KitKat Crescent
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| KitKat Crescent | |
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 KitKat Crescent on match day |
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| Full Name | KitKat Crescent |
| Location | York |
| Opened | 1932 |
| Owner | York City |
| Surface | Grass |
| Former names | |
| Bootham Crescent | |
| Tenants | |
| York City | |
| Capacity | |
| 9,600 (3,571 seated) | |
| Dimensions | |
| 105 x 67.5 metres | |
KitKat Crescent (formerly Bootham Crescent) is the stadium of English football team York City. The stadium is small by most standards, having capacity (seating and standing) for only 9,600 supporters. The ground first staged league football in 1932, but York were relegated from the Football League in 2004 and now play in the Nationwide Conference.
[edit] History
York City purchased the land for Bootham Crescent in Summer 1932, which used to be a cricket ground.[1] This site was chosen as it was closer to the club's centre of support and the railway station than Fulfordgate.[1] Bootham Crescent was converted into a football ground and a main stand was built and a roof was put over the Popular stand.[1] The ground was opened on 31 August 1932.[1] In March 1938, the ground's record attendance was reached as 28,123 people watched York City v Huddersfield Town.[1]
Bootham Crescent was damaged during World War II, when a bomb landed on the Shipton Street End.[1] Shortly after the war ended the terracing was laid properly with concrete, although most of the ground was still uncovered.[1]
Bootham Crescent was fitted with floodlights in 1959.[1] The first game they were used for was a friendly against Newcastle United on 28 October 1959.[1]
During the mid-1980's, £300,000 was spent on a series of improvements to the Bootham Crescent ground.[1] The money for these improvements came from York City's FA Cup run which included games against Arsenal and then Liverpool, as well as a replay against Liverpool in front of a crowd of 43,000.[1] The improvements included building hospitality suites behind the main stand, new club offices, turnstiles, new crush barriers, and more seats added to the Popular Stand, making the total number of seats 2,883 out of a total capacity of 13,185.[1]
The capacity of Bootham Crescent had been 12,475 (3,245 seats), but this was reduced in 1994 because the family area of the Main stand was increased (due to popular demand as well as complying with the recommendations made in the Taylor Report) and 326 seats replaced a standing area resulting in reduced capacity and also stricter rules concerning the density of people standing (as a result of the recommendations made in the Taylor Report after the Hillsborough disaster) further reduced capacity.[1]
New floodlights were installed during Summer 1995, costing £122,000.[1] These floodlights are twice as bright as the original floodlights, and also meet the requirements for Division One football.[1] A new drainage system was installed to improve the quality of the pitch during winter, costing several thousand pounds.[1] A water tower was also installed in the late 1990s.[1]
In January 2005, because a sponsorship deal with Nestlé, Bootham Crescent was renamed KitKat Crescent.[2] Despite the stadium's re-branding, the stadium is still commonly referred to as Bootham Crescent or, much less commonly, The Grand Old Duke.
York City are currently hoping to relocate to a new 15,000-seat stadium in the city, as KitKat Crescent is in a confined location and expansion is virtually impossible. They hope to move to the new stadium by 2015.
KitKat Crescent was due to host England U16 v Scotland U16 on Friday 8 December 2006 in the final match of the Sky Sports Victory Shield, but due to a waterlogged pitch the match was moved to Glanford Park of Scunthorpe United.
[edit] Stands
David Longhurst Stand
Main Stand
Popular Stand
Grosvenor Road away terrace
[edit] Notes
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York City Football Club
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| Club: York City F.C. | Players | Managers | Seasons | Records |
| Ground: KitKat Crescent |
| Other: YNS |
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Conference National Venues 2006/07
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Abbey Stadium | Aggborough Stadium | Broadfield Stadium | Broadhall Way | Christie Park | Clarence Park | Forest Green New Stadium | Haig Avenue | Kassam Stadium | Kingfield Stadium | KitKat Crescent | The Lamb Ground | Marston Road | Moss Lane | Nene Park | New Recreation Ground | Pirelli Stadium | Recreation Ground | The Shay | St James Park | Stonebridge Road | Victoria Road | Victoria Stadium | The Wessex Stadium |
