Football stadiums act as the heart and soul of any football club. From Bournemouth's small and compact Dean Court to Manchester United's gigantic Theatre of Dreams, every stadium has its own charm. Therefore it becomes a sad story when a stadium due to poor maintenance and administration gets converted into a piece of rubble.
In this day of modern football, both players, as well as fans have become used to high standards, which has drastically changed the accepted status quo of stadium management. In the early days, clubs had a single aim: to get as many spectators inside the stadium as possible.
Here is a list of 5 stadiums that after being abandoned turned into ruins due to improper management.
#1 Boothferry Park
Boothferry Park was the home of Premier League side Hull City for more than 50 years from 1946-2002 before they moved to the KCOM Stadium. With a capacity of little over 15,000, The Tigers spent most of their time yoyoing between the second and third divisions.
The record attendance at Boothferry Park was 55,019 when Manchester United visited in 1949. The stadium was affectionately known as "Fer Ark" due to the lack of finances for maintenance which meant that only the above letters were illuminated on the large "boothFERry pARK".
Financial Constraints have meant that this historic stadium turned into a rubble before being demolished in 2008, six years after the last match was played.
#2 Lluis Sitjar Stadium
Estadio Lluis Sitjar hosted the home fixtures of current Spanish Segunda division side RCD Mallorca. It could host around 180,00 people and was Mallorca's home for more than 50 years till the Spanish side left the stadium in 1999 for Iberostar Stadium which is their current home.
Mallorca have had little success in terms of trophies at the Lluis Sitajar stadium winning the Segunda division twice back in the early 1960s. Named after former President Lluis Sitajar Castella, Mallorca were the Cinderella story of the league by finishing third in La Liga in its last season at the stadium in 1999.
After being fully closed in 2007 it turned into a wreckage and was finally demolished in 2014.
#3 Estadio Insular
Similar to RCD Mallorca, Estadio Insular was the home to current Spanish 1st division side UD Las Palmas for more than 50 years. It had a modest capacity of 21,000 but it symbolised the most successful period of the club. Late in the 1960s, Las Palmas had their most successful period in top flight finishing 3rd in 1967-68 and going a step further in 1968-69 season all coming at the Estadio Insular.
Gaining promotion to the 1st division in 2015/16 season, it was the first time they played in the top flight since leaving Estadio Insular in 2003.
#4 Central Dynamo Stadium
By far the largest stadium in the list, the Central Dynamo stadium could house more than 36,000 Dynamo Moscow supporters. Being the home to Dynamo Moscow for 80 years, the stadium was central sports facility in Moscow till 1956.
The stadium was also one of the venues of the football tournament of the 1980 Summer Olympics. The club has won 11 1st division titles along with seven Russian cups and a solitary UEFA Cup Winners Cup in 1971-72 with the legendary stadium as their home. Since they left their former home in 2008, Dynamo Moscow haven't tasted any silverware - further enhancing its reputation as a legendary stadium.
With the stadium degrading every day due to its age and poor maintenance, it was finally demolished in 2011. The club bid goodbye to their most successful stadium in 2008 since which the stadium had become a living debris before being demolished in 2014. It is set to be replaced by the VTB stadium which is said to have a capacity of 27,000 (adjustable to 45,000).
#5 Stadion Za Luzankami
Stadion Za Luzankami was the home to Czech side FC Zbrojovka Brno for a little less than 50 years. At one point in the 1960s, it was the biggest stadium in Czechoslovakia and it also holds the record for highest attendance in the Czech First league in a match between Brno and Slavia Prague.
Brno's only piece of silverware came with Stadion Za Luzankami as its home during the 1977-78 league season. Since then Brno have been a steady mid-table side without much fears of relegation.
The stadium was closed in 2001 since the stadium did not meet the football association and FIFA criteria. As time has passed by, the stadium has fallen into disrepair, with trees and bushes growing within it and homeless people living in the stands.
