Key information about Memorial Stadium

Memorial Stadium was built in 1921 and now houses League One’s Bristol Rovers. The ground is located in an area in Bristol that was known as Buffalo Bill’s Field and is actually more commonly referred to as Memorial Ground.

Its maximum capacity stands at 12,300 along with a pitch that measures 101m by 68m. The surface of the field is covered with grass and it has no running track surrounding it.

The record attendance of 12,011 supporters at Memorial Stadium was set for Bristol Rovers’ clash against West Bromwich Albion on 9 March 2008.

A history of Memorial Stadium

The site on which the ground now lies was actually created way back in 1891 on an area of land more commonly known as Buffalo Bill's Field, after Colonel William "Buffalo Bill" Cody's Wild West Show that took place there. That was also when some of the first games were played on the site.

But it actually wouldn’t be until 1921 and after World War I that Buffalo Bill's Field was bought by Sir Francis Nicholas Cowlin, who was the sheriff of Bristol, and given to Bristol Rugby Club. The name Memorial Stadium - or rather, Memorial Ground as it was known back then - was chosen as tribute to local rugby union players who lost their lives in the war.

Sports fixtures were held at the ground since the early days and it managed to attract the crowds regularly despite having only one wooden stand and terraces installed. Of course, it would also improve significantly over the years as they demolished the old features and added the new and more modern ones by 1995. But football wasn’t really a regular occurrence at Memorial Stadium until 1996 when Bristol Rovers finally moved in.

The club entered into joint ownership through the Memorial Stadium Company, even taking the majority of shareholding due to the rugby team’s difficult financial situation. In fact, following Bristol Bears’ relegation two years later, Bristol Rovers were able to buy their share of the ground for a nominal fee, making the previous owners tenants in their own home.

After the new millennium, Memorial Stadium was further redeveloped with the addition of a roof to the Clubhouse Terrace and temporary stands at the south and south-west, which also boosted their maximum capacity as well. In 2014, the rugby club would finally move out of the ground and leave Bristol Rovers as sole residents.

Recent years have been extremely turbulent when it comes to redevelopment plans of the ground. Initially, they wanted to expand Memorial Stadium but after years of delays and issues, they decided to move to the newly proposed UWE Stadium instead of that. But, ultimately that failed as well and after the arrival of their new owners, the focus has shifted towards improving their current home once again.

Tickets to watch Bristol Rovers at Memorial Stadium

All tickets to watch Bristol Rovers play at Memorial Stadium can be found and purchased on the club’s official website. The price, of course, will vary depending on the stand chosen and the age group of the buyer but an adult ticket can be bought for a cost between £12 and £19.

The club also offers a season ticket scheme for their most loyal fans and more information can be found on the aforementioned website.

https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/ - Official website of Bristol Rovers