East) and Main (South) Stands. The North, East and West stands form a continuous two tier loop. The two end stands each have a capacity of 13,006, while the North Stand holds 26,970. The Main Stand holds 7,850, giving a total capacity of 60,832. Celtic Park is now a rectangular shape, creating an enclosed and intimidating atmosphere for big games. It received 60% of the votes when BBC Radio Five Live conducted a poll in 2002 to find the favourite sports venue in the United Kingdom.

The North Stand is squeezed into a tight space between the pitch and the Eastern Necropolis (cemetery). Part of the upper tier is cantilevered over the graveyard. To save at least £1 million of additional steelwork, fourteen internal pillars were installed to support the roof. Some local residents objected to the North Stand because of the shadow cast over the cemetery, which Celtic believed was necessary to install 4,000 seats in the North Stand and to complete the overall project. The proposals were passed, however, because the local officials felt that Celtic had come up with the best solution possible to the problem. Celtic paid £10,000 to compensate residents who had been promised open space "from the centre of the earth to the sky". The structure also had to take account of the necessity to maintain access into the North Stand along Janefield Street, which has been closed to the public since the redevelopment. Between the two tiers there are 18 executive boxes and a restaurant. There are 1600 seats in the lower section of the North Stand which have a heated element, operated by a foot switch.

The Main (South) Stand is now the oldest part of the stadium, having first been built in 1929, although a new roof was installed in 1971 and the facade was rebuilt in 1988. Translucent sheets were added to the Main Stand roof in 1998, to allow more sunlight to reach the pitch. Suspended from the roof girder of the Main Stand is a glass-fronted box, which used to house the press box, but was converted into two executive boxes in 1988. Alongside the main horizontal truss are two retractable columns. These can swing down to a fixing point on the rear wall of the former paddock, which provides additional stability in case of high winds or heavy snow.

The East Stand opened in 1996 and was renamed after the Lisbon Lions, the Celtic team that won the 1967 European Cup Final, in 2000. The renaming ceremony was a few days after a Scottish Cup tie had to be postponed after strong winds had damaged guttering in the stand. Away team fans are housed in the Lisbon Lions Stand, in the south east corner of the ground. Some of the away section has its view restricted by one of the supporting pillars of the Main Stand. Celtic offer a discounted price on these seats.

Writing in 1996, Simon Inglis noted that the approaches to the Main Stand are an area of urban deprivation "reminiscent of Belfast during the Troubles". Redevelopment work is being carried out in the area, in anticipation of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, in a scheme dubbed the 'Celtic Triangle'. Since 2005, statues of Brother Walfrid, Jimmy Johnstone and Jock Stein have been erected outside the Main Stand.

Celtic have considered the possibility of increasing the capacity of Celtic Park by redeveloping the Main Stand. A completed two-tier bowl stadium would give Celtic Park a capacity of nearly 75,000. Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell stated in April 2007 that another 8,000 could be added to the capacity, but the work was not considered cost-effective. In September 2011, Celtic started a feasibility study into creating a safe standing section in Celtic Park. Although there is a law in England preventing top-flight clubs from having standing sections, no such law exists in Scotland. Scottish Premier League (SPL) rules prevent clubs from having standing sections, but these could be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the SPL clubs. In November 2011, SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster said that he was open-minded about the issue and would like to see it explored further.