| Stadium Name: | Owlerton Stadium |
| Fullname: | Owlerton Stadium |
| Location: | Owlerton, Sheffield |
| Coordinates: | 53.4064°N -1.4925°W |
| Built: | 1929 |
| Expanded: | 2019 conference centre and executive suites |
| Owner: | A&S Leisure Group |
| Tenants: | Greyhound Racing (1932-) Sheffield Eagles (2014-15) Sheffield Eagles (1984) (1984–89) Sheffield Tigers (1929–) Sheffield F.C. (1897–1901, 1989) |
| Seating Capacity: | 4,000 |
| Website: | Official website |
Owlerton Stadium, also known as Sheffield Stadium, is a purpose-built speedway track built in 1929 which also hosts greyhound racing The track is in Owlerton near Hillsborough in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.[1] Greyhound racing takes place on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evenings and every Monday and Thursday afternoon. There is a modern glass-fronted Panorama Restaurant accommodating up to 300 people, executive suites, fast food facilities and a number of bars.
The stadium is also home to the Sheffield Tigers Speedway team and hosts BriSCA Formula One stock car racing events.[2] [3] Speedway takes place on a Thursday evening and the stadium has a total capacity for 4,000 spectators.
It is operated by the A & S Leisure Group, the majority shareholder of which is Dave Allen. Allen was previously the chairman of football team Sheffield Wednesday who play at the nearby Hillsborough Stadium, which coincidentally was originally named Owlerton Stadium.
Sheffield Tigers have run at Owlerton Stadium since it was built in 1929.
See main article: Sheffield Tigers.
The British Sidecar Speedway Championship took place at the Stadium in 2010. It was won by Mark Cossar & Andi Wilson.
The stadium hosted the Sheffield Eagles' first ever game in September 1984; they left five years later following changes to crowd rules, however they returned for one season in 2014 after their previous home the Don Valley Stadium was demolished.
In 1929 construction began on a 20-acre freehold site to build a new stadium in Owlerton. The site was surrounded by steel works with a steel forge directly on the north side and a cutlery forge directly on the west side. To the south was the Birley Meadow steel forge and Owlerton Bridge Rolling Mills steel works. The only area without steel works was on the east side where allotments and gardens were to be found. The Penistone Road ran alongside the west and where Lowther Road originated it could take you directly to the stadium although today the main car park is on Livesey Street on the south side.With the Darnall Stadium opening in 1927 Owlerton track became the second oval circuit greyhound racing in Sheffield. On 12 January 1932 an official opening night took place in regards to greyhound racing. The venue had initially been used for speedway with a first meeting held on 30 March 1929. The stands were subsequently altered to accommodate the impending greyhound racing with a newly built glass fronted grandstand.[4]
The opening night attracted a crowd of 10,000. The press described the tote as a "mechanical and electrical marvel as it registered bets within fractions of a second as they were placed". Seven races were held and the first race over 525 yards the 'Oxford Stakes' was claimed by 3–1 shot 'Carbrook Ted' winning by two lengths in 33.63 secs. Adding variety to the meeting was a 700-yard race and a hurdle race. The five 525 yard flat race winning times spanned 32.40 to 35.78 secs.[5]
A third track arrived to the city of Sheffield in the form of Hyde Park Greyhound Stadium which would always remain independent leaving Darnall and Owlerton to licensed racing. Owlerton owned by Sheffield Sports Stadium Ltd became the primary track in Sheffield and the set-up of the track consisted of a 472 yards circumference with distances of 300, 500, 525 and 700 yards. The grandstand and club were situated on the home straight and there was a parade ring to be found behind these which allowed the public to view the greyhounds pre-race. The track had two hares, an 'Inside Sumner' and an 'Outside MS Cable'. The racing kennels were next to the parade ring and there were another 120 resident kennels that replaced the kennels formerly located at Wardsend Farm in a range of stone buildings.[6]
Sam Vinter joined the track in the thirties as Racing Manager and owner/breeder Alf Morton bred and supplied the track with greyhounds using Irish Derby winner Marching Through Georgia as the sire. Morton was responsible for breeding Victor Ben Hur a track champion and record holder over both 500 & 700 yards in 1940. Duffys Arrival was once trained at the track before he went to (Coventry) trainer George McKay and two of the early trainers at the track were Harry Bidwell, who would have a thirty-year association with Owlerton, and Ted Brennan.[7]
Trade during the war was exceptional but there was very little open racing due to travel issues and it was not until 1950 that Ted Brennan started to establish himself as one of the leading northern trainers. The track claimed the 1951 News of the World Intertrack Championship, the greyhound racing equivalent of the F.A. Cup at the time. Jim Hookway became a resident trainer in 1953 and joined Brennan in dominating the northern scene. In 1959 Ted Brennan's brother Jack switched from the Darnall kennels to join Owlerton and Dancing Sheik trained by Ted Brennan became the first Derby finalist for the track.[8]
The sixties saw rival track Darnall close down and Owlerton was bought by the Sheffield Corporation after a £185,000 offer had been accepted. The corporation converted the three private clubs into public bars which helped boost attendance figures and in 1969 they made £30,000 improvements to the Lowther Road grandstand. Hookway was rewarded with the title of Trainer of the Year which he shared with John Bassett in 1965.[9] The accolade had been helped considerably by a greyhound called Clonmannon Flash who had won the Scottish Greyhound Derby & Edinburgh Cup double.
In February 1965 an Irish litter by Crazy Parachute out of Supreme Witch bred by Leo Stack included Tric-Trac, Spectre II, Forward King and Forward Flash. This litter made its way to Hookway and the Brennan brothers kennels and would become one of the greatest litters of all time. At White City on 24 June 1967 Tric-Trac defeated his brother Spectre II by one length in the 1967 English Greyhound Derby final. Hookway received the Trainer of the Year accolade for a second time.[10]
By 1970 Owlerton introduced the Steel City Cup and as the decade progressed Sam Vinter the long serving Racing Manager retired in 1973 to be replaced by Terry Meynell. Ted Brennan retired the following year and his place was taken by Harry Crapper and Jim Hookway also retired after a very successful career. Sheffield replaced the grass circuit with an all-sand surface in 1978.[11]
Terry Corden who held the lease at Derby Stadium added Sheffield to his portfolio by obtaining the lease at the track but the ageing stadium became a problem following the Hillsborough disaster in April 1989 which resulted in ramifications for the track. The Taylor Report and subsequent government actions on stadium safety meant a substantial financial boost was required at many stadia and as a result Corden sold Derby and the local council closed Sheffield until the improvements were completed. Corden, General Manager Jon Carter and Racing Manager Jimmy Nunn were powerless to stop the stadium closing for the first time since it had opened in 1932.[12]
The stadium was to re-open following investment and David Gunson was brought in as Racing Manager but the track suffered a second closure in the spring of 1990 following a mistake with the betting licence. Tennents provided major sponsorship deals[13] until 1991 when A&S Leisure (owners of five casino restaurants) stepped in and purchased the track spending a £3 million on refurbishment. Attendances rose and Dave Baldwin stepped in to take over from Dave Gunson and Barrie Draper became a major trainer.
Another major refurbishment took place in 2008.[14] Former Greyhound Racing Association manager John Gilburn arrived as managing director and secured the prestigious trainers' championship for the first time in the track's history in 2009 and then again in 2014. Additionally a second home competition the Three Steps to Victory was inaugurated in 2003.[15]
In 2018 the stadium signed a media rights deal with ARC to race every Monday and Thursday afternoon and every Tuesday and Saturday evening.[16] In November 2019 the stadium opened a new £6 million conference centre and executive suite facility.[17] Further improvements were announced in May 2022 with a £400,000 refurbishment that included a track replacement, a new running rail and drainage.[18]
In 2024 a new five-year contract extension with ARC was agreed, to run from January 2025.[19]
| width=100 | Metres | width=200 | Greyhound | width=50 | Time | width=200 | Date | width=200 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 280 | Coolavanny Galiv[21] | 15.65 | 5 April 2022 | ||||||
| 480 | Nolas Beauty[22] | 27.25 | 18 October 2022 | Three Steps to Victory heats | |||||
| 500 | Domino Storm[23] | 28.27 | 26 April 2016 | ||||||
| 660 | Billys Bullet[24] | 38.29 | 7 April 2015 | ||||||
| 720 | Ballyard Buddy[25] | 42.33 | 14 August 2012 | ||||||
| 915 | King Kane[26] | 55.58 | 6 August 2014 | TV Trophy final | |||||
| 934 | Roxholme Magic[27] | 56.28 | 26 April 2016 | ||||||
| 500 H | Razldazl Raidio[28] | 28.96 | 25 April 2017 |
| width=100 | Yards | width=200 | Greyhound | width=50 | Time | width=200 | Date | width=200 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | Silver Wire | 16.70 | 12 May 1939 | ||||||
| 450 | Brilliant Shore | 25.63 | 6 March 1938 | ||||||
| 500 | Victor Ben Hur | 28.02 | 19 October 1940 | ||||||
| 525 | Latin Pearl | 29.25 | 29 July 1946 | ||||||
| 525 | Mad Astley | 29.16 | 1954 | ||||||
| 525 | S.S.Leader | 28.66 | 22 September 1961 | ||||||
| 525 | Tric Trac | 28.48 | 9 September 1966 | ||||||
| 550 | Airbourne General | 30.07 | 10 April 1964 | ||||||
| 550 | Eleventh Wonder | 29.95 | 6 July 1971 | ||||||
| 550 | Kudas Honour | 29.88 | 1972 | Steel City Cup Final | |||||
| 700 | Victor Ben Hur | 40.28 | 17 August 1940 | ||||||
| 700 | Leinster Elm | 39.04 | 19 July 1963 | ||||||
| 770 | Black Magic | 44.03 | 9 August 1955 | ||||||
| 770 | Airbourne General | 27 May 1966 | |||||||
| 770 | Rainbow Trout | 43.12 | 22 July 1966 | ||||||
| 880 | Poor Barney | 49.70 | 9 October 1971 | ||||||
| 525 H | Gaullsmill Again | 30.67 | 1950 | ||||||
| 525 H | Celtic Rebel | 29.78 | 1970 | ||||||
| 525 H | Bingo Basher | 29.76 | 24 March 1972 |
| width=100 | Metres | width=200 | Greyhound | width=50 | Time | width=200 | Date | width=200 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 280 | Parliament Act | 16.38 | 22 July 2000 | ||||||
| 280 | Laser Beam | 16.27 | 14 August 2005 | ||||||
| 280 | Magna Maisie | 16.26 | 30 September 2006 | ||||||
| 280 | Smooth Mac | 16.19 | 17 October 2006 | ||||||
| 280 | Camp Bugler | 16.14 | 17 November 2006 | ||||||
| 280 | Lunar Vacation | 15.94 | 23 June 2007 | ||||||
| 280 | Tyrur Hestor | 15.84 | 28 February 2009 | ||||||
| 280 | Tyrur Hestor | 15.78 | 17 March 2009 | ||||||
| 280 | Boherbradda Mac | 15.78 | 4 April 2009 | ||||||
| 280 | Droopys Quincy | 15.70 | 7 May 2013 | ||||||
| 280 | Brogan Tee Bone[29] | 15.67 | 15 December 2015 | ||||||
| 290 | Fearless Prince | 16.78 | 13 August 1980 | ||||||
| 290 | Melton Hill | 16.78 | 19 October 1990 | ||||||
| 290 | Fosse Way | 16.77 | 27 February 1999 | ||||||
| 290 | Fosse Way | 16.72 | 8 May 1999 | ||||||
| 362 | Check Out | 20.97 | 3 May 1989 | ||||||
| 362 | Farloe Bubble | 20.82 | 4 October 1997 | ||||||
| 380 | Loughlass Champ | 22.09 | 1987 | ||||||
| 480 | Cheeky Hero | 28.07 | 1994 | ||||||
| 480 | Reggies Hero | 28.04 | 14 November 1997 | ||||||
| 480 | Farloe Superman | 28.00 | 23 February 2008 | ||||||
| 480 | Coolavanny Smoke | 27.86 | 17 March 2009 | ||||||
| 480 | Farloe Firefox | 27.76 | 16 June 2009 | ||||||
| 480 | Carden Bert | 27.66 | 4 August 2009 | ||||||
| 480 | Bandicoot Mafi | 27.64 | 1 November 2009 | ||||||
| 480 | Reluctant | 27.55 | 6 July 2010 | ||||||
| 480 | Eden Star [30] | 27.39 | 21 June 2011 | ||||||
| 480 | Candlelight King [31] | 27.32 | 6 August 2014 | ||||||
| 480 | Roxholme Kristof[32] | 27.27 | 15 September 2020 | Three Steps to Victory heats | |||||
| 500 | Tillbrook Herald | 29.21 | 1976 | Steel City Cup final | |||||
| 500 | Desert Pilot | 29.65 | 1978 | Steel City Cup] semi-final | |||||
| 500 | Jebb Rambler | 29.61 | 1979 | Bass Cup final | |||||
| 500 | Desert Pilot | 29.38 | 25 April 1980 | Steel City Cup final | |||||
| 500 | Galtymore Lad | 29.25 | 19 January 1990 | ||||||
| 500 | He Knows | 29.01 | 2 May 1997 | Embassy Cup Final | |||||
| 500 | Plasterscene Gem | 29.00 | 8 August 1998 | ||||||
| 500 | Zigzag Dutchman | 28.93 | 5 September 2006 | ||||||
| 500 | Farloe Hobbs | 28.90 | 12 September 2006 | Steel City Cup heats | |||||
| 500 | Farloe Reason | 28.83 | 14 February 2009 | ||||||
| 500 | Thurlesbeg Joker | 28.79 | 7 March 2009 | ||||||
| 500 | Thurlesbeg Joker | 28.50 | 17 March 2009 | ||||||
| 500 | Boher Paddy [33] | 28.44 | 31 August 2010 | ||||||
| 650 | Brainy Prince | 39.36 | 11 August 1979 | ||||||
| 650 | Desert Pilot | 38.80 | 9 August 1980 | ||||||
| 660 | Suncrest Sail | 39.40 | 19 July 1996 | ||||||
| 660 | Droopys Rhys | 39.40 | 27 November 2001 | ||||||
| 660 | Larkhill Bird | 39.39 | 10 December 2006 | ||||||
| 660 | Stepaside Yoda | 39.26 | 15 February 2008 | ||||||
| 660 | Capel Wilson | 38.88 | 7 March 2009 | ||||||
| 660 | Raving Black | 38.71 | 4 August 2009 | ||||||
| 660 | Ballymac Eske | 38.61 | 24 June 2014 | Three Steps to Victory final | |||||
| 715 | White Rooms | 43.78 | 1987 | ||||||
| 720 | Let Us Know | 43.48 | 30 March 2001 | ||||||
| 720 | Cherry Andy | 43.44 | 27 November 2001 | ||||||
| 720 | Top Plan | 43.40 | 29 March 2003 | ||||||
| 720 | Droopys Sporty | 43.28 | 17 January 2006 | ||||||
| 720 | Tinrah Lad | 43.04 | 21 January 2006 | ||||||
| 720 | Swift Ninja | 42.80 | 3 November 2007 | ||||||
| 720 | Run of the Hawk | 42.80 | 29 September 2009 | ||||||
| 730 | Beano Blondie | 44.63 | 22 August 1986 | ||||||
| 730 | Suncrest Sail | 43.64 | 30 April 1995 | ||||||
| 800 | Change Guard | 49.02 | 15 August 1986 | ||||||
| 800 | Hollinwood Poppy[34] | 48.25 | 27 December 2000 | ||||||
| 915 | Souda Bay | 57.97 | 22 March 1998 | ||||||
| 915 | Hollinwood Poppy | 56.25 | 4 July 2000 | ||||||
| 915 | King Kane [35] | 55.80 | 29 July 2014 | TV Trophy heats | |||||
| 934 | Thornfield Poppy | 58.83 | 13 November 1998 | ||||||
| 934 | Seathwaite Robby | 57.87 | 5 September 2006 | ||||||
| 934 | Barley Bussell | 57.69 | 3 November 2013 | ||||||
| 500 H | Castlelyons Cash | 30.85 | 22 August 1986 | ||||||
| 500 H | Autumn Merlin | 29.94 | 4 July 2000 | ||||||
| 500 H | Trojan Flight | 29.72 | 24 April 2005 | ||||||
| 500 H | Jills Fault | 29.65 | 6 November 2007 | ||||||
| 500 H | Bomber Bailey | 29.23 | 4 August 2009 |
The world's oldest football club, Sheffield, used the stadium before their move to Dronfield.[36]