Carrow Road
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| Carrow Road | |
| Full name | Carrow Road |
| Nickname | Carra Rud |
| Built | 1935 |
| Opened | 1935 |
| Capacity | 26,034 |
| Home of | Norwich City F.C. |
| Pitch size | 114 x 74 yards |
Carrow Road is a British football stadium in Norwich, England. It is the home ground of Norwich City Football Club who currently play in the Football League Championship. The ground's capacity is currently 26,034.
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[edit] History
Carrow Road football stadium was opened in 1935 after Norwich City moved from their dilapidated previous ground, fittingly named 'The Nest' on Rosary Road. It became the third ground that the club had inhabited since their inception in 1902. The current stadium consists of four stands; the 'Barclay Stand' and the 'Norwich and Peterborough Stand' which lie behind each goal, (North-East and South-West respectively), the 'City Stand' (to the north-west of the pitch) and the most recent addition, the 'Jarrold Stand'.
The record attendance for a home game at the stadium was 43,984 in 1963, versus Leicester City Football Club in the sixth round of the FA Cup. Norwich lost 0 - 2. However, this record was established nearly thirty years before all-seater stadia became mandatory for all English league football clubs, a factor that severely limited the capacity of all football stadia. The record attendance for an all-seated crowd at Carrow Road is 25,522 for the Premiership match against Manchester United on April 9 2005, a match Norwich won 2-0 and which is now considered as one of their greatest results since their European successes- in particular against Bayern Munich- in 1993.
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This attendance was only possible due to the redevelopment of the South Stand (now the 'Jarrold Stand'), completed in 2004. This was a landmark of sorts for the stadium, as it represented the final stand of the original ground to be replaced. The other three stands had already been redeveloped in the 1980s due to a severe fire that destroyed a large part of the stadium in 1983, and to meet the required safety standards demanded of English football following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.
The new 'Jarrold Stand' is a cantilever, single-tiered, all-seated stand, that can hold up to 8,000 supporters. It is unusual in having not one, but three separate television gantries suspended beneath its largely perspex roof.
This stand was further extended in 2005 (opened 2006) and now extends around the 'Norwich and Peterborough Stand' corner of the ground. The two 'width-wise' stands of the ground are also all-seated and completely sheltered from the elements. They are both double-tiered, and each accommodate rows of executive boxes. On each corner they also support the floodlight pylons.
The single-tiered 'Geoffrey Watling City Stand' is the smallest in terms of capacity, but comprises Directors' Box, Press Area, and various other hospitality suites. This stand extends around to meet the stands at either end, with the one end attached to the 'Barclay' Stand. The corner between the G. Watling stand and the Barclay is dubbed 'The Snake Pit' by supporters.
There are currently plans to fill the last-remaining empty corner (between the 'Barclay' and the 'Jarrold' stands) with a hotel. A contract was signed with the Holiday Inn hotel chain in 2005, and construction commenced in 2006. This was one of two options, the other being to fill in this space with seats. However, the club decided against this due to possible segregation problems that might arise (such a stand would enclose the away supporters with home fans on each side), and the potentially greater revenue of the hotel (as opposed to ticket sales). The hotel is due to open in 2007.
The club have plans to increase the capacity of the stadium should the club win promotion to the Premiership and bring in extra funds to finance the expansion. This would include building a second tier on the Geoffrey Watling Stand (City Stand).
[edit] Average Attendances
- 2005-06: 24,574 (Football League Championship)
- 2004-05: 24,350 (Premier League)
- 2003-04: 18,987 (Football League First Division) (Jarrold Stand rebuilding for first half of the season)
- 2002-03: 20,356 (Football League First Division)
[edit] Music
The stadium has also occasionally hosted music concerts, including appearances by Elton John and Lulu in 2005 and a scheduled appearance by George Michael in the summer of 2007.[1]
| Football League Championship venues, 2006-2007 |
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| Britannia Stadium | Carrow Road | Deepdale | Elland Road The Hawthorns | Hillsborough | Home Park | Kenilworth Road KC Stadium | Layer Road | Loftus Road | Molineux Stadium Ninian Park | Oakwell Stadium | Portman Road | Pride Park Stadium Ricoh Arena | Roots Hall | Selhurst Park | Stadium of Light St Andrews | St Mary's Stadium | Turf Moor | Walkers Stadium |
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