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The
move to Maine Road was initially pre-empted by a fire that
destroyed the only 4,000 seater stand at Hyde Road. In the
summer of 1922 the move was made after the Hyde Road site
was acquired for tramway improvement. The Moss Side site was
secured for £5,500.
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The architect, Charles Swain, was brought in to design a
'Wembley of the North' which was built by Sir R McAlpine and
Sons. Nearly 57,000 fans attended the first match on 23rd
August 1923, when City defeated Sheffield United.
Initially the main stand was the only roofed stand. The
Platt Lane end stand (present Umbro) followed prior to World
War II. When seating was installed in this in 1950, City had
more seats than any other in Britain.
The whole of the main stand was replaced in 1982, leaving
only two of the original pillars, one at each end.
First floodlights erected in 1953, to welcome evening visits
of Hearts, Celtic, Fenerbahce and Admira Wien.
Major changes to the ground occurred in 1971-72, with the
development of the present day North Stand.
The summer of 1992 saw the demolition of the old Platt Lane
Stand when the new Umbro Stand was installed, together with
it's executive boxes. |
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The
Kippax Stand was covered in 1957. During that summer Maine
Road welcomed a visit from none other than the Harlem Globe
Trotters. Finally the Kippax also disappeared to be replaced
by the multi-storey stand we have today, complete with all
it's corporate facilities. It's last stand was on Saturday
30th April, 1994.
"there was something awesome about a club that didn't
have "an end" but a whole blooming side!"
Steve Parish (City Fan).
"Chelsea fans dressed as Blues Brothers laid a wreath
for the Kippax; wonderful" Steve Parish on the last
stand of the Kippax.
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3,000 tonnes of soil was
brought in from a site close to Wilbraham Road. Providing a
base eight feet deep, for the two inch thick, 100 year old
Poynton Turf that has remained ever since.
Stan Gibson on the pitch, "That pitch out there is my
baby. I can't keep away from it and I couldn't imagine life
without it". "I watch the pitch rather than the
game". "in better nick than my own
garden....."
Stan Gibson on his favourite era, "I look at the Bell,
Lee and Summerbee era with most affection." "the
side was full of characters... I remember Mike Summerbee
balancing a ball on a paper cup when he was about to take a
corner, and the crowd falling about laughing."
What they say about Stan, "Stan was never just a
groundsman. He was part and parcel of the team", Mike
Summerbee.
Now in its last year City have dedicated their New Home and
Away strips to the Stadium that holds soo much history.
Changing the writing under the logo to 'Maine Road 1923 -
2003'.
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