Parkhead Ground

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The story of this ground begins with a journalist's description upon the club's move from their original site in 1892. The new stadium was built in a disused brickyard at Janefield Street, where Michael Davitt laid turf transported from County Donegal and planted shamrocks, reciting that it would 'take root and flourish'. A journalist wrote that the move was like 'leaving the graveyard to enter paradise', cementing the nickname. The new ground opened on 20 August 1892 against Renton. It quickly established itself as a premier venue; by 1894, it hosted an attendance of 45,107 for Scotland v England and was described in the Athletic News as the best ground in Britain at the time. However, tragedy struck in May 1904 when fire destroyed the north grandstand, followed by the total loss of the old pavilion in March 1929. The club played at Shawfield Stadium during the 1928–29 season before rebuilding. The defining attendance record was set on 1 January 1938, with approximately 83,500 spectators witnessing an Old Firm derby against Rangers.

In Their Own Story

The journey to the modern stadium was paved by financial hardship and regulatory mandates. In the early 1990s, Celtic faced a poor financial position while the Taylor Report demanded all-seater stadia by August 1994. The board initially considered a £100 million move to Cambuslang, but this would not be ready until 1995. As a stop-gap, they installed 5,033 seats in the 'Jungle' terrace at the end of the 1992–93 season, causing an emotional reaction among fans who feared seeing rivals Rangers occupy those seats for the 1993 Scottish Cup final. Ultimately, Fergus McCann took control in March 1994. The old terraces were demolished to develop a new stadium in a phased rebuild that concluded in August 1998. Further modernization arrived in 2016 with the installation of a section of rail seating. Before becoming strictly football-focused, the ground hosted diverse events including composite rules shinty-hurling, track and field, the 1897 Track Cycling World Championships, Open-air Masses, and First World War recruitment drives.

Reader's Guide

Visiting Celtic Park means entering a venue with a capacity of 60,411 that replaced an elongated oval shape featuring vast terracing. The current structure is the result of work completed in August 1998, replacing the old terraces that had been covered and fitted with floodlights between 1957 and 1971. Historically, the stadium featured a running track and concrete cycling track around the periphery, constructed when it was built as an oval shape similar to Hampden Park. The 'Jungle' terrace was concreted in 1966, while the western 'Celtic End' received its first roof in 1957. Floodlights were installed in 1959 and first used on 12 October against Wolves. For those interested in unique history, note that Celtic built the first-ever press box at a football stadium in Britain in 1894, located high up on the main stand. The ground has also served as an alternative venue for Scotland internationals and cup finals when Hampden Park was unavailable.

Did You Know?

• The nickname 'Paradise' originated from a journalist's quote describing the move to the new brickyard site as 'leaving the graveyard to enter paradise'.
• The first turf at the new 1892 site was transported from County Donegal and planted with shamrocks by Irish patriot Michael Davitt.
• Celtic Park hosted the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and concerts by The Who and U2.
• In 1897, Celtic purchased the current stadium site for £100,000 after it was initially rented.
• An experimental floodlit football game was played on Christmas Day 1893 but failed because the ball repeatedly struck the lamps hung over the pitch.