Victoria Park, Dingwall facts for kids
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 Victoria Park
Location in Ross and Cromarty
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| Location | Jubilee Road, Dingwall, Ross-shire, Scotland |
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| Coordinates | 57°35′45.41″N 4°25′08.09″W / 57.5959472°N 4.4189139°W |
| Owner | Ross County F.C. |
| Capacity | 6,541 all-seated |
| Field size | 110 × 75 yards |
| Surface | Grass |
| Opened | 1929 |
| Tenants | |
| 1929–present | |
Victoria Park, also known as the Global Energy Stadium, is a football stadium in Dingwall, Scotland. It is the home ground for Ross County F.C.. This team currently plays in the Scottish Premiership, which is a top football league.
A Look Back at Victoria Park
Victoria Park is a big stadium. It can actually hold more people than live in the town of Dingwall! In 2011, Dingwall had about 5,491 residents. However, Ross County gets many fans from the wider area of Ross and Cromarty, which has over 60,000 people.
The largest crowd ever at Victoria Park was around 8,000 fans. This happened in February 1966. They were watching a Scottish Cup match between Ross County and Rangers F.C.. The money earned from this exciting game helped pay for building the Jail End terrace.
Ross County F.C. used to play in the Highland Football League. Then, in 1994, they joined the Scottish Football League Third Division. Victoria Park became the most northern stadium in the senior Scottish football league system. This was true until Elgin City F.C. joined the league in 2000.
Ross County earned a promotion to the Scottish Premier League (SPL). They won the 2011–12 Scottish First Division to achieve this. The stadium was updated in 2012 to meet the SPL's rules. This work included adding seats to the Jail End. A new North Stand was also built. They even put in heating under the pitch and made more parking spaces. Victoria Park was renamed the Global Energy Stadium in July 2012. This new name came from the company started by Ross County's chairman, Roy MacGregor.
Stadium Design and Features
Victoria Park has four stands where fans can sit. The West Stand (Main Stand) and the East Stand are along the sides of the pitch. The North Stand (Academy End) and the South Stand (Jail End) are behind each goal.
The Jail End is named this way because an old jail and court used to be behind it. The old jail buildings are now homes. Visiting fans usually sit in the Academy End. Home fans fill all the other parts of the stadium. There are also special areas for guests and executive boxes in the East and West Stands.
Behind the Academy End is the Dingwall campus of the Highland Football Academy. It has a covered artificial turf pitch that is three-quarters the size of a regular pitch. There is also a full-size artificial turf pitch next to the East Stand. This pitch has markings for football, 5-a-side football, and field hockey. The Academy also has three full-size grass pitches. Plus, there are extra grass areas for training and warming up.
Gallery
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West Stand
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Jail End
