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Links Park
Links Park is a football stadium in Montrose, Scotland. It has been the home ground of Montrose F.C. since 1887. Links Park was opened in 1887 on land rented from the 'Auld Kirk'.[1] To help finance the new ground, Montrose F.C. rented the pitch out for circuses and livestock grazing.[1] The club was eventually able to raise £150 in 1920 to buy a stand, that had been previously used by the Highland Games.[1] A roof was built over the Wellington Street end of the ground in the 1960s.[1] Floodlights were installed in 1971 and first used in a match against Stranraer.[1] The record attendance at the ground was 8,983, for a Scottish Cup quarter-final tie against Dundee in March 1973.[1] Links Park was significantly improved in the 1990s, after the club was taken over by Bryan Keith.[1] The wooden Main Stand was replaced by a cantilevered stand, seating 1,258 people.[1] Other improvements brought the total investment to nearly £1 million, of which the Football Trust provided £400,000.[1] Keith bought the ground in 1995 for £500,000 and granted the club a 25-year lease, without rent.[1] GlaxoSmithKline provided a £250,000 grant in 2006 for the club to install an all-weather surface at Links Park.[4] This pitch was replaced by another artificial surface during the 2015 close season.[3] The current stadium capacity is 4,936. The all-seated Main Stand (South) has a capacity of 1,338 with the West Stand terrace holding a maximum of 1,582 spectators. There is also uncovered standing areas on the North and East sides off the ground. The pitch at the stadium measures 113 x 70 yards. For the 2018–19 season onwards, local junior football club Montrose Roselea have shared the ground.[5] References
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