New Douglas Park

New Douglas Park
ZLX Stadium
NDP
New Douglas Park is located in South Lanarkshire
New Douglas Park
New Douglas Park
Location within South Lanarkshire
Former namesSuperSeal Stadium (2016–2018)
Hope CBD Stadium (2018–2019)
Fountain of Youth Stadium (2019–2022)
LocationHamilton, Scotland
Coordinates55°46′56″N 4°03′31″W / 55.78222°N 4.05861°W / 55.78222; -4.05861
Capacity6,018[1]
SurfaceGrass (2001–2004)
FieldTurf (2004–2008)
Grass (2008–2013)
TigerTurf (2013–2018)
Greenfields MX (2018–)
Opened2001
Tenants
Hamilton Academical
Hamilton Ac. Reserves/Youth
Hamilton Ac. Women
Clyde
2001–present
2001–present
2003–present
2022–present

New Douglas Park is a football stadium in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, which serves as the home of Scottish Championship side Hamilton Academical and Scottish League Two side Clyde. It takes its name from Douglas Park, the club's former stadium which was located immediately to the south of the current site.

Stadium

The stadium is located in the north of Hamilton, close to the Burnbank and Whitehill residential areas and to Hamilton West railway station. Construction of the stadium was completed by Ballast Nedam in 2001; the initial intention was for its name to be Ballast Stadium.[2][3]

The pitch was converted to artificial FieldTurf in 2004, the more durable surface allowing the club to hold training sessions and youth academy matches there without damaging the playing field for first team matches. After Hamilton was promoted to the Scottish Premier League in May 2008, the artificial surface had to be replaced by grass due to league rules, an alteration which owner Ronnie MacDonald claimed had cost £850,000 (including the installation of undersoil heating).[4] In addition to the turf replacement, a small temporary stand with a capacity of 500 was erected in March 2008 to bring the stadium's capacity up to the league requirement of 6,000 all seater.

At the beginning of season 2013–14, Hamilton returned to an artificial playing surface, this time produced by TigerTurf with an installation cost of £400,000.[5][6] In June 2018, that surface was voted as the worst of 42 SPFL venues in a survey of the league's players.[7] The following day, the club made public their intention to install a new Greenfields surface in time for the 2018–19 season,[8] costing £750,000 and with the same specification as the SFA performance centre at Oriam.[9][10]

From 2016 to 2019, New Douglas Park entered into various naming rights deals that saw the stadium renamed to SuperSeal Stadium, Hope CBD Stadium, and Fountain of Youth Stadium.[11][12][13][14]

In April 2022, Clyde F.C. announced they would be leaving Broadwood Stadium at the end of the 2021–22 season, ending their 28-year stay in Cumbernauld. They will be ground-sharing at New Douglas Park from the start of the 2022–23 season, with a view of relocating to a new home back in Glasgow in the near future.[15]

In October 2022, Glasgow-based tax credit consultancy ZLX Business Solutions entered into a naming rights deal for £108,000. The stadium would be known as ZLX Stadium for the next three seasons.[16]

Records

The stadium's record attendance of 6,007 was set on 17 January 2015 when Hamilton played Celtic in a Scottish Premiership game.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hamilton Academical Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  2. ^ Shields, Tom (29 July 2001). "Nice new stadium, shame about the name". The Sunday Herald. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Football: Accies have a Ballast at new home". Daily Record. 27 July 2001. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Hamilton chairman Ronnie MacDonald on why he rates Billy Reid as the top manager in the SPL". Daily Record. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Hamilton Academical New Douglas Park Stadium". TigerTurf. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  6. ^ "Hamilton Accies set to roar on £400,000 Tigerturf pitch". Evening Times. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Hamilton Accies' pitch named worst in SPFL by players". STV. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  8. ^ "Hamilton splash out for high-grade new pitch". BT Sport. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  9. ^ "Hamilton Accies splash £750k on new artificial surface to improve New Douglas Park". Daily Record. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  10. ^ "Football: Projects". Greenfields UK. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  11. ^ "Hamilton Accies' stadium to be named after cannabis oil firm". The Scotsman. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  12. ^ "Hamilton Academical: Club defend cannabis plant sponsorship decision". BBC Sport. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  13. ^ McGilvray, Andy (14 July 2016). "Hamilton Accies announce biggest sponsorship package in their history". Daily Record. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  14. ^ "Hamilton Accies Football Club sign £750k stadium deal". Daily record. 15 June 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  15. ^ "Clyde to leave Broadwood and play at Hamilton's stadium next season -". BBC Sport. 21 April 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  16. ^ Greenan, Leona (5 October 2022). "Hamilton Accies announce stadium name change as part of £108k deal". Daily Record. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  17. ^ "BBC Sport - Hamilton Academical 0-2 Celtic". BBC Sport. 16 January 2015. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
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