History Of The Build

From a barren desolate piece of waste ground has risen a stunning futuristic collaboration of steel and glass that dominates the skyline of Leicester. In just under 60 weeks work was started and completed on Leicester City's new home The Walkers Stadium. The club moved just a few hundred metres from its historic home Filbert Street to the site of a former power station on the banks of the River Soar. From an out of date, archaic 21,500 seater stadium City now fill their 32,500 seater bowl shaped stadium every matchday. From eight function suites at Filbert Street offering limited facilities in one stand, the Walkers Stadium can now accommodate events including meetings, conferences and exhibitions for up to 550 people in one room.

The new stadium alone allows many new opportunities for the club to increase its profile within its own community and surrounding area. Location, location, location, as the saying goes, was of prime importance to the club. It was recognised early that it would need to relocate within the city but finding a new site large enough to accommodate all that was planned proved an early obstacle. However once the way had been legally cleared the club's planning application to develop the site was processed in just 12 weeks. Only six objections to the 22-acre proposal were received - a testimony to the widespread backing the club enjoys within the city. And the city of Leicester showed itself to be completely supportive of the development seeing it as a part of a major regeneration of a huge area of previously neglected inner city land.

Plans for a new commercial and residential estates and a renewal of the river and canal-side walks were integral to the success of the whole scheme.
The stadium itself, designed by architects The Miller Partnership and constructed by Birse Stadia, was started in June 2001 and ready for the first friendly match against Atletic Bilbao in August 2002. The cost of the project was a total of £37m.

The Walkers Stadium is one of the best state-of-the-art stadia in the country and a flagship development, not just for the club but for the community and city of Leicester as a whole. The whole stadium has been orientated to take advantage of the unique City site - as a result the main West Stand overlooks the river. The four storey stand houses the reception, conference and banqueting suites offices as well as some of the 55 turnstiles, kiosks, the City Megastore and most importantly the ticket office. Together with the increased capacity the Walkers Stadium also has the potential for both increasing existing revenue streams and the creation of new ones.

In addition to the better facilities on offer to supporters there is a wide range of function rooms, bars and restaurants and a first in British stadium design - two vast dual-purpose concourses which can be used as exhibition centres on non-matchdays. This aspect of the new stadium is being marketed separately as the Midlands Conference Centre - a state of the art conference, banqueting and catering facility unparalleled in the East Midlands. The answer is that the new stadium offered a rare and exciting opportunity to begin again. Replacing inadequate facilities, professionally addressing commercial requirements and attracting 32,500 visitors to the club.

Stadium facts - approximate figures
Blocks and bricks 20,000
Steel 6,000 ton
Concrete 2,500 ton
Tiles 2000m2
Glass 4000m2
Block paving 12000m2
Sand 3500 ton
Kerb stones 2100
Toilets 30 toilet blocks
PA speakers 80
Food kiosks 22
Car parking spaces 480
Turnstiles 59

CLICK HERE to see 360^o panoramic views of the Walkers Stadium, courtesy of the BBC.

Football legend Gary Lineker officially unveiled Leicester City Football Club's new ground as The Walkers Stadium.
Gary toured the 32,500 seater stadium and helped reveal the exciting new Walkers Stadium branding in City's new home.

Walkers Crisps successfully secured the naming rights to Leicester City's brand new stadium in the summer of 2002. The deal was negotiated between the club and Britain's No.1 food brand and reinforced the strong links between the birthplace of Walkers and the Football Club.

Martin Glenn, the then President of Walkers, said: "It is fantastic that Walkers have sponsored the new stadium, it is an amazing venue, we are really excited to be here today.  As a company we have been based in the Leicester area for over 50 years and we see the stadium as being a home for Walkers and our own employees."

The ten year, seven figure deal is one of only a handful in the UK where major companies have secured naming rights to a stadium.

Martin Glenn added: "We hope that this gives our employees, as well as the Leicester community, a real sense of pride and represents a real long term commitment to the club by Walkers."

Ex Leicester City hero and the Face of Walkers, Gary Lineker said: "I am thrilled to officially open the Walkers Stadium, it is an amazing football ground.  It is sad to say goodbye to Filbert Street, but I can't wait to watch a few matches here - it's pretty spectacular! Walkers and Leicester have always had a great historical partnership and this new agreement almost makes them inseparable."

Leicester City bosses were delighted that Walkers had successfully secured the naming rights. The club has always had a very close relationship with Walkers since their first shirt sponsorship deal in 1987 and the stadium sponsorship makes them an integral part of the business.

Stands

All seats at the Walkers Stadium offer a superb view of the action. High and low level seating around the bowl combines with full length concourses offering catering facilities via themed bars.

North Stand - The Marks Electrical Family Stand
Marks Electrical Ltd have become the club's newest stand sponsor, signing a two year deal in June 2006.
'The Marks Electrical family stand' at the Walkers Stadium is home to 5,000 adults and children and is popular with kids, parents and grandparents of all ages.

East Stand - The Alliance & Leicester Stand
City's Alliance & Leicester Stand was officially unveiled in September 2002.
The company announced the signing of a five year, six figure deal for the sponsorship of the East stand at the new Walkers Stadium.
The East Stand is now officially known as the "Alliance & Leicester Stand" and has been branded accordingly.
More than 7,500 season ticket holders, members and match ticket holders sit in the stand which has proved to be one of the most popular areas for supporters.
Also home to the TV gantry.

South Stand - The Fosse Stand
Leicester City's new kop end in the Walkers Stadium is known as The Fosse Stand.
The club teamed up with the Leicester Mercury and ground sponsor Walkers Snacks to find a name for the south stand in City's new home.
Names poured in from Foxes fans eager to win their place in club history and a panel of distinguished judges gathered to make the decision.
The winner was Mark Bassett from Leicester who chose The Fosse Stand.
He said: "I wanted to connect our proud history with our bright future and name the stand after our old club name Leicester Fosse.
"I think that part of the club's history should be recognised."
Entries were judged by bosses of Walkers Snacks, the Leicester Mercury, City Supporters Club, LCFC and Gary Lineker.
The club was very keen to retain a link with tradition and incorporate the word 'Fosse' in the new stand name. The Fosse Stand was one of the most popular choices with fans who entered the competition.
More than 7,000 fans sit in this area, known as The Kop - and 97% of these are season ticket holders. The place to sit for atmosphere and noise.

West Stand
The main stand at the Walkers Stadium offering both supporter and corporate facilities.
Home to 6,500 fans plus 2,500 corporate seats including 44 executive suites overlooking the pitch.
The stand includes concourses plus all the club's hospitality suites and directors facilities in addition to media and player accommodation.
Also home to the Main Ticket Office and City Megastore.

Did You Know?

· The first friendly fixture at the Walkers Stadium was held on 4 August 2002 v Athletic Bilbao. The match ended LCFC 1 Athletic Bilbao 1

· Attendance at first home competitive fixture v Watford on 10 August 2002 was 31,022. The match finished  LCFC 2 Watford 0

· The biggest attendance so far was at the international friendly v Barcelona when 32,086 fans visited the Walkers Stadium.

· In the 2002-03 season LCFC staged 23 home Nationwide League Division One games, one FA Cup game plus the England v Serbia and Montenegro international.

· Just under 700,000 spectators visited the Walkers Stadium to watch Nationwide League football during the first year.

· The average attendance for first team games in the 2002-03 season at the Walkers Stadium was 29,231.

· The highest single attendance of the first season peaked shortly after the league games had finished, with a friendly between LCFC v Barcelona resulting in a gate of 32,086.