Windsor Park put out to grass?

By Kenny Archer

In the year that the Irish Football Association celebrates its 125th anniversary, the home of Northern Irish international football will turn 100. The first official match at Windsor Park in Belfast took place on 2 September, 1905.

Big occasions
On Saturday 3 September this year, Windsor Park will welcome Azerbaijan for a FIFA World Cup qualifying Group 6 game, with England visiting for a similar qualifier on the following Wednesday night. However, the south Belfast venue's days as Northern Ireland's footballing home may be numbered.

Pressure mounting
Pressure is increasing for a new multi-sports stadium to be built outside the city. Several factors are influencing the push, not least the fact that Windsor Park has seen better days. Certain facilities expected for modern football are below-par or non-existent and the seating capacity is barely 14,000.

Political considerations
Political and cultural considerations also come into play. Windsor Park is the home ground of Linfield FC, a club with a staunchly Protestant support base. The stadium's location in a loyalist area means that Windsor Park is regarded as an unfriendly place by many members of the Catholic republican community.

Ugly scenes
Windsor Park was the setting for the terrible events that led to the demise of Linfield's great early rivals, Belfast Celtic FC. After the traditional Boxing Day derby between the clubs in 1948, Linfield fans invaded the pitch and attacked Celtic players, badly breaking the leg of striker Jimmy Jones and seriously injuring goalkeeper Kevin McAlinden and defender Robin Lawlor. In more modern times, serious sectarian violence marred a 1990 Irish Cup match between Linfield and west Belfast side Donegal Celtic FC as sectarian tensions spilled over between the rival fans.

Linfield story
Linfield, who are by far Northern Ireland's most successful club having won 38 of the 45 Irish titles to date and 28 of the 36 Irish Cups, played home games at five different venues before deciding to set up a permanent base, building Windsor Park on an area of land known as the bog meadows. The ground was finally officially opened on 2 September 1905, and fittingly the first match to be played there was a clash between Linfield and their rivals from east Belfast, Glentoran FC. The hosts won 1-0.

Main venue
The first international game was not played at Windsor Park until 19 March 1910, when Scotland were beaten 1-0. Although other grounds were occasionally still used, Windsor Park quickly became established as the main venue for international games, first for Ireland then, from October 1923 onwards, for Northern Ireland. The last senior international not played at Windsor Park was the visit of Wales to Celtic Park in 1936.

Famous guests
The ground's silver anniversary, in 1930, was notable for the official opening of the new South Stand, an occasion marked on 5 September by a match between Linfield and Scottish giants Rangers FC, which ended in a draw. The ground's floodlighting system shone on a match for the first time in October 1951 when English side Newcastle United FC, including 'Wor' Jackie Milburn, provided the opposition for the Blues.

Gradual improvements
The unreserved stand was rebuilt within three years of being burnt down after a match against Glentoran in April 1982, the new construction opened by the then FIFA president João Havelange. The Spion Kop stand was recently renamed after former Linfield goalkeeping hero Alex Russell, but the entire ground requires major redevelopment to be a modern international venue.

Colourful past
The future remains uncertain, then, but Windsor Park's past certainly has been memorable.