Greenfield Stadium, Bradford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Greenfield Stadium

Greenfield Stadium in Bradford c.1960
Former names	Greenfield Athletic Ground Greenfield Autodrome Yorkshire Trotting and Athletic Grounds
Location	Bradford
Opened	Before 1907
Closed	5 March 1969
Tenants
Bradford Northern Bradford Panthers Greyhound racing

Greenfield Stadium was a popular sports place in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It was also known by other names like Greenfield Athletic Ground and Greenfield Autodrome. This stadium was the first home for the Bradford Northern Rugby league team.

Later, it became a track for greyhound dogs and speedway motorbikes. The stadium was located near School Street in Dudley Hill, Bradford. Back in 1907, it was a six-acre field with a special track for sports and horse trotting.

Sports at Greenfield Stadium

Rugby League Fun

In 1907, a new rugby team called Bradford Northern needed a home. They rented Greenfield Stadium for £8 from Whitaker's Brewery. The brewery also helped the team with money. This became the team's first real home. Their main office was in the Greenfield Hotel next door.

Bradford Northern played their first game there on September 7, 1907. They played against Huddersfield. About 7,000 people came to watch! Later that year, they even beat a touring team from New Zealand.

The club spent £302 to build a grandstand, fences, and improve the field. But they only stayed at Greenfield for one season. In June 1908, they decided to move. They went to Birch Lane and then to their current home, Odsal Stadium. After they left, Greenfield Stadium went back to being just a track for running and trotting. By the 1920s, it was known as the Yorkshire Trotting and Athletic Grounds.

Greyhound Racing Excitement

How it Started

In 1926, work began to change the stadium for greyhound racing. This was one of the first greyhound stadiums in the UK! It opened on October 8, 1927. The track was part of the National Greyhound Racing Club.

By this time, the stadium had much better facilities. There was a main stand with covered seating on the School Street side. This was opposite the starting gate for the dogs. There was also covered seating along the back straight. At one end, a huge board showed the betting odds. At the other end, there was a clubhouse overlooking the track.

A Look Back

Soon after opening, in October 1927, strong winds hit Bradford. The stadium lost the roofs from both of its stands! The stadium was run by the Greenfield Greyhound Racing Association.

In 1932, a trainer named Jimmy Rimmer set a record. He had 504 winning dogs in one year at the track! In 1934, a greyhound from Greenfield called Deemsters Mike raced in the English Greyhound Derby final. This dog, trained by Fred Livesly, also won another big race called the Northern Flat.

The track was known for being well-designed. It had a good run-in to the finish line. This made it good for all kinds of racing dogs. The track used an 'Outside Sumner' hare, which was a mechanical lure. Races were 310, 500, 650, and 700 yards long. The whole track was 420 yards around. The stadium could hold up to 7,000 people.

In 1952, the track reached the final of a national championship. It was sponsored by the News of the World. However, they lost to Eastville Stadium.

Speedway Thrills

In 1961, a speedway track was built inside the dog track. It was 320 yards (290 metres) long. The city's speedway team, Bradford Panthers, moved there from Odsal Stadium. A famous speedway promoter, Johnnie Hoskins, opened the first race.

But the success didn't last long. The last speedway race at Greenfield Stadium was on October 9, 1962. It was a double race against Sheffield and Leicester. The Bradford Panthers team stopped racing soon after.

The End of an Era

Greenfield Stadium closed its doors in March 1969. The land was sold to build industrial warehouses. The very last sports event was a greyhound race on March 5. About 4,790 people came to watch the final races.

Fast Facts: Track Records

This table shows some of the fastest times recorded by greyhounds at Greenfield Stadium.