Deepdale

Deepdale stands in Preston’s Deepdale district as the historic home of Preston North End. The stadium occupies land once used by Deepdale Farm, which the club leased in 1875 for cricket and rugby before hosting its first football match in 1878. The ground’s West Paddock was added in the 1890s to hold raised terracing, and the Spion Kop followed early in the 20th century. A record crowd of 42,684 watched Preston face Arsenal in 1938, while the Dick, Kerr Ladies drew tens of thousands before women’s football was widely recognised. In 1913 suffragettes targeted Deepdale as part of a campaign against male-dominated sports, though their attempt failed. The stadium’s modern shape emerged after 1995 when the Sir Tom Finney Stand replaced the old West Stand. The Bill Shankly Kop and Alan Kelly Town End were rebuilt in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and the Invincibles Pavilion now houses executive boxes and a restaurant above the pitch. A 25-metre screen was added in 2008, and a statue of Finney stands outside the stand that bears his name. The ground has hosted England youth internationals and UEFA Women’s Championship matches, showing its role beyond club football. Visitors enter through turnstiles dedicated to each stand, with the away end in the steeply raked Bill Shankly Kop offering clear views of the pitch. Refreshments and concourse toilets sit alongside turnstiles for visiting supporters, who can collect tickets from an away office before kick-off. The Finney statue captures the player in action from a famous 1956 photograph, while the Invincibles Pavilion overlooks the pitch and houses control rooms for stadium operations. The surroundings include the former National Football Museum space, once filled with historic memorabilia.