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Abandoned Premier League stadium demolished for housing estate with tiny sliver of original ground still standing


IT’S a stadium that saw some of the greatest top flight moments.

Two titles were won there with over forty thousand people in attendance in its heyday.

This wall marks a spot where Premier League football used to be playedCredit: DCFC FANS
The stadium which saw two top flight titles won is now commemorated by a sculptureCredit: DCFC FANS

And it even hosted a European semi-final, with the mighty Juventus coming to visit.

But what it is most known for is being the making of one of English football’s all-time great managers.

Now, however, it is all gone apart from a statue commemorating the golden moments.

In 1997, the club that played at the ground moved to a 33,000-seater new stadium.

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And despite the new venue being state of the art, it cannot be said to have enjoyed as much success as the old one, as it saw the record low Premier League points total set and now hosts a League One club.

If that clue didn’t give the answer away, the club in question is Derby County.

The Rams first moved into the Baseball Ground in 1890, when it had a capacity of just four thousand.

But at the height of Brian Clough’s success as boss, 42,000 people could be accommodated at the ground.

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How the Baseball Ground looked when Derby played thereCredit: DCFC FANS
At its height, the stadium held 42,000 peopleCredit: DCFC FANS
An aerial view of the Baseball Ground
Derby took on Juventus in the 1973 European Cup semi-finalCredit: Rex
Derby now play at Pride ParkCredit: Getty

This dropped to just 18,300 when the 1989 Hillsborough disaster and the Taylor Report which followed mandated all-seater stadia across England’s top two divisions.

Once the new ground at Pride Park was completed in 1997, the Baseball Ground was retained for six further years and hosted Derby reserves until it was demolished to make way for housing.

A Baseball Ground sculpture was then built on the site of the old stadium to commemorate the 107 years it hosted Derby County.


Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk


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