Adams Park facts for kids
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| Former names | Causeway Stadium (sponsored name 2003–2006) |
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| Address | Hillbottom Road High Wycombe HP12 4HJ Buckinghamshire England |
| Coordinates | 51°37′50″N 0°48′1″W / 51.63056°N 0.80028°W |
| Public transit | High Wycombe (train) Hilbottom Road (bus) |
| Owner | Frank Adams Legacy Ltd. |
| Operator | Wycombe Wanderers F.C. |
| Capacity | 10,446 (9,448 approx. licensed capacity) |
| Record attendance | 10,000 (football) (Wycombe Wanderers vs. Chelsea (pre-season friendly), 13 July 2005) 10,516 (rugby union) (London Wasps vs. Newcastle Falcons (Aviva Premiership), 5 May 2012) |
| Surface | Desso GrassMaster (Hybrid grass) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1990 |
| Expanded | 1996, 2001 |
| Construction cost | £3.5m |
| Tenants | |
| 1990–present 2002–2014 2016–2020 |
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Adams Park is a football stadium in High Wycombe, England. It was built in 1990. This stadium is the home ground for the local team, Wycombe Wanderers Football Club. They play in League One. The stadium can hold 10,446 people.
Adams Park has also been home to other teams. The rugby union club London Wasps played there from 2002 to 2014. From 2016 to 2020, Reading Women also used the stadium. For a few years, from 2003 to 2006, the stadium was called the Causeway Stadium. This was because a company named Causeway Technologies sponsored it.
Contents
Stadium History: How It Began
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club needed a new home for a long time. Since the 1960s, their old ground, Loakes Park, was planned for hospital development. The club sold the land to the health authority. This money helped pay for almost all of Adams Park's construction.
Opening the New Stadium
Adams Park opened for the 1990–91 football season. It could hold 6,000 fans, with 1,267 seats in the Main Stand. The stadium is in a valley, surrounded by green hills. It's about two miles west of High Wycombe town centre.
The stadium was named Adams Park to honor Frank Adams. He was a former captain and a big helper for the club. Frank Adams had bought the old Loakes Park for the club. Selling that land helped fund the new stadium named after him. The new stadium brought good luck. Under manager Martin O'Neill, the team won the FA Trophy at Wembley.
Stadium Upgrades and Changes
Early Renovations in the 1990s
When Adams Park first opened, it could hold 6,000 people. As Wycombe Wanderers got better, the stadium was improved. By 1993, after the club joined the Football League, the capacity grew to about 9,500.
In 1996, a new stand called the Woodlands Stand was built. It had 4,990 seats. The area for visiting fans, called the Hillbottom Road End, also got seats. This reduced its capacity from 2,131 standing spots to 1,049 seats. This caused problems when many visiting fans came. The stadium's total capacity was set at 10,000. This was to help with traffic and parking issues in the nearby area.
Changes in 2001
In 2001, the Hillbottom Road End was made bigger. It gained 977 more seats, bringing its total to 2,026. This allowed more away fans to be seated together. However, the overall stadium capacity stayed at 10,000. This was done by reducing the official capacity of other standing areas.
Rugby Team Moves In (2002)
In 2002, the rugby union team London Wasps started playing at Adams Park. They needed a new home after leaving their old stadium.
Record Crowds and Future Plans (2005)
In July 2005, Adams Park saw its first full crowd of 10,000 people. This happened during a friendly match between Wycombe and Chelsea. There were talks about making the stadium even bigger. The idea was to meet new rules for rugby stadiums. However, these plans never happened. The rugby rules changed, and it was hard to add more access roads to the stadium.
Other Sports Events (2013)
On March 6, 2013, Adams Park hosted a rugby league game for the first time. The London Broncos played against Bradford. Later that month, on March 21, 2013, the England national under-21 football team played a friendly match there. They beat Romania's under-21 team 3–0.
Wasps Rugby Team Leaves (2014)
In October 2014, it was announced that London Wasps would leave Adams Park. They moved to a larger stadium called the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
Stadium Name Change and Return
In 2003, the stadium was renamed the Causeway Stadium. A local technology company, Causeway, paid £100,000 for the naming rights. This made some fans upset. The stadium was originally named Adams Park to honor Frank Adams, who had helped the club so much. The sponsorship ended in 2006. The stadium's name then went back to Adams Park.
Future Development Ideas
Over the years, there have been many ideas to either make Adams Park bigger or build a new stadium.
Early Ideas (2005-2007)
In 2005, the local council thought about building a new stadium for 20,000 people. In 2006, plans were made to add a new road to Adams Park. This would allow the stadium to hold up to 15,000 fans. New club shops and offices were also built in 2006.
In 2007, Steve Hayes, who owned both Wycombe Wanderers and London Wasps, shared plans for a new stadium. It would hold 17,000 to 20,000 people. It would also be one of the first UK stadiums in modern times to have standing areas. These plans included shops, a hotel, and meeting rooms.
Land Changes and New Plans (2008-2011)
In 2008, the land around the stadium became more valuable. This meant it could be easier to expand. However, getting more access roads was still a problem.
In 2011, Steve Hayes planned to build a new stadium for both clubs. It would be at Wycombe Air Park. But many people in the community and Wycombe Wanderers fans were against this idea. They worried about losing the air park and building on green areas. They also worried about the club's money. These plans were stopped in July 2011.
Stadium Stands and Features
Adams Park has several different stands, each with its own history and purpose.
Origin Stand (North)
This stand was built in 1990. It has 1,267 seats. It also holds the club offices, changing rooms, the club shop, and food areas.
WhiffAway Stand (East)
This stand was first called the Hillbottom Road End. It started as a standing area for 2,131 fans. In 1996, seats were added. In 2002, it was expanded to 2,053 seats, with space for 10 wheelchairs. Visiting team fans usually sit in this stand for Wycombe Wanderers matches. The stand's capacity has been reduced to 1,800 for safety reasons. It has been renamed several times due to sponsorship deals. Its current official name is the Troo Stand.
Frank Adams Stand (South)
This stand was originally a single level for standing. In 1996, it was expanded to two levels. It can hold 4,895 people. The lower level is known as the stadium's Family Stand. This side of the ground is also called the Woodlands side. It was renamed the Frank Adams Stand to honor Frank Adams. This happened when the stadium was temporarily called the Causeway Stadium.
The Bill Turnbull Gantry
The commentary area at the back of the Frank Adams Stand was renamed in September 2022. It honors the late broadcaster Bill Turnbull. He was a Wycombe fan and used to commentate from this spot.
Beechdean Terrace (West)
This area is called the Valley End. It is the home supporters' standing area for football matches. It is the only remaining standing section in the stadium. Its capacity has been adjusted over time. It is currently licensed for 1,494 fans.
Stadium Facilities
Adams Park has two special areas for guests: the Caledonian Suite and the Woodlands Suite. The Caledonian Suite is behind the Beechdean Stand. The Woodlands Suite is on the Executive Box level of the Frank Adams Stand.
The stadium also has a bar called Monty's. It is named after Monty Seymour, a former club president. Since 2006, there has also been a club shop. It is located between the PreSonus and Troo stands.
Important Matches and Events
Adams Park has hosted many exciting games and events:
- November 17, 1992 – England U19s 2–1 Turkey U19s
- November 16, 2005 – England U19s 2–0 Switzerland U19s
- March 6, 2006 – FA Women's Premier League Cup final (Arsenal 1–2 Charlton Athletic)
- January 10, 2007 – League Cup semi-final first leg (Wycombe 1–1 Chelsea)
- May 2, 2009 – Wycombe promoted to Football League One (Wycombe 1–2 Notts County)
- May 7, 2011 – Wycombe promoted to Football League One (Wycombe 3–1 Southend United)
- March 21, 2013 – England U21s 3–0 Romania U21s
- April 6, 2013 – First Super League rugby match at Adams Park (London Broncos 20–46 Bradford)
- November 19, 2019 – England U20s 3–0 Iceland U20s
See also
In Spanish: Adams Park para niños
