Bishopsgate (stadium)

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Bishopsgate
Lngfrdg2.jpg
Main stand at the stadium
Bishopsgate (stadium)
Former namesStrokestown Road, Lissanurlan, [1] Flancare Park, [1] City Calling Stadium [2]
LocationStrokestown Road, Longford, County Longford, Ireland
Coordinates 53°43′26″N7°51′14″W / 53.724°N 7.854°W / 53.724; -7.854
Public transit Longford railway station
Owner Longford Town F.C.
Capacity 5,097 (4,977 seated, 120 standing)[ citation needed ]
Record attendance6100[ citation needed ]
SurfaceGrass
ScoreboardDigital
Construction
Built1994 [2]
Tenants
Longford Town F.C.

Strokestown Road, currently known as Bishopsgate for sponsorship purposes, is a football stadium in Longford, Ireland which is the home of League of Ireland club Longford Town.

Contents

History

In the mid-1990s, Longford Town moved their home ground from Abbeycartron to the townland of Mullolagher just off the N5 road between Longford and Tarmonbarry. It is one of the few League of Ireland grounds which is owned by the club itself.[ citation needed ]

The stadium underwent a significant redevelopment at the end of 2000–01 season. Previous to this, while containing a good pitch and floodlights, the ground had poor facilities along with two terraced (one uncovered) stands and a single-seater stand. The club's promotion to the Premier Division in 2000 was seen as a catalyst in the redevelopment of the ground to its present-day form. Through the receipt of government and FAI grant aid, it was fully redeveloped into an all-seater stadium by July 2001. [3] The ground's capacity is 5,097.

The ground became known as Flancare Park, [1] after the club's then sponsor Flancare, in early 2001 until the arrangement finished at the end of 2013. [2] During this time the ground held a number of international underage matches, three UEFA Cup ties and staged the 2004 League Cup final (which Longford won). It was affectionately referred to by League of Ireland fans as the 'Flan Siro'; [4] a play on the name of Flancare Park and on the name of the well-known San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy.

In 2013, the ground's name changed to the City Calling Stadium. [2] This name change was related to the club's then newly acquired main sponsor City Calling Group, a recruitment agency. In 2018, the City Calling Stadium received the Football Association of Ireland 'Pitch of the Year' award. [5]

The stadium was selected as a venue for the 2019 UEFA European Under-17 Championship as part of Ireland's hosting of the tournament. Four group stage matches were held at the ground, including England v France on 3 May 2019. [6]

In November 2019, the ground was renamed Bishopsgate after the club's main sponsor. [7] Bishopsgate is a UK-headquartered payroll administration, employment and contractor support services company.[ citation needed ]

The stadium suffered some damage during Storm Éowyn in January 2025. [8]

Location

The ground is located in the townland of Mullolagher on the Strokestown Road (N5) to the west of Longford town. [9] [10]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "The plane that didn't arrive, the stands that did - The story of Longford Town's maiden European voyage of 2001". extratime.com. 28 March 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2025. Lissanurlan – as it was then known as prior to its name change to Flancare Park – at the turn of the century had little more than four grass embankments [..] Fast forward to 9 August 2001 and an impressive stadium under the new name of Flancare Park had just been built
  2. 1 2 3 4 "City Calling Stadium". extratime.com. Archived from the original on 29 January 2025.
  3. ↑ "Flancare Park approved to host Euro game". Irish Times. 8 August 2001. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  4. ↑ "Finn Harps 1 - 3 Longford Town". extratime.com. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  5. ↑ "Longford Town FC win Pitch of the Year 2018". Longford Leader. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  6. ↑ "Memorable evening as France and England UEFA U17 clash ends in stalemate at pristine City Calling Stadium, Longford". Longford Leader. 4 May 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  7. ↑ "Bishopsgate Group announced as official club sponsor of Longford Town FC". Longford Leader. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2025. The new sponsorship agreement will see Bishopsgate welcomed as the new main sponsor of Longford Town FC, with [..] title rights to the stadium which will now be known as 'Bishopsgate'
  8. ↑ "Longford make fan appeal as storm damage to stadium is assessed". Irish Independent. 27 January 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  9. ↑ "Stadium". ltfc.ie. Longford Town Football Club. Archived from the original on 1 January 2012.
  10. ↑ "Visiting Bishopsgate". ltfc.ie. Longford Town Football Club. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
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