Stadium Guides: Newcastle United - St James' Park

Everything you need to know about the home of Newcastle United - St James' Park.

Key stadium details:

Stadium name:	St James' Park
Where:	Newcastle
Tenants:	Newcastle United
Capacity:	52,405
Opening date:	1892

Which team plays at St James' Park?

St James' Park is the home of Premier League side Newcastle United, who play all of their home fixtures at the iconic venue.

Why is it called St James' Park?

Newcastle's home ground, St James' Park, was named after the adjacent streets - St James Street and St James Terrace. At the time the stadium was establlished in 1880, it resided in an upmarket area home to wine dealers, drapers and corn merchants.

In November 2011, under the auspices of owner Mike Ashley, Newcastle United announced the club's stadium would be renamed Sports Direct Arena. This news prompted widespread fan backlash, and by October 2012 the stadium name was restored as St James' Park.

What year did St James' Park open?

St James' Park was first used for football in 1880, home to Newcastle Rangers before the club folded four years later. before becoming the official home of Newcastle United in 1892. It wasn't until Newcastle were promoted to the First Division in 1898 that the club decided to fully develop the ground, with terraces installed to bring the capacity to 30,000. Just five years later, the stadium saw further reconstructions with a new stand upgrading the capacity to 60,000.

What is the capacity of St James' Park?

The current stadium capacity of St James' Park is 52,405, making it the eighth largest football ground in England.

What is the record attendance at St James' Park?

The record attendance for a Newcastle home match is 68,386, which was set by a First Division clash between the Magpies and Chelsea in 1930.

Is St James' Park getting upgraded?

There have been reports Newcastle's new ownership wish to expand the stadium's capacity to between 60,000 and 65,000. Such an upgrade has been mooted previously, but there are a number of stumbling blocks in the way of this goal. The challenges the club's hierarchy face to increase the capacity include the location of the East Stand backing onto the listed Leaze Terrace, and the fact previous owner Mike Ashley sold the lease to the land around Strawberry Place.

It is expected the club's new owners will work with the city council to negotiate potential avenues for expansion moving forwards.

How big is the pitch at St James' Park?

The current pitch size at St James' Park stands at 105 m x 68 m (115 yd x 74 yd).

Where is St James' Park located?

St James' Park is located on the edge of Newcastle's city centre, slightly towards the north-east.

How do I get to St James' Park?

St James' Park can be easily accessed via public transport. It lies slightly north of the main railway station in the city centre, which is a 10-minute walk from the ground. St James' Park is also easily reached by the city's metro service.

Can I visit St James' Park?

Newcastle United offer guided stadium tours which include access to the changing rooms, dugouts, players' tunnel and the media suite.

What major events have taken place at St James' Park?

As well as being the home of Newcastle United, St James' Park has also hosted rugby matches, including games at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

It has been the venue for several major concerts, by artists including The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart.

St James' Park is also widely recognised as the backdrop for scenes from the football movie Goal! which was released in 2005.