Dens Park facts for kids
|
Dens
|
|
Dens Park in 2025
|
|
 Dens Park
Location in Dundee
|
|
| Location | Sandeman Street, Dundee |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 56°28′29″N 2°58′25″W / 56.47472°N 2.97361°W |
| Capacity | 11,506 |
| Record attendance | 43,024 v Rangers 7 February 1953 |
| Field size | 109 × 69 yards (100 × 64 metres) |
| Surface | Grass pitch |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1899 |
| Opened | 1899 |
| Renovated | 1998–1999 |
| Architect | James Paul Associates (1998–99) |
| Tenants | |
| 1899–present | |
Dens Park is a famous football stadium in Dundee, Scotland. It is the home ground for the football club Dundee F.C.. The stadium can hold many fans who come to watch exciting matches.
What's really interesting is how close Dens Park is to another stadium, Tannadice Park. Tannadice Park is the home of Dundee F.C.'s rivals, Dundee United. The two stadiums are only about 200 yards (183 metres) apart!
Contents
History of Dens Park Stadium
Dundee F.C. moved to Dens Park in 1899 from their first stadium, Carolina Port. Since then, Dens Park has been a key part of the club's history.
Early Matches and Record Crowds
Dens Park has hosted some important games over the years. The Scotland men's team played three international matches there. All these games were against Wales in the early 1900s.
The biggest crowd ever at Dens Park was 43,024 people. This record was set in 1953 when Dundee played against Rangers in a Scottish Cup match. Imagine how loud that crowd must have been!
Modern Upgrades and New Stands
In 1998, Dundee F.C. was promoted to the Scottish Premier League. This meant Dens Park needed some big changes to meet the league's rules for seating. Workers quickly removed old concrete standing areas. They then built two new stands, each with 3,000 seats, in just 82 days!
These new stands were named after two important football figures: Bobby Cox and Bob Shankly. The Bobby Cox Stand usually holds home fans, while the Bob Shankly Stand is for away fans. The stadium also got a new club shop and ticket office. In 2005, special heating was installed under the pitch to keep the grass in good condition. Dens Park was even named the best pitch in the First Division in 2008.
Other Important Events at Dens Park
Dens Park has hosted several other major football events. It was the venue for two Scottish League Cup finals in 1979 and 1980. It also hosted the Scottish Challenge Cup final in 2007.
In 2007, Dens Park, along with another stadium, hosted qualifying games for the European Under-19 Championship. Teams like Scotland, Portugal, Turkey, and Georgia played there.
More recently, in July 2023, Dens Park hosted its first match for the Scotland women's team. They played a friendly game against Northern Ireland.
For a period, the stadium had a sponsor. In October 2023, it was officially renamed "The Scot Foam Stadium at Dens Park." However, this sponsorship ended in June 2025, and the stadium is now back to its original name, Dens Park.
Future Plans for Dens Park
There have been discussions about the future of Dens Park for many years.
Considering a New Stadium
Back in 2002, there were ideas for a new stadium in Dundee. This new stadium would have been shared by both Dundee F.C. and Dundee United. The plan was part of Scotland's bid to host a big European football tournament. However, Scotland did not win the bid, so these plans were put on hold.
Later, in 2016, the owners of Dundee F.C. bought land in the Camperdown area of Dundee. In 2017, they announced plans to build a new stadium there. This was because Dens Park was getting older and needed more money for upkeep. The club submitted documents for this new stadium in August 2017.
Club Ownership of the Stadium
For some time, the stadium was owned by a local businessman. However, in October 2023, Dundee F.C. successfully bought Dens Park back. This means the club now owns its historic home ground.
In June 2022, Dundee F.C. moved its daily operations away from Dens Park to a college campus. This was to improve sports facilities. The club continues to work on plans for a new stadium in Camperdown, with updated designs released in late 2023.
Other Uses of Dens Park
Besides football, Dens Park has also been used for other activities.
Greyhound Racing at Dens Park
For two different periods, Dens Park hosted greyhound racing. The first time was in the 1930s. In 1932, a company leased the stadium to hold races. They even added a glass front to the main stand so people could watch in all weather. This first period of racing ended in May 1936.
Greyhound racing returned to Dens Park over 50 years later, in 1992. A new chairman of the football club, Ron Dixon, brought it back. A special sand track was built around the football pitch. Racing started again in October 1994 but stopped in December 1996. After this, the stadium was redeveloped, and the curved track was removed to make way for the new stands we see today.
See also
In Spanish: Dens Park para niños
- Scotland national football team home stadium
