It’s day 88 in my 100 day countdown to the centenary of Maine Road. For today here’s an image that needs you to take a good look at. Is this Maine Road or is this a stadium inspired by City’s old ground?
This is an image from the 1920s but it’s not Maine Rd, so why have I included it in a Maine Road centenary piece and where is it?
Well, the answer is…
This is Murrayfield Stadium and believe it or not the stadium was modelled on Manchester City’s Maine Rd stadium. Maine Rd was opened in 1923 and the architects of Murrayfield visited Maine Rd while designing their new stadium, which opened in 1925.
Obviously, there are differences but the general look and style of the place is similar – one huge main stand which didn’t quite go the full length of the pitch (both stands ran about 3/4 of the length of the pitch with a terraced section from stand to corners); a huge, banked terracing opposite which curves down to the corners and two similar sized terraces behind the ends. Have a look at these images from inside Murrayfield in 1925 and see:
Here’s a Maine Rd image from that year too.
Gary James' Football Archive 