Anfield: Difference between revisions

Opened in 1884, Anfield was originally owned by [[John Orrell (English landowner)|John Orrell]], a minor land owner who was a friend of [[Everton F.C.]] member [[John Houlding]].<ref>Kelly (1988). p. 13.</ref> Everton, who previously played at [[Priory Road]], were in need of a new venue owing to the noise produced by the crowd on match days.<ref name="LFC">{{cite web |url=http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/lfc_story/1882.htm |title=LFC Story |publisher=Liverpool F.C. |accessdate=23 July 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619050045/http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/lfc_story/1882.htm |archivedate=19 June 2008}}</ref> Orrell lent the pitch to the club in exchange for a small rent. The first match at the ground was between Everton and Earlestown on 28 September 1884, which Everton won 5–0.<ref>Liversedge (1991). p. 112.</ref> During Everton's tenure at the stadium, stands were erected for some of the 8,000-plus spectators regularly attending matches, although the ground was capable of holding around 20,000 spectators and occasionally did. The ground was considered of international standard at the time, playing host to the [[British Home Championship]] match between [[England national football team|England]] and [[Ireland national football team (1882–1950)|Ireland]] in 1889. Anfield's first league match was played on 8 September 1888, between Everton and [[Accrington F.C.]] Everton quickly improved as a team, and became Anfield's first league champions in the [[1890–91 in English football|1890–91]] season.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Everton Story: 1878–1930 |url=http://www.evertonfc.com/history/everton-the-begining.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927004513/http://www.evertonfc.com/history/everton-the-begining.html |archivedate=27 September 2007 |publisher=Everton F.C |accessdate=28 May 2008}}</ref>

[[File:FlagpoleGreatEasternLFC.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The [[topmast]] rescued from the {{SS|Great Eastern}}|alt=A white flagpole in front of football ground]]

 

Liverpool's first [[The Football League|Football League]] match at Anfield was played on 9 September 1893, against [[Lincoln City F.C.|Lincoln City]]. Liverpool won 4–0 in front of 5,000&nbsp;spectators.<ref>Graham (1984). p. 15.</ref> A new stand capable of holding 3,000&nbsp;spectators was constructed in 1895 on the site of the present Main Stand. Designed by architect [[Archibald Leitch]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article382300.ece |title=Man who built his place in history |work=The Times |location=London |date=18 April 2005 |accessdate=12 July 2011 |first=Richard |last=Whitehead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628220935/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article382300.ece |archivedate=28 June 2011 |deadurl=no}}</ref> the stand had a distinctive red and white [[gable]], and was similar to the main stand at [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United's]] ground [[St James' Park]].<ref name="YNWA" /> Another stand was constructed at the Anfield Road end in 1903, built from timber and [[corrugated iron]]. After Liverpool had won their second League championship in [[1905–06 in English football|1906]], a new stand was built along the Walton Breck Road. Local journalist Ernest Edwards, who was the sports editor of newspapers the ''[[Liverpool Daily Post]]'' and ''[[Liverpool Echo|Echo]]'', named it the [[Spion Kop (stadiums)|Spion Kop]]; it was named after a [[Battle of Spion Kop|famous hill]] in South Africa where a local regiment had suffered heavy losses during the [[Boer War]] in 1900. More than 300&nbsp;men had died, many of them from Liverpool, as the British army attempted to capture the strategic hilltop. Around the same period a stand was also built along Kemlyn Road.<ref name="Kelly 117">Kelly (1988). p. 117.</ref>