Old Trafford facts for kids
"The Theatre of Dreams"
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Location | Sir Matt Busby Way Old Trafford Trafford Greater Manchester England |
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Public transit | Wharfside Old Trafford |
Owner | Manchester United |
Operator | Manchester United |
Capacity | 74,140 |
Record attendance | 76,962 (Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Grimsby Town, 25 March 1939) |
Field size | 105 by 68 metres (114.8 yd × 74.4 yd) |
Surface | Desso GrassMaster |
Construction | |
Broke ground | 1909 |
Opened | 19 February 1910 |
Construction cost | £90,000 (1909) |
Architect | Archibald Leitch (1909) |
Tenants | |
Manchester United (1910–present)
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Old Trafford is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 74,140 seats, it is the largest club football stadium (and second-largest football stadium overall after Wembley Stadium) in the United Kingdom, and the eleventh-largest in Europe. It is about 0.5 miles (800 m) from Old Trafford Cricket Ground and the adjacent tram stop.
Nicknamed "The Theatre of Dreams" by Bobby Charlton, Old Trafford has been United's home ground since 1910, although from 1941 to 1949 the club shared Maine Road with local rivals Manchester City as a result of Second World War bomb damage. Old Trafford underwent several expansions in the 1990s and 2000s, including the addition of extra tiers to the North, West and East Stands, almost returning the stadium to its original capacity of 80,000. Future expansion is likely to involve the addition of a second tier to the South Stand, which would raise the capacity to around 88,000. The stadium's record attendance was recorded in 1939, when 76,962 spectators watched the FA Cup semi-final between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Grimsby Town.
Old Trafford has hosted an FA Cup Final, two final replays and was regularly used as a neutral venue for the competition's semi-finals. It has also hosted England fixtures, matches at the 1966 World Cup, Euro 96 and the 2012 Summer Olympics, including women's international football for the first time in its history, and the 2003 Champions League Final. Outside football, it has been the venue for rugby league's annual Super League Grand Final every year except 2020, and the final of Rugby League World Cups in 2000 and 2013.
Transport
Adjacent to the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand of the stadium is Manchester United Football Ground railway station. The station is between the Deansgate and Trafford Park stations on the Southern Route of Northern Rail's Liverpool to Manchester line, and is only open on matchdays. The ground is also serviced by the Altricham, Eccles, South Manchester and Trafford Park lines of the Manchester Metrolink network, with the nearest stops being Wharfside, Old Trafford (which it shares with the Old Trafford Cricket Ground) and Exchange Quay at nearby Salford Quays. All three stops are less than 10 minutes walk from the football ground.
Buses 255 and 256, which are run by Stagecoach Manchester and 263, which is run by Arriva North West run from Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester to Chester Road, stopping near Sir Matt Busby Way, while Stagecoach's 250 service stop outside Old Trafford on Wharfside Way and X50 service stops across from Old Trafford on Water's Reach. There are also additional match buses on the 255 service, which run between Old Trafford and Manchester city centre. Other services that serve Old Trafford are Arriva's 79 service (Stretford – Swinton), which stops on Chester Road and 245 (Altrincham – Exchange Quay), which stops on Trafford Wharf Road, plus First Greater Manchester service 53 (Cheetham – Pendleton) and Stagecoach's 84 service (Withington Hospital – Manchester), which stop at nearby Trafford Bar tram stop. The ground also has several car parks, all within walking distance of the stadium; these are free to park in on non-matchdays.
Images for kids
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Old Trafford's tribute to the NHS during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
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The statue of Sir Matt Busby overlooking the East Stand forecourt
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Leeds Rhinos celebrate their 2008 Super League Grand Final victory over St Helens.
See also
In Spanish: Old Trafford para niños