Maine Road – Manchester City (Maine Road)

Maine Road was a football stadium in Manchester, England, that served as the home ground of Manchester City Football Club from 1923 to 2003. The stadium was opened on August 25, 1923, with a match between Manchester City and Sheffield United. It was built to replace the club’s previous home ground at Hyde Road, which had become too small and outdated for the growing club.

During its early years, Maine Road was one of the country’s largest and most modern stadiums, with a capacity of around 80,000 spectators. It was also the first stadium in England to have a cantilevered roof, which provided cover for the stands without obstructing the view of the pitch.

Over the years, Maine Road underwent several expansions and renovations, including the addition of floodlights in 1953 and the construction of a new North Stand in 1995. However, by the 1990s, the stadium had become outdated and was in need of major redevelopment.

In 2000, Manchester City announced plans to build a new stadium in the east of the city, which would eventually become the City of Manchester Stadium (now known as the Etihad Stadium).

The last match at Maine Road was played on May 11, 2003, with Manchester City beating Southampton 1-0 in the final game of the 2002-03 Premier League season. After the stadium closed, it was demolished to make way for a housing development. However, several reminders of the stadium remain, including the Maine Road street sign and a statue of former Manchester City player Colin Bell, which now stands outside the Etihad Stadium.

Maine Road was a large stadium with four stands, the Kippax Stand, the Platt Lane Stand, the North Stand and the Main Stand. The Main Stand was the largest of the four with a distinctive curved roof and a clock tower at one end. The Kippax Stand was known for its atmosphere, created by the City fans, and was seen to be were the most passionate Man City fans would congregate. The stadium itself was surrounded by large car parks and was located in a residential area of Manchester.

There were some fantastic matches played at Maine Road over the years, some that will long in the memory of those older City fans. We could have picked out hundreds, but instead we had to settle for just five. Here are the four that we think were the best matches played at Maine Road:

1. Manchester City 4-3 Tottenham Hotspur (February 1981) – This match is widely regarded as one of the greatest games in English football history. City came from behind three times to secure a thrilling victory, with Kevin Reeves scoring the winner in the dying minutes.
2. Manchester City 5-1 Manchester United (September 1989) – This match was notable for being the first Manchester derby in the top division for over a decade. City dominated the game, with David Oldfield scoring twice and Andy Hinchcliffe, Trevor Morley, and Ian Bishop also finding the net.
3. Manchester City 4-1 Blacburn (1999-2000) –
The result that confirmed Manchester City’s pomotion to the Premier League. Goals from Shaun Goater, Kevin Horlock, Paul Dickov and Richard Edghill all scored that day in a memorable one at Maine Road.
4. Manchester City 3-2 Southampton (May 2003) – This was the final match ever played at Maine Road, and Manchester City ensured it was a memorable occasion by securing a dramatic late victory. Nicolas Anelka scored twice, including a last-minute winner, to send the fans home happy.

We have also found some really cool and interesting facts you may not have known about Maine Road. Here are three that we think you will find impressive:

1. During World War II, Maine Road was used as a storage facility for the British government. The pitch was dug up to grow vegetables, while the stands were used to store supplies and equipment.
2. In 1958, Maine Road became the first stadium in England to install a giant electronic scoreboard, which was used to display the scores and times of matches. The scoreboard was considered a marvel of technology at the time and was used as a prototype for other stadiums around the world.
3. In 1963, Maine Road hosted a Beatles concert, attended by over 10,000 fans. The band played a 10-song set, including hits such as ‘Twist and Shout’ and ‘She Loves You’. The concert was notable for being the first time a pop group had played at a football stadium in the UK.
4. Maine Road was used as a filming location for the movie, ‘Looking for Eric’, starring former Manchester United legend, Eric Cantona.
5. In 1956, a fire broke out at the stadium, causing extensive damage to the Main Stand. As a result, Manchester City were forced to play their home games at different venues that season until the stand was rebuilt. Some of the other venues included Everton’s Goodison Park and local Manchester rivals Manchester United’s, Old Trafford.

Highest Ever Attendance: Manchester City v Stoke City, 1934 – 84,569
Lowest Ever Attendance: Manchester City v Lincoln City, 1938 – 1,500
Highest Scoring Match: 10-1 win for Manchester City v Huddersfield Town in 1987
Top Goal Scorer: Tommy Johnson, 166 Goals, 1920 – 1930
First Hat-Trick: Tommy Johnson v Bolton Wanderers, 1925