Broadfield Stadium
{{Short description|Football stadium}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Broadfield Stadium
| image = Crawley - Entrance to Broadfield Stadium.JPG
| image_size = 250px
| fullname = The Broadfield Stadium
| city =
| country = United Kingdom
| location = Crawley, Sussex, En134152
| nickname = The Broadfield; The Checkatrade (until 2018)
| built = 1997
| opened = 1997
| owner = Crawley Borough Council
| surface = Grass
| seating_capacity = 6,134{{cite web|url=http://stadiumdb.com/stadiums/eng/broadfield_stadium|title=Checkatrade.com Stadium (Broadfield Stadium)|publisher=StadiumDB.com |access-date= 30 June 2018}}
| tenants = Crawley Town F.C. (1997–)
Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C. (2018–) Sealand national football team (2023–)
| website = https://www.crawleytownfc.com/
| dimensions = 112 x 72 yards
| former names = The Checkatrade.com Stadium, The People’s Pension Stadium
| address = Winfield Way, Crawley, RH11 9RX
| scoreboard = Digital scoreboard on the North Stand
| capacity = 6,134
| publictransit = Crawley Railway Station
Broadfield Stadium Bus Stop
| operator = Crawley Town Football Club
| coordinates = {{Coord|51|05|59|N|0|11|41|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
}}
The Broadfield Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Crawley, West Sussex, England. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Crawley Town F.C., Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C. and the Sealand national football team. The stadium has a capacity of 6,134 people,{{Citation |title=Crawley Town: The People's Pension Stadium |date=July 2011 |publisher=Football Ground Guide |url=https://footballgroundguide.com/leagues/england/league-two/broadfield-stadium-crawley-town.html |access-date=2023-05-03}} and is owned by Crawley Borough Council.
Between 2013 and 2018, the stadium was named the Checkatrade.com Stadium for sponsorship purposes.{{cite web |url=http://www.midnight.co.uk/latest/news/ID/90 |title=Checkatrade.com partners with Crawley Town FC |publisher=Midnight Communications |date=5 September 2013 |access-date=15 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131026081324/http://www.midnight.co.uk/latest/news/ID/90 |archive-date=26 October 2013 |url-status=dead }} In late 2018 it was renamed The People's Pension Stadium as part of a new sponsorship deal. For the 2022/23 Season, the stadium has reverted to being named the Broadfield Stadium.
History
Crawley Town FC spent 48 years at its Town Mead home until the land was sold to developers in 1997. The club then moved to the Broadfield Stadium, about two miles across town.
In January 2012 the application for the new 2,000-seater East Stand (and facilities including new turnstiles and Premier League standard flood lights) was accepted by Crawley Borough Council.[http://www.crawleytownfc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,11025~2573572,00.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120129110128/http://www.crawleytownfc.com/page/LatestNews/0%2C%2C11025~2573572%2C00.html|date=29 January 2012}} The upgrade is required to meet the league rules which require a minimum 5,000 capacity stadium. After just one week of construction, the new East Stand was completed on 2 April 2012, bringing the total capacity of the Broadfield Stadium to 5,500. Upon completion, Crawley's first game with the new stand was against League Two side Crewe Alexandra on 6 April. The match ended in a 1–1 draw, with a new record crowd of 4,723, the previous best being 4,522.{{cite web|url=http://www.crawleyhappytimes.co.uk/2012/04/stand-or-east-stand/|title=Stand or East Stand? | Crawley Happy Times Online|author=Events|date=3 April 2012|publisher=Crawleyhappytimes.co.uk|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120802141238/http://www.crawleyhappytimes.co.uk/2012/04/stand-or-east-stand/|archive-date=2 August 2012|access-date=20 September 2012}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17558702|title=Crawley Town 1–1 Crewe|work=BBC Sport}}
The record attendance reached 5,572 on Saturday 7 October 2023 when Crawley Town hosted Wrexham in League Two.{{cite web|url=http://www.crawleytownfc.com/news/article/checkatrade.com-stadium-417951.aspx|title=Reds team up with Checkatrade.com|date=2 September 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217103934/http://www.crawleytownfc.com/news/article/checkatrade.com-stadium-417951.aspx|archive-date=17 December 2013|access-date=13 September 2013}}
Stands
=West Stand=
File: Broadfield Stadium - West stand.jpg The West Stand is the main stand, running two-thirds of the length of the pitch. It contains club offices, merchandise shop, changing rooms and hospitality. It is raised above pitch level meaning that fans have to climb a small flight of stairs at the front to enter the seated area. Prior to the building of the East Stand, it was the only stand in the stadium to contain seats and a small section at the north end of the stand was available to away supporters. It is now entirely for home support.
=North and South Stands=
The North Stand and South Stand are two identical small roofed terraces. The South Stand contains the most vocal home support and the North Stand is allocated to away fans. Both stands curve around the corners of the pitch to meet up with the West Stand. The South Stand has been known as the Structured Communications Stand since December 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.crawleytownfc.com/news/2015/december/new-south-stand-sponsors/|title=New South Stand sponsors|publisher=Crawley Town F.C.|date=23 December 2015|access-date=30 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630232821/https://www.crawleytownfc.com/news/2015/december/new-south-stand-sponsors/|archive-date=30 June 2018|url-status=live}}
=East Stand=
The East Stand is an all-seated roofed stand with a capacity of 2,154.{{cite web |url=http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/sport/crawley-town-fc/crawley-town-s-new-stand-will-make-a-fantastic-atmosphere-1-3693781 |title=Crawley Town's new stand will make a 'fantastic atmosphere' |publisher=Crawley Observer |date=3 April 2012 |access-date=3 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406034100/http://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/sport/crawley-town-fc/crawley-town-s-new-stand-will-make-a-fantastic-atmosphere-1-3693781 |archive-date=6 April 2012 |url-status=dead }} It is mainly for home fans although some seats at the north end of the stand are available to away supporters. The stand opened for the first time on Good Friday 2012 for the League Two home game against Crewe Alexandra.
The stand was planned following promotion to the Football League in May 2011, to comply with Football League regulations. Work on the East Stand of the stadium started in early February 2012. It replaced the uncovered East terrace which was a standing area. Between 2013 and 2015 it was known as the Checkatrade.com Stand but was renamed The People's Pension East Stand in December 2015 due to a sponsorship deal with B&CE.{{cite web|url=https://www.crawleytownfc.com/news/2015/december/new-east-stand-sponsor-unveiled/|title=New East Stand sponsor unveiled|publisher=Crawley Town F.C.|date=24 December 2015|access-date=30 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630221132/https://www.crawleytownfc.com/news/2015/december/new-east-stand-sponsor-unveiled/|archive-date=30 June 2018|url-status=live}}
Location
The stadium is located in Broadfield, Crawley. Next to a roundabout about a mile from Crawley railway station and two miles from Three Bridges railway station, which is on the Brighton Main Line. The roundabout has a large white and red football in the centre and is at the end of the Brighton Road, which is easy to find from junction 11 on the M23 motorway.
References
{{Commons category|Broadfield Stadium}}
External links
- [https://www.crawleytownfc.com/tickets/stadium-map/ Stadium Map], [https://www.crawleytownfc.com/tickets/visiting-us-for-the-first-time/ Visitor Information], and [https://www.crawleytownfc.com/club/ground-regulations/ Ground Regulations] at crawleytownfc.com
{{Crawley Town F.C.}}
{{EFL League One venues}}
{{Women's Super League venues}}
{{Crawley}}
Category:Football venues in England
Category:Women's Super League venues
Category:Sports venues in West Sussex
Category:Buildings and structures in Crawley
Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in the United Kingdom
Category:Sports venues completed in 1997