Almondvale Stadium facts for kids
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The Spaghettihad
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Almondvale Stadium in 2012
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 The Home of the Set Fare Arena
Location in West Lothian
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| Former names | Tony Macaroni Arena |
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| Location | Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 55°53′9″N 3°31′19″W / 55.88583°N 3.52194°W |
| Owner | West Lothian Council |
| Capacity | 9,713 |
| Record attendance | 10,112 v Rangers F.C. (27 October 2001) |
| Field size | 98m x 69m |
| Surface | Artificial turf |
| Opened | 1995 |
| Tenants | |
| Livingston F.C. (1995–present) | |
Almondvale Stadium is a football stadium in Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland. It's also known as The Home of the Set Fare Arena because of a sponsorship deal. Since 1995, it has been the home of Livingston Football Club, a team in the Scottish Premiership. The stadium has seats for 9,713 people.
For ten years, from 2014 to 2024, it was called the Tony Macaroni Arena. Fans sometimes jokingly called it the "Spaghettihad." This was a fun play on words, like the Etihad Stadium where Manchester City plays.
Contents
Stadium History and Growth
Building the Stadium
Almondvale Stadium was built in 1995. It was a team effort between Meadowbank Thistle F.C. from Edinburgh and the Livingston Development Corporation. As part of the plan, Meadowbank Thistle moved to Livingston. They also changed their name to Livingston Football Club.
Ownership and Expansion
When the Livingston Development Corporation closed, West Lothian Council took over the stadium. Livingston F.C. rents the stadium from the council each year. The team quickly moved up through the Scottish football leagues. The stadium was made bigger to meet the rules for the Scottish Premier League (SPL). This happened just in time for the club to join the top league in 2001.
Record Attendance
The most people ever to watch a Livingston match at Almondvale was 10,112. This record was set during their first season in the SPL. It happened on October 27, 2001, when they played against Rangers.
Stadium Name Changes
The stadium's name has changed many times because of sponsorship deals. However, fans still often call it Almondvale or "the 'Vale." In the early 2000s, it was officially called the City Stadium. Before that, it was known as the West Lothian Courier Stadium.
After a new group took over the club in 2005, it went back to its original name, Almondvale Stadium. In May 2010, it was renamed the 'Braidwood Motor Company Stadium' for three years. In June 2013, it became the 'Energy Assets Arena'. Then, in September 2015, it was renamed the 'Tony Macaroni Arena'. The club announced that this sponsorship ended in March 2024.
Stadium Design and Features
Almondvale is a stadium where all 9,713 seats are covered. It has four stands that are all about the same height. Two corners of the ground also have covered seating.
One corner of the West Stand is open. In another corner, there is a five-story building called the stadium house. This building is mostly used for meetings and offices. All the stands have one level of seating. The stadium also has four big floodlights, one in each corner. A roof and windshields protect the stadium from bad weather. Almondvale has an artificial turf pitch and a heating system under the ground.
Women's Football at Almondvale
International Matches
In August 1997, Almondvale hosted an international women's football match. It was between the Scotland team and the England team. In 2001, the Scottish Football Association chose Almondvale as its main place for women's football.
Cup Finals and Home Ground
The stadium hosted the Scottish Women's Cup final. It also hosted the Scottish national team's matches from 2001 to 2004. Since the 2021–22 season, the stadium has been the home ground for Hibernian W.F.C..
Other Events and Uses
Guest Teams
In 2008, Gretna played one match at Almondvale. They lost 3–0 to Celtic. This happened because their usual home stadium had pitch problems. In 2013, Albion Rovers played a cup game against Rangers here. Over 5,000 fans watched that match.
Youth and Cup Finals
Almondvale has also hosted many matches for Scotland's youth teams. These include games for the under-21, under-19, and under-17 national teams. The stadium hosted the Scottish Challenge Cup finals in 2012 and 2013. On May 27, 2012, it also held the 2012 Scottish Junior Cup Final. The reserve team for Hibernian has also used the stadium.
Getting to Almondvale Stadium
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Location and Roads
The town of Livingston is in the middle of Scotland. It is about 18 miles west of Edinburgh and 33 miles east of Glasgow. You can easily reach it from the M8 motorway. The stadium is in the center of Livingston, in the Almondvale area. It is near the shopping center and the River Almond. Signs around the town help drivers find the stadium. There are many parking spaces close to the stadium, either near the shopping center or at the stadium itself.
Public Transport
There are two train stations close to the stadium: Livingston North and Livingston South. Trains from Edinburgh and Glasgow stop at both stations. Livingston North is about a 30-minute walk from the stadium. Livingston South is about a 40-minute walk. The main bus station in Livingston is on Almondvale Avenue. It is only a 5-minute walk from the stadium.
See also
In Spanish: Estadio Almondvale para niños
