View source for Cappielow

{{Short description|Football stadium in Greenock, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name      = Cappielow
| nickname          = 
| image             = Cappielow.JPG
| image_size        = 250px
| caption           =
| publictransit = [[Cartsdyke railway station]]
| pushpin_map      = Scotland Inverclyde
| pushpin_mapsize  = 250
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Inverclyde
| pushpin_label_position = left
| coordinates       = {{coord|55|56|29|N|4|43|37|W|type:landmark_region:GB-IVC|display=inline,title}}
| location          = [[Greenock]], Scotland<ref name = "sg"/>
| broke_ground      = 
| opened            = 1879<ref name = "sg"/>
| awards            = 
| closed            = 
| demolished        = 
| owner             = [[Greenock Morton F.C.|Greenock Morton]] 
| operator          = 
| surface           = [[Lawn|Grass]]
| construction_cost = 
| architect         = 
| former_names      = 
| tenants           = {{infobox stadium/tenantlist
| tenant_clubs = [[Greenock Morton F.C.|Greenock Morton]]<br />[[Clydebank F.C. (1965)|Clydebank]] <br /> [[Celtic F.C. B Team and Academy|Celtic U20]]
| tenant_years = 1879–<br />1999–2002 <br /> 2013– 2020
}}
| capacity          = {{SPFL-stadiums|morton}}<ref name="capacity"/> (5,741 seated)<ref name = "sg">{{cite news|url=http://www.footballgroundguide.com/scotland/morton.html|title=Greenock Morton|publisher=Scottish Grounds Guide|access-date=11 June 2013}}</ref>
}}

'''Cappielow''', also known as '''Cappielow Park supported by Dalrada Technology UK''' for sponsorship reasons, is a [[Association football|football]] [[stadium]] in [[Greenock]], Inverclyde, Scotland. It is the home ground of [[Scottish Professional Football League]] club [[Greenock Morton F.C.|Greenock Morton]], who have played there since 1879. It has a capacity of 11,589, including 5,741 seats. The ground was formerly also shared by [[Clydebank F.C. (1965)|Clydebank]] between 1999 and 2002. Cappielow has staged one full international match, [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] against [[Wales national football team|Wales]] in 1902.

==History==
Cappielow has been home to [[Greenock Morton F.C.|Greenock Morton]] since 1879.<ref name = "inglis">{{harvnb|Inglis|1996|p=445}}</ref> Cappielow hosted a [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] v [[Wales national football team|Wales]] match in the [[1902 British Home Championship]] and was used for other events, including public lectures, track cycling and athletics, in its early history.<ref name = "inglis"/> The record attendance of 23,500 was for a league-deciding match against [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] in [[1921–22 in Scottish football|1922]].<ref name = "inglis"/> This match ended in a riot, however, which caused damage to Cappielow and the surrounding area.<ref name = "inglis"/> Floodlights were first used at Cappielow for a friendly match against [[Third Lanark A.C.|Third Lanark]] in November 1958.<ref name = "inglis"/>

Cappielow presently has a capacity of {{SPFL-stadiums|morton}},<ref name="capacity">{{cite web |url=http://spfl.co.uk/clubs/morton/ |title=Greenock Morton Football Club |publisher=Scottish Professional Football League |access-date=11 November 2013 |archive-date=19 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419012922/https://spfl.co.uk/clubs/morton |url-status=dead }}</ref> with 5,741 of these being seated.<ref name = "sg"/> The area behind the western goal is known as the Wee Dublin end, which contains non-backed bench seating.<ref name = "inglis"/> This was converted from the old terracing in 1981 when Morton was playing in the [[Scottish Football League Premier Division|Premier Division]].<ref name = "inglis"/> It is known as the Wee Dublin end because the Irish immigrant population of Greenock was once housed behind that stand.<ref name = "inglis"/> The main stand, built in 1931, contains plastic bucket seating that replaced the wooden benches that were a fixture of the ground until the late 1990s.<ref name = "inglis"/> The ''Cowshed'' lies to the north of the pitch; formerly a fully terraced area for both home and away supporters (complete with segregation fence down the middle), it is now for home supporters only, with much of the frontal terracing removed, and plastic bucket seats occupying its place. Behind the eastern goal is the "Sinclair Street" end, with uncovered terracing.

On 12 December 2008, Morton announced the purchase of a stand from longtime rivals [[St Mirren F.C.|St Mirren]], who were leaving their [[Love Street (stadium)|Love Street]] home to move to [[St Mirren Park]].<ref name = "pde">{{cite news|url=http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-sport/renfrewshire-football/renfrewshire-football-st-mirren/2008/12/24/x00a3-50-000-boost-from-morton-87085-22541390/|title=£50,000 boost... from Morton!|publisher=[[Paisley Daily Express]]|first=Paul|last=Behan|date=24 December 2008|access-date=19 November 2011}}</ref> It will be re-erected at the "Wee Dublin end".<ref name = "pde"/> It was also announced two of St Mirren's floodlights had also been purchased,<ref name = "pde"/> to be put at either end of the Cowshed.

On 19 August 2022, Greenock Morton announced<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-19 |title=Greenock Morton Announce Record Commercial Partnership With Dalrada Technology UK |url=https://www.gmfc.net/greenock-morton-announce-record-commercial-partnership-with-dalrada-technology-uk/ |access-date=2022-08-19 |website=Greenock Morton FC |language=en-GB}}</ref> a new commercial partnership with Dalrada Technology UK which saw the stadium renamed to Cappielow Park, supported by Dalrada Technology UK with immediate effect.

==Location==
Cappielow Park is across East Hamilton Street from the [[River Clyde]], by the [[A8 road (Scotland)|A8 road]] towards [[Port Glasgow]] and [[Glasgow]]. The uncovered home terrace behind the goals on the turnstile side runs along Sinclair Street. The ground is approximately five minutes walk from [[Cartsdyke railway station]], which is served by the [[Inverclyde Line]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gmfc.net/Club%20Info/Directions%20to%20Cappielow|title=Directions to Cappielow|publisher=gmfc.net|access-date=2008-09-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910161110/http://www.gmfc.net/Club%20Info/Directions%20to%20Cappielow|archive-date=2008-09-10}}</ref> The railway line runs immediately behind the Main Stand and passengers have a brief view of the Cappielow pitch as the train goes over the bridge at the Sinclair Street end of the ground.

==Temporary tenants==
In recent years, both [[Clydebank F.C. (1965)|Clydebank]] (after [[Boghead Park|Boghead]] was closed)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.acciesfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=348:clydebank-1-accies-1-160202&catid=65:season-20012&Itemid=165 |title=Clydebank 1 Accies 1 |publisher=Hamilton Academical FC |date=16 February 2002 |access-date=19 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101026224819/http://acciesfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=348%3Aclydebank-1-accies-1-160202&catid=65%3Aseason-20012&Itemid=165 |archive-date=26 October 2010 }}</ref> and [[Ayr United F.C.|Ayr United]] (whilst new [[flood light]]ing was installed at [[Somerset Park]])<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ayrshirepost.net/ayrshire-sport/ayrshire-scottish-athletics/2011/08/05/ayr-united-set-to-switch-ramsdens-cup-tie-to-cappielow-102545-29169554/ |title=Ayr United Set To Switch Ramsdens Cup Tie To Cappielow |publisher=[[Ayrshire Post]] |first=Mike |last=Wilson |date=5 August 2011 |access-date=3 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323191511/http://www.ayrshirepost.net/ayrshire-sport/ayrshire-scottish-athletics/2011/08/05/ayr-united-set-to-switch-ramsdens-cup-tie-to-cappielow-102545-29169554/ |archive-date=23 March 2012 }}</ref> have played home matches at Cappielow.

Celtic U20 side played their home games at Cappielow from 2013-20, as well as it hosting regular youth international fixtures.

==UEFA==

===Under-17 Championship===
Cappielow was one of three Scottish grounds to host matches in the [[UEFA Under-17 Championship]] in March 2012 (the others being [[Somerset Park]] and the [[Dumbarton Football Stadium]]).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=2986&newsID=9549|title=Scotland U17s 2-3 Denmark U17s|publisher=[[Scottish Football Association]]|date=25 March 2012|access-date=10 April 2012}}</ref>

===Youth League===
On 3 October 2013, Cappielow hosted a [[UEFA Youth League]] match between [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] and [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]], with [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] winning 2–1.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/match/2012968--celtic-vs-barcelona/|title=UEFA Youth League 2014 - Celtic-Barcelona|publisher=[[UEFA]]}}</ref>

==Gallery==
{{Wide image|Panorama Cappielow.jpg|800px|A panorama of Cappielow, taken from the Sinclair Street end of the ground.}}

==Greyhound racing==
Independent (unlicensed) greyhound racing started on 12 August 1933 and the greyhound track was known as Cappielow. The company responsible for starting the racing was called the Fork Greyhound Racing Company Limited and racing stopped during 1937.<ref>{{cite book|last=Barnes|first=Julia|title=Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File|pages =417|year=1988|publisher=Ringpress Books|isbn=0-948955-15-5}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Stadium relocations in Scottish football]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
; Sources
*{{cite book| first = Simon  | last = Inglis  | title = Football Grounds of Britain  | year = 1996  | publisher = Collins Willow  | isbn = 0-00-218426-5  }}

{{Greenock Morton F.C.}}
{{Clydebank F.C.}}
{{Football venues in Scotland}}
{{Scottish greyhound tracks}}

[[Category:Greenock Morton F.C.]]
[[Category:Football venues in Scotland]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Inverclyde]]
[[Category:Clydebank F.C. (1965)]]
[[Category:Scottish Football League venues]]
[[Category:Scottish Professional Football League venues]]
[[Category:Scotland national football team venues]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1879]]
[[Category:Greyhound racing in Scotland]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Greenock]]