Stadium:mk

Denbigh Stadium
View towards the North Stand as of 9 June 2009 in a England U21 international
Full name	Stadium:mk
Location	Denbigh, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Coordinates	52°00′34″N 00°44′00″W / 52.00944°N 0.7333333°W / 52.00944; -0.7333333Coordinates: 52°00′34″N 00°44′00″W / 52.00944°N 0.7333333°W / 52.00944; -0.7333333
Broke ground	17 February 2005
Built	2007
Opened	29 November 2007 (first game 18 July 2007)
Owner	Inter MK
Surface	Desso GrassMaster
Architect	Populous
Main contractors	Buckingham Group Contracting
Capacity	22,000 all seated
Field dimensions	105 m x 68 m
Tenants
Milton Keynes Dons F.C., Marshall MK Lions

Stadium:mk (usually rendered stadium:mk for style purposes and also known locally as "Denbigh Stadium"^[1][2]) is a football ground in the Denbigh district of Milton Keynes, (ceremonial Buckinghamshire), England. Designed by Populous,^[3] it has completed phase one construction by civil engineering company Buckingham Group Contracting. It is the home ground of Milton Keynes Dons FC.

The stadium was officially opened on 29 November 2007 by The Queen.^[4]

The initial configuration of the stadium uses only the lower tier to hold 22,000, but using the upper tier there is provision to increase the capacity to 32,000.^[5] However, should it be needed there is also an option to increase the maximum capacity to 45,000 with the introduction of a new tier. When complete the design will comply with UEFA's Elite Stadium specifications and includes a Desso GrassMaster playing surface.

The complex plans include an Arena:MK, an indoor arena that was to be the home of the Marshall Milton Keynes Lions professional basketball team from 2008. Unfortunately, the retail developments that would have provided enabling funding have been deferred due to the national economic situation, leaving the Lions searching for an alternative arena.^[6]

Contents 1 Background 2 Stadium size 3 Early events 4 Cowshed 5 England 2018 World cup bid 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

[edit] Background

The stadium was first proposed in May 2002, when Wimbledon FC sought permission to relocate to Milton Keynes from their original home some 60 miles away in South London. It was originally planned that the new stadium would be ready for the 2004–05 season, but it was to be another three years after this date before the stadium was opened. In the meantime, Wimbledon had played at the National Hockey Stadium and had been refounded as Milton Keynes Dons.

[edit] Stadium size

Initially there were concerns that the size of Stadium:mk may have been too optimistic. Although attendances have increased since leaving the National Hockey stadium, the stadium has yet to sell out.^{[citation needed]} The MK Dons average attendance (just over 10,000) during the 2008-09 Coca Cola League One season remains below half the ground capacity - as such the capacity increase seems unlikely without promotion to a higher league. The MK Dons average home attendance for the first part of the 2009/10 season was ranked 6th out of 24 teams in League One.

[edit] Early events

Although Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the stadium in November 2007, it hosted its first game on 18 July 2007, a match against a Chelsea XI, which resulted in a 4–3 win for the home side. Later in July an England Legends XI took on a World Legends XI in a match in memory of the late England footballer Alan Ball. In November 2007 the stadium hosted its first FIFA sanctioned international football match when the England Under 21 team hosted their Bulgarian counterparts in a UEFA Euro 2009 qualifier. Since then, the stadium has been used a number of times to host England Under 21 internationals, such as a June 2009 warm-up game for the 2009 Under-21 European Championship against Azerbaijan Under-21's (which England won a resounding 7–0).^[7] The stadium was used as a centrepoint for the 40th birthday celebrations of Milton Keynes which took place during 2007.

The stadium also marked another first on 8 May 2008 when it hosted its first rugby union fixture. Guinness Premiership side Saracens entertained Bristol away from their regular Vicarage Road ground, due to Watford F.C. playing at home in the 2008 Championship play-off semi-final.

The Stadium:mk was chosen as a host stadium for England's bid for the 2018 FIFA World Cup

[edit] Cowshed

The South stand of Stadium:mk is known as the Cowshed by Dons fans, as Milton Keynes is well known for its Concrete Cows. This nickname was also used for the home end at the Dons' previous ground.

[edit] England 2018 World cup bid

In December 2009, the English FA awarded 'Candidate Host City' status to Milton Keynes. If England should win the bid, stadium:MK will host some games. For this to happen, the stadium capacity will need to be increased to 44,000.^[8]

[edit] Gallery

The view of the pitch towards the South Stand

The south stand as of 22 February 2007

The South (Cowshed) stand of Denbigh Stadium as of 16 May 2007

[edit] See also

• Ground improvements at English football Stadia

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Stadium official website (Under construction)
• Website of Buckingham Group Contracting
• Aerial shot of the site in 1999
• 3D Model of Stadium:MK in Google Earth - Modeled by Sam Johnson
• Aerial shot of the site in 2005
  • The dual carriageway across the north of the pictures is the A5 and its junction with the A421 is shown. Watling Street (former A5) runs diagonally across the picture from lower right and the West Coast Main Line railway runs up the left hand side. Bletchley railway station is just out of shot to the lower left (SW)

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