View source for Bescot Stadium

{{Short description|Football stadium}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox venue
| name                = Bescot Stadium
| nickname            = Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium
| fullname            = Bescot Stadium
| former names        = Banks's Stadium (2007–2022)
| image               = [[Image:Walsall vs Carlisle 02.01.2021.jpg|290px]]
| caption             = The Bescot Stadium in 2021.
| address             = Bescot Crescent <br> [[Bescot]] <br> [[Walsall]] WS1 4SA <br> [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]] <br> England
| coordinates         = {{coord|52.5655|-1.9909|display=inline,title}}
| publictransit       = {{rail-interchange|gb|Rail}} [[Bescot Stadium railway station|Bescot Stadium]]
| broke_ground        = 
| built               = 1989–1990
| opened              = 18 August 1990
| renovated           = 
| expanded            =
| closed              =
| demolished          =
| owner               = [[Walsall F.C.]]
| operator            = 
| surface             = Grass
| capacity            = 11,300
| record_attendance   = 11,049<br />[[Walsall F.C.|Walsall]] v [[Rotherham United F.C.|Rotherham United]]<br />9 May 2004<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/3676121.stm |title=Walsall 3–2 Rotherham |publisher=BBC |date=9 May 2004 |access-date=2 July 2017}}</ref>
| dimensions          = 
| tenants             = [[Walsall F.C.|Walsall]] (1990–present) <br />[[Aston Villa W.F.C.|Aston Villa Women]] (2020–present)
| construction_cost   = £4.5m
}}

'''Bescot Stadium''', currently known as the '''Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium''' for sponsorship reasons, is a [[association football|football]] stadium in the area of [[Bescot]], [[Walsall]], [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]], England, and is the current home ground of [[Walsall F.C.|Walsall Football Club]] and [[Aston Villa W.F.C.|Aston Villa Women]]. It was built in 1989–90 by GMI Construction, with a reported build cost of £4.5m.<ref name=Matthews1999>{{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=The Saddlers: The Complete Record of Walsall Football Club |date=1999|publisher=Breedon |isbn=978-1859831564}}</ref> The stadium replaced the club's previous ground, [[Fellows Park]], which was located a quarter of a mile away and was the club's home for 94 years.

==History==
Following the takeover of Walsall F.C. by [[Terry Ramsden]] in 1986, plans were drawn up for the club to move from its antiquated Fellows Park stadium to a new site in the town. In 1988, a site at Bescot Crescent was identified as the location for a new stadium, and work began on the new stadium in 1989 with completion targeted for the start of the 1990–91 season.

The stadium was opened on 18 August 1990, by [[Sir Stanley Matthews]], prior to a friendly match with neighbours [[Aston Villa]] in front of 9,551 spectators. Aston Villa won the match 4–0.<ref name=Matthews1999/>

The first competitive game was played a week later on 25 August 1990. 5,219 spectators watched Walsall draw 2–2 with [[Torquay United F.C.|Torquay United]], with the stadium's first goal being an own goal scored by Walsall defender [[Matt Bryant (footballer)|Matt Bryant]] after 65 seconds. The first goal scored for Walsall at the stadium was by [[Stuart Rimmer]].<ref>[http://www.walsall.web-fans.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=870:20-years-at-bescot-the-first-league-game-anniversary-today-vs-torquay&catid=26:20-years-at-bescot&Itemid=21 '20 years at Bescot'] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321140541/http://www.walsall.web-fans.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=870%3A20-years-at-bescot-the-first-league-game-anniversary-today-vs-torquay&catid=26%3A20-years-at-bescot&Itemid=21 |date=21 March 2012 }} Walsall Web-Fans, 25 August 2010</ref>

Originally both ends of the ground were standing areas, and the capacity of the ground was 11,104. However, capacity was reduced to around 9,800 in 1992, when the away supporters terrace was filled with seats.<ref name=Matthews1999/> Following an extension to the 'home' end of the ground (formerly known as the [[Gilbert Alsop]] Stand), during the 2002–03 season, it is now an all-seater stadium, with a capacity of 11,300.

A sponsorship deal with Banks's Brewery in 2007 saw the name officially changed from the Bescot Stadium to the '''Banks's Stadium'''. This sponsorship deal was extended in 2016 until the summer of 2022.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.saddlers.co.uk/news/2016/december/saddlers-raise-a-glass-to-bankss-sponsorship-deal// |title=Saddlers Raise a Glass to Sponsorship Deal |work=Saddlers.co.uk |date=1 December 2016 |access-date=2 July 2017 }}</ref>

The stadium has been host to England [[England national under-21 football team|under-21]], [[England national under-19 football team|under-19]] and [[England national under-17 football team|under-17]] international matches, [[Aston Villa]] reserve team matches, [[Aston Villa W.F.C.|Aston Villa Women]] matches and [[England women's national football team|England women's]] international matches.

Outside football, the stadium has hosted two concerts. On 22 June 1991, [[The Wonder Stuff]] began their Sharing The Love mini-festival tour at the stadium.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.room512.co.uk/biography_pg5.htm |title=May 1991 to Jan 1992 |work=Room 512: the unofficial Wonder Stuff Website |access-date=2 July 2017 }}</ref> Twenty-four years later, on 13 June 2015, the stadium hosted its second concert when [[Elton John]] played in front of 14,000 fans.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nativemonster.com/music/bands-and-gigs/gig-reviews/review-elton-john-at-the-bankss-stadium-walsall |title=Review: Elton John at the Banks's Stadium, Walsall |work=Native Monster |access-date=2 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618051549/http://nativemonster.com/music/bands-and-gigs/gig-reviews/review-elton-john-at-the-bankss-stadium-walsall |archive-date=18 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Facilities==
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2025}}
[[Image:Walsall FC Bank's Stadium Main Entrance panorama jpg.jpg|thumb|right|580px|Stadium main entrance as seen from the car park in 2007.]]

The stadium is situated less than a mile from junction 9 of the [[M6 motorway]], has a [[Bescot Stadium railway station|mainline railway station]] within easy walking distance and parking spaces for around 1,200 vehicles.

The Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium has two large conferencing suites – the Bonser Suite and the Stadium Suite. The Bonser Suite adjoins the rear of the Tile Choice Main Stand (formerly the H. L. Fellows Stand), while the Stadium Suite is underneath the upper tier of the northernmost stand (currently the NorthStarr Stand). Both suites host conferences, cabaret evenings, concerts and events.

In addition to this, there are five further bars within the Stadium – the Swifts and Priory Lounges to the rear of the  Tile Choice Main Stand, the [[Mick Kearns (footballer, born 1950)|Mick Kearns]] community Hub beneath the lower tier of the NorthStarr Stand, a bar beneath the [[University of Wolverhampton]] away stand, and one beneath the  Experienced Energy Solutions Community Stand. There are food and beverage kiosks in all four corners of the ground, whilst the Bonser Suite doubles as a restaurant on match days.

In 2009, the club erected a large advertising hoarding to the south of the southernmost stand, facing the M6 motorway.

==Ownership==
It was reported in the ''[[Express and Star]]'' Newspaper on 6 June 2008, that Walsall were attempting to sell the stadium to [[Walsall Council]], and renting it back to secure the club's financial future. The council, however, stated they did not have the funds to purchase the ground.

During Spring 2011, the owner of Bescot Stadium, Jeff Bonser, announced via his proxy, Suffolk Life, that the stadium was for sale on the open market. Steve Jenkins, record producer and lifelong Walsall supporter, tried to drum up support for the council to buy the land.<ref>[https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/walsall-fc/2011/06/09/steve-jenkins-stadium-example/ 'Steve Jenkins makes a new point'] Express & Star. 9 June 2011</ref><ref>[https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/walsall-fc/2011/05/17/walsall-back-steve-jenkins-vision/ 'Walsall back Steve Jenkins vision'] Express & Star. 17 May 2011</ref>

On 11 July 2011, the council voted 28–24 against purchasing the Bescot Stadium.{{Citation needed|date=July 2017}}

In December 2022, it was announced that the freehold was purchased from Suffolk Life to the Trivela group.

This provided the club with the ground under its ownership for the first time since its construction.

The agreement is under a mortgage style arrangement which ultimately provides the club with the ground fully once paid off.

==Future==
Plans to develop the southernmost stand, usually reserved for away supporters, were announced by the club during 2005. The proposed development would mean using the blueprint of the northernmost stand (currently the Homeserve Stand), which stands opposite it. Funding for the redevelopment was to come, in part, from a large advertising board on the back of the stand facing the [[M6 motorway]]. The board would be the largest illuminated sign adjacent to a motorway in [[Europe]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/7039216.stm Motorway sign 'biggest in Europe'] BBC News. 11 October 2007</ref> However, due to the club's failure to regain [[EFL Championship|Championship]] status and the subsequent decline in attendances, the redevelopment plans were put on hold.

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{commons category}}

{{Walsall F.C.}}
{{EFL League Two venues}}
{{Women's Super League venues}}
{{Men's Football in the West Midlands}}

[[Category:Walsall F.C.]]
[[Category:Football venues in England]]
[[Category:Sport in Walsall]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1990]]
[[Category:1990 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Sports venues in the West Midlands (county)]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Walsall]]
[[Category:English Football League venues]]
[[Category:Women's Super League venues]]
[[Category:Aston Villa W.F.C.]]