Key information about Matchroom Stadium
Matchroom Stadium was built in 1937 and is now the home of Leyton Orient, a League Two outfit. The ground is located in Brisbane Road in Leyton, a district of London, and has been housing its current tenant ever since it was erected.
Its current maximum capacity is 9,271 and it has a pitch that measures 101m by 73m. The surface is covered with natural grass and there is of course no running track surrounding it as it’s primarily used for football.
The record attendance at Matchroom Stadium was set in 1964 when 34,345 people watched Leyton Orient’s FA Cup clash against West Ham United.
A history of Matchroom Stadium
Matchroom Stadium was built way back in 1937 but has also had numerous different names throughout the years. When it was first constructed, the ground was known as Osborne Road, but would also be called Brisbane Road, because it’s located in the street that shared its name, The Breyer Group Stadium, the Leyton Stadium and of course, Matchroom Stadium.
Before Leyton Orient moved there from their former home, the Lea Bridge stadium, the ground was actually housing an amateur side Leyton FC, who then subsequently moved to the Hare and Hounds ground.
Initially, however, it was a rather modest stadium that consisted of nothing more than a small seater stand and cinder banking on the remaining three sides. Still, Matchroom Stadium has seen multiple redevelopments over the years, starting with the post-war era when the grass bank was levelled and a crash barrier installed in 1949. The terracing was improved a couple of times in the years following that and in 1956, the club also installed a new stand that was brought in from the Mitcham Stadium.
Since around that time Leyton Orient also got promoted into the First Division, more improvements followed and the interest was on the rise. The club soon recorded its highest ever attendance in 1964 when 34,345 fans watched them duke it out against West Ham United in the FA Cup.
In 1978, the Matchroom Stadium’s West Stand got converted into an all-seater but that would be one of the last changes to the ground until the 1990s arrived. In 1996, the club demolished the southern end terrace but it wouldn’t be until 1999 that they finally replaced it with a new South Stand, to be renamed as the Tommy Johnston stand in 2008.
Three years prior to that, in 2005, they also erected the West Stand and moved the club offices and facilities there from the old main stand. In 2007, a new North Stand was built as well. That was also the year when Tottenham Hotspur reserves also moved into the stadium.
The ground’s name, Matchroom Stadium, stemmed from Leyton Orient’s former chairman Barry Hearn’s sports promotion company, Matchroom Sport, and prior to that, it was actually just called Leyton Stadium. Currently, it is known as the Breyer Group Stadium for sponsorship reasons, although the fans still like to call it Brisbane Road after the street it runs alongside of.
Tickets to watch Leyton Orient at Matchroom Stadium
All tickets to watch Leyton Orient play at Matchroom Stadium can be found on the club’s official website. The prices will vary depending on the age group of the buyer and the location in the stands but the cheapest adult ticket costs £18.
The club also offers a season card scheme for the most loyal fans with the early bird prices for adults starting at £189.
Related links
https://www.leytonorient.com/ – Official website of Leyton Orient
