is the home stadium of the football team
Leeds United . It has recently been sold by the club in a 25-year sale-lease back deal with a commercial buy-back provision for when the club’s finances improve.
The most recent stand at Elland Road is the East Stand, a huge
Cantilever structure which was completed during the
1992-93 season and holds 17,000 seated spectators, the largest such cantilever in the world. The
Don Revie Stand (also known as the
Kop terrace) was opened at the start of the
1994-95 season, holding just under 7,000 seated spectators, after a refurbishment scheme. It was named after Don Revie, the club's most successful manager of all time. The South Stand (previously known as the 'scratching shed') was built in 1971 and until 1993 the lower tier accommodated standing spectators, but this section of terracing was replaced by seating to comply with the requirements of the
Taylor Report .
Following a fire which destroyed the original West Stand in September
1956 , a public appeal raised £60,000 towards a new one which was opened in August
1957 at a cost of £180,000. The roof of the West Stand holds a television commentary gantry and walkway for TV personnel who may be asked to film here on a matchday. The adjoining conference centre and banqueting suite behind the stand was opened in
1991 .
The ground has hosted several
England Internationals, the most recent was against
Italy . It also hosted several group games during the
Euro 96 tournament. In addition to football the ground has hosted
Rugby League in the past including being temporary home to the
Hunslet Hawks . It also hosted the rugby league
Tri-Nations final in
2004 and
2005 and the
Carnegie World Club Challenge in 2005.
Elland Road has also hosted concerts the most notable of which saw the band
Queen play at the stadium in 1982 and
Irish Rock Band U2 play at the stadium five years later.
During the close season of
1994 the names of all Leeds United players who have represented their country were listed on an International Honours Board in the club reception area and this is updated regularly.
In December
1997 , pictures were shown in the Leeds United matchday programme of the plans to improve the West and South Stands which would have brought capacity up to around 45,000. The new structure mirrored the East Stand but would have seated around 12,000 people. The 3 tier structure would also focus on VIP hospitality and the inclusion of an indoor arena on the back of the West Stand. This added venue would have accomodated basketball, ice hockey, pop concerts and other entertainment events. However, after naming an ice hockey team (The Leeds Lasers) to play at the arena during the half-time interval of a match, the project never got off the ground and was quickly forgotten about.
However, in September
2001 , the then Leeds chairman
Peter Ridsdale announced plans for relocation to a new 50,000-seat stadium at nearby Skelton because Elland Road's capacity was inadequate for such an ambitious club. Ridsdale was also considering the possibility of improving Elland Road. If any improvements at Elland Road are carried out, they are likely to involve the reconstruction of the three older stands at the stadium. But the relocation plans soon fell through when the club encountered rising debts and finally relegation from the
Premiership in 2004. Any relocation or expansion is unlikely considering the club's current position.
