Edge Rewrite
translate Source code View original
Jump to content

Spion Kop (stadiums)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from The Kop)

The Kop at Anfield

Spion Kop (or the Kop for short) is a colloquial name or term for a number of single-tier terraces and stands at sports stadiums, particularly in the United Kingdom. The steep nature resembles the Spion Kop, a hill near Ladysmith, South Africa, which was the scene of the Battle of Spion Kop in January 1900 during the Second Boer War.

Established in 1906, the Kop at Anfield, the home stadium of Premier League club Liverpool F.C., is one of the most famous football stands in the world.[1][2][3] The global reputation of the Kop is referenced by the governing body of the sport FIFA, who state, "With scarves raised, banners aloft and flags flying, the Kop at Anfield has long held a standard for producing some of football's great sights and sounds".[4]

History

[edit]
Spion Kop, Manor Ground
Boer soldiers at Spion Kop hill, 1900
A steep green hill.
The Spion Kop hill near Ladysmith, South Africa

The first recorded reference to a sports terrace as "Kop" related to Woolwich Arsenal's Manor Ground in 1904, four years after the Second Boer War.[5][6] A local newsman likened the silhouette of fans standing on a newly raised bank of earth to soldiers standing atop the hill at the Battle of Spion Kop. Two years later in 1906, Liverpool Echo sports editor Ernest Edwards noted of a new open-air embankment at Anfield:

This huge wall of earth has been termed "Spion Kop", and no doubt this apt name will always be used in future in referring to this spot.[7]

After Liverpool had won their second League title in 1906, a new stand was built along the Walton Breck Road. Designed by architect Archibald Leitch, it was originally referred to as the Oakfield Road Embankment before it was formally renamed Spion Kop the same year.[8] While it resembled the hill it was named after, it was also used in honour of the many Liverpudlians who died in the Battle of Spion Kop between 23 January and 24 January 1900.[7]

The Kop at Anfield, when it was all standing

The use of the name for the stand was given recognition at Anfield in 1928 when it was extended to a 27,000 capacity and a cantilever roof was added which amplified the roar of the crowd to create an intense atmosphere.[6] Traditionally, Liverpool's most vocal supporters congregate in this stand and are referred to as Kopites.[9] Such is the reputation of the stand that it was claimed that the crowd in the Kop could suck the ball into the goal and it has become one of the most famous football stands in the world.[2][3][10]

The Kop at Anfield after it was changed to all seating

Liverpool's 1920s championship winning goalkeeper Elisha Scott, whose spectacular saves generated as much adulation as a Liverpool goal, made a point of thanking the Kop in his leaving speech in 1934: "Last, but not least, my friends of the Kop. I cannot thank them sufficiently. They have inspired me."[11][12] Manager Bill Shankly made reference to the Kop when speaking about his connection with Liverpool supporters: "I'm just one of the people who stands on the Kop. They think the same as I do, and I think the same as they do".[13] Liverpool's Spion Kop (capacity 27,000, although crowds of 30,000+ have been recorded) was redesigned in 1994 (completed) to comply with requirements of the Taylor Report, which made all-seater stadiums obligatory in the highest two divisions of English football.[14] A new Spion Kop was built in its place with 12,390 seats, making it the largest single-tier stand in the country at the time.[15]

Following the opening of the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Anfield's Kop ceased to be the largest single-tier stand in the country. The South Stand of the new stadium has 17,500 seats and has an incline of 34 degrees, making it one of the steepest stands in the country.[16]

Manchester United's proposed new 100,000-capacity Old Trafford stadium will reportedly take inspiration from Tottenham's South Stand with a 'new Stretford End'[17] to be a single-tier, steep stand which, due to the overall ground's significantly higher capacity, would likely house 25,000 supporters, indeed a stadium designed to the same proportions but with a 100,000 capacity would actually see this 'new Stretford End' holding as many as 29,000.

Villa Park's old Holte End was historically the largest of all single-tier ends, closely followed by the old South Bank at Molineux, both once regularly holding crowds in excess of 30,000.[6]

Composition

[edit]

The size and location of "a Kop" stand in the stadium varies; most are located behind the goal and are occupied by its club's most vocal supporters. It is usually a single-tiered stand and was traditionally terraced. In England, safety regulations brought into effect after the 1989 Hillsborough disaster required many to be made all-seated. A Kop is not necessarily the largest stand in the stadium and does not have to have a particularly large capacity; for example, Chesterfield's former stadium, Saltergate, had a Kop with a capacity of only a few thousand.

Kops

[edit]
The Kop sign at Anfield
The Kop at Meadow Lane
Billy Bonds stand at London Stadium
The Kop at St Andrew's
The South Stand at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Ground Club Stand
AnfieldLiverpoolSpion Kop[15]
Central Park (demolished 1999)Wigan Warriors RLFCThe Kop (demolished 1999)[18]
Baseball Ground (demolished 2003–04)DerbyPopside Kop (The Popside) (demolished 2003–04)[19]
Bloomfield RoadBlackpoolMortensen Kop[20]
Bramall LaneSheffield UnitedThe Kop[21]
County GroundNorthampton TownSpion Kop[22]
DeepdalePreston North EndBill Shankly Kop[23]
Elland RoadLeeds UnitedThe Gelderd End or Kop[24] (renamed The Don Revie Stand)
Molineux Wolverhampton Wanderers The Southbank (Sir Jack Hayward Stand)
Filbert Street (demolished 2003)Leicester CitySpion Kop (Double Decker)[25] (demolished 2003)
Fratton ParkPortsmouthSpion Kop[26] (renamed as The Milton End)
Highfield Road (demolished 2006)Coventry CityThe Spion Kop Terrace[27] (demolished 2006)
Hillsborough StadiumSheffield WednesdaySpion Kop[28]
Home ParkPlymouth ArgyleSpion Kop (demolished 2001)
Knowsley Road (demolished 2011)St Helens R.F.C.The Kop (demolished 2011)
London StadiumWest HamBilly Bonds Stand (East Stand)[29]
Manor Ground (demolished c.1913)Woolwich ArsenalSpion Kop[5] (demolished c.1913)
Meadow LaneNotts CountySpion Kop[30]
OakwellBarnsleySpion Kop (demolished 1998)[31]
Prenton ParkTranmere RoversEssar Kop Stand[32]
Racecourse GroundWrexhamThe Kop (demolished 2023, now temporary stand)
Recreation Ground (demolished 2012)ChesterfieldSpion Kop (demolished 2011)[33]
St Andrew'sBirmingham CitySpion Kop[34]
Stade de la Meinau RC Strasbourg Ouest Kop[35]
Tottenham Hotspur StadiumTottenham HotspurSouth Stand/Park Lane
Wilderspool Stadium (demolished 2014)Warrington WolvesSpion Kop (demolished 2014)
Valley ParadeBradford CityThe Kop End[36]
King Power StadiumLeicester CitySouth Stand/Fosse Stand (The Kop)[37]
Windsor ParkLinfield / Northern IrelandThe Kop[38]
Parc des PrincesParis Saint-GermainKop of Boulogne[39]
Westfalenstadion Borussia Dortmund The Yellow Wall
Stade Vélodrome Olympique de Marseille Virage Sud, Virage Nord[40]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "The Kop to the Yellow Wall: Most Famous Stands in Football". Football stadiums.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2026. Arguably the most famous stand in world football, the Kop is where the most passionate Liverpool supporters spend their time on a match day.
  2. 1 2 "Iconic stands at football stadiums". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 26 April 2026. Bill Shankly once remarked that Anfield's Kop could 'suck the ball into the net' – and before being converted to seating, the most famous stand in the world resembled a constantly surging sea of people.
  3. 1 2 "Do Liverpool score more goals attacking The Kop?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 April 2026. The scene has played out many times over the years. Liverpool need a goal, those on The Kop demand it, the ball ends up in the net and the latest hero of the hour wheels away in front of one of the most famous ends of a stadium in world football.
  4. ↑ "'You'll Never Walk Alone': The Power of a Song". FIFA. 21 December 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Showdown in Durban". The Globe And Mail. 25 June 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Irwin, Colin (2006). Sing When You're Winning. Andre Deutsch. p. 164. ISBN 978-0233001845.
  7. 1 2 "Liverpool FC's Kop end at Anfield and how it got its name". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  8. ↑ Liversedge, Stan (1991). Liverpool:The Official Centenary History. Hamlyn Publishing Group. p. 113.
  9. ↑ "Football First 11: Stunning stadiums". CNN. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
  10. ↑ Burt, Jason (16 January 2011). "Liverpool 2 Everton 2: match report". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  11. ↑ Smith, Keiran; Goulding, Jeff (2021). The Untouchables Liverpool FC 1919–1923. Pitch Publishing.
  12. ↑ "Elisha Scott - 1915–34: Derby Days". Article by Peter Kenny Jones in the Official Liverpool FC Matchday Programme. LFCHistory.net. Retrieved 26 May 2026
  13. ↑ Hunter, Steve (28 September 2011). "Bill Shankly in his own words". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Fact-sheet two: Hillsborough and the Taylor Report". Football Industry Group at Liverpool University. Archived from the original on 13 March 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  15. 1 2 Pearce, James (23 August 2006). "How Kop tuned in to glory days". Liverpool Echo. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
  16. ↑ White, Jim (22 March 2019). "Tottenham Hotspur's new home sets benchmark for modern stadia". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  17. ↑ Kenmare, Jack (15 February 2024). "Sir Jim Ratcliffe's plans for a 'new Old Trafford' have emerged and they are seriously impressive". Sport Bible. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  18. ↑ Hadfield, Dave (3 September 1999). "Rugby League: Curtain falls on house of fame". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  19. ↑ "derbycountyfootballhistory.co.uk". Archived from the original on 4 August 2013.
  20. ↑ "Blackpool". Football Ground Guide. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  21. ↑ "Sheffield United". Football Ground Guide. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  22. ↑ "County Ground, Northampton". Football Ground Guide. Archived from the original on 25 November 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
  23. ↑ "Preston North End". Football Ground Guide. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
  24. ↑ "ARTISTS IMPRESSIONS – ELLAND ROAD FOR WORLD CUP". Leeds United AFC. 1 December 2009. Archived from the original on 30 August 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  25. ↑ "Filbert Street Leicester City". Football Ground Guide. Archived from the original on 31 December 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  26. ↑ "Fratton Park Portsmouth". Football Addict. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  27. ↑ "Highfield Road, Coventry City". Football Ground Guide. Archived from the original on 28 March 2008. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  28. ↑ "The ASD Lighting Kop". Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Archived from the original on 3 January 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
  29. ↑ "Londons Stadium History". West Ham United. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  30. ↑ "Notts County | Club | Meadow Lane | Meadow Lane — The Home Of Notts County FC". Nottscountyfc.premiumtv.co.uk. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
  31. ↑ "Oakwell | Barnsley FC | Football Ground Guide". January 2010.
  32. ↑ "Tranmere Rovers". Football Supporters Federation. Archived from the original on 30 December 2010. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
  33. ↑ "Chesterfield". Football Ground Guide. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  34. ↑ "St Andrew's Stadium Plan" (PDF). Birmingham City F.C. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
  35. ↑ "La tribune Ouest Kop". www.rcstrasbourgalsace.fr (in French). 16 June 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  36. ↑ "Bradford City". Football Ground Guide. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
  37. ↑ "The Walkers Stadium". Leicester City F.C. 22 September 2009. Archived from the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
  38. ↑ "Alex Russell Stand reverts back to "Kop Stand" name". Linfield F.C. 4 December 2008. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  39. ↑ "Kop Of Boulogne, une histoire devenue légende". www.lagrinta.fr. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  40. ↑ "Marseille to close sections of Stade Velodrome due to fan behavior". www.foxsports.com. 24 September 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2026.

Sources

[edit]
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spion_Kop_(stadiums)&oldid=1367156248"