Ashton Gate (stadium) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ashton Gate

'The Gate'
UEFA
Full name	Ashton Gate Stadium
Location	Ashton Road, Bristol BS3 2EJ
Coordinates	51°26′24″N 2°37′13″W / 51.44000°N 2.62028°W / 51.44000; -2.62028
Public transit	Parson Street. The stadium also has designated bus routes (AG1, AG2, AG3) that operate after the matches. Alternatively, bus route 24 begins and terminates on Winterstoke Road, directly next to the stadium, or there are bus stops for the 75,76, and m1 buses located near Parson St train station.
Capacity	26,462
Record attendance	43,335 (Bristol City F.C. vs Preston North End F.C., 16 February 1935)
Field size	115 by 75 yards (105 m × 69 m)
Surface	Desso Grassmaster
Opened	1887
Tenants
Bedminster F.C. (until 1900) Bristol City F.C. (1904–present) Bristol City W.F.C. (2023–present) Bristol Bears (2014–present)

Ashton Gate is a big sports stadium in Bristol, England. It's the home ground for two popular teams: Bristol City F.C. (a football club) and the Bristol Bears (a rugby team). This stadium is in the southwest part of the city, close to the River Avon. It can hold 26,462 people, all seated.

Ashton Gate's Story and Layout

Ashton Gate has a long history in Bristol sports. It first became a home for football when Bedminster F.C. played there until 1900. Later, Bristol City F.C. moved in during the 1903–04 season and has been there ever since.

The Dolman Stand during a Bristol City home game against rivals Bristol Rovers

The stadium is also very important for rugby in Bristol. The Bristol rugby team has played many games here since the 1920s. In 2006, they had a record crowd for a Premiership rugby match (outside of Twickenham) when they beat Bath Rugby. Since the 2014–2015 season, Bristol Rugby (now Bristol Bears) has made Ashton Gate its permanent home.

Ashton Gate has hosted three international matches for the England Under-21 football team. They won against Italy in 1997 and Uzbekistan in 2010. They also had a draw against Romania in 2007. In 2021, the stadium hosted the 2021 National League play-off final. This big game was moved from Wembley Stadium to avoid clashing with other football matches.

Starting from the 2023–24 season, Bristol City Women's football team also plays all their home games at Ashton Gate. They moved here after being promoted to the Women's Super League.

Stadium Stands: Where Fans Sit

Ashton Gate has four main stands, each with its own story.

The Lansdown Stand

This is the newest and largest stand at Ashton Gate. It was finished in 2016 and named after Stephen Lansdown, who helped pay for the stadium's big makeover. It can hold 9,506 fans.

The Lansdown Stand has two levels of seats. Between these levels are 18 special boxes for guests. The roof is covered with solar panels. These panels help power the whole stadium using clean energy. This stand also has the players' changing rooms and team benches.

The Dolman Stand

The Dolman Stand was built in 1970, making it the oldest part of the stadium. It was named after Harry Dolman, a former chairman of the club. In 1996, more seats were added to the front of the stand.

In 2007, the old wooden seats were replaced with new plastic ones. The stand got a full update in 2015 as part of the stadium's big redevelopment. Today, it has 6,675 seats.

The Atyeo Stand

This is the smallest stand at Ashton Gate, with space for 3,900 fans. It was built in 1994 to meet new rules that required all stadium seats. It replaced an old standing area.

The Atyeo Stand is named after John Atyeo, a legendary Bristol City player. He played 645 games and scored 351 goals, more than anyone else for the club. He passed away in 1993, just before the stand opened. This stand is usually where away fans sit for football matches. It is often closed for rugby games.

Ashton Gate with Clifton Suspension Bridge in the background

The South Stand

The South Stand was the first part of the stadium to be rebuilt in the modern redevelopment. It was finished after the 2014–15 season. It can hold 6,381 people, including special spaces for wheelchair users.

This stand has a "singing section" for Bristol City's loudest fans. Unlike the other stands, it's not named after a person. It connects to the Dolman and Lansdown stands with walkways.

Old Stands: What Was There Before

Before the big changes, Ashton Gate had two other stands.

The Wedlock "East End" Stand

This stand was known as the "East End" to fans. It was built in 1928 as a covered standing area. In the 1990s, it was changed to have seats. It was knocked down in 2014 and completely rebuilt as part of the new stadium.

The Williams Stand

The Williams Stand was built in 1958. It held the directors' box and the press box. The lower part was a standing area until it got seats in the 1990s. This stand was named after Des Williams, another former chairman. It was taken down in 2015 to make way for new construction.

Ashton Gate's Big Makeover

For a while, there were plans to build a brand new stadium somewhere else. But in 2013, Bristol City decided to give Ashton Gate a huge makeover instead. The plans were approved in 2014, and work began in May 2014.

The main goals of the redevelopment were:

• To knock down the old Williams and Wedlock stands and build bigger, modern ones.
• To make the Dolman Stand larger.
• To move the pitch slightly and lay a new one. This new pitch would be suitable for both football and rugby.
• To update the whole stadium to modern standards, with a capacity of about 27,000 seats.

All the work was finished before the start of the 2016–17 sports season.

Other Exciting Events at Ashton Gate

Ashton Gate isn't just for football and rugby league. It hosts many other events too!

Rugby Union Matches

Since August 2014, Ashton Gate has been the permanent home of the Bristol Bears rugby team. It has also hosted two international rugby union matches:

Date	Competition	Home team		Away team
18 January 1908	1908 Home Nations Championship	England	18	Wales	28
3 October 1999	1999 Rugby World Cup, Pool 2	New Zealand	45	Tonga	9

In 2020, Ashton Gate hosted the final of the 2019–20 Heineken Champions Cup. This big European rugby match was moved to Bristol because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2025 Women's Rugby World Cup

Ashton Gate will be one of the stadiums hosting games for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup. This is a huge event for women's rugby! The stadium will host two quarter-final matches and two semi-final matches in September 2025.

Rugby League Matches

Ashton Gate has also hosted one rugby league tour match:

Date	Competition	Home team		Away team
20 December 1911	1911/12 Kangaroo Tour	Wales & West	3	Australia	23

Music Concerts

Many famous music artists and bands have performed concerts at Ashton Gate. Some of these include the Arctic Monkeys, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Westlife, Bryan Adams, Neil Diamond, Bon Jovi, Elton John, Meat Loaf, Muse, Spice Girls, Take That, The Killers, and Kings of Leon.

See also

In Spanish: Ashton Gate Stadium para niños

• Bristol City Stadium
• List of stadiums in the United Kingdom by capacity
• Lists of stadiums