Firhill Stadium facts for kids
| Wyre Stadium at Firhill | |
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 Firhill Stadium
Location in Glasgow council area
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| Location | Glasgow, Scotland |
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| Coordinates | 55°52′53″N 4°16′10″W / 55.88139°N 4.26944°W |
| Owner | Partick Thistle F.C. |
| Capacity | 10,102 |
| Field size | 105m x 69m (pitch) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Opened | 1909 |
| Tenants | |
| 1909–present 1986–1991 1994–1997, 1999–2001 2021–2022 2005–2006, 2007–2012 |
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Firhill Stadium, also known as Wyre Stadium at Firhill, is a famous sports ground in Glasgow, Scotland. It is in the Maryhill area of the city. This stadium has been the home of the Partick Thistle football team since 1909.
Over the years, Firhill has hosted many different sports. It was once used for rugby union, rugby league, and even greyhound racing. Other football teams like Clyde, Hamilton Academical, and Queen's Park have also played their home games here for a while. The Glasgow Warriors rugby union team also called Firhill home from 2007 to 2012.
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The Story of Firhill Stadium
Partick Thistle played in several different places between 1876 and 1891. They finally settled at a place called Meadowside in 1891. This ground was next to the River Clyde.
However, in 1908, the club had to leave Meadowside. A new shipyard was going to be built there. Partick Thistle then found some land in Maryhill that belonged to the Caledonian Railway. The club bought this land for £5,500.
Construction of the new stadium began soon after. Firhill was supposed to open on August 21, 1909. But the first match was delayed because the stadium was not yet safe for people. It also needed official planning permission. Firhill finally opened its doors a month later.
Record Crowds and Early Upgrades
The most people ever to watch a Partick Thistle game at Firhill was 49,838. This happened in 1922 when they played against Rangers. The main stand you see today was built in 1927. At the same time, the standing areas (terraces) were made bigger.
The stadium's overall attendance record was set in 1928. A match between the Scotland and Ireland football teams drew 54,728 fans.
Not much changed at Firhill until the early 1950s. Partick Thistle had a good period then, which brought in more money. This money helped pay for a roof over part of the terraces. It also paid for floodlights, which were first used in 1955. This was during a friendly game against Tottenham Hotspur.
Firhill even hosted the first European Cup match ever played in Glasgow. This was in the 1955–56 season. A Swedish team, Djurgården, played their "home" game against Hibernian in Glasgow. It was too cold to play in Sweden at that time.
Safety Changes and Sharing the Pitch
In 1977, new safety rules for sports grounds came into effect. These rules reduced Firhill's capacity from over 40,000 to 20,500. This made the stadium safer for everyone.
In 1986, Firhill became the first Scottish stadium in modern times to be shared by more than one team. Clyde moved in after leaving their old ground. This lasted until 1991. Later, Hamilton Academical also shared Firhill with Thistle for two different periods, starting in 1994. To handle the extra games, special heating was put under the pitch in 1994. This is called undersoil heating.
Building the North Stand
The North Stand was built in 2002. This was to meet rules set by the Scottish Premier League. At that time, clubs in the league needed to have 10,000 seats in their stadium.
Later, this rule changed to only 6,000 seats. This meant Partick Thistle had built a large stand that cost a lot of money, but was no longer strictly needed for the rules. The stand was first two-thirds the length of the pitch. It was made longer in 2003. Money from selling land for student flats behind the stand helped pay for its construction.
Stadium Layout and Features
Today, Firhill Stadium has three seated stands. There is also an empty area at the south end. The stadium has a total of 10,102 seats. There are no standing areas anymore.
The Main Stand was originally built with 6,000 seats. However, its capacity has been reduced over time. In 2006, the club decided not to use the Main Stand for most matchdays. This was because it cost too much to maintain and staff. It was sometimes opened for big games or for Glasgow Warriors rugby matches.
When Thistle moved up to the Scottish Premiership in 2013, the Main Stand was reopened. It is now used for away supporters, especially when there are more than 500 visiting fans. In 2016, the Main Stand was renamed the Colin Weir Stand. This was to honor a special supporter of the club.
Home fans usually sit in the Jackie Husband Stand. This stand is opposite the Colin Weir Stand. The north part of the Jackie Husband Stand is also used for away fans when there are fewer than 500 visitors. This stand is a large building with a roof that sticks out without support (a cantilever). It was built in December 1994 and has 6,263 seats. It is named after a famous former Thistle player, Jackie Husband.
The newest stand is the John Lambie Stand. It is at the north end of the stadium. This stand was built in 2002 to replace old standing terraces. It has 2,014 seats and is where Thistle's most vocal fans sit. It was named after former Thistle manager John Lambie in April 2018.
Ideas for the Future
In 2010, Partick Thistle shared plans to improve the unused area at the south end of the stadium. This area is often called the "City End" or "The Bing" by fans. The idea was to build a new stand with 1,000 seats. There were also plans for homes and offices. However, the city council did not approve these plans at that time.
In 2014, new plans were submitted to the Glasgow City Council for the south end. These plans were very similar to the earlier ones. They included a new 450-seat stand, along with 79 homes, offices, and shops. The company handling the application explained that the original plans were put on hold because of financial problems.
Other Ways Firhill Has Been Used
Rugby Union Matches
In December 2005, Firhill became the home of Glasgow's professional rugby union team, Glasgow Warriors. They moved from their old stadium. After a short return to their previous ground in 2006, the Warriors came back to Firhill in 2007. They stayed for five years, until the 2011–12 season. After that, the Glasgow Warriors moved to Scotstoun Stadium.
Rugby League Games
In 1996, Firhill hosted the first home game for the Scottish national rugby league team. They won against Ireland. Rugby league is not as popular in Scotland as football. However, the sport has returned to Firhill several times. This included games for the 2000 Rugby League World Cup.
Greyhound Racing Events
Greyhound racing took place at Firhill from 1928 until 1957. A special oval track, 400 yards long, was built around the football pitch in 1928. The racing started on April 23, 1928.
This extra income from greyhound racing helped Partick Thistle when they had money problems. Racing happened several times a week. However, by March 1950, fewer people were coming to the races. There was also competition from other tracks in Glasgow. The greyhound racing at Firhill ended in January 1957.
Firhill on TV
Firhill Stadium has appeared on television. In 1999, it was featured in a short comedy sketch.
In 2000, the stadium was used a lot for the TV show Taggart. In one episode, a fictional team played at Firhill and wore similar kits to Partick Thistle. Scenes for the 2010 BBC drama Single Father, starring David Tennant, were also filmed at Firhill.
Getting to Firhill
Maryhill railway station is the closest train station to Firhill. Trains from Glasgow Queen Street stop there. It takes about 20 to 25 minutes to walk from the station to the stadium.
The Glasgow Subway is also a good way to get there. Kelvinbridge and St George's Cross stations are both within a 15-minute walk. The A81 road (Maryhill Road) leads to Firhill Road, which takes you to the stadium. This road connects to the M8 motorway.
Images for kids
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Firhill greyhound track around 1940
See also
In Spanish: Firhill Stadium para niños
