Ayresome Park

About

Ayresome Park was a football stadium in the Ayresome area of Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England. It was the home of Middlesbrough from its construction in time for the 1903–04 season, until the Riverside Stadium opened in 1995. It was demolished in 1997 and replaced with housing.

History: Middlesbrough had previously played at Linthorpe Road West cricket ground, but election to the Football League meant that an improved stadium was required. Ayresome Park was built at Paradise Field, adjacent to the old Paradise Ground of Middlesbrough Ironopolis, who had played in the Football League in the 1893–94 season. The highest attendance at the ground (53,802) was set on 27 December 1949, when Middlesbrough played their North East rivals Newcastle United. Ayresome Park was also one of the venues for the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Three games were played at the ground, involving the Soviet Union, North Korea, Italy and Chile. North Korea famously beat Italy 1–0 at the ground, to knock one of the most powerful footballing nations out of the tournament and in the process, advance the Koreans to the quarter-finals. The attendances at Ayresome Park, however, were among the lowest in the tournament...