The Brandywell Stadium (Irish: Tobar an Fhíoruisce¹) is a municipal football and greyhound racing stadium located in Derry, Northern Ireland. Derry City Council (Comhairle Cathrach Dhoire is a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Derry City Football Club ( Cumann Peile Chathair Dhoire, kʊmən̪ˠ pɛlʲə xahəɾʲ ɣɛɾʲə is an Irish football club based in Derry, Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. A township (or Municipality) is a settlement which has the status and powers of a unit of local government Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Greyhound racing is the Sport of Racing Greyhounds The Dogs chase a lure (traditionally an artificial Hare or Rabbit Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of

Location, features and history

The stadium is situated on the Lone Moor Road just south-west of the Bogside in the Brandywell area and shares the road with another sports-ground, Celtic Park, the headquarters of the Derry GAA. The Bogside is a neighbourhood outside the city walls of Derry, Northern Ireland. Celtic Park ( Páirc na gCeilteach) is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Derry, Northern Ireland. For more information on Derry GAA see Derry Senior Football Championship and Derry Senior Hurling Championship. The ground, which is within walking distance of the city centre, is more commonly referred to as simply, the 'Brandywell', and is the home of Derry City FC. Derry City Football Club ( Cumann Peile Chathair Dhoire, kʊmən̪ˠ pɛlʲə xahəɾʲ ɣɛɾʲə is an Irish football club based in Derry, Previously it was the home of Derry Celtic. Derry Celtic Football Club was a football club from Derry, Ireland. The ground, as well as the stadium, features a large grass training area, a club shop, a club house, from which the club and ticket offices operate, and parking space for cars and coaches. The legal owner of the stadium is the Derry City Council, however, which, under licence, permits Derry City to make use of the grounds for training matches and the running of its various other club affairs, such as administration and the retail outlet. Derry City Council (Comhairle Cathrach Dhoire is a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland.

Plans of Derry City's to purchase a pitch fell through after their formation due to the tight timescale between their birth in 1928 and the season's beginning in 1929 and so the Londonderry Corporation (now known as the Derry City Council) was approached for the use of the Brandywell Stadium which had been used for football up until the end of the 19th century. Derry City Council (Comhairle Cathrach Dhoire is a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. This began an association between the club and the ground which has survived until the present day. The club are still operating under the constraints of the Honourable the Irish Society charter limitations which declare that the Brandywell must be available for the recreation of the community. The Honourable The Irish Society was the organisation created by royal charter consisting of members nominated by Livery companies of the City of London, set up to In effect, the club do not have private ownership over the ground and, thus, cannot develop it by their own accord with that discretion being left to the Derry City Council.

The Brandywell on match-day.

Derry City's first game at the Brandywell was against Glentoran on 22 August 1929. Glentoran FC is a Northern Irish football club playing in East Belfast. Events 392 - Arbogast has Eugenius elected Western Roman Emperor. Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The stadium has played host to many notable matches, such as Derry City's 1-0 victory IFK Göteborg on 27 July 2006 in the UEFA Cup first qualifying round. IFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club based in Gothenburg. Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA. ^[1] However, current facilities for spectators and media simply cannot cope with the demand for some matches. The ground also hosted the FAI League Cup final in 2006 between Derry City and Dublin rivals, Shelbourne FC. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Shelbourne Football Club ( Irish: Cumann Peile Shelbourne) is an Irish football club playing in the FAI First Division after having Derry won the dramatic game after it went to a penalty shoot-out. ^[2]

The Brandywell Greyhound Racing Company are also tenants at the ground, and have been since the 1940s. As a local greyhound racing venue, the stadium is equipped with an ovoid running track encircling the football pitch. The dimensions of the pitch itself measure 111 yards in length by 72 yards in width. Due to health and safety regulations the stadium has a seating capacity of 2,900 for European football competitions run by UEFA, although it can accommodate 7,700 on a normal domestic match-day including those both standing and seated. The Union of European Football Associations (Union des associations européennes de football is the administrative and controlling body for European football. ^[3][4]

For a period of 13 years, between 1972 and 1985 only greyhound meetings and junior football were held at the venue as both the police and the Irish League imposed a ban on Derry City using the stadium as their home ground. Derry City used the Coleraine Showgrounds instead for a number of 'home' ties from September 1971 before leaving the Irish League entirely in October 1972 due to the unsustainability of such an arrangement. Groundlayoutjpg‎ (574 × 311 pixels file size 56 KB MIME type image/jpeg The Showgrounds is a football Stadium in Coleraine, Northern Ireland The area surrounding the stadium was considered to be too dangerous by the Irish Football Association for the visit of a number of opposing Irish League teams, especially those with unionist support, due to the Troubles. The Irish Football Association ( IFA) is the organising body for football in Northern Ireland, and had historically been the governing body for the whole Unionism in Ireland, is a belief in the desirability of a full constitutional and institutional relationship between Ireland and Great Britain based on the terms and 1985 saw Derry admitted into the Republic's league, the Football League of Ireland, and a much-welcomed return of senior football to the ground. The Football League of Ireland, usually known simply as the League of Ireland or later the eircom League (from the league's sponsorship by Irish telecommunications

The Brandywell Stadium also hosts the final games of the illustrious Foyle Cup tournament. The Foyle Cup is a youth soccer tournament held every year in Londonderry.

In 2002, the stadium was voted the tenth favourite sporting venue in the UK by BBC's Radio Five Live. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[5]

Development; past, present and planned

The Brandywell's 'New Stand' under floodlights.

The Brandywell has undergone large-scale redevelopment is recent years with the curved cantilever 'New Stand' being constructed in 1991 and the terraced 'Jungle' being demolished in 2004. The Brandywell Stadium ( Irish: Tobar an Fhíoruisce) is a Municipal football and Greyhound racing stadium located A cantilever is a beam supported on only one end The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and Shear stress. The 'Jungle' section was the home of Derry's noisier hardcore element of fans. Many of these fanatics now occupy the area of and surrounding Block J in the 'New Stand'. The quieter blocks of the 'New Stand', where the remainder of the more-reserved spectators sit, are sometimes referred to as the 'Library' in jest by the louder group.

Furthermore, the stadium saw the construction of 450 extra seats opposite the 'New Stand' on the site of the old 'Jungle' to complement the pre-existing small Glentoran Stand (the old main stand; an elevated wooden structure with bench seating) on that side of the ground, as well as the development of a drug-testing facility, in August 2006 in order to cope with the demand for Derry's UEFA Cup second qualifying round tie with Gretna FC. The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA. Gretna Football Club was a Scottish football club that represented the town of Gretna, Dumfries and Galloway that was founded in 1946 and dissolved Although the reminder of available space around the pitch and racing track is used as a terrace, development is set to continue with the building of the proposed Brandywell Complex. On behalf of the club, Brandywell Properties' plans for the complex include an 8,000 all-seater stadium (which will be expandable), new playing and training pitches, an indoor football complex, retail units, a medical centre and a pharmacy. There are, however, no plans under the current proposals, to include a dog-racing track. The cost of this development, which it is hoped will be completed by 2010, is reportedly £12 million. ^[6][7][8] Work on the new complex was planned to begin by Spring 2007. The need for new stadium facilities has never been so obvious as it is now with the old side of the stadium becoming noticeably more run-down by the season. However, as the Derry City Council are the legal owners of the land, they ultimately hold the key to the proceeding of any planned development. Derry City Council (Comhairle Cathrach Dhoire is a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. ^{[9][10][11][12]}

While an alternative idea of building a new multi-purpose stadium for the city (which would also provide a new home for Derry City FC) on the site of a dismantled British Army post at the city's Fort George, or even a move to a re-developed Templemore Sports Complex, has also been aired due to delays in the process, on 12 January 2007, financial advisor and former Gaelic Athletic Association president, Peter Quinn, who played a pivotal role in securing funding for the re-development of the modern-day Croke Park, was appointed as a consultant by Brandywell Properties to spearhead the club's bid to take over the re-development of the Brandywell Stadium and help the plan progress. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. Events 475 - Basiliscus becomes Byzantine Emperor, with a coronation ceremony in the Hebdomon palace in Constantinople Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Gaelic Athletic Association ( GAA) ( Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael /'kʊmˠən̪ˠ 'l̪ˠuh Peter Quinn (Peader Ó Cuinn served as President of the Gaelic Athletic Association from 1991 until 1994 Croke Park (Páirc an Chrócaigh in Dublin, Ireland is the largest sports Stadium in Ireland (fifth largest in Europe) and the principal stadium ^[13] On behalf of Brandywell Properties he is to seek funding from both the Irish and British governments, as well as injections from the National Lottery along with sums from other sporting agencies in order to help raise the £12 million needed. The Government of Ireland (Rialtas na hÉireann n̪ˠə ˈheːɾʲən̪ˠ is the Cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland. Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at The National Lottery is the largest Lottery in the United Kingdom. The proposals will eventually be submitted to the Government, as well the Derry City Council. Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at

On 19 February 2007, the chairman of Brandywell Properties, Jack McCauley, a former chairman of Derry City, re-iterated the intention of focusing on the Brandywell Stadium for re-development and made it clear that the club's traditional and spiritual home at the Brandywell was "the only show in town" as far as the football club was concerned. Events 197 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. He also expressed how he was "amazed and surprised" that options such as the Templemore Sports Complex and Fort George were actually talked of being available. ^[14]

Records

• Average 2006 attendance: 3,127
• Highest 2006 attendance: 6,080 (Derry City FC 1-0 Cork City FC, 17 November 2006)
• Record League of Ireland attendance: 9,800 (Derry City FC-Finn Harps, FAI Cup Second Round, 23 February 1986)^[15]

The stadium in song

Road sign outside the stadium, changed to "randywell road". Derry City Football Club ( Cumann Peile Chathair Dhoire, kʊmən̪ˠ pɛlʲə xahəɾʲ ɣɛɾʲə is an Irish football club based in Derry, Cork City FC ( Irish: Cumann Peile Chathair Chorcaigh) is an Irish football club playing in the FAI Premier Division. Events 284 - Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by his soldiers Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Derry City Football Club ( Cumann Peile Chathair Dhoire, kʊmən̪ˠ pɛlʲə xahəɾʲ ɣɛɾʲə is an Irish football club based in Derry, Finn Harps Football Club ( Irish: Cumann Peile Chláirsigh na Finne) are an Irish football club playing in the FAI Premier The FAI Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons is a knock-out Association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar)

During games, Derry City's fans can often be heard singing:

We all live in the randy Brandywell,
The randy Brandywell,
The randy Brandywell.
-To the tune of the Beatles' Yellow Submarine. The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 " Yellow Submarine " is a 1966 song by The Beatles (credited to Lennon/McCartney) which was recorded by John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Footnote

Note 1: "Tobar an Fhíoruisce" translates literally into English as "the well of pure water".

References

External links

• Brandywell information on Derry City's official website, CityWeb
• Aerial plan of the stadium grounds
• Entry at WorldStadiums.com
• Entry on StadiumGuide.com
• Map of the Local Government Districts' Brandywell Ward, including the Brandywell Stadium.
• Brandywell area on Google Maps (Stadium located on southern corner of Lone Moor Road and Brandywell Road.)
• Travel directions to stadium from Victoria Road (A5/Strabane)
• Travel directions to stadium from Glendermot Road (A6/Dungiven)