Fir Park

**Fir Pairk Stadium** is a fitbaa stadium funnd in Motherwal, Scotland.  It is uised bi Mitherwall F.C. for playin thair hame gemmes in the Scottish Premier League an in ither European an domestic tournaments as requeert.  It haes a capacity o 13,742, but recordit its heichest attaindance (35,632) in a 1952 Scots Cup gemme agin Rangers.

Fir Pairk wis oreeginally opent in 1895 an haes been devailoppit ower a lang time, giein the stadium an its staunds an awfy ill-balancit louk as the're ane muckle staund an three wee-er anes.  The Davie Cooper staund an the Sooth staund war baith designt bi the Scots architect, Bill Dickie, an are well kennt for haein the advertisin o the clubs sponsors shewn on them.  Up til recent times, thir uiss tae chynge ony time the clubs sponsors chynged, houaniver nouadays the advertisin richts are sellt separately.

The stadium wis rentit in the 2007&ndash;2008 saison bi Gretna wha spielt aw but ane o thair hame gemmes thare as weel as thair European gemmes that saison.

## Early history

In 1895, the Laird Hamilton giftit the newly furmit Motherwal Fitbaa Club a wee bittie o land at the North end o his Dalziel estate that wis tae be uised as a fitbaa pitch bi the team.  The first gemme spielt thare wis an 8&ndash;1 loss tae a visitin Celtic.  Houaniver later on the same year, seein that the club haed creatit a grunnd as sic statur, the SFA alloued the pairk tae host an internaitional gemme atween Scotland an Wales.  In preparation, the terracin wis expandit tae allou a heicher capacity an a croud o aboot 7,000 cheert the Scots tae a 5&ndash;2 veectory ower the Welsh veesitors.  The first aiver radio commentary wis broadcast frae Fir Pairk in 1936

In the follaein period, Fir Pairk wis privy tae mony record brekin seasons.  The maist notable o thir wis the settin o the record for the maist goals in ony single saison - 52 bi Willie McFadyen in 1932.  It wis, forby, the site o Celtic's biggest aiver defeat tae date, an 8&ndash;0 veectory for the hame side.

## Major developments and staunds

### Phil O'Donnell Staund

*The Phil O'Donell Staund* is the auldest staund still staunin at Fir Pairk.  It wis oreeginally biggit in 1962 an wis at that time kennt as the *Main Staund*.  The name wis chynged tae honour Motherwal hero, Phil O'Donnell, who died while playin at Fir Pairk.

The structur o the staund is bi-ordinar in that it haes remaint incomplete sin it wis errectit.  The steel girder at the tap an front o the staund rins the full lenth o the pitch whauras the actual bouk o the staund is anely aboot twa thirds o that.  This wis due tae a dispute at the time o construction atween the club an a local hame ainer.  In the end, the club lost this dispute an the staund wis naiver completit.

The fascia wis updatit whan the Sooth Staund an the Davie Cooper Staund war biggit tae gie it a mare modren leuk in keepin wae the rest ae the stadium. The staund hooses twa o the main suites: the Centenary Suite an the Millenium Suite, as weel as a ruif-mountit gantry for telly cameras an press facilities.

### Sooth Staund

*The Sooth Staund* is the lairgest ae the staunds.  Built in 1992, it is spread ower twa tiers that hae a row o corporate boxes rinnin atween them.  This staund is ordinar designatit for awa supporters, but can aye be uised tae hoose hame fans when thare's expectit tae be a lairger than normal awa support.

### East Staund

*The East Staund* wis oreeginally an aurie o open terracin but wis eventually covert an made aw seatin in 1991 tae bring it up tae the staundert expectit bi the Taylor Report.  It is kennt for bein hame tae the maist devotit o Motherwal fans: them that lik a guid shout.  The fascia abuin the staund is famous for shewin the NHS Scotland slogan, "KEEP CIGARETTES AWAY FROM THE MATCH".

### Davie Cooper Staund

*The Davie Cooper Staund* wis completit in 1995 an is hame tae the club shap, as weel as ane o the main suites: the aptly named Davie Cooper Suite.  Forby, it hooses a few hospitality boxes an is o a seemilar design tae the Sooth Staund appairt fae the fact that it haes anely ane tier.  It wis named for Motherwal legend, Davie Cooper.

## Future developments

Thare's been some speculation in recent times aboot faurder development o the stadium.  As ane o the ootcomes o the club's AGM in 2008, thay let it be kennt that thay war conseederin a faurder development o the current stadium or aiblins flitin tae a new location in the langer term.  Houaniver, the buird did an aa say that the flitin widna be within the next 5-10 year.  Faurder speculation bi fans raither than the club itsel suggests that a renovation is the mare likely option seein as the club haes awready spent sae much on fireproofing an that.

Ony future flitin is expectit bi maist fans tae be tae the new Ravenscraig development juist tae the wast o the current location.  Some nummer o the club's supporters dinna want the club tae flit as thay think a new pairk wad lack the chairacter an the history o Fir Pairk.

## References