Boleyn Ground facts for kids
 The west stand from Green Street |
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| Location | Upton Park London, E13 England |
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| Coordinates | 51°31′55″N 0°2′22″E / 51.53194°N 0.03944°E |
| Public transit |  Upton Park |
| Owner | West Ham United |
| Operator | West Ham United |
| Capacity | 35,016 |
| Surface | Grass (110 x 70 yards) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1904 |
| Closed | 10 May 2016 |
| Demolished | 2016–2017 |
| Architect | Henri Pillipe Tiite Parker |
| Tenants | |
| West Ham United (1904–2016) Charlton Athletic (1991–1992) |
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| Website | |
| https://www.whufc.com/club/history/stadia/boleyn-ground | |
The Boleyn Ground, also known as Upton Park, was a famous football stadium in Upton Park, east London, England. It was the home stadium for West Ham United for over 100 years, from 1904 to 2016. For a short time in the early 1990s, Charlton Athletic also played there.
When it closed, the stadium could hold 35,016 fans. West Ham United moved to the London Stadium in Stratford for the 2016–17 season. The very last professional football match at the Boleyn Ground was on May 10, 2016. West Ham United won 3–2 against Manchester United in an exciting Premier League game. The stadium was taken down in 2016 and 2017 to make space for new buildings.
Contents
The History of Boleyn Ground
West Ham United started playing at the Boleyn Ground in 1904. They took over the stadium from another local team, Old Castle Swifts. The club rented the land from the Roman Catholic Church. A large house on the grounds, Green Street House, was known as Boleyn Castle. People believed it had a connection to Anne Boleyn, a famous queen. This is how the stadium got its name, the Boleyn Ground. However, many people simply called it Upton Park, after the area where it was located.
In August 1944, during World War II, a V-1 flying bomb hit the stadium's pitch. This meant West Ham had to play their games at other stadiums while repairs were made. Despite this, the team played very well, winning nine games in a row. When they returned to the Boleyn Ground in December 1944, they lost 1–0 to Tottenham Hotspur.
By 1990, new safety rules meant that all football stadiums in England had to have seats for every fan. This led to big changes at Upton Park. In 1993, the South Bank stand was replaced with a new stand that had 9,000 seats. It was named the "Bobby Moore Stand" to honor the club's legendary captain who had recently passed away.
The North Bank stand was rebuilt in 1994 and opened as the "Centenary Stand" in 1995. It had 6,000 seats and was later renamed the "Sir Trevor Brooking Stand". The East Stand also had seats added. The final big change happened in 2000 when the West Stand was replaced. This new stand, called the "Dr. Martens Stand," had 15,000 seats. These changes made the stadium an all-seater venue with a capacity of 35,000.
Why West Ham Moved Stadiums
For many years, there was talk about West Ham United moving to a new stadium. After the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, the club became very interested in moving to the Olympic Stadium. This stadium was much bigger and newer.
In 2010, the club's owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, announced that West Ham would indeed move to the Olympic Stadium. After a long process of bidding and planning, West Ham won the right to use the stadium. They signed a 99-year lease and planned to move for the 2016–17 season.
In 2014, West Ham announced that they had sold the Boleyn Ground to a company called the Galliard Group. The sale was finalized once the club had moved to its new home.
The Last Game at Boleyn Ground
The final professional football match at the Boleyn Ground was on May 10, 2016. West Ham United played against Manchester United. It was a very important game for both teams.
West Ham took the lead early with a goal from Diafra Sakho. Manchester United then scored two goals through Anthony Martial. But West Ham fought back! Michail Antonio scored to make it 2-2, and then Winston Reid scored the winning goal in the 80th minute. The final score was 3-2 to West Ham. It was a perfect way to say goodbye to their historic home. After the match, there was a special show on the pitch to celebrate the stadium's long history.
What Happened After Closure
The sale of the Boleyn Ground was completed in July 2016. The developers planned to build 838 new homes, shops, and other facilities on the site. They also considered creating a garden named after Bobby Moore.
In March 2016, plans were approved for the new homes. The stadium dismantling began in March 2016. Important parts, like the John Lyall gates, were moved to the new London Stadium. By July, the seats were removed, and the site was given to the developers for demolition. The Boleyn Ground was also used for filming a movie called Final Score and hosted a charity match before demolition started.
The Stands of Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground became an all-seater stadium in the early 1990s. This was because of new safety rules for stadiums. The highest number of fans ever at the Boleyn Ground was 42,322 in 1970, before it had all seats. After it became all-seater, the record attendance was 35,550 in 2002. Before it closed, the stadium could hold 35,016 seated fans.
Upton Park had four main stands: the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand, the Bobby Moore Stand, the East Stand, and the Betway Stand.
Sir Trevor Brooking Stand
This stand was first called the North Bank, then the Centenary Stand, and finally the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand in 2009. It was built in 1995, celebrating 100 years since the club started as Thames Ironworks.
The stand had about 6,000 seats on two levels. The upper level was known as the family section. The lower level behind the goal was shared by home and away fans. This area was known for its lively atmosphere, with fans often standing and singing.
East Stand
The East Stand was the oldest and smallest stand at the stadium, built in 1969. It had about 5,000 seats. This stand was famous for being very loud and exciting. It was often called the 'Chicken Run'. This name came from an older wooden stand that had a roof sloping away from the pitch and was surrounded by wire, making it look like a chicken run.
Bobby Moore Stand
This stand was built in 1993 and could hold up to 9,000 fans. It was named after the legendary West Ham captain, Bobby Moore, who passed away that year. The stand had two levels, and the seats spelled out "WEST HAM UNITED". Like the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand, the lower level of the Bobby Moore Stand was known for its passionate fans.
The Betway Stand
The West Stand was the newest and largest stand, holding up to 15,000 fans. It was built in 2001 and was first called the Dr. Martens Stand. Later, it was renamed the Betway Stand after a sponsor. This stand was the main part of Upton Park. It had two levels for fans, with two levels of special executive boxes in between. It also housed all the club's offices, dressing rooms, and the official club shop.
The outside of the stand had two large towers with the club's badge on them, matching the club's crest. This stand was so big you could see its roof from far away roads. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the stand.
Other Events at Boleyn Ground
Besides football, the Boleyn Ground hosted other interesting events. In June 1989, a famous speaker named Billy Graham held a large Christian event there. So many people came that some had to sit on the pitch!
On February 12, 2003, the England played Australia in a friendly match at the Boleyn Ground. Australia won 3-1. This game is famous because it was the first time Wayne Rooney played for England.
On November 12, 2014, the Argentina national team played Croatia in a friendly game. Argentina won 2-1. This match was special because former West Ham striker Carlos Tevez returned to play at the Boleyn Ground.
The stadium was also used as a setting for the 2018 movie Final Score.
International Matches Played at Boleyn Ground
| 7 April 1982 Quarter Final | England U21  |
2–2 |  Poland U21 |
London |
Hateley  6' 20' |
Biernat 62' Baran 74' |
Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 6,680 |
| 9 October 1998 Qualifier | England U21 |
1–0 |  Bulgaria U21 |
London |
| Lampard 62' (pen) |
Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 11,577 Referee: Dick van Egmond |
| 6 October 1999 Qualifier | England U18 |
0–2 |  Spain U18 |
London |
| Trashorras 41' 69' |
Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 7,710 |
| 12 December 2002 Friendly | England U20 |
0–2 |  Switzerland U20 |
London |
| Weber 44' Mikari 88' |
Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 11,000 |
| 12 February 2003 Friendly | England |
1–3 |  Australia |
London |
| 20:15 GMT | Jeffers 69' |
Popovic 17' Kewell 41'Emerton 83' |
Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 34,590 Referee: Manuel Mejuto González |
| 19 August 2003 Friendly | England U21 |
0–3 |  Croatia U21 |
London |
Pennant  61' |
Ljubojević 12' 54' Pranjić 90' |
Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 11,008 Referee: Tommy Skjerven |
| 10 August 2010 Friendly | Italy  |
0–1 |  Ivory Coast |
London |
| 19:45 BST (UTC+01:00) | K. Touré 55' |
Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 11,000 Referee: Martin Atkinson |
| 12 November 2014 Friendly | Argentina  |
2–1 | Croatia |
London |
| 19:45 GMT | Ansaldi 49' Messi 57' (pen.) |
Sharbini 11' |
Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 19,834 Referee: Andre Marriner |
Images for kids
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Winston Reid, who scored the last goal at the Boleyn Ground.
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The North Bank in 1991, before it was rebuilt.
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The South Bank at Boleyn Ground in 1991, before it was rebuilt.
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The Champions Statue on Barking Road. From left to right: Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst, Bobby Moore (lifted high), Ray Wilson.
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A view of the Boleyn Ground from the East Stand before a night game.
See also
In Spanish: Boleyn Ground para niños
