Stadium
Throughout Newcastle United's history, their home venue has been St. James' Park —the oldest and largest football stadium in North East England, and the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom. It has hosted 10 international football matches at senior level, the first in 1901, and the most recent in 2005. It was used as a venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics and will be used for the upcoming 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Football had been played at St James' Park as early as 1880, the ground being occupied by Newcastle Rangers, before becoming the home of Newcastle West End F.C. in 1886. Its lease was then bought by Newcastle East End F.C. in 1892, before they changed their name to Newcastle United. At the turn of the 19th century the ground's capacity was given as 30,000, before being redeveloped between 1900 and 1905, increasing the capacity to 60,000, making it the biggest stadium in England for a time. For most of the 20th century, the stadium changed very little, despite various plans for development of the ground. The old West Stand was replaced with the Milburn Stand in 1987, the Sir John Hall Stand replacing the Leazes End in 1993, and the rest of the ground renovated making the ground a 37,000 capacity all-seater stadium. Between 1998 and 2000, double tiers were added to the Milburn and John Hall stands to bring the venue up to its current capacity of 52,420. There were plans to build a new 90,000 seater stadium in Leazes park, just behind St James' with Newcastle Falcons taking over St James' Park, but due to protests the plans were dropped. St James' Park currently seats 52,420 people but Mike Ashley would consider taking the roof off The Gallowgate end and adding another 6,000 seats making the total capacity to 58,420, but only if the team manage to finish in the top six places of the Premier League. In October 2009, club owner Mike Ashley announced that he planned to lease the name of the ground in a bid to increase revenue, and in November the stadium was temporarily renamed sportsdirect.com @ St James' Park Stadium. This name was only supposed to be used until the end of the 2009–10 season, but lasted until November 2011. On 10 November 2011, the club officially changed the name of the stadium to the 'Sports Direct Arena'. Although this will most likely be an interim name as it is only being used to showcase the sponsorship capabilities of the stadium. The company, owned by Mike Ashley, are not paying anything for the deal. However, if another company purchases the naming rights they will be expected to pay between £8 million and £10 million. Many fans voiced their anger at the renaming, but Managing Director Derek Llambias has said that it is necessary to give Newcastle extra money so that they compete with the bigger clubs in the league.
Since 1982, the stadium is served by St James Metro station on the Tyne and Wear Metro. The station is decorated in a black and white colour scheme, with archive photographs of the club's players.
The club's current training ground is located at Darsley Park, which is north of the city at Benton. The facility was opened in July 2003, and is also used by the Newcastle Falcons rugby team.
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Famous quotes containing the word stadium:
“It’s no accident that of all the monuments left of the Greco- Roman culture the biggest is the ballpark, the Colosseum, the Yankee Stadium of ancient times.”
—Walter Wellesley (Red)
“In their eyes I have seen
the pin men of madness in marathon trim
race round the track of the stadium pupil.”
—Patricia K. Page (b. 1916)
“The final upshot of thinking is the exercise of volition, and of this thought no longer forms a part; but belief is only a stadium of mental action, an effect upon our nature due to thought, which will influence future thinking.”
—Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914)