Windsor Park - a view from the Kop Stand, showing the two-tiered North Stand and the low Railway stand behind the opposite goal

Windsor Park is the home ground of the Northern Irish football club, Linfield FC, in Belfast. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. It is also the home of the Northern Ireland national football team and Irish Cup Finals. The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international football. The Irish Cup is the national cup knock-out competition in Northern Irish football.

Windsor Park was first opened in 1905, with a match between Linfield and Glentoran. Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Glentoran FC is a Northern Irish football club playing in East Belfast. However most of the stadium was designed and built in the 1930s, to a design made by the Scottish architect Archibald Leitch (who also worked on Celtic Park, Ibrox Park and Hampden Park). Archibald "Archie" Leitch ( April 27, 1865 &ndash April 25, 1939) was a Scottish Architect, most famous for his Celtic Park is a football Stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow in Scotland. Ibrox Stadium, originally Ibrox Park, is the Stadium of Rangers F Hampden Park in Glasgow is Scotland 's National stadium. Its primary use is as the home to Queen's Park F It had one main seated stand the South Stand, a large open terrace behind the goal to the west called the Spion Kop, to the north a long covered terrace and behind the eastern goal at the Railway End another covered terrace. Spion Kop (or Kop for short is the name for a number of terraces and stands at sports Stadia; so named due to their steep nature resembling Windsor Park's peak capacity in this format was as high as 60,000. In the early 60's the Railway End terrace had seats put in while in the early 70's a Social Club/Viewing Lounge was constructed in the corner between the Railway End and South Stand. In the 1980s, the covered terrace opposite the main stand was damaged in a fire so it was demolished and replaced with a modern 6800 seater "North Stand", on two tiers and with a cantilever roof. 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. In the late 1990s, the open west terrace or "Kop" was also demolished and replaced with sleek 5000 seater "Kop Stand".

The current capacity of the ground is 20,332, of which 14,000 is seated. For most Linfield home games only the main stand (now known as the South Stand) and Kop stands are opened. The north stand is usually given to away supporters when a bigger crowd is expected, for example when Linfield play against local rivals Glentoran. The venue usually sees its biggest crowds for Northern Ireland internationals, from which Linfield receive 15%^[1] of the gate receipts.

In 2007, following a series of inspections that questioned the suitability of Windsor Park to host international football^[2], combined with a reduction of capacity due to the closure of the Railway Stand, the IFA made it known that they wished to terminate their contract for the use of the stadium. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[3] There has been speculation about the construction of a new multi-purpose stadium either in Belfast or in Lisburn for football and gaelic games. Lisburn (Lios na gCearrbhach meaning fort of the gamblers) is a predominantly Unionist city in Northern Ireland, south-west of and adjoining Belfast Gaelic games are the traditional sports played in Ireland. The two main Gaelic games are Gaelic football and Hurling, both of which are organised by the A report on health and safety in October 2007 proposed that the South Stand be closed for internationals, reducing the stadium's capacity to 9,000. October events and holidays Children's Book Week ( England) - First Week of October National Day ( China People's Republic Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[4] Given the time that would be needed to build a new stadium, either significant work would have to be done improving Windsor Park, or else Northern Ireland would have to play their home games at a venue in either England or Scotland. A temporary move to the Ravenhill Stadium (home of Ulster Rugby) may be possible. The Irish Rugby Football Union Ulster Branch (also known as Ulster Rugby) is one of four branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for Rugby union in the

Notes

• There is a popularly held, but incorrect belief that Windsor Park was named after the British Royal Family House of Windsor. The House of Windsor is the current Royal House of the United Kingdom and each of the other Commonwealth realms The older part is a branch of the Saxe-Coburg Windsor Park was opened twelve years prior to the Royal Family taking the Windsor name in 1917. Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The ground is in fact named after a long-standing area of South Belfast.
• The Kop Stand has been known as the Alex Russell Stand since 2004 in honour of Linfield's former goalkeeper and coach and one-time Northern Ireland international. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "

References

External links

• IFCP photos from Windsor Park
• Ground Hopper's tour of Windsor Park