The Gymmie | |
  Royal Gymnasium Ground Location within Edinburgh | |
| Location | Edinburgh, Scotland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 55°57′37″N3°11′51″W / 55.9602°N 3.1974°W Coordinates: 55°57′37″N3°11′51″W / 55.9602°N 3.1974°W |
| Capacity | 40,000 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1880 |
| Renovated | 1922–24 |
| Closed | 1943 |
| Tenants | |
| St Bernard's | |
The Royal Gymnasium Ground was a football ground in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was the home ground of St Bernard's for most of their existence.
The Royal Gymnasium Ground was built on the site of the Royal Patent Gymnasium in Royal Crescent Park. [1] St Bernard's first moved to the Royal Gymnasium Ground in 1880, when it was only a football pitch. [2] Due to the lack of facilities, the club moved to Powderhall in 1883, before moving on to New Logie Green in 1889. After their lease on New Logie Green expired at the end of 1899, they played temporarily at Ibrox and New Powderhall, before returning to the Royal Gymnasium Ground in November 1900. The site had been left derelict and a new ground was constructed; the pitch was laid on a north–south axis, with a covered stand on the eastern side of the pitch containing a seated area and a paddock. [2] The club's first league game at the ground was played on 3 November 1900, a 3–3 draw with Hamilton Academical. [2]
During World War I the Army commandeered the ground. It was used by the Royal Army Service Corps as a heavy transport depot, which destroyed the pitch and drainage system. When the war ended, the club were unable to return, and were forced to play at Leith Athletic's Old Logie Green (a renamed Powderhall) instead. [2] In 1922 the club's supporters purchased the Royal Gymnasium Ground. The stadium was completely rebuilt, with the pitch rotated to an east–west axis; a new 1,500-seat stand was built on the southern side of the pitch and embankments and terracing were installed on the other three sides, giving a capacity of 40,000. [2] The redevelopment took two years, and the first game back at the ground was not played until 15 November 1924, a 1–0 defeat to Arthurlie. [2] The first few matches of the 1924–25 season had been played at Tynecastle as Leith had taken over Old Logie Green again following their readmission to the SFL.
Due to their pitch at New Powderhall being waterlogged, Leith played a home match at the Royal Gymnasium Ground on 24 September 1937, a 2–1 win over Alloa Athletic in front of 3,000 spectators. St Bernard's highest recorded league attendance at the ground was set on 19 November 1932 when 15,000 saw a 1–0 defeat to Edinburgh rivals Hibernian. [2]
During World War II the club suffered a financial crisis, and were forced to sell the ground. £2,000 was raised by selling the grandstand to Leith to use at their New Meadowbank ground. The site of the Royal Gymnasium Ground became part of the King George V playing fields and a car park. St Bernard's last SFL match at the ground had been a 0–0 draw with Queen's Park on 2 September 1939.
The greyhound track around the pitch opened with a first meeting held on 2 September 1930 and racing was held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. The turf had to be lifted at the corners of the pitch and the hare was on a wire hawser. The racing was independent (unlicensed) and only lasted until 1933. [3]
Leith Athletic Football Club is a football club based in the Leith area of Edinburgh, Scotland. They compete in the East of Scotland Football League, Conference A. First team matches are played at Peffermill 3G.
St Bernard's Football Club were a football club based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The club was established in 1878 and joined the Scottish Football League. They played at several different grounds before making the Royal Gymnasium Ground their long-term home. However, after having to sell it in 1943, the club was dissolved.
Brockville Park was a football stadium located on Hope Street in Falkirk, Scotland, 0.25 miles (0.4 km) north-west of the town centre. It was the home of Falkirk F.C. from 1885 until the end of 2002–03 Scottish football season. The record attendance at Brockville Park was 23,100 on 21 February 1953 in a match against Celtic. The stadium has since been replaced with a Morrisons supermarket. An old turnstile is on display next to the supermarket's car park.
Powderhall is an area lying between Broughton Road and Warriston Road in the north of Edinburgh, the Scottish capital. Until recently it was best known for Powderhall Stadium, a greyhound racing track, which has now closed. The stadium also played host to motorcycle speedway racing from 1977 to 1995, as home to the Edinburgh Monarchs, who have since relocated to Armadale. The Powderhall Sprint, first held in 1870, was a professional footrace with handicapping of the runners. It continues, since 1999, as the New Year Sprint and is now held at Musselburgh Racecourse.
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Powderhall Stadium formerly the Powderhall Grounds was a greyhound racing track in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was located on Beaverhall Road, in the Powderhall (Broughton) area of northern Edinburgh, beside the Water of Leith. The track closed in 1995 and the site is now a housing estate.
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Beechwood Park, initially known as Bank Park, was a football ground in the Leith area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was the home ground of Leith Athletic during their first seven seasons in the Scottish Football League (SFL).
New Logie Green was a football ground in the Powderhall area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was the home ground of St Bernard's from 1889 until 1899, and was also used to host the 1896 Scottish Cup final, the only time the Scottish Cup final has been played outside Glasgow. The ground was named after a nearby mansion.
Old Logie Green was a football ground in the Bonnington area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was the home ground of Leith Athletic and St Bernard's between 1904 and 1926, both having previously played at the neighbouring New Logie Green ground.
Hawkhill was a cricket and football ground in the Leith area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was the home ground of Leith Athletic.
Chancelot Park was a football ground in the Leith area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was the home ground of Leith Athletic from 1900 until 1904 and again from 1919 until 1924.
North End Park, also known as Colliers Den, is a disused playing field in Cowdenbeath. Between 1888 and 1917 the site was a football ground and the home venue of Cowdenbeath F.C. It was later the home ground of Fife amateur club Hearts of Beath and was also used as a greyhound racing stadium from the 1930s until the 1970s, before the site was sold for development.
Clydeholm was a football and greyhound racing stadium in Clydebank, Scotland. It was the home ground of the first Clydebank F.C. to play in the Scottish Football League.
Volunteer Park is a football ground in Armadale, West Lothian, Scotland. It is the home ground of Armadale Thistle, and was used by several of the town's previous clubs, including Armadale F.C., who played Scottish Football League matches there between 1921 and 1933. The ground also hosted greyhound racing during the 1930s.
Raploch Park, also known as the Larkhall Greyhound Stadium, was a football ground and greyhound racing stadium in Larkhall, Scotland. It was the home ground of Royal Albert.
Celtic Park was a football ground in Glasgow, Scotland. It was the home ground of Celtic from 1888 until they moved to the site of the modern Celtic Park in 1892. The ground staged an international match between Scotland and Ireland in 1891.
City Park was a football ground in Edinburgh, Scotland. The ground was used by several clubs, including Edinburgh City, Ferranti Thistle, Hibernian reserves, Spartans and Craigroyston.
Stenhouse Stadium was a greyhound racing track and trotting track in Edinburgh.
