St Andrew's

St Andrew’s is a football stadium in Birmingham’s Bordesley district. It has been the home of Birmingham City Football Club for more than a hundred years. The ground opened in 1906 to replace the old Muntz Street ground, which had become too small. The original stadium could hold an estimated 75,000 spectators across one grandstand and a large uncovered terrace. In 1939 a record crowd of 67,341 watched an FA Cup tie against Everton. During the Second World War the ground suffered bomb damage and a fire destroyed the main stand. In the 1950s the club rebuilt the stand, added floodlights and later roofed over the terraces. The stadium has been redeveloped several times. In the 1980s a wall collapse during rioting led to safety concerns. After the club emerged from administration in 1993, a six-year programme converted the ground to an all-seater stadium. The modern capacity is 29,409. It now hosts England internationals at youth and under-21 levels, FA Cup semi-finals and finals of lesser competitions. It has also staged rugby union, boxing and music concerts. The ground is the third largest sporting venue in the West Midlands. Visitors find a modern stadium with function rooms for business or social events and a club store selling Birmingham City merchandise. The Main Stand remains from the original structure, while other areas were rebuilt in the 1990s redevelopment. The pitch measures 115 by 75 yards and is surrounded by a cinder running track. The stadium sits near St Andrew’s church in an area once used by a brickworks. Cattell Road, Coventry Road and Garrison Lane form the boundaries of the site.