Scotland’s lost football grounds remembered

They are stadiums whose names are engrained into Scottish football folklore. Here we look at some of the country’s famous football grounds that are no longer with us.

Douglas Park - Hamilton Academicals FC

Home to the Accies from 1888 to 1994, Douglas Park’s largest attendance came in 1937 when 28,690 spectators watched Hamilton take on Hearts.

Once closed, the ground’s turnstyles were sold to Falkirk while part of the main stand was bought by junior side Auchinleck Talbot. The site is now a supermarket.

New Douglas Park was built adjacent to the old site and opened in 2011.

Boghead Park - Dumbarton FC

Once one of the oldest sporting venues in the UK, Boghead Park was closed in 2000 having been home to Dumbarton since 1879.

It was also the home of Kilnockie FC, the team in Robert Duvall’s film “A Shot at Glory”.

Dumbarton moved to a new 2,000 all-seater stadium in 2000 while their old home is now a housing development.

Annfield Stadium - Stirling Albion F.C

Stirling Albion moved to Annfield in 1945 from Forthbank which was destroyed by the Luftwaffe during WW11.

Annfield was demolished in 1993 after its council owners decided it would be more cost-effective to build a new stadium.

Forthbank Stadium was built and became the new home of Stirling Albion while Annfield became a housing development.

Broomfield Park - Airdrieonians F.C

Airdrie left their home since 1892 in 1994 despite not having another stadium to move into.

The club, who sold their ground to supermarket firm Safeway, moved to a temporary home at Broadwood Stadium.

After four years at Broadwood, Airdrieonians moved into the Shyberry Excelsior Stadium in 1998. Airdrieonians was liquidated in 2002 and replaced by Airdrie United.

Bayview Park - East Fife FC

East Fife played at the Bayview in Methil, Fife since their formation in 1903 until they moved to their new ground - Bayview Stadium - in 1998.

The ground’s record attendance of 22, 515 came against Raith Rovers in 1948 during the club’s glory era which had already saw the Fifers win the Scottish Cup in 1938.

The 1970s saw the fortunes of East Fife decline along with the condition of the stadium.

Bayview Park was sold to developers and is now a housing estate.

Cathkin Park - Third Lanark FC

Third Lanark bought Cathkin Park, or Hampden Park as it was known, from Queens Park.

After Third Lanark folded in 1967 the stadium fell into disrepair and its fittings were gradually removed although one of the terraces is still visible.

A pitch still stands on the current site which is administered by Glasgow City Council.

Kilbowie Park - Clydebank FC

Clydebank upgraded Kilbowie upon their promotion to what is now the SPL in 1977 thanks to monies raised by the sale of Davie Cooper to Rangers for £100,000.

The club moved out of the ground in 1996 despite not having another to move into and ground shared with Greenock Morton and Dumbarton in the years that followed.

Despite purchasing land off Great Western Road, approval was never granted and the club was liquidated in 2002.

It was bought from its administrators by Jim Ballantyne who moved the club to Airdrie to replace the liquidated Airdrieonians.

Clydebank F.C. was reformed as a junior club by a supporters group now plays at Holm Park in Yoker.

Kilbowie Park is now a retail development.

Brockville - Falkrik

The antiquated Brockville cost Falkirk a number of promotions to the top flight of Scottish football due to its facilities not meeting league requirements.

It was demolished in 2003 and developed into a Morrisons supermarket. An old turnstyle from the ground is on display in the car park.

Falkirk moved to a new purpose-built stadium on the outskirts of the ground in 2004.

Muirton Park - St Johnstone FC

The second home of St Johnstone, Muirton Park opened to spectators in 1924. Prior to this the Perth side had played at the Recreation Grounds near the now city’s prison.

Before segregation was brought in to Scottish football, fans were known to swap ends at half time towards the side that their team were attacking.

The ground was sold to ASDA with the club with the club moving to McDiarmid Park in 1989.

Firs Park - East Stirlingshire F.C

Firs Park in Falkirk was opened in 1921 and was home to East Stirlingshire FC before they briefly merged to form East Stirlingshire Clydebank in 1964.

The newly-formed side moved to Clydebank for a year with the floodlights and the roof of Firs Park heading to Kilbowie.

The merger was a brief one with East Stirlingshire reforming and moving back to their old home in 1965.

The club currently ground share with Stenhousemuir at Ochilview Park after leaving Firs Park in 2008.

Firs Park was bought by a developer prior to being demolished this year.