Prenton Park

Prenton Park stands in Prenton, a suburb of Birkenhead on the Wirral peninsula, a short distance from the Mersey. The stadium has been Tranmere Rovers’ home since 1912 and once hosted Liverpool’s reserves and women’s teams. Four stands now surround the pitch: the Kop, the Johnny King Stand, the Main Stand and the Cowshed for away supporters. Floodlights were added in 1958 after supporters raised £15,000, allowing Friday night football under Dave Russell’s management. The ground has been rebuilt several times, most recently in 1995 to meet all-seater rules. The stadium’s history is marked by notable attendances and changes. The record crowd of 24,424 watched Tranmere beat Stoke City in the 1972 FA Cup, a figure unlikely ever to be matched. In 2010 the average home gate was 5,000, though a free-admission replay in 2011 drew 12,249. The name Prenton Park dates from 1895, chosen by readers of the Football Echo to sound more upmarket than nearby Tranmere. Tranmere Rovers themselves were founded in 1884 and moved to the site in 1887. Visitors enter through the Main Stand, the oldest part of the ground, opened in 1968. It houses the directors’ box, the Tranmere suite and the Dave Russell restaurant. The Kop, rebuilt in 1995, holds 5,696 seats and is now reserved for home fans. The Johnny King Stand, renamed in 2002, runs along Borough Road and seats 2,414. The Cowshed, once the noisiest home terrace, now holds 2,500 away supporters and features a bar and television screens. The pitch is flanked by the Bebington End paddock and the Town End paddock, giving the Main Stand its distinctive two-tier shape.