Earlsmead Stadium

Earlsmead Stadium is a football stadium in Harrow, north-west London, England. It is the home ground of Harrow Borough F.C. The stadium has a capacity of 3,070 people, which includes 350 seats and standing under cover for 1,000 people. The record attendance is 3000 for an FA Cup match against local rivals Wealdstone FC in 1946.

History

Harrow Borough F.C. took residency in 1934, a year after forming. They played their first season at a ground on nearby Northolt Road.

A local pavilion was dismantled and rebuilt on the Earlmead site in 1938. Having been presented to the club by a local land owner Mr G Champniss, later club president, it was to call the Champniss Stand. This stand had room for 250 seated and a further 100 standing. During the Second World War the Pavilion was successfully blacked out and the club could continue playing. Hurricane lamps under biscuit tins with words such as 'way in' and 'turn left' punched out provided signage.

In 1947-48 extra covering was built out of Ex-Anderson shelter sheeting and ex-government 6" steel tubes. The remains of this covered terracing is still used on the South-east corner of the ground.

Earlsmead initially consisted of two pitches but the second pitch was sold to the local council in the early 1970s, who then built Earlsmead Primary School on it. With the money raised from the sale, Harrow Borough F.C. built a new clubhouse and installed new floodlights and new concrete terracing. Whilst this major redevelopment took place, the team played the entire 1973–74 season on opponents' or neutral grounds.

In 1995, The Champniss Stand was demolished after 57 years to be replaced with a modern stand to comply with new safety regulations. This new stand, with a seated capacity of 350, was funded through private donations, club fundraising and the Football Foundation.