Solitude (football ground) facts for kids
Entrance, west side
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 Solitude
Location in Greater Belfast
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| Location | Cliftonville Street Belfast, Northern Ireland |
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| Coordinates | 54°37′10″N 5°56′50″W / 54.61944°N 5.94722°W |
| Owner | Cliftonville FC |
| Operator | Cliftonville FC |
| Capacity | 8,000 (3,000 seated) |
| Surface | Artificial |
| Opened | 20 August 1890 |
| Tenants | |
| Cliftonville FC (1890- ) Newington (2018- ) |
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Solitude is a famous football stadium located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It holds a special place in history as the oldest football stadium in all of Ireland. It is the proud home ground of Cliftonville, which is also Ireland's oldest football club. The stadium first opened its doors on August 20, 1890.
Over the years, Solitude has been updated many times. In 2002, a new stand was built for visiting teams. Another new stand was finished in 2008. In 2010, the old grass pitch was replaced with a modern artificial 3G surface. This makes it a great place for football games today.
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Solitude's History
Solitude opened in 1890 when Cliftonville Football Club moved there. Before this, they played across the road at Oldpark Avenue. This stadium has a cool claim to fame: the very first penalty kick in international football was taken here! Solitude used to have two pitches, but one was later sold for houses. This makes it the oldest football ground in Ireland.
Solitude has hosted many important matches, including cup finals and international games. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was the main home ground for the Ireland national team. It hosted 11 international matches during the 1890s. A memorable game happened on March 3, 1894. After many tries, Ireland finally managed a draw against England at Solitude. The score was 2–2, with goals from Olphert Stanfield and W.K. Gibson. Solitude continued to host international games for a while. However, other stadiums like Windsor Park and Dalymount Park later became the main venues for Ireland's national team.
The Stands at Solitude
Solitude has several different stands where fans can watch the games. Each stand has its own history and features.
Main Stand
The Main Stand is on the western side of the stadium. It is only for Cliftonville supporters. This stand is quite old, built in the 1950s. It has two levels for fans. The lower part has both standing areas and seats. The upper part has a mix of seats and benches. More than 2,500 people can fit in this stand.
The original Main Stand was destroyed by a fire in January 1949. This happened after a big cup game was played there. Inside the Main Stand, you can also find the Cliftonville Social Club. This is a licensed club for Cliftonville fans.
McAlery Stand
The McAlery Stand is a newer part of the stadium. It opened on October 27, 2008. It replaced an older stand called the Cage Stand. This stand has 1,600 seats. It is named after the club's founder. Underneath this stand, there are new changing rooms for the players.
Away End
The Away End is on the north side of the ground. It is sometimes called "The Bowling Green End" because there is a bowling green behind it. This area got a big update in 2001. The old covered standing area for visiting fans was replaced. Now, it is an all-seated stand with 880 seats for away supporters.
Waterworks Stand
The Waterworks Stand was first put up for a special game. This was a UEFA Champions League match against the Scottish team Celtic. As of 2025, this area is still a grass bank. It is mainly used for television cameras during games.
Whitehouse
The Whitehouse is a unique building at Solitude. It used to hold the changing rooms for the teams. It also had the boardroom for the club's officials. However, due to money issues, these facilities have not been updated.
Stadium Floodlights
Solitude has powerful floodlights that light up the pitch for evening games. These lights were installed as part of a project to improve the stadium's lighting. The Irish Football Association helped fund this project. The floodlight towers are 35 meters tall. They were first used on September 21, 2009. That night, Cliftonville beat Linfield 4-0 under the new lights.
See also
In Spanish: Solitude Stadium para niños
- Stadiums of Ireland
