Colchester Community Stadium facts for kids
JobServe Community Stadium
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| Former names | Weston Homes Community Stadium |
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| Location | United Way, Colchester, Essex, England |
| Coordinates | 51°55′24″N 0°53′52″E / 51.923394°N 0.897703°E |
| Public transit |  Colchester, 1.8 mi (2.9 km) |
| Owner | Colchester Borough Council |
| Operator | Colchester United F.C. |
| Executive suites | 24 |
| Capacity | 10,105 |
| Record attendance | 10,064 (Colchester United vs Norwich City, 16 January 2010) |
| Field size | 101 × 64 metres |
| Surface | Seeded grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | July 2007 |
| Opened | August 2008 |
| Construction cost | £ 14 million |
| Architect | Barr Construction |
| Structural engineer | Barr Construction |
| Services engineer | Barr Construction |
| Main contractors | Barr Construction |
| Tenants | |
| Colchester United F.C. (2008–present) | |
The JobServe Community Stadium is a modern football stadium located in Colchester, England. It is the home ground for Colchester United Football Club. The stadium can hold 10,105 people and first opened its doors in August 2008.
For many years, the club and the local council discussed building a new stadium. After 30 years of planning, a spot called Cuckoo Farm was chosen. Construction started in July 2007 and finished in August 2008. The stadium replaced the club's old home, Layer Road, which had been used since 1937.
The stadium was first known as the Weston Homes Community Stadium. After ten years, the naming rights changed to JobServe, and it became the JobServe Community Stadium.
Contents
Stadium History: How it Was Built
Why a New Stadium Was Needed
Colchester United's old stadium, Layer Road, was built way back in 1910. It was getting very old and needed a lot of expensive repairs to meet safety rules. Because of this, the club and the Colchester Borough Council started looking for a new home in the 1970s.
After some serious stadium fires in other parts of England in the 1980s, it became even more important to move from the old wooden stands at Layer Road. The club couldn't afford the huge costs for safety improvements. So, they closed parts of the ground, which meant fewer fans could attend games.
The Council eventually bought Layer Road from the club to help with their debts. They then started looking for the best place to build a new, modern stadium. They found a good spot at Cuckoo Farm, which the Council already owned.
Planning the New Stadium
Once Cuckoo Farm was chosen, plans for the new stadium were submitted in 1999. The idea was to have the stadium, car parking, and even space for hotels and shops. The plans also included a new road junction on the A12.
Many people in Colchester supported the idea of a new stadium. A petition called Community Stadium Now! gathered over 13,000 signatures. The plans were finally approved in January 2005.
In 2006, the Council agreed to take out a loan to help pay for the £14.23 million stadium. The rest of the money came from grants. A Scottish company called Barr Construction was chosen to build the stadium.
Building and Opening the Stadium
Construction at Cuckoo Farm started in July 2007. The goal was to finish the stadium in time for the 2008–09 football season. As the stadium got closer to being finished, it was officially named the Colchester Community Stadium. However, a sponsorship deal with Weston Homes meant it would be known as the Weston Homes Community Stadium for ten years.
The very first football game at the new stadium was a friendly match. It was played on August 4, 2008, between Colchester United and a Spanish team, Athletic Bilbao. The first goal for Colchester at their new home was scored by Scott Vernon from a penalty kick.
The first official league game was on August 16, 2008, against Huddersfield Town. Colchester United got their first win at the stadium on October 25, 2008, with a big 5–0 victory over Carlisle United.
Stadium Design and Features
The JobServe Community Stadium can hold 10,105 fans. It has four main sections, called stands, and all of them have access for disabled visitors.
- The West Stand is the biggest. It has regular seats for fans, plus 24 special boxes and areas for corporate events. This stand also holds the club's offices, the club shop, and the ticket office.
- The North Stand is usually where away team supporters sit when they come to watch a game.
- The East Stand is known as the family area. It offers special ticket prices for families.
- The South Stand is where Colchester United's most vocal fans sit. They help create a loud and exciting atmosphere during matches.
Other Ways the Stadium is Used
The stadium isn't just for football! It's a busy place that hosts many other events. The special suites and large car park make it perfect for:
- Conferences and meetings
- Weddings and parties
- Boxing dinners and darts competitions
- Comedy nights and tribute band concerts
- Fashion shows and award ceremonies
Music Concerts
The stadium has also become a popular outdoor music venue.
- In June 2014, Sir Elton John played the first-ever open-air concert here, with about 16,500 people attending.
- Lionel Richie performed in June 2016.
- Local singer Olly Murs held a concert in June 2017.
International Football Matches
The stadium has hosted several exciting international football games, mostly for England's younger teams.
- In November 2008, the England Under-19 team beat Germany 1–0.
- The England Under-21 team has played here multiple times, winning against Lithuania (3–0 in 2010), Iceland (5–0 in 2011), and Norway (6–1 in 2016). In the Norway game, Marcus Rashford scored three goals!
- The England women's team played a World Cup qualifier here in November 2017, winning 5–0 against Kazakhstan. They had also played a friendly match here in 2009.
| 18 November 2008 | England U19  |
1–0 |  Germany U19 |
Colchester | ||
Lansbury  |
Report | Stadium: Colchester Community Stadium Attendance: 9,692 |
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| 16 July 2009 | England Women |
0–2 |  Iceland Women |
Colchester | ||
| Report | Magnúsdóttir 26' Viðarsdóttir 81' |
Stadium: Colchester Community Stadium Attendance: 4,170 |
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| 7 September 2010 | England U21 |
3–0 |  Lithuania U21 |
Colchester | ||
| 16:00 BST | Welbeck 61', 90' Albrighton 79' |
Report | Stadium: Colchester Community Stadium Attendance: 7,240 Referee: Matej Jug (Slovenia) |
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| 11 November 2011 | England U21 |
5–0 | Iceland U21 |
Colchester | ||
| 19:30 GMT | Sordell 40' Kelly 58'Dawson 86'Gardner 90', 90+2' |
Report | Stadium: Colchester Community Stadium Attendance: 10,051 Referee: Pavle Radavanović (Montenegro) |
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| 6 September 2016 | England U21 |
6–1 |  Norway U21 |
Colchester | ||
| 17:45 BST | Rashford 29', 66', 72' (pen.) Chalobah 37'Loftus-Cheek 64'Baker 86' |
Report | Zahid 68' |
Stadium: Colchester Community Stadium Attendance: 8,454 Referee: Ali Palabıyık (Turkey) |
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| 28 November 2017 | England Women |
5–0 |  Kazakhstan Women |
Colchester | ||
| 19:05 GMT | Lawley 15' Kirby 64' (pen.)Parris 68', 75'Christiansen 76' |
Report Report Report |
Stadium: Colchester Community Stadium Attendance: 9,644 Referee: Lois Otte (Belgium) |
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Stadium Records
The biggest crowd ever at the Community Stadium was 10,064 people. This happened on January 16, 2010, when Colchester United played against Norwich City.
Getting to the Stadium
The stadium is easy to reach, located near Junction 28 of the A12 road. It has a car park for almost 700 cars. There's also a special "park and ride" system nearby, which opened in 2015, making it even easier for fans to get to games.
Awards and Recognition
In May 2009, the Colchester Community Stadium won a big award! It was named the overall winner at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors East of England Awards. The judges said it was a "fantastic new facility" for the football club and also brought "benefits to the wider community."
