Links Park

Links Park is a football stadium in Montrose, Scotland. It has been the home ground of Montrose F.C. since 1887.

Links Park
Montrose playing Aberdeen at Links Park in 2006
Links Park
Location in Angus
LocationMontrose, Scotland
Coordinates56°42′50.17″N 2°27′32.70″W
OwnerBryan Keith[1]
Capacity4,936[2]
SurfaceArtificial turf[3]
Opened1887[1]
Tenants
Montrose F.C. (1887–present)[1]
Montrose Roselea F.C. (2018–present)

Links Park was opened in 1887.[1] To help finance the new ground, Montrose F.C. rented the pitch out for circuses and livestock grazing.[1] The club was eventually able to raise £150 in 1920 to buy a stand, that had been previously used by the Highland Games.[1] A roof was built over the Wellington Street end of the ground in the 1960s.[1] Floodlights were installed in 1971 and first used in a match against Stranraer.[1] The record attendance at the ground was 8,983, for a Scottish Cup quarter-final tie against Dundee in March 1973.[1]

Links Park was significantly improved in the 1990s, after the club was taken over by Bryan Keith.[1] The wooden Main Stand was replaced by a cantilevered stand, seating 1,258 people.[1] Other improvements brought the total investment to nearly £1 million, of which the Football Trust provided £400,000.[1] Keith bought the ground in 1995 for £500,000 and granted the club a 25-year lease, without rent.[1] GlaxoSmithKline provided a £250,000 grant in 2006 for the club to install an all-weather surface at Links Park.[4] This pitch was replaced by another artificial surface during the 2015 close season.[3]

The current stadium capacity is 4,936. The all-seated Main Stand (South) has a capacity of 1,338 with the West Stand terrace holding a maximum of 1,582 spectators. There is also uncovered standing areas on the North and East sides off the ground. The pitch at the stadium measures 113 x 70 yards.

For the 2018–19 season, local junior football club Montrose Roselea will share Links Park, with a view to a longer-term grounsharing arrangement.[5]

References

Further Reading
  • Inglis, Simon (1996). Football Grounds of Britain. Collins Willow. ISBN 0-00-218426-5.
Citations
  1. Inglis 1996, p. 456
  2. "Montrose Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  3. "Montrose to replace Links Park pitch". www.spfl.co.uk. Scottish Professional Football League. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  4. "Club receives new pitch donation". BBC News. BBC. 20 December 2006. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  5. "Montrose Roselea reach Links Park groundshare agreement". Montrose F.C. Retrieved 30 June 2018.


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