Liverpool FC: The evolution of Anfield Stadium
221,924
Published 2018-11-02
Anfield was built in 1884, but got initially rented by Everton FC. The first game at the ground, on the 28th of September 1884, saw Everton beat Earlstown 5-0.
In 1891, Everton moved out of Anfield after a dispute over the rent, and one year later newly-founded Liverpool moved in. Their first match at Anfield was a 7-1 win over Rotherham.
Anfield underwent several developments in the late 19th and early 20th century, among which in 1895 the construction of a new main stand designed by Archibal Leitch and a decade later the construction of the famous Spion Kop.
The ground remained more or less the same for the next two decades until the Kop got expanded in 1928. Once completed, it could hold about 30,000 fans.
Anfield set its record attendances in 1958 when 61,905 people attended a match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Further improvements were made between 1963 and 1973, when the old Main Stand got demolished and replaced with a new one.
Anfield did not host any matches during the 1966 World Cup, which were instead played at neighbouring Goodison Park.
In the 1980s, a start was made to convert the stadium into an all-seater, and in 1982 the famous Shankly Gates were erected. The last significant changes to the stadium were made in the 1990s, first with the rebuilding of the two-tiered Centenary Stand, then with the conversion of the Kop into an all-seater stand, and finally in 1998 with the construction of a second tier on the Anfield Road Stand.
Anfield was one of the playing venues of the Euro 1996 tournament, during which it hosted three group matches and the quarter-final between France and the Netherlands (0-0).
In the late 2000s, Liverpool contemplated moving away from Anfield to a larger and more modern stadium, and even obtained planning permission for a new 60,000-seater stadium at nearby Stanley Park. However, insufficient funding delayed the plans, which were finally discarded in 2012 by the new owners of the club.
Instead, the ownership opted to redevelop and expand Anfield. The first phase involved the reconstruction of the Main Stand, which increased capacity with 8,500 seats to a total of 54,047. Works started in January 2015 and were completed right before the start of the 2016-17 season.
If there is sufficient demand, plans also include a possible expansion of the Anfield Road Stand, which would result in a final capacity of about 59,000 seats.
All Comments (21)
-
my grandad was in charge of the 1957 floodlight work
-
Wow that piano rendition of YNWA is beautiful!
-
Best club on the planet! YNWA JFT 96 GBNF.
-
The music is very emotional. My first taste of Anfield was going with my dad as a kid around 1970 in the paddock..it was the place fathers took their kids..it was infront of the main stand i think. Then when i was a teenager in the 1970's i went with my mates. Then again with my dad in the Kemlyn road stand in the 1980's...after that a few one offs and then i couldnt afford a season ticket or even the chance to a home game. Early memories Keegan & Toshack, Emlyn Hughes, Highway, Souness etc..then John Barnes Rush Dalglish. But the best player overall ability and what he brought to the game...Steven Gerrard...a one off...
-
I love that bill shankly picture when viewing the pitch 😢
-
ynwa. love this club. from my grandfather, father and me and my next generation will always support liverpool.
-
Excellent music for a piano version of you’ll never walk alone. Excellent ground for the best team in the world to play in. YNWA!
-
thank you Mr.Henry for the new stand......
-
It's a long time since I visited Anfield. It had an air of a cathedral about it and was very like a big perfectly iced cake. A wonderful ground, club and city. ❤🎉
-
The history of Anfield is the history of Everton FC, the pride of the Merseyside 💙
-
Whatever happened between Everton and Anfield Owner/Management team changed history in a positive way. LFC means so much to me, whether they win or lose I'll always stand by them. BTW that piano version of YNWA was so good, made me cry 🔴❤
-
0:45 the two men just casually standing on the construction.
-
I can't believe just how small the original Kop was,as a kid i thought it was huge on tele, actually Anfield was quiet a small stadium in the heydays of the huge attendances.
-
Remember the old kop. Best atmosphere ever YNWA
-
so beautiful, had a tear in my eye YNWA
-
I'm a Liverpool fan from Malaysia I really want to go to anfield Liverpool Stadium, Hopefully one day I will be able to come there Insya Allah Aamin, You'll Never Walk Alone.
-
Nicely done!😀
-
Liverpool ❤️
-
8 unlikes? Have the closet Liverpool fans in Manchester been denying love for the club they secretly support again?? 🤣🤣
-
Great video
