Saltergate
Saltergate, officially the Recreation Ground, was the historic home of Chesterfield Football Club, and was in use from 1871 until the club's relocation in July 2010, a 139-year history that made it one of the oldest football grounds in England at the time of its closure. From the 1920s onward the name 'Saltergate' became predominant in popular references to the ground.
Saltergate | |
Main Stand during a match in 2007. | |
| Full name | Recreation Ground |
|---|---|
| Location | Saltergate, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S40 4SX |
| Owner | Chesterfield FC |
| Capacity | 8,504 |
| Field size | 113 x 71 yards |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1871 |
| Closed | 2010 |
| Demolished | 2012 |
| Tenants | |
| Chesterfield (1871–2010) | |
Tightly surrounded by housing, the football stadium was located near Chesterfield's town centre on the thoroughfare of the same name. The ground underwent only limited additional development after a new main stand was opened in 1936. Although plans to develop the site were explored, the club's fans ultimately voted in favour of pursuing a new ground in a 2003 ballot, with the site confirmed by a 2006 poll.
The final Chesterfield fixture at Saltergate, a Football League Two game against Bournemouth, was held on 8 May 2010. From the 2010–11 season, the team switched to the new b2net Stadium located in the Whittington Moor area of the town. An October 2010 publication from the club, Saltergate Sunset by Stuart Basson, chronicled the story of the ground.
In January 2012, the football club sold the Saltergate site to Barratt Homes. Its demolition to make way for a new housing development began in April and was completed in July 2012.