Definition
Old Meadowbank was a former sports ground located in the Meadowbank district of Edinburgh, Scotland. It served primarily as a football venue and later accommodated athletics events before being superseded by the adjacent Meadowbank Stadium.
Overview
Constructed in the early 20th century, Old Meadowbank became the home ground of Leith Athletic Football Club. The ground hosted regular league and cup matches and was also used for local athletic meets. In the mid‑20th century the site was redeveloped, and a new, larger stadium—Meadowbank Stadium—was built nearby to serve the 1970 Commonwealth Games. Following the construction of the new facility, Old Meadowbank was demolished, and the area was incorporated into the surrounding sports complex.
Etymology / Origin
The name derives from the local neighbourhood of Meadowbank, itself a descriptive toponym indicating a meadow adjacent to a riverbank (the nearby Water of Leith). The qualifier “Old” was added after the construction of the newer Meadowbank Stadium to distinguish the original ground from its successor.
Characteristics
- Primary Use: Football (home of Leith Athletic) and athletics.
- Surface: Natural grass (as typical for early‑20th‑century Scottish football grounds).
- Capacity: Contemporary reports suggest a modest spectator capacity, estimated at several thousand; precise figures are not documented.
- Facilities: Basic terracing and a modest pavilion; the ground lacked the extensive amenities of later stadiums.
- Operational Period: Approximately 1900 – mid‑1950s; exact opening and closing dates are not definitively recorded.
Related Topics
- Meadowbank Stadium – the modern sports complex that replaced Old Meadowbank and hosted the 1970 Commonwealth Games.
- Leith Athletic F.C. – the football club that used Old Meadowbank as its home ground.
- Sports venues in Edinburgh – other historic and contemporary facilities within the city.
- Commonwealth Games (1970) – an international multi‑sport event that prompted the development of the new Meadowbank Stadium.
Note: While the existence of Old Meadowbank as a historic sports ground is well‑established, specific details such as exact capacity and dates of operation are not comprehensively documented in publicly available sources.