Portland Park (Ashington)
Location | Ashington, England |
---|---|
Coordinates | 55°11′05″N 1°34′18″W / 55.1846°N 1.5717°W |
Record attendance | 13,199 |
Surface | Grass |
Opened | 1909 |
Closed | 2008 |
Tenants | |
Ashington A.F.C. Ashington Arrows Greyhound racing (1936–1993) |
Portland Park was a football ground in Ashington, England. It was the home ground of Ashington A.F.C. between 1909 and 2008. It also hosted greyhound racing from 1936 until 1993.[1]
History
The ground was opened in 1909 and was initially known as the Station Road Ground until 1912, when it was renamed Portland Park after the site's landowner the
The first Football League match played at the ground was on 27 August 1921, with Ashington beating Grimsby Town 1–0. The attendance of 9,000 was the highest Football League attendance recorded at Portland Park.[2] Ashington were voted out of the Football League at the end of the 1928–29 season, with the last Football League match at Portland Park being a 3–0 defeat to Halifax Town. The attendance of just 706 was Ashington's lowest during their time in the League.[2]
The ground's record attendance of 13,199 was set for an FA Cup second round match against Rochdale on 9 December 1950, with Ashington losing 2–1.[2] The ground was no longer used for greyhound racing after 1964, but was subsequently used for speedway and stock car racing, becoming the home track of the Ashington Arrows speedway team. However only two speedway meetings were ever staged in 1972 with Phil Crump winning the Northumberland Open before the team was forced to leave after sparks led to a stand burning down.[5]
Greyhound racing
Racing was held from 3 October 1936 through to 1964 when the track closed.[6] The track re-opened on 16 August 1984,[7] with a circumference of 380 yards. Featuring sharp bends, race distances were 270, 480, and 660 yards.[8] Racing ended during March 1993.[9]
Closure
In 2005 it was announced that the site had been sold for a retail development.[10] Ashington remained at Portland Park until 2008, when they moved to Woodhorn Lane. The last game at the ground was played on 15 February 2008, with Ashington losing 3–2 to Seaham Red Star in front of 1,954 spectators.[4] Ashington's final goal at the old ground was scored by centre forward Gareth Bainbridge. The site was used to build an Asda supermarket.[5]
References
- ISBN 0-948955-22-8.
- ^ ISBN 0954783042
- ^ Football The Morpeth Herald and Reporter, 27 September 2012
- ^ a b c d Portland Park Ashington AFC
- ^ a b c Ashington to ashes – the Asda price The Northern Echo, 19 February 2008
- ^ Furby, R (1968). Independent Greyhound Racing. New Dominion House. p. 88.
- ^ "Greyhound Star (Remember When - June)". Greyhound Star.
- ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
- ^ "Closures and openings over the past 10 years". Greyhound Star. July 1993. p. 18.
- ^ There Asda be a way to play on The Evening Chronicle, 16 June 2006