Palmerston Park facts for kids
The main stand at Palmerston Park
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 Palmerston Park
Location in Dumfries and Galloway
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| Location | Dumfries, Scotland |
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| Coordinates | 55°04′13″N 3°37′29″W / 55.07028°N 3.62472°W |
| Owner | Queen of the South FC |
| Capacity | 8,690 (3,377 seated) |
| Surface | Artificial Turf |
| Opened | 1919 |
| Tenants | |
| Queen of the South F.C. (1919–present) Heston Rovers F.C. (2013–present) 5th Kirkcudbrightshire Rifle Volunteers F.C. (1879–1896) |
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Palmerston Park is a famous football stadium located in Dumfries, Scotland. It is the home ground for the football team Queen of the South, who have played there since 1919. Another team, Heston Rovers, also shares the stadium. The stadium can hold many fans, with 3,377 seats available for watching exciting matches.
Contents
History of Palmerston Park
How Palmerston Park Began
Palmerston Park first opened its doors in 1919. This was the same year the Queen of the South football club was formed. However, people had been playing football on this very spot since the 1870s. The land where the stadium now stands used to be a farm called Palmers Toun. It is located on the Maxwelltown side of the River Nith in Dumfries.
Buying the Stadium Land
In 1921, Queen of the South bought Palmerston Park for £1,500. This was made possible by selling some talented players. Players like Jimmy McKinnell, Tom Wylie, and Willie McCall were sold to Blackburn Rovers. Also, Ian Dickson was sold to Aston Villa. These sales helped the club gather the money needed to own their home ground.
Stadium Upgrades Over Time
Over the years, Palmerston Park has seen many improvements. In 1959, a roof was added to the Portland Drive Terrace. Before that, in October 1958, floodlights were installed. These floodlights are very tall, standing at 85 feet, making them the tallest free-standing floodlights in Scottish football. The main stand you see today was built in 1965 after the original one was destroyed by fire.
New Stands and Special Events
The East Stand, originally known as "Jimmy Jolly's Bullshed" or the "Coo Shed," was built around 1933. It was named after one of the club's founders. This stand was replaced in 1995 with an all-seater stand. To celebrate the new stand and the club's 75th anniversary, a special game was played against Rangers in April 1995.
In 1999, parts of the film A Shot at Glory, starring Robert Duvall, were filmed at Palmerston Park. This was a fun and exciting event for the stadium.
Modern Changes and Artificial Pitch
In 2012, the club made some updates to the stadium, including new water systems and ticket offices. A big change happened in March 2013 when Queen of the South got permission to install a new artificial pitch. This 5G pitch was ready for the 2013–14 season. After the last game on the old grass pitch, fans could even buy pieces of the turf as souvenirs!
Palmerston Park Structure and Facilities
Stadium Capacity and Seating
Palmerston Park can hold many fans, with a total capacity of 8,690. Out of this, 3,377 are comfortable seats. In the late 1990s, the stadium could hold 8,352 people. However, this number was reduced when one of the standing areas was closed. In September 2014, a safety certificate was issued, allowing for 1,968 standing fans.
The East Stand
The East Stand is an all-seater area with 2,192 seats. This stand has had different names over the years due to sponsorships. For example, it was known as the Galloway News Stand and later the Rosefield Salvage Stand. Since the 2018–19 season, it has been called the BDS Digital Stand. BDS Digital agreed to continue sponsoring the stand until May 2024.
The Main Stand
Opposite the East Stand is the main stand, which was built in 1965. It has 1,185 seats. This stand has a classic look, with the seating area raised above the ground. There are also standing areas for fans to the left and in front of this stand. Since the 2013–14 season, it has been known as the Gates Power Transmission Stand. Alpha Solway committed to sponsoring this stand until May 2024.
The Portland Drive Terrace
The Portland Drive Terrace is a large standing area that can hold 3,345 fans. It is known for being one of the biggest covered standing areas in Scotland. A unique feature of this terrace is a clock face mounted in the center of its roof. Since the 2015–16 season, this terrace has been called the Oakbank Terrace. Oakbank agreed to continue their sponsorship until May 2024.
The Playing Surface
Before the artificial pitch was installed, the grass playing surface at Palmerston Park was famous for being in excellent condition. Many footballers praised it, calling it a "good park" and a "lovely playing surface." They said it was like a "bowling green" because the ball would roll smoothly without bouncing unexpectedly.
Palmerston Park Attendances
Modern Match Crowds
Today, around 2,000 people usually come to watch Queen of the South games. However, for big cup matches against teams from higher leagues, the crowds can be much larger. For example, nearly 5,500 fans watched a league game against local rivals Gretna in August 2006. Over 6,000 people also watched Queen of the South win against Dundee in the 2007–08 Scottish Cup.
Historical Record Crowds
The biggest crowds at Palmerston Park were seen in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. In 1933, 10,948 fans watched Queen of the South's first-ever top-flight game against Celtic. In January 1937, 13,000 people saw Queen of the South beat Rangers in the Scottish Cup. The highest attendance ever recorded at Palmerston Park was on February 23, 1952. A massive crowd of 26,552 fans packed into the stadium to watch Queen of the South play Hearts in a Scottish Cup match.
Other Uses of the Stadium
Palmerston Park is not just for football! In June 2015, the stadium hosted its first live concert. Famous bands like Status Quo, Big Country, and Reef performed there, bringing a different kind of excitement to the venue.
Getting to Palmerston Park
Travel by Train
The closest train station to Palmerston Park is Dumfries railway station. Trains on the Glasgow South Western Line serve this station. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to walk from the train station to the stadium.
Travel by Car
The A75 road goes around Dumfries. If you are traveling to Palmerston Park from the north or east, you should follow the A76 road (Glasgow Road) into Dumfries. Then, the A780 road and Terregles Street will lead you directly to the stadium. There are places to park your car on the streets nearby and at the Ice Bowl, which is located behind the Rosefield Salvage Stand.
