The Vetro Recruitment Stadium | |
 | |
 | |
| Location | Caerphilly, South Wales |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°34′54.6″N3°13′1.2″W / 51.581833°N 3.217000°W |
| Capacity | 6,000 |
| Surface | Grass |
Virginia Park is a rugby ground, cricket ground and former greyhound racing stadium in Caerphilly, South Wales. It is currently the home ground for Caerphilly RFC.
The rugby ground is accessed from Virginia Close and the cricket ground is accessed from Melville Terrace. Both roads are off the Pontygwindy Road. The name Virginia Park came from the state of Virginia in the United States because during the American Revolution the loyalist John Goodrich and his family fled to Caerphilly and settled on the Energlyn Estate that they had purchased. The main house was called Virginia House and it remained so for the next one hundred years. [1]
On 26 August 1887 a committee sitting at the Castle Hotel formed Caerphilly RFC. The ground has remained their home with the exception of a period when they disbanded. Originally known as the Virginia Park Athletic Grounds it was little more than a very large field in 1887. After World War II the greyhound stadium closed and was eventually demolished and the rugby club returned to play fixtures at Virginia Park afterwards and in the late fifties they finally called Virginia Park their home with the pitch being relocated to the northern section of the park. [2] The Stadium was known as the Constructaquote Stadium for the 2017-2018 season but for the 2018-2019 season known as the Vetro Recruitment Stadium.
The greyhound stadium was located in the central area of Virginia Park. [3] A grandstand was constructed in 1931 by the greyhound company and the opening night was on 25 May 1931. The stadium raced under the National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) rules of racing. Many other events took place there and included boxing, speedway, trotting and Powderhall foot racing in addition to being used as a venue for politicians. The stadium stopped racing under NGRC rules in 1935. [4]
The demise of greyhound racing at Virginia Park came during World War II. It was used as a storage depot for the fire brigade and a recreation area for American soldiers during the war.
Caerphilly Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team founded in 1887. Their home ground is Virginia Park in Caerphilly and their nickname is The Cheesemen. Caerphilly RFC currently play in the WRU Division Two East Central and are a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons.
The City Ground was a football stadium and greyhound racing track, in Cambridge, England. It was the home of Southern League Premier Division club Cambridge City F.C.
The Athletic Grounds was a stadium in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. It was the home of Rochdale Hornets Rugby League Football Club for over 90 years until 1988. It has also been used for speedway, BriSCA F1 Stock Cars and greyhound racing.
Old Craven Park was a rugby league and greyhound racing stadium in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
Sport in Plymouth, Devon, England, dates back to the 19th century with its first club, Plymouth United F.C., being founded in 1886. It is the largest city in England never to have had a football team in the first tier of English football. It is home to Plymouth Argyle Football Club, who play in the Football League One at the Home Park stadium in Central Park. It is Plymouth's only professional football team, however the city used to have another team called Plymouth United F.C. dating back to 1886. The club takes its nickname from the group of English non-conformists that left Plymouth for the New World in 1620: the club crest features the Mayflower, which carried the Pilgrims to Massachusetts and the club's mascot is named Pilgrim Pete.
This is an outline of Sport in Bedfordshire, a county in England.
Long Eaton Stadium, previously the Recreation Ground, was a multi-use sports ground in Long Eaton, Derbyshire that staged cricket, cycling, football, greyhound racing and speedway.
Park Royal Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium in London used from 1931 until 1969. It is not to be confused with the Park Royal Ground built in 1907 by the Great Western Railway and used by Queens Park Rangers F.C. from 1907 to 1915.
Warrington Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing and speedway stadium in Arpley, Warrington.
Northumberland County Ground or the Gosforth Greyhound Stadium was a rugby stadium and greyhound racing stadium in Gosforth, Tyne And Wear.
Blackpool Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound track in Blackpool, Lancashire. It is not to be confused with the Blackpool Squires Gate Greyhound Stadium, a short-lived track that was nearby to the south.
Old Road Ground, also known as the Clacton Greyhound Stadium, was a cricket, football, and greyhound racing stadium in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.
Halifax Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium and cricket ground on the same grounds as Thrum Hall in Halifax, West Yorkshire.
Parkside Sports Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium in an area known as Hunslet Carr between Hunslet and Belle Isle.
The Oldham Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium in the Watersheddings area in the north east of Oldham.
Stanley Greyhound Stadium, also known as Murray Park Stadium, was a greyhound racing stadium in Stanley, County Durham.
Wakefield Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
Hartlepool Stadium was a greyhound racing, football, cricket and rugby union stadium in Clarence Road, Hartlepool, County Durham.
The Pottington Road Ground also known as the North Devon Greyhound Stadium is a rugby union ground and former greyhound racing stadium in Pottington Road, Barnstaple, North Devon.
Cardiff Greyhounds was the greyhound racing operation held at Cardiff Arms Park in Cardiff from 1927 to 1977. It is not to be confused with the greyhound racing held from 1928 to 1937 at the White City Stadium, Cardiff.
Media related to Virginia Park at Wikimedia Commons