Wheatsheaf Park (football stadium)

Wheatsheaf Park is a football stadium in Staines-upon-Thames, England. It was the home ground of Staines Town between its opening in 1951 and the club's disbandment in 2022. The stadium was renovated in March 2000, with Staines Town moving back in upon its completion in February 2003.

Wheatsheaf Park
LocationStaines-upon-Thames
Coordinates51°25′11.0202″N 0°30′7.4412″W
Capacity3,002
Field size103 by 68 metres (113 by 74 yards)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Opened1951
Renovated2000–2003, 2023
Construction cost£6,500,000
Tenants
Staines Town (1951–2022)
Chelsea Ladies (2012–2017)
Brentford B (2023–present)

Like many football stadiums, it has changed greatly over time; the most recent of these changes was the development of the main stand in the Wheatsheaf Lane End. Planning permission for this was granted by Spelthorne Council in March 2000, and Staines Town returned to the revamped ground on 22 February 2003.[1]

Wheatsheaf Park has a total capacity of 3,002.[2] The record league attendance for a match at Wheatsheaf Park was 2,285 against AFC Wimbledon in 2006.[3] However, one year later Staines had an FA Cup match against Stockport County and the attendance just crept over the 2,860 mark, setting the club's overall attendance record.[4]

Wheatsheaf Park was also the home stadium of Chelsea Ladies between 2012 and 2017.[5] In 2015 the ground received its UEFA Stadium Category 1 approval and hosted Chelsea's home fixtures in the 2015–16 UEFA Women's Champions League against Glasgow City and VfL Wolfsburg.[6][7]

In late 2023, Brentford announced that their reserves and under-18s would play their home games at the stadium, with the possibility of their women's team following suit.[8]

References
  1. Staines Town FC (1 January 2018). "CELEBRATING 126 YEARS 1892 – 2018". stainestownfootballclub.co.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  2. "Wheatsheaf Park – Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  3. "Staines Town 1–1 AFC Wimbeldon". wimbeldonheritage.co.uk. 26 December 2006. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  4. "Staines Town 1 Stockport County 1 (Staines win 4–3 on pens)". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. 28 November 2007. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  5. "Chelsea Ladies to play at Kingsmeadow". BBC Sport. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  6. "Chelsea Women 1–0 Glasgow City". uefa.com. 29 October 2015. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
  7. "Chelsea Women 1–2 Wolfsburg". uefa.com. 11 November 2015. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
  8. "Brentford to re-open Wheatsheaf Park stadium". brentfordfc.com. 23 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
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