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Excelsior Stadium
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Excelsior Stadium is located in North Lanarkshire
Excelsior Stadium
Excelsior Stadium
Location in North Lanarkshire
Location Airdrie
Coordinates 55°51′35.09″N 3°57′35.11″W / 55.8597472°N 3.9597528°W / 55.8597472; -3.9597528
Capacity 10,101 (all seated)
Field size 115 × 75 yds
Surface 3G artificial pitch
Opened 1998
Tenants
Airdrieonians F.C. (1878) (1998–2002)
Airdrieonians F.C. (2002–present)
Queen's Park F.C. (2013–2014)
Glasgow City F.C. (2014-present)

The Excelsior Stadium is a football stadium in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is the home ground of Airdrieonians F.C. of the Scottish Professional Football League and Glasgow City F.C. of the Scottish Women's Premier League. It is an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 10,101.

The stadium was opened in 1998 by the original Airdrieonians F.C., who were returning to Airdrie four years after leaving their previous ground, Broomfield Park. The name of the stadium derives from Airdrieonians' original name, the club having been founded as Excelsior F.C. in 1878. Originally known as the Shyberry Excelsior Stadium for sponsorship reasons, the stadium is also sometimes unofficially referred to New Broomfield, after the former Airdrie ground. Following the liquidation of the original Airdrieonians in 2002, the Excelsior Stadium became home to the new Airdrie United F.C.; they subsequently revived the Airdrieonians name.

In addition to Airdrie, the Excelsior Stadium has hosted a number of other teams. Queen's Park temporarily shared the ground from 2013 to 2014. Glasgow City have played home games at the ground on a regular basis since 2014, and previous to that for matches in European competition. Both Queen of the South (in 2008) and Motherwell (in 2009) have used the ground for European fixtures. It has also hosted the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup twice.

Following the sale of Airdrieonians' home ground (Broomfield Park) to large supermarket chain Safeway in 1994, the club searched for several years for a suitable site, and planning permission for, a new home. The motive for the move was to build a stadium that would allow the club entry to Scottish Premier League (clubs were required to have a stadium with a seating capacity of at least ten thousand). The building work on Excelsior Stadium was eventually completed in 1998, and Airdrieonians played here until the club went out of business due to heavy debts in May 2002. This left an opening in the Scottish League, which was filled by Northern Premier League side Gretna. To attain a position in the league, Jim Ballantyne bought out the ailing Clydebank, renamed the club Airdrie United, changed the strip and relocated the club to Airdrie. Airdrie United are now known as 'Airdrieonians', which is the same name as the club that was dissolved in 2002.


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