Roots Hall facts for kids
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| Full name | Roots Hall Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | Southend-on-Sea |
| Capacity | 12,392 (restricted to 10,502) |
| Field size | 110 × 74 yards |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1952 |
| Opened | 1955 |
| Tenants | |
| Southend United F.C. (1955–present) | |
Roots Hall is a football stadium in Southend-on-Sea, England. It is the home ground for Southend United, a team in the National League. Roots Hall is the biggest football stadium in Essex. It can hold up to 12,392 fans, but currently, only 10,502 people can attend matches. For many years, there were talks about building a new, larger stadium. However, new owners took over the club in 2024 and decided to improve Roots Hall instead.
Contents
History of Roots Hall
Early Days: Before Roots Hall (1900s–1940s)
Southend United first played football on the land where Roots Hall now stands in 1906. When the First World War started, the area was used for storage. This meant the club had to move. After the war, the team played at a new ground near the Kursaal. The old Roots Hall site then became a place where sand was dug up and later, where rubbish was dumped.
Building a New Home: Roots Hall (1950s)
By the early 1950s, Southend United was playing at Southend Stadium. The club did not own this ground, and a dog racing track around the pitch made it hard for football. So, in 1952, the club bought the old Roots Hall site to build a proper football stadium. It took almost a year to clear all the rubbish from the land.
The stadium was built by Sid Broomfield and a small team. It cost about £74,000, with help from the FA and money raised by fans. The fans then gave the completed stadium to the club. Roots Hall opened on 20 August 1955, with its first match against Norwich City. Sir Stanley Rous, a top football official, officially opened the ground.
Growing the Stadium (1960s)
When Roots Hall first opened, it wasn't fully finished. Some parts of the stands were short, and not all areas had concrete seating. The pitch also had problems and had to be completely relaid after the first season. Once the pitch was fixed, the club focused on finishing the stadium.
They extended the roof of the west stand and completed the terracing. In 1964, all 72 steps of the large south bank were covered in concrete. The east stand was also made longer in 1966, and floodlights were installed. The stadium was finally complete. Its busiest day was in 1979, when 31,033 fans came to watch Liverpool play in an FA Cup match.
Making Roots Hall Modern (1980s–2010s)
By the mid-1980s, the club faced money problems. To help, much of the south bank was sold in 1988. Later, in 1994, it was replaced by a smaller, two-level stand with seats. Before this, in 1992, the west stand was also turned into an all-seater stand. Seats were added to the east stand as well.
The last big changes happened in 1995. The west stand roof was extended to connect with the south and north stands. Seats were also put into the north-west corner of the ground. In the early 2000s, new facilities like a ticket office and club shop were added. Old turnstiles were replaced with electronic ones, and executive areas were improved. A new digital scoreboard was put on the north stand roof in 2012. However, over time, the stadium needed more repairs, and safety rules led to limits on how many fans could attend.
Plans for a New Stadium (Fossetts Farm)
In the 1990s, Southend United began planning to move to a new stadium at Fossetts Farm. In 2007, they received permission to build the stadium, shops, a hotel, and training areas. The plans were approved by the government in 2008. Roots Hall was even sold to a supermarket chain, Sainsbury's, which planned to build a store there.
Building work for the new stadium was supposed to start in 2014, but there were delays. New plans were submitted in 2017 and again in 2021. These plans included a stadium for 22,000 fans, a hotel, and homes. Later, the hotel plans changed to more homes, and the stadium capacity was reduced to 16,226 seats. However, in October 2023, a new group of owners bought the club. They decided that the team would stay at Roots Hall and improve it instead of moving.
New Owners and Stadium Improvements (2020s)
On 19 July 2024, the new owners officially took over Southend United. They made a deal to keep Roots Hall for the club, with plans to buy it fully later. The previous owner also agreed to help pay for improvements to Roots Hall using money from developing the Fossetts Farm site.
Right away, the new owners invested in the stadium. They added a new video scoreboard, new signs outside, and made the bars bigger. In September 2024, they announced plans to increase the stadium's capacity by opening part of the North Bank to home fans. They also planned a "Fan Zone" outside, new LED floodlights, and major renovations to the West and South Stands. The East Stand is planned to be completely replaced. The North Bank was reopened to home fans in December 2024, bringing the stadium's capacity back to 10,502. In June 2025, the club hired architects to help with the stadium's transformation.
Stadium Layout
East Stand: The Main Stand
The East Stand is the main stand at Roots Hall. It runs along one side of the pitch. It used to have both seats and standing areas, but it was changed to an all-seater stand in the 1990s. This stand also has special executive boxes and the club offices. The team dugouts are built into the stand, under the roof. The East Stand has 2,636 seats. It is currently called the Climatec Group East Stand.
South Stand: Family Area
The South Stand was once a large standing area with 72 steps. Due to money problems in the 1990s, it was replaced by a much smaller, two-level stand. The lower part of this stand is part of the family area and can hold 1,137 fans. The upper part is a bit smaller, with 934 seats. In total, this stand has 2,071 seats. It is currently known as the wefinanceanycar.com South Stand.
West Stand: Unique Roof
The West Stand was also a standing area that was later converted to seats. The seats were bought second-hand from Manchester City F.C.. This stand can hold 3,459 fans. When the stadium was improved in the 1990s, the north-west corner was also filled with seats. Sometimes, this section is used for visiting team supporters. The roof of the West Stand looks unique because it has a double-barrel shape. A small part of the West Stand is also part of the family area. It is now called the Gilbert & Rose Stand.
North Stand: The North Bank
The North Stand, also known as the North Bank, is another stand that used to be a standing area. It can hold 2,222 people. Its roof has a round, barrel shape, and there is a scoreboard in the middle. Since December 2024, the North Bank has been split. It holds almost 1,100 home fans on one side and 815 away fans on the other. About 400 seats in the middle are kept empty to separate the fans. For big cup matches, the whole North Bank can be used for away supporters. Many Southend fans consider the North Bank their "spiritual home." It is currently named the Solopress North Bank.
North West Corner: Connecting Stands
The North West Corner connects the North and West Stands. It has blocks X, Y, and Z and can hold 1,385 people. This area was originally a standing terrace in the 1960s. In 1995, it was converted to seating, and the roofs from the West and North Stands were extended to cover it. Blocks Y and Z were not used for a while but Block X has been open for home fans since April 2025.
See also
In Spanish: Roots Hall para niños
