The Victoria Ground was the home of Stoke City for 119 years.
At the time of its closure in 1997, the Victoria Ground was the oldest stadium in the football league and also had the largest terraced section still in use (the Boothen End). It was another victim of the Taylor Report and the requirement of all-seater stadia.
To the south of the stadium was the Boothen End, a large terrace behind the goal and the place where Stoke’s most vocal supporters congregated. This terrace held more spectators than the rest of the ground put together by the time it closed.
To the east was the Butler Street stand. This was a two-tiered stand with seats in the top tier and a low paddock that ran the length of the pitch beneath. There was also a long row of executive boxes above the seating area.
The north end of the ground was the away end, although when the away following was smaller, Stoke fans sat in the upper tier and away fans were given a smaller section of seats in the northeast corner. This sometimes happened on the terrace as well, as away fans could be moved into the northeast standing area of the Butler Street terrace.
To the west was the main stand, known as the Boothen Stand. Another two-tiered stand with seats above a standing area that ran along the length of the pitch, broken only by the player’s tunnel.
The record attendance at the Victoria Ground was on the 29th March 1937, when 51,380 spectators packed in to watch a first division game against Arsenal. The game ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
Home to Stanley Matthews and Gordon Banks, the wrench of leaving the Victoria Ground still haunts Potters of a certain age.
The last competitive game to take place at the Victoria Ground was a 2-1 victory for the Potters against West Bromwich Albion on the 4th of May 1997.
The Victoria Ground was demolished in 1997.