Harrogate Town’s EnviroVent Stadium has been transformed from a few rickety stands to a modern English Football League ground in 31 years.
Photos by photographer Andy Dakin from November 17 1990 show Town’s home back when it was simply Wetherby Road and a much more humble place to watch the Sulphurites.
The shots were taken before Harrogate Town drew 2-2 with Horwich RMI in the 2nd round of the NPL Cup.
Just 215 fans were in attendance, a far cry from over 2,000 that will be in the crowd for the game against Salford City later today.
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We’ve compared the photos with how the ground looks today. Did you follow Town back then? Send us your comments about how the club has grown to [email protected]
Black Sheep Brewery Stand/Main Stand
EnviroVent Terrace/EnviroVent Stand
Myrings Stand
AON Stand
Katherine Swinn from the Harrogate Town Independent Supporters Club told the Stray Ferret about how Wetherby Road has changed over the years.
“One of the first matches that I recall attending was towards the end of the 1989/90 when Harrogate Town won the HFS Loan’s League Cup against Congleton. I still have the programme for this match! At that time the ground was open. There were no stands built or seating although there was what used to be affectionately called a shed behind the goal at the Hospital End.
“This wasn’t really used though & was eventually removed to create more room for fans.The pitch had its well-known slope which sloped down towards what used to be the 1919 end. People were free to walk around the ground & attendances were only small although there was a bigger crowd than usual for the Congleton match.
“Away teams were able to park their coach in the ground next to where the Kop is now towards the exit. Some limited parking was allowed in the ground too. Around November 1990 the club unveiled its first seated stand which used to be known as the Family Stand and is now the Main Street.
“This had a couple of hundred seats & was much smaller than it is now. It was a large step forward for the club. Anyone could sit in the stand. There wasn’t a separate charge. If you didn’t want to sit in the stand then there used to be the odd chair at the 1919 end but that was it for outside seating.
“Over the years the ground has developed significantly so for example a roof was added to the Wetherby Road terracing & the Kop was built in 2014. The Family Stand has been developed twice over the years. Stands have also been built at the 1919 end, next to the Family Stand too with what is now known as the Black Sheep Brewery Stand & seating for away fans has also been added too.”
