Athletic Ground (Cobridge)
| Full name | Burslem Football and Athletic Grounds |
|---|---|
| Location | Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, England |
| Field size | 115 by 75 yards |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 4 September 1886 |
| Demolished | 1991 |
| Construction cost | £1,500 |
| Tenants | |
|
Port Vale F.C. (1886–1913) Albion Greyhounds Ltd (1932–54) Independent Greyhounds (1982–91) |
|
The Athletic Ground also known as Cobridge Stadium was a football stadium and greyhound racing stadium, located in Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent.
The ground was home to Port Vale for 27 years, hosting twelve Football League seasons.
It was located opposite the church on Waterloo Road, directly on the Hanley and Burslem tram line. The seven-acre site was obtained from the Sandbach Charity on a 21-year lease. It was surrounded by a 430-yard cinder track for athletics and cycling, hence the name. On the north side was a 1,000 capacity grandstand, along with three shower baths and a gymnasium.
They left the stadium for The Old Recreation Ground in 1913, and it was demolished in the 1980s after decades of use for amateur football. A Mercedes garage was later built near the site.
In 1932 a Glasgow company called Albion Greyhounds affiliated to the National Greyhound Racing Society formed Albion Greyhounds (Stoke) Ltd by raising £40,000 capital in £1 shares. A greyhound track and associated facilities were constructed around the pitch and would become the second track in Stoke-on-Trent to open after Hanley Greyhound Stadium.
Racing got underway on 19 July 1932 at 7.30pm with W.W.Colonel Dobson waving the flag for the first race, the winner was Silent Marble, a one length winner from The Padre in a time of 29.50 secs over 480 yards. All races were over 480 yards with winners times ranging from 28.65 to 30.29. The all-electric totalisator consisted of 31 issuing machines. General Manager Brigadier-General Frank Logan decided not to have track bookmakers, a decision which would backfire when the government restricted the use of them later in the year.
The ban on totes forced the track to close its doors for three months before re-opening with track bookmakers in December 1932. Racing would be held on Friday and Saturday evenings with former Albion Glasgow Racing Manager Major J.S.Woolley taking up the same position at Stoke.
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