Stark's Park

Stark’s Park is a football stadium in Kirkcaldy, Fife. It has been the home of Raith Rovers since 1891. The ground stands beside the railway line between Edinburgh and Aberdeen. An L-shaped main stand was designed by the architect Archibald Leitch. The stand was partly funded by the sale of Alex James to Preston North End in 1925. The ground once had open terracing and a covered enclosure called the ‘coo shed’. Concrete terracing replaced the ash and railway sleeper banks in the 1950s. The stadium has seen several redevelopments over the decades. Floodlighting pylons were added in the 1950s to allow evening matches. In the 1980s a new 1,000-seat stand was built after the sale of striker Andy Harrow. Further changes came in the early 1990s when the north and south ends were upgraded. By 1999 a new roof and seating were installed in the main pavilion. The ground’s capacity now stands at 8,867 all-seated places. Visitors find a modern stadium with two large stands behind each goal. Each stand has built-in floodlight towers. The main pavilion retains its original structure but now has a metal roof and plastic seats. The pitch was relaid with artificial turf in 2018. Fans often call the ground the ‘San Starko’ in playful reference to the San Siro. The railway line offers a clear view of the stadium from passing trains.