Stadium
Hitchin Town have played home matches at Top Field on Fishponds Road since their foundation in 1928. Prior to that, the original Hitchin club played at Hitchin cricket ground, Ransoms Field and Dog Kennel Farm in nearby Charlton. Hitchin are recorded as having played at Top Field as early as 1871 — in "torrential rain", Hitchin drew 0–0 with Crystal Palace in an FA Cup first round tie on 11 November 1871. A public house opposite the ground doubled as a changing room for the players, and a wooden grandstand was constructed during the late 19th century. However, this stand burnt down in 1911, just before the original club's liquidation. Organised football returned to the ground in 1928, with the foundation of Hitchin Town. Floodlights were installed in 1962, and inaugurated by a friendly match against Arsenal. A new clubhouse was built a year later, which on construction was considered one of the finest in amateur football. A sauna was added in the late 1960s.
The record attendance at Top Field, 7,878, was set in 1955 for an FA Amateur Cup tie between Hitchin Town and Wycombe Wanderers. The ground's current capacity is 4,000.
Read more about this topic: Hitchin Town F.C.
Famous quotes containing the word stadium:
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—Patricia K. Page (b. 1916)
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—Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914)